Hey guys,
Just wanted to share with you all that today is a very special day for me. In my posts over the past few months, I've mentioned my great-grandfather a number of times, who was a piper in the Gordon Highlanders. He was also the first man to inspire me to wear a kilt. Today is the anniversary of the day he went to the Ceilidh in the Sky...The day he died three years ago (at 98!) is also the day I decided to wear kilts full-time, in part to honor his legacy. The past three years have been perhaps the most enjoyable of my life so far, and I'm looking forward to many more kilted years ahead. In honor of my great-grandfather, I share the following memory of him with you all:

When I was around 9 years old, my great-grandfather was still in quite good health. He would take a daily walk through the main street of my hometown, and I would pester him to take me along. One day, he agreed. He was wearing, as he often did on these strolls, his kilt. As we walked his daily route, the people that saw him everyday made it a point to say hello and make positive comments about his kilt. When we returned home, I asked him why people treated him differently when he wore a kilt. He looked me right in the eye, and with the honesty that comes with the connection between generations, said, "The kilt is an outward symbol of who I am, and the things I have done in my life. In essence, the kilt is part of me. If you choose to wear a kilt, remember this: hold your head up high, and be proud of who you are."

I miss you, Pappy...