The Greatest Man That Ever Lived

The Greatest Man that Ever Lived

Everyone has a hero in their lives, someone who they look up to: someone very special. This person plays a very important role in your life. As a child, this person teaches you an array of life lessons that stick with you throughout your whole life, from learning how to walk to buying your first home, this special person guides you in all aspects of life. Throughout your journey in life, this idol’s experience and intelligence are the epitome of persona of which you desire as this mentor continues to bestow their wisdom. As life progresses, this is the person that you long to be at all your special events. The day that they are absent, you ache for their presence to share the occasion with; they are the one person who you wish could be there. For me, this person is my grandfather.

Growing up, my grandfather taught me many things. I remember the first time I ever hit a baseball. My grandfather was an avid baseball player who played on local teams around the area. The American pastime was his favorite recreational activity. When he put on his old rugged glove and hurled the ball, it would traverse the plate with the elegance of a Canadian goose coming in for a landing. He taught me how to play the game. He showed me how to concentrate on the ball. Depending on the speed, pitch, and position of the ball, my grandfather showed me when and when not to swing the bat. This is a memory that remains fresh in my head as if it happened yesterday, a memory I will never forget.

Besides playing baseball, my grandfather taught me many other things as I was growing up. He was the one who bought me my first bike and taught me how to ride it. I remember graduating from training wheels and how proud my grandfat...

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...d. I remember the days leading up to the tragic event, going to see my grandfather everyday while he was in the nursing home. Even though he couldn’t tell me what he was thinking, I could feel his encouragement and his thoughts. It’s then when I realized that immortality was science fiction, as my grandfather laid in bed completely motionless except for his right frail fingers gripping the soft plush baseball with all the might he had on his last days.

This is the relationship and memories that never fade. This person was a true legend; the paragon of perfection that has been there throughout all the greatest and weakest times. My grandfather kept me strong, gave me advice, and taught me new things for which I could never thank him enough. Everyone has someone who plays this role in their lives, but in my eyes, my grandfather was the greatest man that ever lived.