I think of Heaven and your sweet new digs up there. I think of naming a son after you, that is if I ever do have one. I stared at your paintings that you had made over your life, stared at Dad as he cried alongside your loved ones. I wonder if you go sailing in Heaven, or who the first person was you saw in there. I would imagine it’d be your brother, your parents, or a World War II buddy you never talked about. I’m not sure who I’d look up first thing, in all honesty I think I may want to meet Dr. King. I’m a big fan of his or Frida Kahlo. She was mad talented, bet her paintings she made in Heaven are even prettier than the classics I read about. But I imagine God put you back in your youth, so you can read your bible when you please, walk without a walker, and paint on your own again. You were so frail and sick at the end of your life, and as your granddaughter that’s how I knew you to be for most of my life. But based on the stories I heard about you it sounded like you lived boldly in Christ and weren’t fragile the way I knew you to be. I’m glad your home in Heaven and able to be yourself again. You embody everything I think a man in Christ should be: honoring, devoted, selfless, compassionate, and most of all a wonderful father and husband. I just wish I had gotten to know you better and gotten to go sailing with you too. To finally have gotten you your own sailboat, had the opportunity to listen to your stories and all the experiences you had. I wish a lot of things had been different, none of which I could have changed then or now. But I can tell you I hope to be loved like you were loved, and love people the way you did. You inspire me to be bold with my faith and proud in my walk with Jesus. And most of all you make me a proud daughter and a proud Olsen. I can’t wait to see you up in Heaven one of these days Bestafah and I can’t wait to see your sweet new digs.
—
Charles Otto Olsen
May 30,1924 – June 3, 2018
