Three years ago today, my father was buried. He loved this passage from Proverbs 6:6-8. It reads like this -
Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
This week I have had
multiple sightings of grasshoppers. Three years ago this week, my father died.
Ironically, the grasshopper reminds me of Dad, especially, this season of the
year.
 |
| A grasshopper enjoying the last few warm days on the farm here in the Bend. |
Dad, the
proverbial storyteller, often related family stories, but delighted in
retelling fables and lesson-teaching stories from his early education at
Woodland School located in the west part of the Big Bend. One of his favorite fables
by Aesop, a slave living in the Greek empire over 2500 years ago, featured the
grasshopper.
Dad reveled in
dramatically contrasting the industrious ant and the pleasure-seeking
grasshopper during the latter portion of summer. His voice reflected the
steady, determined ant as the tiny creature admonished the grasshopper to
prepare for the impending harsh winter months. Then Dad raised the timbre and
pitch of his voice, as in a sing-song manner, he vocalized “Hoppity, Skippity,
High and Low, Summer’s the Time for fun!” (I haven’t been able to document this
song in a retelling of “The Ant and the Grasshopper” but did find it in an 1899
periodical – The Perry Magazine.
Perhaps Dad, his father, or one of the Woodland teachers sang this old
summertime song as the fable was retold.)
Dad related how the grasshopper laughed at the
little ant toiling away at storing food for winter. The ant kept to its task,
refusing to be deterred from preparing for the future. Over and over Dad sang
his little version of the “Hoppity, Skippity…” song. Finally, he told with
theatrically-enhanced fervor how the bitter winter wind whipped through the
little animal community. In a hoarse, weak voice, the grasshopper called out as
he knocked feebly at the little ant’s dwelling. In Dad’s personal repeating of
the age-old fable, the ant did not open the door for fear the cold would
permeate his humble home. He had diligently stored provisions for his family. Dad’s
final scene found the almost frozen grasshopper wandering in the bone-chilling
cold of winter!
Anyone that knew
my father would not categorize him as a callous man unwilling to share with the
those in need. Dad sought to instruct Angie, my sister, and me the importance
of hard work, planning for future “rainy days” and working diligently in the
optimum time frame. Dad illustrated this in his own life. Throughout most of my
life, he worked at least two jobs simultaneously - pounding nails and raising
cattle.
 |
| Dad inspecting damage after an early morning storm in June of 2008 just two weeks shy of his 90th birthday. Not one complaint came from Dad even though several loads of tree limbs had to be hauled off following that storm. |
Mother, in league
with Dad, taught strongly Genesis 2:15 in proper chronological order. She
insisted we girls understood Adam’s assignment given by the Lord God to tend
the Garden of Eden occurred prior to
the first sin of Eve and Adam. The account of this is found in Genesis 3. Mother
and Dad maintained throughout our upbringing – WORK IS NOT BAD.
Just
this week, I reiterated my scriptural mandate for financial success in a
conversation with Mother. The words of Agur as recorded in Proverbs 30:7-9 (The Message)
continue to be a driving force in how Mother and I conduct our lives.
And then he prayed, “God,
I’m asking for two things before I die; don’t refuse me –
Banish lies from my
lips and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on, neither too much or too
little.
If I’m too full, I might get independent saying, ‘God? Who
needs Him?’
If I am poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my
God.”
Those of us who knew and loved my father, Edmund Gates,
Jr., can carry on his legacy – not as workaholics or pleasure
seekers, not as greedy, miserly hoarders or moochers, but as people who find contentment and fulfillment in honorable, diligent work and the honest gain and the personal satisfaction it provides.
No comments :
Post a Comment