Schools used to teach us about history. Good, the bad and the ugly. What they didn't teach was how to be a man or woman. This we learned from the road of hard knocks with life experiences and lessons from our parents and grandparents.
I had the benefit of learning from my grandfather. My mother had separated from my father when I was born and I never knew my father not have I met him. People always say that's terrible but I never missed him and never had to because I had Papaw. In school we learned about the constitution and the freedoms we were granted and in reality I learned from my Papaw while that's true you have to earn that freedom. I remember being very young and Papaw had come home from working construction. He picked us all up in the truck and we went to Orangeburg so him and his brother Brooks could work on a farm setting tobacco at Henry Lantern's I got to play with my cars next to my uncle Wayne's car in the shade. After it was too dark we went home and Papaw got changed for work at Parkers Tobacco Company in Maysville Ky. I didn't see him again until the next morning when my Aunt Eva, mom and I picked him up from his 3rd shift job to take them to work and start it all over again. He worked his was off that way for many years I can remember then it became two jobs farming and Parkers, then just Farming. He loved and enjoyed every minute on those farms at Leland Pollitts, Henry Lantern's, aunt Bodie Thermans and 22 years farming on Howard Lykins farm.
He taught me that to earn freedom, you have to do what you love. Yes it was hard work and he would never stray away from a good sledgehammer or an axe busting Wood to keep us warm each winter.
Today my grandfather passed away and it's the principals in which he lives by that I hope to pass on to my children and to theirs. Hard work, determination, love of family,and extended family because anyone who he knew became family. There were no friendships because he loved everyone the same. While he faced some health issues this last year and at times struggled, I was honored to once again learn from this man. He faced adversity and even had a couple stare downs face to face with death this last year and he faced it head on. He never let the obstacles in front of him defeat him. He fought and used the passion and fight and love he had for his family and also wrestling and lived the words "never give up" to be there for us to learn one last lesson.
Today we had a meeting with drs scheduled to determine when he would be coming home. I sat with him on Saturday morning for a while just talking as we did every other day about how he was doing and the family and great grandkids and he looked a little tired, but you couldn't get the smile off of his face. Looking at pictures of the kids and puppies our dog had and my brothers dog also.... He was at peace. We talked about the meeting and what he wanted to do and I once again left him with an I love you and see you Monday . That last lesson was learned today with his passing and that is we all live for tomorrow and we don't realize tomorrow is never promised ....only today....right now... And not the next ten minutes or 6 months or even a year....
We need to strive to live our lives like Jessie Pollitt and enjoy that freedom live for today in this moment forever as long as you can because tomorrow....it can all be over.
We love you Papaw!
Jessie Elwood Pollitt. R.I.P.1928-2015
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