A to Z '14 - Family

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


F is for family.



I can never say it enough. My grandfather was the rock - the foundation of our family. He encompassed the true definition of family. He loved us all unconditionally. He gave us his love, his time, his energy, his support, his all. He accepted us all.
Words really can never fully describe who he was, or what he did.



He was our patriarch, our cornerstone, our foundation. Our family is because of him. On our family tree, he is the main root.



I could not imagine my life or our family without him. If he had not been present in my life, I could only imagine how different my life would be (and NOT in a good way).

All families are different. I understand and respect that. But that which we idolize about family, that which we aspire to be as individuals and as families are all that he was.

I am forever grateful for my grandfather and for our family.



F is for Family.

A to Z '14 - Easter

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


E is for Easter.



I normally don't talk about religion or religious holidays too much. I have my reasons, most of which are because I believe in live & let live. Whatever you celebrate is wonderful, simple as that.

Easter, though, is important to me. It has always been an important holiday for me. Easter was always spent with my grandparents. Every Palm Sunday, my grandfather would give us little crosses made out of palm leaves. We spent Easter with them every year that I can recall. My mother still has the Easter basket I picked out with my grandfather.

When I was older, we still spent Easter Sunday with them. We would go out for early Easter dinners. I just loved spending Easter with them. It didn't necessarily need to be a production. Those are just some of the sweetest, happiest memories I have.



April 3rd fell on Holy Week last year. In the Catholic church, that's a good thing. I don't remember exactly what the priest said at his funeral, but he discussed how appropriate it was for him and how it was also a sign of resurrection and life after death.


This Easter will be a tough one without the most important person in my life. But I will always have those wonderful memories of Easters past.


E is for Easter.

A to Z '14 - Devotion

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


D is for Devotion.

My grandfather was the embodiment of devotion. Married to my grandmother for over 70 years when he passed, he was still as madly in love with her as they day he married her.

He was devoted to his work. He started working at fifteen and didn't fully retire until he was about 80. His hard work and perseverance paid off. A self-made man, he worked his way up the corporate ladder from mail room to CEO.

He was devoted to his family. He always made time for us. He played with us, took care of us, supported us, educated us. He gave us everything we needed and then some. He was more than just a provider. He was a devoted family man.



Devotion is of the utmost importance nowadays. In a society where we emphasize looking out for number one, we have forgotten the importance of devotion to others. You cannot have a marriage or partnership without devotion. You cannot have a family without devotion. Without some sort of devotion, all of our relationships would wither and die.

My books are about characters who are devoted to their lovers, friends and families. These characters understand true devotion because I had the best role model to draw from.


D is for devotion.

A to Z '14 - Compassion/Caring

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away one year ago today, April 3, 2013.


C is for Compassion and Caring.

My grandfather cared for me in so many ways. He was an integral part of my childhood. He and my grandmother lived less than 10 minutes away. We visited and stayed with them often.

He cared for me like any good parent. He made sure we were fed and cared for. But his care went so much further. He was truly compassionate towards us. Giving us love and kindness that surpasses all description.

From checkers to pool to important life lessons, he taught us everything. He cared for us by educating us in as many ways as he could.

More over, he cared for us by supporting us. He was always my biggest fan and advocate. He always supported my writing. He always spoke positively to me and about me. He cared for my emotions, talents and self-esteem more than anyone or anything else.

He cared. By his caring, I have learned to care. I care for myself and I care for others all because of his example.

C is for caring.

A to Z '14 - Brilliance

For this year's A to Z Challenge, I am honoring my grandfather who passed away on April 3, 2013.


B is for Brilliance.

My grandfather was brilliant. In more ways than one, he was brilliant. He didn't even graduate from high school, and yet what he accomplished in his life time is the stuff that legends are made of. He was humble, though, too.

His brilliance spurred on our own. He always told us that anything was possible as long as we worked hard. He was right. Diligence pays. Brilliance, or talent, is great; diligence only enhances it.

We are all brilliant, each in our own way. You know how we often use brilliance to describe things like diamonds? That's the kind of brilliance I'm talking about here. You are brilliant like a diamond. I have my own brilliance. We ALL have our own forms of brilliance. Trust me, the wisest man in the world taught me that! ;)



B is for brilliance.