just after midnight this morning my grandpa met Jesus. among many things, my grandpa gave me a love for gardening and a love for the mountains. he and grandma lived in mountain rest and i have several memories of him driving me around clemson campus as a kid, which turned into a love for Clemson and a large reason why i wound up with the opportunity to earn my degree from Clemson.
i took many opportunities to spurn parties and spend weekends with them on their plot of land along highway 28. i am not an early riser, and would often stumble downstairs when staying with them to hear "well, the dead has risen!" coming from the well worn recliner, one of dozens of teases my grandpa gave me almost on replay every time i stayed with them. well, now that statement just carries a little more weight. indeed, grandpa, the dead has risen.