Emulations

Emulations are important — they tell you a little about who you are and who you aspire to be.

I was reaching for a glass to get some water today and I instinctively reached for a mason jar. I realized that I was emulating my late grandfather . Every time he visited us, he would always have a mason jar of water loaded with ice. I think it become one of the many symbols I associated with him.
Another is a longer story, but he and I had a ongoing joke that he was an apple core eater. I was eating an apple in his kitchen one day and I jokingly said that I thought he was the kind of guy who ate apple cores.

When pressed on what I meant, I created a personality of an apple core eater and gave a few examples: Jesus of Nazareth, Buddha, and Abraham Lincoln. I deemed my grandfather worthy to be among other historical apple eaters. He got a kick out of it, so our discussions of apple core eaters throughout history and their distinctive characteristics became a recurring theme in our time spent together.

After my grandfather passed away, I began eating apple cores. I never actually asked him if he ever ate them, but I felt like every time I ate one I was reconnecting with him and aspiring to be an apple core eater.
Who we emulate tells us a little about who we are, who we respect and who we want to be. Sometimes small actions like reaching for a mason jar or eating an apple core can speak volumes.