pythorlh's Journal: The Mountain speaks, "Don't Cry for Me"

My grandfather was as prepared for death as he was for anything else he could be in life. I'm told he wrote this four years ago, at the age of 78. And even though he told me not to, as I type, I can't stop crying.

 

Don't Cry for Me

I've had a long and wonderful life. Much longer than I should have had. I have often told of the story of when I was a bird, but I really think I have had the life of a cat. At least the nine lives of a cat. I have served in three wars an in each one I could have been killed. I have been shot, shot at, and was wounded by hand grenade fragments. I've survived a heart operation and cancer.

But the truth is I survived some dumb things I did before I ever grew up. Like climbing a high tension electric tower. Luckily Jesus, in the form of a man engaged us in a conversation until the fire department came to the rescue. Had we climbed another ten feet we would have been fried meat. And swinging on an electric wire that was a live wire with 440 volts in it. It was pure luck that Jesus made us jump to grab the wire without touching the ground. And there was plenty of other times that I have done dumb things while growing up.

And I've done some things as an adult that wasn't right smart. Like the night I was riding my motorcycle in a rainstorm and because I had my head down I didn't see a tree down in the road. Again Jesus said "Take a look" and I just barely miss hitting a tree. And riding down a grassy hill on a piece of cardboard with my son. That don't sound so dangerous does it? But after the fact, we found a large piece of iron that could have cut either one of us in half. As it was we lost the cardboard, but kept sliding and skinned my behinder pretty badly. To say the least, I have used up all the lives of a lion, and the nine lives of a tiger, and now the nine lives of a pussycat.

I was born just before the Great Depression and I lived through that, just barely. I was a part of the Great War and survived that. I nearly froze my behinder off in the Korean War and had a couple of narrow escapes. I lived through the Atomic Age and the Space Age and even through the Hippie Age without becoming one. Then came the Computer Age. I stayed out of computers for a while but was finely dragged into computers. I think computers have taxed my mind and body more than anything else.

I've been blessed with a wonderful wife that gave me two wonderful daughters. After I wore her out, I was blessed with another wonderful wife. She brought two more wonderful daughters, and a son. Between the five of them, they have given us seven grandchildren, and just two of those have given us seven great grandchildren so far. Each one of the nineteen has given us great pride, and given us a fountain of love, and yeah, they've given us a lot of frustration at times.

So now that I've used up the lives of three or four cats I say to you all, it's been wonderful for me so don't cry for me.
And I'll see you on the other side.
                                        -- Billy K, 2003

Good read.

[Some Woman]

Your grandfather sounds like he was a wonderful person who lead a full life. I'm sorry that you've lost him, but again, I'm very glad that you have had somebody like him as a part of your life.

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[account_deleted]

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[pythorlh]

And I don't know how to respond to either of you, except to say Thank You.

I am, indeed, priviledged to have known him.

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[sparky4]

I would have loved to have read his autobiography had he written one. thanks for sharing.