I believe there is no greater act of participation in life than cultivating relationships. Allow me to tell you a story about one important relationship that was cultivated right here on this bench. Throughout my life, my number one fan was always my granddad. He supported me in every aspect of my life, between sports games, musical performances, birthdays and special events. He was always there. His love for me was unconditional, and growing up I never realized how special our relationship was. As I grew older, one of his favorite things to do when I would visit was to sit on this bench and tell me stories. We would talk about what was going on in our lives, and he loved to tell me stories of his days in the United States Army during World War 2, which were particularly fascinating. Sitting on this bench I came to appreciate my granddad for the incredible person he was, simply through conversation. In the last few years of his life he suffered from Alzheimer's. Conversations became difficult and frustrating for him, and for me it was devastating to let go of that part of our connection. I took this photo just a few days ago as I did a final walk through my grandparents house before it was sold. It was one of the most significant photos I took that day, because it symbolized years of stories, laughs and love from my granddad.