The smile that echoes through time 🇼🇸❣️

I miss you…

If you’re anywhere and everywhere.. can you hear me? Can you see me?

Nine years? Nine years without your smile. Nine years without hearing a sip from your morning tea. Nine years without your footsteps in the kitchen, late at night lighting up a cigarette on the stove like a boss. Nine years without the presence of a man whose sense of humor was beyond this world.

Papa I miss you..

The day you left this life, nothing has been the same. Family became a little distant. Your beautiful wife who also happens to be my strong independent grandmother is honestly the only reason some of us are still holding on . It’s sad almost..

I miss you..

I miss you greeting and smiling at me sitting on a plastic tan brown chair on the front porch while I was walking up to the house from the bus stop, asking me “ua mai le aoga nei aso” (how was school today)..

The day uncle sala picked me up from junior high, I knew something happened to you… I got in the van and along the way to you, I received a call from my mom, “papa died”…

…….it echoed …

As soon as I heard those words, a part of me died with you papa…

my whole world fell apart that day… it was as if it was the beginning of a whole new life of brokenness just opened up.

My mom could barely say anything else after she uttered those two short words which seemed to be the longest in those seconds that felt like years going by.

I miss you my grandpa. The way you always lit up the room and never failed to make someone smile or anyone you came in contact with!

Although you are not here in this lifetime anymore, I see your smile everyday… it’s so crazy, but half of your grandchildren have your smile my handsome papa!! It sure was contagious that’s for sure !!!

I miss you. We miss you..

It’s been nine years… nine years remembering a smile that was worth more than gold will ever account to..

Until we meet again ❤️❤️

-your granddaughter Raelynn 🌹