Mixing love into life on a daily basis

There are so many kinds of real love in the world.

I ran across a great one while reading obituaries of all things. This man was 96, the “eighth of 12 children and first of four boys.” He served in the Korean War. He and his wife — the love of his life — raised their eight kids on a farm. He lost her, a son and daughter, and all those siblings and his parents. Here are a few things his family had to say about him.

“To meet him you would not suspect his shoulders had carried heavy burdens. He'd often get out of bed in the middle of the night to help someone. His heart was broken many times … but like the family dinner table, he still made room in that heart for everyone around him and he always chose to forgive. He never complained nor looked back. Each day was a gift.

One of the things you first noticed about him were his hands — those large hard-working hands prayed the Rosary daily, worked the soil, birthed livestock, comforted his babies, and held the family close. Those hands carried the scars of an honest life well-lived.

His eyes were the windows to a beautiful kind soul who only saw the good in people. He consciously chose to pay attention to the good and never spoke ill of anyone. One felt instantly accepted when he met you. His handshake was his word. If people took things from him, he'd say, “They must have needed it more than me.”

If you asked him how he was he always spoke with gratitude. Everyone knew him as a man of character, strength, honesty, integrity, and above all else, love. As one granddaughter said, “If you knew him, you didn't need to describe him and, if you didn't know him, there are not enough words to adequately tell you.”

His faith in God was a beacon of light for those proud enough to call him Dad. He and his wife often reminded their children that actions speak far louder than words and to always treat others as you would want to be treated. We still have so much to learn from his example! Let's hold each other close.

A hard-working family-loving man — unknown to me until I happened upon his story. I believe those who knew him best are telling the truth — which doesn't always happen in life summaries. But there's something about this one that holds steady. It's not exaggeration and not digging to come up with substance.

He's one of those people who just is. Mixing love into life with those big farmer's hands.