The Power Of The Human Spirit

My maternal grandparents were very significant people in my life. We called them Mama and Papa, and we were extremely attached to them, and loved them dearly. They taught me important life lessons about love, loyalty, courage, and the resilient power of the human spirit.

They were married very young, which was not uncommon in those days, and went on to produce large family of 15 children. My grandfather worked on the docks in the small town where we grew up, and made very good money doing it.

Their lifestyle should have been more comfortable than it was, since his income was quite substantial for that time. But it was not, and this was not due to them having so many children either. The real reason was that he was an alcoholic and a gambler, so there were many times when the family did not fare so well financially, for obvious reasons.

This was not something we realized as children, and if we were told we would probably not have given it any credibility. We simply worshiped our grandparents too much to believe such a thing!

My own parents were quite poor, so when Papa gave us a nickle or a dime, and sometimes even a quarter, he certainly seemed a hero to us. It was not just the money. Papa gave us the most profound love and attention that poor, neglected children crave and we reciprocated in kind. We absolutely adored him.

Although Papa was in truth not always conscious of the daily needs of his family, it was still abundantly clear he cared for all of us with a strength that is not always understood, especially when it came to our grandmother. One could not only see, but also feel his intense love for her.

They had mostly lived in very humble homes during the many years they were married, and while we are now certain Mama must have found it trying at the best of times, she was never heard to utter a complaining word. Such was her loyal devotion to her life partner.

The human spirit holds strength beyond measure, the kind that will break down the walls of all the blocks that come our way ~ Nikki Rowe

In his early 70s, Papa was diagnosed with cancer. The family was told in no uncertain terms that he would be lucky to survive a few months, that was how malignant the cancer was. He was recommended for immediate acute care and treatment, since his remaining time was so limited.

Well, the next thing we know, Papa absolutely refuses all offers of care or confinement. Instead, he decides he must build a suitable house for Mama before he passes! And Papa was not the kind of man who would get expensive contractors in to do the job. No, he was going to chop the trees down himself, trim them to the desired length, and nail everything by hand. And that was only the exterior. The interior had to be constructed as well.

Papa had always been a stubborn man, and accepted very little help. It took him just over a year to complete his construction project, and when he was finally satisfied that Mama was now ensconced in a warm, sturdy, comfortable home, he was ready to move on… and simply passed away.

Only the human spirit can act with volition and consciously change itself; it is the only thing in all creation that is not entirely at the mercy of forces outside itself ~ Dean Koontz

What gave my grandfather the will and courage to be so determined in his final pursuit? I believe the power of our inner spirit is what gives us the blind determination to complete a task we feel has been set before us.

In many instances, we can certainly overcome what would appear to be overwhelming odds. The courageous and resilient power of the human spirit can move mountains once our mind is made up! Life for all of us brings trials and tribulations, and the only sure thing we have is the power of our spirit to overcome, and bring us to our triumphs.