Spirit Courage, Body Bravery

We all know someone who clearly walks to the beat of their own drum. These people typically have a robust inner strength, and refuse to accept at will any pertinent information handed to them by anyone in a position of authority. The one such character that stands out in my life is my maternal grandfather.

We came from a small town of 8,000 souls. Although our neighbors enjoyed the comforts of electricity, running water and all the modern conveniences of that time, my grandfather instead chose a code of living that suited him best.

The farmers in the area also had the use of tractors and other types of modern farming equipment that enabled them to work in a more worldly fashion, but my grandfather stubbornly refused to adhere to these modern trends. He had reliable horses to pull his plow and haul the hay, used kerosene lanterns when electric lighting was easily available to him, and firmly kept to his agenda with a tedious water pump that was needed for the normal household chores.

He was a very dedicated and diligent employee, working in the shipyard. He helped to load cargo ships from all corners of the globe, which came for the mighty salmon our region was extremely well-known for. Papa, as he was known to one and all, married at a very young age, which was a normal occurrence in those days, and managed to sire 15 children. He was also very well-versed and totally immersed in politics. The entire neighborhood would first ask his advice before casting their ballot, or not, for any politician brave enough to run for local office.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away ~ Henry David Thoreau

There are people like him, of course, who become almost larger than life with the unrealistic expectation that they will dwell in this existence forever. But Papa became ill and was told he not only had cancer, but had a surprisingly short amount of time left. He was strongly advised to go home, prepare his family for the worst and get all his affairs in order as soon as possible.

This placed Papa in somewhat of a sticky situation. While some of his children had already grown up enough to leave home, he still had a significant brood at home that would need care. He had no life insurance or anything of that nature, but he was not the type of person to leave his wife and children in the lurch.

Well, Papa did what any upstanding citizen would do. He confidently informed the doctor and the rest of the local medical community, in no uncertain terms, that there was no way he was leaving this planet with unfinished business any time soon! Not only was he going to finish taking care of his family, but he was about to embark on building a comfortable, brand new home for his family. This would be a daunting task, of course, since all the lumber would have to be brought to the site by horse and cart, as was my grandfathers way.

My soul is a passionate dancer; she dances to hidden music which only I can hear. Whatever police the world may prescribe to rule the soul, I refuse to obey them ~ Bettina von Arnim

Did anyone ever doubt the resilience of my grandfather’s spirit? I think not. They would not dare. Did the doctors believe he would successfully complete his goal? As is to be expected, the consensus among the  medical fraternity was a skeptical and emphatic no way.

It took Papa more than a year to finally and cleanly build the dream home for his family, and it was only after the great achievement that he agreed to allow his body to succumb to what he felt was his next big adventure.

This narration may not be completely unfamiliar to you. I for one am always pleased and gratified to know that there are unique souls out there who connect the courage of their spirit with the bravery of the body, for what they feel is their greater good.