Grandpa Joe’s Advice

When life goes sideways and things get tough, you need a memory that anchors you, something to hold onto when everything else feels shaky. For me, that memory always starts with my Grandpa Joe, a sausage, egg and cheese McMuffin, and a 45-minute drive from my home in Medina, Ohio, to Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

It’s a ride and destination that feels like a mirror. Grandpa Joe would always say, “Chagrin Falls is like Medina but with a waterfall.”

During that ride, he’d tell me stories – hundreds over the years. But one morning, he told me one I’ll never forget.

He told me about his time as an Air Force cadet. There was a dance, and a girl he wanted to ask out. Another cadet and his buddies cut him off, and it led to a fight in the parking lot. The first punch hit his face, then another, but he stayed on his feet. The guy was a state boxing champ, but my grandpa didn’t give in. When the next hook came, he ducked, and the guy broke his hand on my grandpa’s head. That’s how he won the fight – and yes, he got to dance with the girl.

He always said, “When you face conflict, first use your head, then use your fists. But if you have to use your fists, don’t forget to use your head.”

By the time the story ended, we were pulling into Bernie Schulman’s Drugstore. The place had a wall of old movies, all under 99 cents. He’d hand me a basket and say, “Pick 10 for the weekend.” Scorsese. Tarantino. Stallone. Schwarzenegger. It felt like a treasure hunt – my own film school before I knew what that meant.

Then we’d arrive home, and Grandma would have meatballs and marinara cooking, her smile breaking through the steam. I remember telling myself not to forget this, that this was one of the best days of my life.

Before dinner and a movie, Grandpa would hand me speeches from his old job at East Ohio Gas and have me perform them out loud.

He’d say, “How you speak matters, so take the audience on a journey. Someday, you’ll get a chance to connect with people. Don’t miss it. Let them know they’re not alone.”

That stuck with me ever since. So here I am, and here you are.

That memory of Grandpa Joe still anchors me when things get tough. I still remember what I told myself that day. And I hope this story sparks an anchor memory for you – maybe one you need right now. But whatever you’re going through, like my grandpa always said, “Remember, this too shall pass.”