I’m going to beat my friends Kevin and Jim to the punch this year….so before they can plaster the Camaro/Firebird boards and publicize to the WORLD that I’m another year older –

– I thought I’d give each of YOU a present from me………

– and yes, I’m a year older –

( I may not be ‘pushing’ 60 – but I’m starting to bend the hell out of it………..)

“Miss Ellen” sent me a really nice note earlier – the past week for me was not a particularly good one - and she had some wonderful soothing words as only Miss Ellen can speak.

She also attached something to it – and I read it and my eyes started to leak…..

(Why is it that this happens more and more as we grow older?)

It touched me so profoundly – that I decided that I wanted to ‘personalize’ it – and share it with you………..so I’ve taken a lot of liberties with someone else’s work – and “Fbodfathered it.” (I hope the author will understand and forgive me…..)

So here goes:

I’m a lucky guy.

I grew up with practical parents.

A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it......she to this day saves Cottage Cheese containers and glass jars – because they’re perfect for sending someone a bit of soup or perhaps some home-made fudge.

A father, (I miss you so much, Dad) who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. He had one particular Woolrich Shirt that I remember from when I was 3 years old – and he had it and wore it off and on -- until the day he went to ‘That Great Chevy Showroom in the Sky.’ It had a slightly smoky aroma – with a bit of aftershave attached – and there isn’t an air freshener or candle that can possibly capture that unique essence….
Buy a new lawn mower? Never!!– not as long as ‘neighbor Harry’ could make the old one run good as new!

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. They went without so that I, along with my siblings, would have a life far better than theirs….In fact, I now suspect that my father’s life was lived to a degree in fear – fear that he would not be able to provide everything for us – and he certainly did not want us to want for the necessities in life. So he worked long, hard hours……and he taught me why that is important – and most importantly, he gave me a ‘work ethic.’

Their best friends lived barely a wave away…..and being that they lived in the Mars area for their entire lives, they remained friends with their classmates and friends for life.

I look back both fondly and wistfully at my childhood – the Holidays and Birthdays and Sundays – and I realize that I had a whole bunch of ‘Grandparents’ – what with several Great Aunts and Uncles – and friends of the family that FELT like Aunts and Uncles. Each Christmas was a wonder of sights and smells and songs – and love – always love.

I can see my parents now, Dad in trousers and a sport shirt – working to get the garage and yard in order so that 60 or more people could gather with us, say, to celebrate Memorial Day - and Mom in a house dress, an ancient wooden spoon in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things…..A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, the screen door, the oven door, a table leg…..

………….things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy….especially because my Grandparents were the same way. I learned later in life that they all remembered the Great Depression of the 1930s -- and they learned the hard way that one should never be wasteful.

And then World War II broke out – and gasoline and sugar and butter and so many other ‘necessities’ were rationed…..

With these ‘life-lessons’ they learned to “make-do” and, yes – to “do without.”
I laughingly say that I must have the “Henry and Settlemire” gene that makes me want to save everything……. Even Uncle Tom! For those of you who have joined us at the “Homestead” for Camaro/Firebird Cruises – you have seen that he kept everything…..there has to be enough nails and screws and fasteners in that barn to re-build a third-world country…..

All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, saving stuff “for a rainy day.”

I wanted just once to be wasteful.
Waste meant affluence.
And I actually believed that throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But then my father died, and on that warm autumn day in early October, in the small hill-top cemetery just outside of town, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

My eyes tear up just thinking back to that day……..

And as I lost my Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles – and friends – I learned the lesson over and over again….

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return.. So...... while we have it..... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken......... and heal it when it's sick.

This is true for marriage.......

……….and old cars.....

………and children with bad report cards.....

………….and dogs with bad hips....

………..and ‘frayed’ friendships……..

………and aging parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles……

We keep them because they are worth it – and because we are worth it.

Some things we keep.

……Like a best friend that moved away—

-- or a classmate we grew up with…..

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special........ and so, we keep them close!

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Keep them close!

And YOU, dear reader – are my friend!

 

WOW !!! that was very touching, I too lost my dad about 10 yrs ago to the day, to be honest, I always read your stuff, and hope some day I can get to meet you.

Again, very touching... makes me want to watch what I waste.

-Adam

 

Scott, thanks for sharing. Everything you mentioned is so true. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me for a few minutes at the Cleveland Show. You take care.

 

Great words. I just lost my sister less than a month ago and as time goes on, I miss her more and more each day.

 

Scott, well said always. Your story brought to my younger years. My grandfather saved parts from broken items and miscellaneous screws and nails. Whenever I needed a fastener I didn't go to the hardware store, I went to grandpa's garage. He always knew which jar, cigar box, or coffee can had what I needed. I now go to the hardware store; it’s just not the same. Thanks for sharing your story, it brought back some of my own memories.

 

You beat me this time................Pal

 

Thank you for sharing those stories Scott. Such wisdom for a young whippersnapper like yourself. Happy Birthday!

 

Happy Birthday and thank you very much for all that you have done for us here on the board and nationwide!

 

Happy birthday!!!!!

 

I was waiting for your actual birthday...

Happy Birthday!

 

I saw this post just a few minutes after it was posted and called him up and said "Today's your birthday?"

 

Great post, Truer words could not be spoken. Appreciate those we have because they may not be with us tomorrow. Take nothing for granite and be thankful. Thanks Scott for sharing.