Remembering my Uncle Rob Eggers

Some great memories I have with Uncle Rob (Uncle Rock) were made so many years in Gitchee Gumee, camping or on his regular trips back to Chicago. Uncle Rob was always extremely intentional in trying to keep up and connect with all of his family. Whenever I would release a new song or album, he would send me a full review by email or a text message. We had many similar hobbies - especially board games, biking, hiking, camping and photography. I loved our long bike rides in the Upper Peninsula and around Elgin when he would visit. 

A visit from Uncle Rob always meant we were going to have a fun and memorable time - whether it was in downtown Chicago, at home playing Rail Baron or hiking up Jacob's Creek Falls in Michigan. While he was a deep and thoughtful person, he also had an energetic love for life that injected anticipation and excitement. 

I felt that Uncle Rob had a similar sense of humor to Grandma Eggers - a bit dry and sarcastic, but not aggressive or demeaning. His love for his family was inspiring, unique and life-changing. At the center of his heart was compassion and a desire to bless those around him. He displayed this compassion by spending quality time with those he loved, year after year, but it never seemed forced or burdensome. He truly cared about us and was excited for his next chance to get to spend time with us. 

While I will always miss those times, I am more thankful that they happened and that he left such a lasting effect on the lives of those he cared about - including mine. I always wish he was still with us, and it seems like just yesterday when he passed. I hope I can learn from his example and prioritize quality time and genuine interest with those I love the most. Thanks Uncle Rock for doing that.

Peter (Pedro)

Short Stories and Writings by Peter Kruse

Remembering Uncle Rob Eggers

The Most Sophisticated Sport

Free Hugs

Electric Bike in a Tropical Storm - a China Experience

A Glimpse of Heaven - Short Story about 2011 Blizzard

Fake Churches

The Sunday Paper - Short Story

All Men are Superficial - Funny Short Story

I Need You Now - Funny Short Story

Error in Translation - Funny Short Story

A Bad Impression - Funny Short Story

Peeing on Trees - Funny Short Story

Unashamed Naked People - Funny Short Story

Awkward Dating Moment - Funny Short Story

"The Sunday Paper" - Short Story

Growing up, from about the ages of 6-13 I always had a paper route with my two older brothers. Six days a week we would rubber band and deliver the papers ourselves, rain or shine, in sickness and in health, uphill both ways...you get the picture. And I remember how the rubber bands would sting if they broke on your hand and how the ink would blacken your hands after rolling up a dozen or so papers. Six days a week we'd do the paper route ourselves, yet Sundays our dad would usually help us out. Apparently there wasn't a lot of news in our town until the weekends, as the Sunday paper was always guaranteed to be huge. Because of this, our dad's help was always appreciated as we sat in the foyer together, puffy-eyed and tired, adding inserts and stuffing the forty-some "Daily Courier" newspapers into weatherproof bags. Then we'd load them into the back of our old, beat up yet reliable Oldsmobile station wagon. The back door of the station wagon could fold down so we would sit on it, and as he drove slowly down the street we'd hop off and deliver the mountain of Sunday papers until it had gradually disappeared. Sitting on the fold-down door like that probably wasn't safe or even legal but the paper route was finished in record-breaking time. Afterwards we'd almost always drive to Rollin' Donuts and relax a bit after the early morning of hard work. To this day I still haven't had a better apple fritter. It's amazing to me how moments like this, when I was a child, seemed like they would last forever. But now, decades later, I sometimes wonder where the time has gone. I am thankful for these memories and the things I learned from them as remembering them helps me to appreciate the time now that I get to share with those I love.

What's one of your childhood memories?