Wife dead! Four children to raise. That was my grandfather's dilemma. Can you imagine how helpless he felt? In the 1950's there was no agency help for a man left to take care of four children by himself. Even today, a single man raising his children by himself is a rarity. Can you name 10 single guys who have custody of their children? Just as a I thought, you can't...point made! Why would I start the story of my journey by detailing my grandfather's pain, because his pain was never given a voice. Men are taught to suffer silently, don't cry, be a man. What is the definition of a "man"? According to Genesis 1:27, man was created in God's image, so a man is the visual representation of God. Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:14); so he was both God and man. Jesus is the example of what a man is supposed to be like, right? If Jesus wept, why can't men let their pain out through their tears also? I don't know if my grandfather cried, but he should have. He should have went somewhere and cried until snot ran down his face. He should have screamed to God and said, "Why did you do this?" He could have accused God of being unfair, cruel or even thought God was punishing him. He deserved to have his pity party, but instead my grandfather decided...Life Must Go On.
Life did go on for my grandfather. He got the children through the funeral and he never brought Carrie Mae home to live with her siblings. He could see the old woman's fear at the funeral, she thought he would take Carrie Mae away from her. She had no worries there. Carrie Mae reminded him too much of his loss and it helped to have one less child to take care of. Some may say this is cruel, but a man has to deal with life by doing what is best for him. My grandfather did not have to worry about being single too long, for in a small town, there were always someone waiting in line to be next!
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