Today would have been my grandfather’s 88th birthday. He was a good man, and I learned a lot from him. I was lucky to be old enough to really get to know him before he died, in 2008. We used to remain at the table after family dinners, talking about life, economics, politics, and history. He would allow me, even as a naive teenager, to voice my opinions regarding those things—but he would challenge me as well, forcing me to back up my assertions with evidence or logic. His perspective, being an old man, was often different than mine, and I think I first developed longer-term thinking through our chats. He’s been gone for a long time now, but our family still talks about him often. His memory and impact live on through us, as we pass it down to our children. At the end of the day, our time will end at some point. That can be scary to appreciate and consider. But it also makes those moments with loved ones that much more meaningful. We get to decide what to do with the time given to us. What will it be? Happy birthday Grandpa, I love you.