Over the weekend, I received some crushing news.  My grandfather passed away.

Although his age (100 years old) combined with a series of recent health issues prepared my brain for the fact that he wouldn’t live much longer, there was nothing that prepared my heart for the aching I felt when I learned that he had passed.   I thought I was prepared for this moment, but clearly I was not.  In the middle of Mission Oaks Park, immediately after a fierce Mommy/Nate vs. Daddy/Lincoln baseball game, I talked to my uncle about his passing … and I broke down and cried.  This must have been the first time my kids have seen me so sad.  They were so concerned for their mom and all her tears!  But it was a good opportunity to talk to them about my grandfather, whom neither of my kids had met.

Kong-Ta Horng was an incredible man who led a full, well-rounded and amazing life.  He had a great family, an army of friends, a successful career (as an OBGYN), an active lifestyle (always walking, hiking and/or playing tennis … even well into his senior years), a wonderful retirement filled with travels all over the world, and a love and passion for photography which he passed on to the entire Horng family lineage.  I will always remember his playful spirit, his silly sense of humor, his perfectionist tendencies and the adorable smile that he often wore.

In his nineties, my grandfather published a book that chronicled his life through photos.  His childhood, his school years, his college years, his family, his world travels, his landscape and flower portraits, his milestones, his accomplishments, his friends and his loved ones.  As I was leafing through the pages and sharing memories with my kids, I came across this spread.

Wow.  This image just hit me like a ton of bricks.  My own love and passion for photography started at a young age thanks to this incredible man.  Here we are back in 1984, watching the sun set and waiting for the perfect moment(s) to press the shutter and capture the beauty and the moment forever.  I am so thankful that someone (most likely my mom) wasn’t focused on the sunset and instead, captured THIS beautiful moment forever.

Just booked my tickets for Taiwan and look forward to honoring his memory and celebrating his life and legacy.