The 10 Things I Learned

It was a sad day this week, when we learned Nikki's Grandpa Cook had died. He had been in great health, but had an aneurysm that appeared to have dissected and caused a heart attack on Tuesday afternoon. It was quite a shock to us all. I had a profound respect for Grandpa, and it became very apparent to me that he had a great impact on my life . So in memory of Grandpa, here are a few things that I learned from him:

10. Smile for the camera. If 9 out of 10 pictures show you with a smile, there's a good chance that you'll be remembered as "a happy person." We found a lot of smiling pictures.

9. Eat ice cream... not the non-fat kind. Life is too short not to enjoy the finer things.

8. Never retire. Sometimes your job title can change (For instance, from home builder to domestic landscaper), but that doesn't mean you stop working.

7. Tell great stories. When you can live-in-the-moment and vividly remember the smell, touch, sound, and sights, you can capture the attention of even the worst ADHD child.

6. A game of cards and a bowl of chocolate raisins is the best way to spend a rainy day.

5. Tolerate people, not necessarily their opinions. This could also be known as "call a spade a spade."

4. Be generous with your time and talents. It might even inspire people to blog about you.

3. Be smart with your money. This involves living within your means and investing wisely.

2. Family is your most important investment. Your family is the asset that will carry your principles and values for decades to come.

1. Leave a legacy. For many years to come, we'll reminisce the memory of a man, who invested his life in making my world a better place to be. Will that be said of me someday?