Few weeks back I was visiting my grandparents. They are the type of grandparents who always liked to tell us stories from their childhood, war and life overall. My granddad is 89’ man, living happy ever after throughout his life. He is a happy guy, young soul, always cracking jokes and always being out and about. When we were having tea last time I visited, I asked my 89’ grandpa, "what would you say grandpa is your recipe for long living?" He said "r.. what? what do you mean recipe?"
Then, I asked, what is your way of living that got you to 89’ happy, fit and healthy? and he said: haha, do you know what? kid, always do something, get busy, work on something, and sometimes eat something decent. haha!” He thought a while and then added, “but do you know what?” I had 4 deaths in my life, but they were not meant to happen, maybe it’s just my destination. My grandpa is a happy man. He survived the war, survived the 45 years of communism, has no regrets. When he talks about war... he often mentions the good stories. His most frequent "repeat story" is when one German officer saved his life, not about the millions killed. I never heard him regretting things, I heard no bitterness in his stories, ever. When my grandpa talks about the past, he brings the good memories back, even from the hard times. I always remember my grandfather, happy, smiley, full of jokes, taking a mickey of my grandma. He is a total joker, always made us all laugh, never talked badly about other people. I remember him telling my grandma off when she was gossiping with aunts. ;) He always cycled a lot. A LOT. When he retired, he kept cycling further around villages, keeping busy. He even got himself a grave to keep him busy (how bizzare is that), ready to go. The crafter misspelled his second name on the grave, I thought, “I’d be really pissed off” but he said: ”whatever, who really cares?” He laughed it off. As he always did.
Nowadays, we look for ways of happy living recipes, seek for the purpose and so on, whilst for my grandpa such a thing is a total nonsense. His recipe I guess, is to always live in the present moment, enjoy the now, keep busy, don’t take life too seriously, be kind, remember the good moments. This what I got from him, through his stories and how I have seen him over the years. When I look into my granpa eyes, he is a happy man, with no recipe for life, just simple, happy, no-regrets living.
Stay happy and carry on.
K
