One of the smartest people I've known was my grandfather, I was super close to him, we had a very special connection. He died right before my teen years and it was probably the single most devastating event in my life to this day. His mother had died when he was a boy and his father didn't want him and sent him away to live with relatives on a farm in Iowa. He only had an 8th grade education because he had to spend his days doing manual labor to be able to stay on the farm. His life was very difficult, but he read everything and had street smarts and common sense for days. After dinner every night he'd read the dictionary and teach himself new things for fun. He enlisted in the Army and was a medic in WWII. When he got out he became a painter. He was humble, somewhat quiet, had a big heart and was so wise. He's been gone decades, but I still miss him so much! ❤️