We spent the day in Canton, Ohio just 30 some odd minutes from our home in Alliance, Ohio. One of our stops was at my wife's doctor. it was her first visit w3ith this doctor so we knew it was going to be a long visit. So as i sat there with my three older kids all boys we sat and listened to the goings on in the waiting room, the silent TV on the was playing the food network. We watched as Anne Burrell made some kind of dish i would never even think of making or even want to make.
i glanced over at the wall that had some kind of accented art peace in a pale sky blue color that made ripples as if it were a moving ocean as the light hit it, I was bored so I stared at it for a few more minutes. I looked at my second son Stephen and he was leaned back dozing, My Oldest Cody was reading a highlights magazine doing some of the find the difference puzzles in the back of the magazine, and Michael he was viewing his texts and KiK's and whatever social apps.
The Boredom all went away when this older gentlemen hobbled in the waiting room he looked at the kids, my young men ranging from 22 to 16 looked at him smiling and then he looked at me and his first words I will always remember.
He said with a priceless smile and a glimmer in his eyes, "OH, Allison." His daughter of 58 years old, "Oh look at the happiness"
We spent the next thirty minutes listening and talking with George Lee. You don't know him, he is not famous, but should be. He is not a well known man of Canton, but many may know him, because he is man that for 50 plus years has spent that time waiting in waiting rooms, or lines for movies or restaurants and may have spoken to you. not just in Canton, or Ohio. but maybe even in Oklahoma or any National Park in America.
You see he has been retired from two loves of his life three years in the Army in WWII and then retired as a truck driver from Railway. But one thing he never retired from was life. He told us of his wife who had past a few years ago, and his five kids, four girls and one boy. He spoke of how great his kids are and how i should always remember the good times with these fine young men of mine. He said so many things that I will cherish. But there are three things he said that I will always remember:
1. Don't sweat the small stuff - all it would do is make you mad and no man needs that
2. Spend time with your kids as long as you are still breathing
and
3. Live Happy- happiness is just grand
Yip forever I hope to remember this sweet 89 year old man's face. I hope too I will grow old and live life Happy not sweating the small stuff and do things with them as George Lee does still with his kids. You see he was there having his blood sugar checked and getting ready to make a trip 'out west' to see more of God's green earth because there are miles and miles of time to spend talking to his kids....
Ain't life happy when you're a dad.
Ain't life happy when you're a kid even in your 50's and see your dad talking. I looked over at Allison and i saw her smile a few times once when George spoke of his wife, he said that once you have the best you will never find anyone to replace her, and I haven't and I won't. and Another smile crossed her face when he said that she, pointing to Allison, takes me everywhere, i bug her to death and she keeps on taking me.
Happiness is someone like George Lee, who has a metal hip, knees and ankles walks with a cane and is bow legged. but goes fishing several trips to Canada with friends from the army, police departments and whoever else he befriends.
Ain't life Grand...
Yes it is Mr George Lee...
Yes it is.
