Here’s a rundown of who you’re looking at:

• Born poor
• Orphan by age 11
• Raised by Catholic nuns while siblings were raised by family members, they weren’t able to care for him
• Credits Church and nuns for his success in life, remains devout Catholic to this day
• Joined the military as a teenager
• Fought in the Korean War
• After the service went to Illinois Institute of Tech for mechanical engineering for his bachelors and University of Chicago, where he earned his Masters Degree in business
• Was married May 30th 1955 to a woman who grew up in a one bedroom apartment with her parents and sister in Chicago, put herself through college and was President of her business sorority
• Moved to 57th/Park NYC from Chicago a little over 50 years ago
• Adopted two children 1959, my mom, and early 60’s, my uncle, before having two more sons of his own
• Bought a house in St Johnsbury, Vermont for his wife and kids to live in a beautiful setting outside of the city, while he lived in NYC
• Took a job in Michigan, moved his family and had a house built on the lake.
• Changed his mind, took a job another job and built the identical house across Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin
• Was SVP for a global energy company, which currently employs my dad, just as it did my dad’s father. 
• Personally donated millions to the Catholic Church that he and his wife have attended for at least 40 years after alleged sexual abuse victims filed lawsuits against the priest who married my parents, baptized me and my siblings, gave me, my brother and sister our first communion, confession and other sacraments (filed post mortem)
• Went to the rehab in Antigua for heavy drinking in the early 90’s
• Recites the Serenity Prayer several times a day ever since
• Was diagnosed with Parkinsons approximately 20 years ago
• Took his wife, 3 of his 4 children, son in law, 2 daughters in law, and 7 grandchildren on a trip spanning 7 countries to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary, an amazing accomplishment considering his humble beginnings and tumultuous marriage
• Just celebrated his 56th wedding anniversary
• Is my grandfather, the source of my last name and the reason I am not a lazy show pony with a debilitating sense of entitlement

He was put in ICU Wednesday afternoon due to a case of bronchitis that was showing signs of developing into pneumonia.  He is still in ICU and this is really hard for me, I’ve never lost a member of my immediate family and don’t know how well I’d cope with losing someone who I’ve idolized for as long as I can remember. This is where my yoga practice comes into use. Non attachment. But right now my ego is winning by reminding me of all the things I need to show him and prove to him I can do before he goes and I’m feeling attached.