My Hell and Back 103 Survival Tips
I had the Honor and Privilege of writing my dad’s life story, to be an inspiration to us and all the generations who need it. My father’s Free Movie Sweet Heart (my mother) had transitioned on a little over a year. Missing her like no other was all over his face. He met her when she was thirteen and he was sixteen. Four years later they were married.
I said dad, if you were going to write a book about your life, what would be the name of your book? He said without any hesitation, Hell and Back. I said why? He immediately said, I was in two wars… One with Korea and One with my wife. We both busted out laughing and started our writing his book journey together. The events that happened in their lives was the backdrop to dad’s life survival tips.
Here’s Three of Them as a Sample of what you’ll read in the book.
NOTE: THIS BOOK WAS DONE IN A FATHER-SON INTERVIEW STYLE.
SAMPLE ONE:
Dad: Take Time to Enjoy the Season We are in – It Seems to Even Itself Out. No Season was fast.
Son: Once again. Like we shared in the last one #86; dad having those near-death experiences, he would appreciate even more, the seasons of his life. Regardless if it’s painful, fun, sobering, etc. He noticed they go full circle. They innocently start out as a new cycle/phase in life. Then one starts realizing things are generating new patterns and routines. We get use to and or least in managing them. Then things start to subtly change again.
Son: Much like the seasons. Dad grew up on the planet, where there are four distinct seasons. Each season has its routine. Spring starts out warm and nature is blooming back into life, we get use to it. Start mowing lawns full of new growing grass. We get use to that, then the summer heat kicks in. Adjust the clothes we’re wearing. And now we’re moving lawns full of weeds, because the grass stops growing, due to very little rain.
Son: Just when got use to that, Fall kicks in. The weeds stop growing and now we’re mowing lawns, full of dead leaves. Just about when we get all of the dead leaves that fall from the trees mowed, we’re winterizing the mower. Picking up a snow shovel and shoveling snow off our driveways.
Son: With dad living in this type of seasonal patterns, he learned to enjoy each season. In the spring season, he would be tending the new plants and trees that were growing, open up his cabin. In the summer, he was boating, skiing, playing water volley ball and camp fires. In the fall, he would close up his cabin for the year, harvest gardens, pick apples, trim trees and play cards with his family on the weekends. In the winter, building snow mans, sledding, remodeling his home and or building the next one; we would be moving into.
Son: Then with him naturally enjoying them already, he would then apply this to his life. The seasons his life was going through. Starting from scratch a Flower Shop business at 16. Yup at 16. Sold it and with the money bought wedding rings to marry his wife at 20. The day after his honeymoon, he’s shipped off to the Korean War. Comes home to have a family, works and builds homes after his day job. Builds a cabin out of telephone poles. Yup. Back in the day they were made out of solid cedar wood. Buys a farm and works it. Subdivides it. Sells it and consolidates for retirement. Gets a place for out of state winters, where its warmer.
Son: Then lace that all together with his near-death hellish accidents. This guy accepted all that; to become a master at enjoying every season of his life, he was in.
Son: And all of that above was just the framework of his life. A ton of stuff was happening on top of all that, that was super intense at times.
SAMPLE TWO:
DAD: Get Good Rest so We can Have a Good Day. Get all drained out if don’t.
Son: This is dad’s key to being a non-stop train in accomplishing all those projects on time, with high quality and not feeling rushed in the process days.
Son: Working hard and playing hard produces a good rest. Taking a more laid-back approach to everything produces a, I’m having a hard time trying to sleep. And when I do get to fall asleep, it’s a restless sleep. I end up spending a lot more money on things, that will help me sleep better. And all I had to do was work hard and play hard.
Son: It’s crazy to see, I would rather be laid back and pay for a monthly gym membership to get my “work out”. Versus work and play hard on the things in my life. AND it doesn’t cost a penny. Hmmm.
Son: Again. These are personal observances of my dad, while growing up with him in his home(s).
SAMPLE THREE:
DAD: Have No Regrets. I have no regrets. If something doesn’t work out, then that’s what was supposed to happen. Try two to three times and doesn’t work out then that’s what was to be. Best thing to do is keep on mind and you can always go back to it or accept that’s the best it gets.
Son: This was demonstrated in Dad’s last tip we went into depth with. Plus; all the other ones related to it.
Son: Dad realized early on; we waste a lot of time hoping and trying different approaches only to get frustrated at it. So instead of repeating that cycle and wasting time, just let it go. Upfront. Nip it in the rearend. Don’t eliminate it. Just tuck up in our minds, for a possible solution later on. Or, it was meant to be nothing more than that.
Son: This was the staple in everything dad did and experienced. Even during his unplanned hellish moments, that consumed his life.
Son: This is one of dad’s strongest tips in having a more enriching life with himself, his family and everything else in his life. Period.
Son: We Except it. We Don’t walk away from it; we just tuck it in our minds for a possible solution in the future. For now, we just keep moving forward with our lives.
And the rest of these priceless family and life wisdom tips are in his book.
Enjoy the Journey…
Until then OV – See More Live More!
