Talk with Grandpa By, Jim Gandolf

                Talk with Grandpa   By, Jim Gandolf

                I was sitting in the back yard over at my Grandpa and Grandmother’s house on a warm summer day with no a worry in the world. My Grandpa was a quiet man that when he spoke you listen to everything, because he made you recite what he was talking about over at another date. I loved the cherry tree in the back yard as much as anything in the world. I created with my grandpa the guessing of the shapes of the clouds to different cartoons or famous people. This day was just perfect on Sharon Ave, in Indianapolis, Indiana; as if I would never forget this talk from a man that had live life all over the world. My Grandpa Licho; explained to me to be a gentleman in this world, “You must be expressive in emotions only to yourself and to no other person on earth.” "Keep your views on any politics private, no one can use any affiliation to any actions to proclaim your own destiny.”  “If you have a friend or mate that has a sister; never fall in love with that sister, and never give that friends sister any unwanted attention while you are with that friend’s sister.” “Be kind and listen to any girl that is trying to explain anything to you, but not flirtatious.” He looked at me and said with a stern look on his face, “Never try to explain yourself to anyone that doesn’t know you personally, stay focused on treating people the way you want to be treated.” Then my grandpa took a breath or two for a minute and created a serious atmospheric candor and said, “Look people in the eye when you are talking to them, stay focused on what these people have to say back to you.” Conversation was absolutely breath taking, as we just sitting in this amazing back yard full of flowers and this conversation of the meaning of life. I feel that every young man should have this talk, with a loved one or someone of meaning in their own life.  I felt that he was excited to talk to me, but I might have been too young to even have this conversation with me. He looked at me and said, “Never tell your mom or grandmother about this talk we are having today?” as he started to laugh. Grandpa Licho said to me, “Feel the good side of every situation that might be troublesome.” “When you grow up and become a young man; and have a girlfriend, if you break up with that girlfriend, never date any of her friends.” I was confused on that one until I got much older. I have many more that my grandpa explained to me over business, and church action, that were wonderful lessons of positive living experiences. To grow in life challenges to each new living experience to live a better life. I know what he was saying to me about business conduct and whomever to choose to do business with. Some of those rules I forgotten until I lived the explanation from grandpa. “If a business person is gossiping about others right in front of you, what are they saying about you when you are not around?” “People will express nothing but false hope when they cannot face the truth in any situation.” I love every bit of that conversation back many years ago as I was a young boy.

Live right now!

Jim Gandolf