Rest in Peace

I just found out my that my paternal grandpa passed away. He's been ill and hospitalized for the past few weeks, and in ailing health for longer, but it still feels surprisingly sudden and unexpected. I think I wasn't prepared for the finality of it all. As if I've been subconsciously clinging to this whispering notion that he wasn't really going to die. And now, in the aftermath, I'm not really sure how to feel.

He was my dad's dad and while we didn't grow up living in the same city, or even the same state, I do have fond memories of him through the years. One auditory memory that especially comes to mind was his hearty, scratchy laugh. I'm comforted by the fact that the last time I saw him, he was healthy, happy, and smiling. That's a memory I will hold on to. I can only hope he's in a better place now and my grandma will be okay in his absence and come to accept and absorb the reality that he is no longer with us.