Tender Hearts
Growing up, we had family friends that we called Granny and PawPaw. PawPaw was my father’s mentor, he poured a lifetime of oilfield wisdom into my young father, his guidance helped catapult my dad into a career as a respected, successful oilman.
PawPaw retired and bought a Bait and Tackle Shop on Lake O The Pines, in east Texas. My mother and Granny were dear friends, mother packed up her three kids and we visited every summer.
PawPaw was a not “kid” person, he had no problem being gruff with us when we were getting into stuff or being noisy.
One summer, I was about 5 years old and fascinated with the cricket boxes in the bait shop. PawPaw would raise the wire mesh lid and gather crickets for the fishermen. There was a painted line in the cricket box, the crickets wouldn’t jump over that paint line, they could easily escape the bait box. When no one was watching, I opened the lid and dared a brave cricket to jump, I always got caught and scolded firmly by PawPaw, then sent back to the house, to my mother.
One morning, PawPaw was at the bait shop, I got up to “help” him. He was gruff, he was grumpy, but I liked him, I liked him so much that I jumped on his lap that morning, he was having coffee on the 3 legged stool behind the cash register. I wasn’t really sure what would happen next, but he melted, he wrapped his arm around my waist and talked sweet to me. It was at that moment that I realized that the gruffest people can have the most tender hearts. I have carried that lesson with me my entire life … PawPaw mentored my dad regarding the oilfield and also mentored me regarding hearts.
A friend of mine passed away recently, I would not call Doris gruff … but she didn’t sugarcoat her thoughts, if you asked her a question, be prepared to learn what she was really thinking. Doris would boldly say “out loud” what most of us were thinking, I loved that about her. What I learned on PawPaw’s lap was also true about Doris. Doris saw right and wrong clearly, she boldly pointed out wrongs, she bruised some egos, made enemies … her heart was pure and good, thankfully her skin was thick. At her funeral, friend after friend spoke of her many acts of charity and kindness, all done in private … for an audience of One.
Matthew 6: 3-4 … do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing … your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
