LETTER TO GRANDPA CHARLIE COLLINS IN HEAVEN

Dear Grandpa Charlie,

Today is December 25th again—the day you left us in 2020. Christmas will always carry your name in it now. Some days it feels quiet in a way that only missing you can explain.

I think about you often, Grandpa. About your steady presence. Your Army stories. The pride you carried as a Veteran and an Army cook. You always said you baked bread in the Army, and I loved the way you told it—like it was more than food. Like it was comfort. Like it was home. I truly believe that wherever you went, you fed people more than meals—you fed their spirits.

One of my favorite memories is you sitting there with your guitar, fingers moving so easily over the strings. You played like it was second nature, like the music lived inside you. I remember recording you on my phone, posting the videos on YouTube and Facebook so everyone could see how good you were. I was proud of you, Grandpa. I wanted the world to hear what I got to hear up close. I wanted them to see you.
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Those videos mean everything to me now. Your music still plays. Your hands still move. Your smile still shows up on my screen, and for a moment, it feels like you’re still right here.

You taught me more than you probably realized—about service, humility, creativity, and love. About showing up for people in quiet ways. About using your hands to give—whether it was through bread, music, or simply being there.

I miss you every day, but especially today. Christmas isn’t the same without you, but I carry you with me in the stories I tell, the memories I protect, and the love that never left.

Thank you for being my Grandpa.
Thank you for the music.
Thank you for the bread.
Thank you for the love.
Until we meet again,

I love you always.

Your grandson,
Aiden