HOW WE DEAL WITH ADVERSITY.........

Every now and then you get news you probably don’t want to hear. Sometimes the news relates to a person, place, or thing. The news you never want to hear is when someone you know and trust becomes ill.  Well, today I found out a very special person has been battling some serious health issues and he is still fighting the good fight.  While saying I am worried is an understatement, I know that being the fighter that he is, he will prevail, no matter what the outcome.

In life, we all tend to get news we don’t want to hear. It can be something minor or something major, but regardless, we all get news at times that we just don’t want to hear.  I guess the reality is, how do we all deal with unwanted news? Do we bury our thoughts? Do we express ourselves? If so, how?  To whom? What do you say? How do you say it?  There are always so many questions and never enough answers.

I will never forget Thanksgiving in 2008. Our day started off like every other thanksgiving: tired…LOL   We went to the annual Thanksgiving day breakfast and football game. While at breakfast, my daughter noticed my dad just didn’t look right. He looked a little grey. He ate breakfast and was his typical social self. Of interest though, in hind-sight, he didn’t smoke his cigar and he didn’t eat all of his breakfast.  We all just figured he was full and just didn’t feel like stoking up the stogie.  Nothing really unusual…just another Thanksgiving day.   My oldest daughter and I left, headed for home where we would pick up my wife and my youngest daughter and head to the in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner.  My daughter commented that “Grampy looked tired” and I responded with….hmmmm….yeah, you’re right.  So, we went about our business, all the while, what we didn’t know was my father was in the emergency room being treated for a Heart Attack.   Yeah, right…my dad? A heart attack? Sure……

So, we are on the highway heading to the in-laws and got a phone call I will never forget. My step mom said hello…..I have to tell you something…..pause….we are in the hospital and they think your father had a heart attack.  I asked….When?????    Well, the answer was….the entire time we were having breakfast.   You see, my dad is not one to want to ruin a person’s good time, so he waited until we left to finally say he wasn’t feeling well and should probably go to the hospital.  Of course, I am sure that wasn’t how he said it. Knowing my father, he said….Hey, I’, not bleeding or dying…no need to go.

Well, it was a good thing my step mom is the smarter of the two. She brought him to the hospital, against his better judgment, and sure enough, he was suffering a heart attack.   For the first time in my life I began to envision  my life without my dad….and let’s just say, it was not fun.  He made it through and changed his habits. He has done a remarkable job doing exactly what he had to do in order to heal.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God that my father is still around to see his grandchildren and do the things he loves to do. Of course, he is a father which means he is a pain in the neck sometimes…LOL  but….he is very special to all of us.

So what is the moral of this story?  None. I have no particular moral to this story. I do however have a point. My point is….dealing with adversity is never easy. How you deal with a problem will provide you with the path you need to take.  In my father’s case, he has too much unfinished business to tend to…like…oh….seeing his grandchildren become the best they can be…LOL  No really, it is nice to have him around because there is something about the strength of a father that helps you get through some difficult times.  So, when the chips are down, look around….you will find that more people care about your well being than you ever thought.