Earlier this year I wrote a blog about a wonderful funeral and my observations in West Texas. This last weekend I once again had the pleasure of celebrating the life of a loved one. As we get older it is inevitable that we do these duties of life celebrations aka funerals. This blog will not be about funerals and my observations. You can read the last one in this link: Small West Texas Town
While on this visit to West Texas and the Abilene area. My dad and I had the pleasure of seeing all his surviving brothers and sisters. I also spent time with cousins I had not seen in years!! I love this sort of family time. It reminds me of all the similarities our family shares. Even when we have not seen each other for sometime years.
I have always thought West Texas had this great charm about it. There is something about the State of Texas when you get West of Highway 35. The people and atmosphere are different. Granted the weather is totally different as well, just one piece of it's charm. West Texas is a great part of this countries history.
When you take time to stop and smell the roses. You should always take that time to reflect. While in West Texas this last weekend, I had lots of time to reflect and catch up with family. It was wonderful. It helps ground me as a person and it should hopefully do the same for others. Stories are shared by many people. Some are ones that we have heard, others are new and exciting tales.
My dad is the oldest of his brothers and sisters. He loves to tell stories when he knows one is relevant. Stories should have a time, place, and purpose. You do not bust out with a story of how your kid finally picked his own nose, while someone is telling a story of an important family event. Time and place for everything is key!!!
After a great weekend celebrating a beautiful life, my dad told me a story. One that I am about to share:
West Texas is scattered with all sorts of towns. You can go from Malls filled with Dillards, Neimans, and Sach's, to one gas station towns with 4 houses. After the man pulled away from this couple on the bicycles, he picked up his cell phone and called someone from that area to see if they knew of a shelter or someone that could go assist this elderly couple.
The driver did not know what happened to that couple. The town he left them in was a large size town. It was a county seat with a thriving downtown where the main though fare went right past tons of shops and businesses as well as churches.
This is one of those stories that leaves you hanging a little. And that is okay in my book. I like to believe that the couple were able to get some help and maybe even get a fresh start. This story is one where we should look back at ourselves and ask, would we have handled the same situation in the same way? Would you have gone even farther to help or seek assistance for these two people?
What matters in this story is that there are still people in this world that will stop and hope others on the side of the road. There are people that genuinely need assistance and for whatever reason, have a hard time getting it or finding it. There are people born in this country that go hungry every day. There are people in this country who do not have homes to go too or a clean place to sleep.
When my dad told me this story I was in tears. It was hard for him to tell it as well, he was chocking back the emotions. This could be anyone we knew at any time. Tragic things happen and life can change in an instant. If you have not guessed it by now, the man driving was my Dad. The story took place today, August 17th, 2015. This happened to him as he was leaving one of his sisters homes in West Texas. A place we love to visit.
Compassion to others should not be a forced emotion. This should be something that comes naturally to us all. We can show compassion to one another and still disagree. Our country allows millions of illegal immigrants to come into this country each year. Our country needs migrant workers. They are vital to our agriculture industry. We are a country built on immigrants wanting better lives.
What we do not need are so many people pouring into our country, we can not even help our own. We have children and adults that can not read and write. We have people homeless and going hungry every day. Societies will always have a class system. Even in socialist societies there are upper and lower classes. Poverty can not be removed 100%. We can though as a country take time to not necessarily give money to every person on the corner. We can do better by our fellow man, helping them and giving them every opportunity to get ahead.
West Texas Charm is something that you either have or you don't. It is a state of mind as much as a state of being. You hold doors open for women. You say Thank you and use Ma'am and Sir for everyone you encounter. West Texas Charm is having the graciousness to say no thank you or bless you heart, instead of some foul language. This Charm is actually something you find in a lot of people. It warms my heart the most to know that I see it in my 82 year old Dad.
I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty, and like Him, I love all of humanity. ~ Phil Robertson
While on this visit to West Texas and the Abilene area. My dad and I had the pleasure of seeing all his surviving brothers and sisters. I also spent time with cousins I had not seen in years!! I love this sort of family time. It reminds me of all the similarities our family shares. Even when we have not seen each other for sometime years.
I have always thought West Texas had this great charm about it. There is something about the State of Texas when you get West of Highway 35. The people and atmosphere are different. Granted the weather is totally different as well, just one piece of it's charm. West Texas is a great part of this countries history.
When you take time to stop and smell the roses. You should always take that time to reflect. While in West Texas this last weekend, I had lots of time to reflect and catch up with family. It was wonderful. It helps ground me as a person and it should hopefully do the same for others. Stories are shared by many people. Some are ones that we have heard, others are new and exciting tales.
My dad is the oldest of his brothers and sisters. He loves to tell stories when he knows one is relevant. Stories should have a time, place, and purpose. You do not bust out with a story of how your kid finally picked his own nose, while someone is telling a story of an important family event. Time and place for everything is key!!!
After a great weekend celebrating a beautiful life, my dad told me a story. One that I am about to share:
One day a gentleman was driving down a West Texas road. He passed by two elderly folks pushing their bicycles. It was around 10 o'clock in the morning and in West Texas, that is a warm morning during August. He was still about 4 or 5 miles outside the nearest town. After a few moments the gentleman turned around and went back to this couple. He asked them if they were trying to get to town. They said they were and so he told them to load their bikes up in the back of the truck and get it.
While heading into town he noticed the man had no shirt, but a levi jacket on. The woman just a cotton top and pants. They were not dirty, you could tell though they had been out walking a good while. The driver asked where they spent the night before, they said in one of the sheds on the near by a historical fort. There are a number of these historical Forts scattered throughout Texas. We love our military. The driver continued on to town with this couple. he asked them when the last time they ate. The woman spoke and said, "Oh we ate yesterday, so we are okay for today." This really troubled the driver. The husband was very quiet. Not in a strange way, you could tell it was due to their circumstances.
The driver noticed an old suitcase attached to the back of one of the bicycles. There were no other possessions. It was hard to tell how old the couple was, although the driver knew they were not older than him, but too old to be out pushing bicycles up hills to the nearest town. The entire situation deeply disturbed the driver. Being the respectful person, he did not pry and ask too many questions. The reasons for being in that situation did not matter to the driver. What mattered is how could he help.
When they finally got to town the driver pulls into a convenience store. Knowing there would be a restroom, and cool place to sit for the couple. When the couple was getting their bicycles out of the back of the truck the driver pulled a shirt out of his suitcase and money out of his wallet. He gave the man one of his shirts and them money to eat. He knew he could the couple could get some food in the convenience store and maybe some personal hygiene items. Hopefully they could call someone to assist.
The couple kindly accepted the donations from the driver and said Thank you repeatedly. The driver got into his truck and went on his way. Hoping that what he gave to the couple would get them through and maybe someone else would take up the next leg of assistance.
The driver did not know what happened to that couple. The town he left them in was a large size town. It was a county seat with a thriving downtown where the main though fare went right past tons of shops and businesses as well as churches.
This is one of those stories that leaves you hanging a little. And that is okay in my book. I like to believe that the couple were able to get some help and maybe even get a fresh start. This story is one where we should look back at ourselves and ask, would we have handled the same situation in the same way? Would you have gone even farther to help or seek assistance for these two people?
What matters in this story is that there are still people in this world that will stop and hope others on the side of the road. There are people that genuinely need assistance and for whatever reason, have a hard time getting it or finding it. There are people born in this country that go hungry every day. There are people in this country who do not have homes to go too or a clean place to sleep.
When my dad told me this story I was in tears. It was hard for him to tell it as well, he was chocking back the emotions. This could be anyone we knew at any time. Tragic things happen and life can change in an instant. If you have not guessed it by now, the man driving was my Dad. The story took place today, August 17th, 2015. This happened to him as he was leaving one of his sisters homes in West Texas. A place we love to visit.
Compassion to others should not be a forced emotion. This should be something that comes naturally to us all. We can show compassion to one another and still disagree. Our country allows millions of illegal immigrants to come into this country each year. Our country needs migrant workers. They are vital to our agriculture industry. We are a country built on immigrants wanting better lives.
What we do not need are so many people pouring into our country, we can not even help our own. We have children and adults that can not read and write. We have people homeless and going hungry every day. Societies will always have a class system. Even in socialist societies there are upper and lower classes. Poverty can not be removed 100%. We can though as a country take time to not necessarily give money to every person on the corner. We can do better by our fellow man, helping them and giving them every opportunity to get ahead.
West Texas Charm is something that you either have or you don't. It is a state of mind as much as a state of being. You hold doors open for women. You say Thank you and use Ma'am and Sir for everyone you encounter. West Texas Charm is having the graciousness to say no thank you or bless you heart, instead of some foul language. This Charm is actually something you find in a lot of people. It warms my heart the most to know that I see it in my 82 year old Dad.
I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty, and like Him, I love all of humanity. ~ Phil Robertson
Thank you Jeremy. A wonderful gesture from a wonderful man.
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