Rico Scaparotti - My Grandfather, A Renaissance Man

I can honestly say that in my life, I have never before met someone as close to perfection as my grandfather.  His positive attributes go well beyond those one would normally expect listed in prose such as this; true, he does embrace kindness and goodness, but everything he says and does has the gentlest touch that one could imagine.  Never harsh, never abrasive, never crass or rude, my grandfather seems to bring warmth to everything that should cross his path.

My grandfather is an artist.  And a musician.  And a cook.  A sort of Renaissance-man, I suppose, as his talents are many and varied.  But beyond these many gifts is a heart and soul so very humble and kind; not timid, for he is strong-willed and steadfast, but this strength is only heightened by the fact that his spirit is one touched by such grace and elegance.

I cannot share just one good deed that my grandfather has done for me, for there is too great a number to even begin.  So I will pass on one small, humorous favor that he used to do for me when I was a child.  When losing my baby teeth, I, as all children, would reach that uncomfortable stage when the tooth would be so very loose, just at the verge of releasing itself, but still just barely hanging on.  Always squeamish about my teeth, Grandpa was the one person I would allow to help me out.  With a paper towel, a swift and deft stroke, and all of the gentleness in the world, he would remove my errant tooth, tell me to put it under my pillow, and give me a dollar for being a brave girl.  Which I think was pretty remarkable of him considering, in retrospect, that it was kind of gross.

As my Grandpa and I both get older, I find that I do not see him as much as I have moved away.  But everyday, I keep him in my heart.  And this is perhaps the greatest gift I have from him, the very presence of his being with me at all time.  It reminds me that the world is truly a warm and special place.