My Grandfather and his Life Lessons

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Being raised by my Grandparents was a blessing in so many ways. Not only are they two of the most wonderful people on the planet, but they taught (and continue to teach) me some valuable lessons in life.

New York Life’s video really struck a cord with me. It made me think of all the wisdom that has been given to me by my Grandparents.

My Grandfather in particular, is responsible for instilling a strong work ethic in me at an early age. He had me working for the family business as early as eight years old. Not in a “child labor” sort of way, but in a “money making lesson” sort of way.

Favorite pic of gram and papa

I adopted his workaholic mentality right away. For fun I would count change, or set up a mini-businesses in our kitchen. During Thanksgiving you could purchase my homemade friendship bracelets at a family discount. 😉 I continue to learn from and be inspired by my Grandfather all the time.

Me as a child sitting on a rock holding my grandfather's hand

Not just business-related, my Grandpa is well-known for his quotes. He didn’t coin all these popular phrases, but he sure does use them whenever he feels that they fit.

If I ever present a challenge that I am having, my Grampa is sure to have an appropriate quote for the situation. Here are some of his favorites…

My Grandfather and his Life Lessons in Quote Form

  • He who angers me conquers me.
  • An ounce of brains is worth a pound of gold.
  • What a tangled web we weave once we begin to deceive.
  • An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
  • Today’s circumstances are the result of yesterday’s thinking.
  • The only sure thing about life is change.
  • Too soon we get old, too late we get smart.
  • Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.
  • One man’s sugar is another man’s poison.
  • What we fear the most comes to pass.
  • He who rules himself is king.
  • Keep on pushing that wagon up the hill.
  • If you play with trash, you’re going to get dirty.
  • Figures don’t lie, liars figure.
  • Your degree of success is directly related to your belief system.

That’s not even all of them, but the biggies. Now, I will admit, a lot of these have gotten him some eye-rolls at times over the years. However, now that I am older I find myself saying them, as well. I absorbed every one of his nuggets of wisdom. Some, I haven’t fully practiced, but they are in my mind. I can hear him saying the words when certain things come to pass.

Me and Papa

I don’t tell my Grampa enough how much I appreciate him. He’s been a father, a mentor, and a downright savior to me over the years. The amount of love that I have for him actually hurts my heart. It’s easier for me to show no emotion than any at all. Once I do, the flood gates open.

I often find myself using these same quotes now when I want to stress a point. I am happy to do so and smile every time one comes to mind. I would love to be like my Grampa and “Keep Good Going” for generations to come. Learn more about how New York Life can help you and your family Keep Good Going.

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22 Comments

  1. I love the quote, “Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.” it reminds me not to feel overwhelmed about some things and keep working to make progress.

  2. i want to hug your grampa!! he sounds so much like my own. <3

    there's infinite wisdom in his sayings. we should all learn from that

  3. Amy Desrosiers says:

    Aww, this makes me sad that I don’t have any grandfathers left, I never even knew my moms father either! I’m glad that you were able to have a special relationship with your grandfather.

  4. They are some great lessons. I love he who rules himself is king, that is so true!

  5. Ellen Christian says:

    What a great post. I love this one: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

  6. Mama to 5 BLessings says:

    what a sweet post, it’s amazing what we can learn from our mentors and family. He sounds like he’s been a great influence on you!

  7. It is the memories we make that really impact us later in life. I love you sharing your memories!

  8. Keikilani says:

    What a beautiful post! I really love how you have taken those lessons we don’t realize we are learning as children and applied them in adult life.

  9. It is amazing how much grandfathers can mean to you. I miss mine dearly every day.

  10. Sounds like you really took away a lot from your Grandpa’s wisdom. That’s such a great legacy to have, it’s unfortunate that some kids never get to experience a grandparent/grandchild relationship like the one you had.

  11. Your love for him is so incredibly sweet! I love all his sayings…even if you had eye rolls at them sometimes, it’s obvious they’ve become distinctly grandpa and close to your heart.

  12. Dawn Lopez says:

    Awww, I love your grandpa and I never even met him! Grandparents really are special and yours sound pretty amazing 😉 I love all of those quotes… I haven’t heard a lot of those, but they are awesome! I find myself saying a lot of little quotes like that, not sure where I got them from though?

  13. Melanie a/k/a CrazyMom says:

    AWWW..what a sweet post and the pictures are just adorable…Loved the Life lessons, I always get the best from my grandparents, too.. treasure them..thanks for a wonderful post

  14. This is such a sweet post. It’s amazing how much our grandparents can teach us.

  15. I have one living grandmother. I miss the three that are no longer here, but appreciate the lesson they shared. <3 very sweet post.

  16. Carly Peterson says:

    Awesome! What a wonderful man! I love your list of his quotes. I might add a few of those to what I tell my kids!

  17. melissa Au says:

    What a wonderful post. I learned so much from my grandfather, too!

  18. Stacey @ Cheap is the New Classy says:

    I love all of the sayings! I wonder if he realizes how many he has passed on to you?

  19. Mindy Grant says:

    I miss my grandfather so much. I have so many great memories with him too.

  20. What a wonderful grandpa…a very wise one from what you’ve shared. Miss my Grandpa after reading this. 🙁

  21. Liza @ Views From the 'Ville says:

    Your grandfather sounds very special and wise! Reminds me a lot of my late grandfather, whom I miss a great deal.

  22. I wish I had more time to spend with my grandfathers, though I do cherish the little time I did get. Your grandpa’s life lessons are all profound and very true to life! I’m sure he’s very proud that you’ve learned so much from him and probably still continue to learn! Thanks for sharing!

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