Grandpa's Gift

It is June 12th 2018, my Grandfather died 10 years ago today. I finally decided to go back to his house and sort through everything and let go of what I didn’t want. How could I get rid of anything? I loved him so much. He raised me from the time I was 8 years old. After my parents died in a car accident, he took me in. I had no other family on either side. My mom was raised in a children's home in Sweden, having no known family. My father was an only child as his mom died giving birth. I had only met my grandpa a few times before then, as we lived in California and he lived in Montana.

Losing my parents, all my friends and moving to a whole new state, one that was so different from where I grew up was scary enough. Moving to live with someone you knew better over the phone then in person, well lets just say it took me some time to adjust. But grandpa didn’t force anything. He was just his kind and calm self. I know I wasn’t easy, especially when I first arrived. It took me months to mourn the loss of my parents. Then adjusting to a whole new place, well, I could have been easier on him, but I somehow resented him at first. He was old, why couldn’t he be dead and my parents still alive. I didn’t really want him dead, I just missed my parents.

After the first few months, and I started to adjust, we began to talk each other every evening. He would tell me stories about whatever I asked. Mostly about my dad growing up. He was more mischievous than I was. He would also tell me stories of his own childhood. It was better than any history book. I loved hearing about his time on an archaeology dig in Iceland one summer when he was only 17. He became fascinated by the runes and their power. He had many books on the topic and I would read them all the time.

So, back to today. I entered the house for the first time in many years. I knew there would be lots of work to do to get it cleaned out, so I took a leave from work for the next few weeks. As I began cleaning up and sorting treasure from donation and trash, I came across a locked drawer. I was intrigued, as I don’t remember him ever opening that drawer when I was around. I had to find the key. As I continued cleaning the home I had lived in for most of my life, I felt it bekken me to stay. Like my heart belonged here and not back in California. I had moved back to CA when my grandfather died. I wanted to get away from one pain and try to heal my old pain of losing my parents. I thought by going back to CA that I could reconnect with them somehow. I wanted to step in their footprints for a while. California/Los Angeles did distract me a little from missing my grandfather so much, as it is a much busier town than anywhere in Montana, but this house was my true home.

I found a box in another drawer with a key in it. It opened the locked drawer. I was shaking with anticipation. What could grandpa have so important that it would be locked up so? And why had he never told me about it? When I opened it up there was only a little black book inside. I took it out and opened it, to read what he could have in it that was so important. It was written in runes. Boy did grandpa know me or what? It was like having him here with me. I love a good mystery and this was going to be a good one, I could tell. The first thing it said was:

My little angel, I know you must be sad, but don’t be. We are all part of the circle of life. I have always been and always will be. I am with you always. With this book, you will find many treasures. Including an inheritance of $20,000 worth of gold I had put away for you many years ago. I hope you will have the life you always dreamed of. Remember, I am always with you.

The next page said to go to the old tree in the back, the one where I would hide to count when we played hide and seek. Dig on the spot I would stand to find your first treasure. It was already dark, so I decided to wait until morning. I continued to translate the book from runes to english. It was just like having him here with me. I could almost smell him. He even put a song in the book. It brought back so many memories for me. Such a gift this book was, in and of itself. But I have to say, the idea of treasures was exciting as well.

Morning came and I was up and ready. I should tell you here that I am 42 and never married, no kids and mostly alone. I have worked many odd jobs and still haven't found what makes me happy. Never found where I fit in. My latest job has been accounting. Not my favorite, but I am good with numbers. So here I am digging for treasures with clues from a book written years ago. Life can change in one moment, and never be the same. I found the box buried by the tree. When I opened it up, I found my teddy bear that I had with me when I arrived. I threw him out when I was 12 as I felt I was too big to have a teddy bear anymore. I didn’t know grandpa saved him. I was so happy to see him again. He was in perfect shape. A true treasure for sure.

The next entry in the book told a little story.

Once there was a little girl, I would call her goldie locks. She loved to sing and dance, which warmed the heart of her grandfather very much. Her favorite song holds a clue to find a treasure that is dear to you.

Wow! What was my favorite song back then? We would always sing the songs from the Sound of Music, as those were grandapa favorites. Must be one of those. My favorite was The Sound of Music. But how is that a clue. I sang the song all day while cleaning. Then it hit me, the painting in the den, we called it the Sound of Music because of the hills in it. I looked behind it and there was an envelope taped to the back of it. It had several pictures of my parents and I when I was little. I told him I never wanted to see them again. I guess he knew better. I spent the rest of the day crying, finely allowing myself to feel the pain and forgive my parents for leaving me.

Over the next few days I found more memory treasures. I found the picture I drew for my grandpa, of him and I on a plane. I was hinting that I wanted to go somewhere. That summer we took a trip to Alaska. It was amazing. I even got to see a moose. We would go on long hikes and we got to eat wild berries. It was an amazing trip. Next I found a picture of me at a school talent show. I didn’t know he was there, as I told him not to come, that it would make me too nervous. On the back he wrote, you did an amazing job, I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. I’m glad he was there. I sang Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days, by the Judds. He liked them a lot. It was special to me becaues I would always ask him to tell me stories about when he was young. We didn't watch much TV, as we would lake and play games. That was how he grew up.

This journey of sorting the house and finding treasures has been the best thing to happen to me. I decided to move back home and keep one room in tribute to my amazing grandpa. But still one more treasure to find. The gold. The last entry said, I told you I would always look after you and I always will. I knew where to look next. In my room was a picture on the wall of my grandpa. He put it there and told me that I should always keep it right there so he could watch over me and keep me safe. I ran up the stairs and looked behind the picture. There was a note saying, What you seek will make a creek, check below to find what glows. It took me a while, but then I remembered, in the Library was a creaky floor board under the rug. I remember that well because I used to play music with it. I went back down the stairs, moved the rug, pried open the floor boards and found a box with a bunch of little gold bars. There were 65 one ounce bars. $20,000 when he got them maybe, but at today's exchange rate it's $120,000.00. Yes grandpa, you did say you would alway take care of me.

I finished cleaning the house. Turned the den into a “Grandpas” room where I kept all the wonderful things that were special to him and I. I started my own business called Making Memories, where I would help people do memory books like my grandfather did for me. It was a big house with 3 bedrooms, so I decided to get a roommate. It was in this search that I met my now partner. The gifts keep coming. He has a daughter who is the same age I was when I moved here. His wfie died a few years ago and they had just moved to Montana for a new start. It was meant to be. We fell in love.

Thank you Grandpa, for being my guardian angel.