Changing Perspectives

I've had a really rough week at work. People have been huge jerks. I don't think I've ever sworn in my head as much I did this past week. Definitely had to mute my phone a few times so I could make some frustrated groans while people freaked out at me for no reason. Good times. As I listened to them being completely irrational, I kept thinking how I could never imagine anyone liking those people.
Oddly enough, that eventually lead my thoughts towards family history.

My grandfather Norman passed away six months before I was born. From what I heard growing up, he wasn't always the most pleasant person to be around. There were some nice things I'd hear about him every so often, but not a lot to change my opinion of him that he was mostly just a grumpy guy.

Lately my grandma has been telling me about him and I have learned a lot! They were divorced for quite awhile before he died, but she still had plenty of kind things to say about him. He definitely had his faults, but she told me a lot about his good qualities. I learned that he bought his mother a house after his parents divorced, he made it to a lot of his daughter's school events, he was a very hard worker, he didn't like talking about his experiences in the Pacific during World War 2, he really loved cigars, and he was surprisingly goofy at times. She even told me some things about him that could have contributed to his more unpleasant demeanor, which made me question some of my previous thoughts about him.

I love how pictures can show you part of who a person was. I like him a lot just based on these. As I have looked through his pictures and learned a little more about who he was, I feel like my heart has softened quite a bit towards him. We all have our problems and times when even the people we love want to give us a slap, but it's good for me to remember that there's a lot of good in people too. Here's to getting to know my grandpa :)

Right around when they got engaged. Look at those two kids--lovebirds!

I love how happy my grandma looks with him!

 I love that he's sticking out his tongue in the one above.

Okay, so I don't think smoking is cool at all and generally it doesn't look cool either, but come on--my grandpa kinda looks cool in this.

Grandma said the one above is from the picnic they took the day they got engaged. I absolutely love this picture. I wonder if it was before he proposed and what he was thinking. Or if it was taken afterwards and he's just looking at her thinking "I get to marry her." Either way, adorable and I love it.

 Another one from their engagement day. Side note, none of us inherited Papa Norm's legs. We've definitely got some Hays thighs.

Happy New Year!

Newlyweds. What goobers.

 Papa Norm is in the truck. He owned his own trucking business to provide for his family. Grandma said they always had enough, he worked very hard and supported her decision to work too.

My great-grandma Jennie Catherine Krause Light. Seriously, who doesn't dream of buying their mom a house? I think it's really cool that he was able to do that for her.

 He was such a cute little kid!

Journal Prompt:
What is a characteristic you hope people remember of you? Why is that quality important to you? What are you doing now to become that