A story I must share on the porch.

SVTFreak

SVTFreak

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Mar 8, 2011
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I started this post in the what are you carrying today thread, but I realized now that I am not showing a knife, but telling a story that I must get off my chest.

My carry today is one that hasn't been used since 1997. That's the year my grandfather died. And this was his. It's been in my knife cabinet since, until the flood 6 weeks ago.

After the flood, after stripping my home, I was helping my parents. My dad found his mother's Bible that she gave him. It was wet. Dad broke down. (This was dad's father's knife). I comdorted him best i could, reminding him he wasn't upset about the flood but missing his mother. He said he missed all the old ones. My dad is nearing 70. I'm 42.

A few days went by, I had my breakdown over the flood, and all is good. But I could not get his comment out of my mind. Something was there beyond his words. I kept taking grandpa's knife out looking at it trying to place what I was missing. It dawned on me. My father, to two sons, 3 grand daughters and 3 step grandsons plus a coming unknown grand kid, is one of the old ones. I went back to mom and dad's house, and found dad. He was on his porch not far from the Bible. I laid grandpa's knife next to grandmas Bible. And I told dad what I thought. He held his head up and smiled and said "Yeah, I reckon you are right".

So, here I am, a couple weeks later. I have grandpa's old knife out now. And I'm carrying it. Got it all sharpened up, cleaned up and reoiled. It's nothing special. Stainless stockman uncle henry. But it's my grandfather's and he would be proud to know that his son has replaced him as the old one and his grandson still remembers him dearly.

The good news is only the last few pages of grandmas old Bible for wet. It dried out nicely. Not quite perfect but all of her notes are there.

 
This is one of the best stories I've seen here in awhile, thanks for sharing this. I don't even know how to respond properly to it, but it's filled with meaning and memories - the stuff life is made of. That pocket knife is awesome! Glad to hear Grandma's Bible was OK too.
 
Nothing special!!
sorry mate I had to move to a bigger keyboard than my phone.
Very Very special is what I would say.
I'm sorry to hear of your traumatic flood experience.I tend not to watch much TV news anymore so was unaware of that event.Glad you got through relatively unscathed.
Writing your thoughts is therapeutic and cathartic. I'm sure there are counselors available for flood victims to talk to but the simple act of getting your thoughts and feelings down "on paper" is much better.
Although there are massive distances between us and like most of my ideas completely impractical I think I can safely say on behalf of the porch that any one of us would head over to your place and help with the clean up if you needed it. I'm not a believer and I think its ironic that a flood nearly destroyed a bible-....but it didn't did it. Perhaps the water washed away some of lifes debris that builds up and when it receded left behind a chance to renew or a foundation on which to go forward.
cheers.
:)
 
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Sad experience, but wonderful turnaround and realization! Maybe that uncle henry isnt anything special to the next guy, but to you and youre dad, its a physical reminder of a good man who graced your lives.

Im sure your grampa would be happy to know youre carrying his knife, and happier still knowing that hes remembered fondly.
 
Meako, your comment about washing away debris couldn't be more spot on.

I'm over the sad part of the flood. We are fortunate. We have insurance and only got a foot. My parents also. Our neighbor is a contractor and didn't flood. We are moving forward and ahead of most. Sheet rock is done and painting coming. Cabinets ready to go in and floors all on site. Trim and doors also. But, in the last three months, I've gotten married, found out I'll be a dad again, having to rebuild the home, and got a transfer to a new job. I guess I wasn't living the life the Lord wants me to and gave me a wholesale redirection weather I wanted it or not! And, right now, although I'm in debt to my ears waiting on insurance, and dog tired from working shift work and working on the house, I am thankful for where he is putting me. I am fortunate but there are many thousands who aren't so lucky. Thank you for putting into words what I feel about it all.
 
Wonderful story SVT, thank you for sharing it with us here. My mom is one of the most positive people I know, she'd always say, for every door that closes there are always two that will open or from bad comes good.

Her words are proven in your experience. Wonderful knife and wonderful Bible. Thanks again for sharing this with us:cool::thumbup:
 
Fantastic knife, SVT. Thanks for sharing it with us. I'm with meako in that I don't understand what you mean when you say nothing special. That knife is more special than any I've ever owned. There are a couple waiting for me at my parents' place, but I hope I don't own them for a very long time. I'd take an heirloom over an expensive custom any day of the week.

Your attitude about things seems great through the distance of the Internet. I'm sure you're having your good times and your bad, but it seems like your heart was in the right place when you wrote these posts. Keep focusing on what's important and everything else will fall into place around that. Your family will be in my prayers tonight, young and old.
 
Very touching realization, especially at such a stressful time in your life. Seems to me like you found a way to make lemonade when life tried giving you lemons:thumbup:
 
Events like this do put things in perspective. It is sad that your dad had thoughts like that, but I guess it's understandable. I think your words to him put him at ease, and though he is one of the old ones now, he realizes the future of the family is in good hands with you.

I'm glad to hear that nobody was injured, and that the damage was not too severe.

Glenn
 
Thank you so much for sharing such a great story SVT. That old stockman and your Grandmothers Bible are two priceless and irreplaceable treasures. Life is very short at best and regardless of how much or how little we acquire in material things it is the family and friends we love that are truly the only real valuables we ever have. That old stockman and Bible were part of two people you loved therefore they will always be special. My wife and I are now the old one's in our family, and as a matter of fact my son D.J. is your age 42 and is starting to move into that patriarch position in our family. As my wife and I are moving into our twilight years we have started to pass things down to our children already so not only they can enjoy them but that we can enjoy watching them take possession of them. I have given one of my son's my Rolex, the other my grandmothers Grandfather's Clock plus some guns, knives and other things and there is no telling what my wife has already given the daughters. I say this because as an old man I have learned it's not about things it's about people and how we treat each other.
 
If that knife is nothing special, then I'm a monkey's uncle.

Glad things are being sorted out with the flood. It sounds like you're making the best of the situation. Sometimes adversity serves to draw loved ones even closer together.
 
That old knife and that old bible will be remembered for the rest of your time on this rock, which makes them much more significant than you are leading on.

I watched my grandfather break down while sitting in a hotel room in Houston after Katrina; it was only 3 years after he lost the love of his life, my grandmother. There was a calm afterwards, a renewed sense of purpose. He carried on for almost a decade, keeping on by building remote control boats, planes, and trains and driving his sporty cars way too quickly. He buried his only son, my father, 5 years ago, and still, he carried on. We lost my grandfather on New Year's Eve. I type this not to take away from your pain and tribulations but to express that the head patriarchal role is one that is often not given enough consideration or respect. It must be an immense burden. You gave your father that consideration and respect. I'm sure that will give him that sense of renewal that I saw in my grandfather.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this, but the sun will rise tomorrow and a new day will dawn. From your post, I can tell that you clearly have all the tools that you need to make tomorrow great, not only for you but for your family.

All the best to you and yours.

P.S. I hope the insurance companies aren't completely useless for you.
 
A very touching story. Years ago I lost some very personal and sentimental items that were attached to memories of relatives who had passed. I later learned that the memories are always there and cannot ever be taken away, and that they are more valuable than the items they were attached to. However, having the memory and the item both is preferable.

I'm glad you shared your story with us, and that you were only hurt financially, and not physically.
 
Thanks for sharing this with us! My dad brought me my grandad's knife a couple years ago to clean and sharpen, and he uses it now to keep his memory alive. It is amazing how a simple object makes memories come back...
I am happy to hear the Bible pulled through and you are able to keep everything in perspective:thumbup:
Glad to hear also that things are moving forward and you are getting your house back together, hopefully life will approach some sort of "normal" for you soon!
 
Commiserations and congratulations all at once. Life doesn't half throw a curve ball once in a while does it?
 
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