I wrote this piece after my grandfather died, and it is dedicated to him.  Papa was the one in my family who made sure everyone else was taken care of.  I watched over the years as relatives counted on him and respected his opinions.  He was a craftsman and an artisan - creating stained glass pieces that were beautiful, as well as woodcrafts and other creative items.

At his funeral, the Rabbi used comparisons to Einstein and DaVinci to illustrate how diverse Papa was in his interests, skills, experiences, and creativity.  Today, we might call him a "Renaissance" man - years ago he would have been our family's Shaman.