REPOST: Creating A Man: A Tribute to My Grandfather

Creating A Man - A Tribute To My Grandfather (11/17/09) 

(UPDATE: He recovered from this completely and is still teaching life lessons in 2016! Happy Fathers Day, Gramps!)

Every once in a while I am completely overwhelmed by emotion. More often than not I turn to writing when I find myself in that place. 

As a child, I was not Dana Jay Bein. I was not a comedian. I was Dana Bein. I was shy. I was scared. I was often alone. I was in my shell.
In school, I studied hard so that I wouldn't let people down. I worried about the consequences of my mistakes so much that I refused to make them. Authority terrified me. Teachers, cops, parents of friends, librarians even... all triggered my nerves and my reclusivity. Talk to strangers? NEVER!?! 
Kiss a girl? Holy horror, no! Forget my homework? That would be the end of the world. Literally.

Thinking back, I have a hard time pinpointing when I turned inside out but I know exactly who supported it most consistently. 

Grampa has always been an advocate of something. Learning French, having a beer, playing football, befriending Jesus, pulling off your thumb... they are all in his repertoire. Whether or not his advocacy affects your beliefs, his passion influences your respect. Even as he struggles in the hospital bed; his charm and warmth is magical. 

Grampa taught me how to shave, how to drive, how to save money, how to do calculus, how to be a real Patriots fan and, most remarkably, how to stand up for myself.
He believed in me before I did. His faith in me built my faith in me. 

Today, I, Dana Jay Bein, live an amazing, happy, extroverted life thanks to the influence of my Grandfather. As I wonder aloud what will come, I owe infinite thanks to this beautiful, generous, intelligent and humble man. He has always been there for me. He nursed me through my knee rehab. He came to my soccer games. He spotted me money when I was broke. He tried to set me up with Vietnamese immigrant girls when I was a prudish virgin. He called the coach to get me another shot at the JV baseball team. He introduced me to Boston - the city I love so much today - with trips to the aquarium and the science museum as a kid. He taught me forgiveness. He sang me many an Irish lullaby. He peer pressured me to drink more than my friends. He built me a coffin on Halloween. He inspired my love of pancakes. He taught me how to do cryptograms. The list goes on and on. As I go on, so will he.
He will always be a major part of who I am. 

I love you, Grampa, and I love life because of you. 
I want everyone to know that you are behind my every smile. 
If anything, you are proof that God exists. Amen.