Love to those who have passed on: George

This is my Great-uncle George Brown.  He was a grumpy old soul.  He burned many bridges because of his pessimism and distrustful nature.  I don't think he was always that way.  He worked hard all his life and was apart of many wonderful experiences. 

For a living, he worked in Hollywood back in the "good ole days" doing special effects.  George had a brilliant mind.  He did effects for most John Wayne movies, The Searchers and I'm sure you've all seen Mary Poppins. 

As a child I would have him tell me all about working on Mary Poppins. What was Julie Andrews like to work with?  Answer: frustrating because she was too proper to let him in her dressing room to measure her so he could build the right harness to keep her upright while flying.   He had an opinion about most of the actors of that time period.

Anyway, the tragedy of his life was that he and my great-aunt Fae made big plans for retirement.  He worked hard to ensure that they would have no cares while they grew old together.  Right before retirement, Fae got sick and he started to lose his eyesight.  He cared for his wife until she died and then lived alone while life became darker with his vision.  George felt like life cheated him.

 

Story Time: I know the post is an entire story but I wanted to point out my Aunt Fae's hair.  See the braids?  She was too sick to do her own hair so George braided her hair everyday for her until she passed.  There is so much love from that simple act.  He knew she wanted to look nice and he honored that.  (Also picture is my Uncle Thom, cousin Clayton, me and my Mama)

For some reason, as a little 3 year old, I won his heart.  It was luck perhaps because few had such an honor.  He loved me and I loved him.  I still love him.  He may have been a grump but the way he showed his love was through giving others experiences. 

Right before my mission, George called me up and told me he bought a car.  "Why would you buy a car when you can't see George?" I asked him.  "Well, I thought you could drive me to Oklahoma before you leave for that mission of yours," he replied.  I thought it sounded like fun but I was nervous driving a 96 year old man around.  He worked with a guy and made all the arrangements.  He didn't just want to get to Oklahoma, he wanted to share with me his life story.

We went to the Grand Canyon (pictured above).  I had never been there before or since.  Beautiful.  Next stop, Monument Valley where he worked on The Searchers.  The rock formations were incredible.  Then we drove to Colorado where he was born and raised (Fruita and Grand Junction). I saw the house he was born in and some of his old haunts.  Finally we landed in Oklahoma. 

What I remember most were our conversations.  He didn't believe in God.  Life was a rotten joke in his view.  I was so grateful he couldn't see because as he shared his life with me, tears streamed down my eyes. How can a 96 year old man completely miss all the beauty that life had?  I don't mean to make it sound like it was all negative.  We laughed together too.  Mostly from my efforts to get him to smile.  Which he would.

I left on my mission.  We sent tapes to each other since he couldn't read.  My last tape I sent him, I felt impressed to share with him my belief that we will live after this life and be reunited with our families.  I told him that I knew I'd see him again and that I loved him.  Unbeknownst to me, he was in the hospital when he got the tape.  My Mom played it to him and when he heard me tell him that I loved him, he cried.  He then told my Mom that there was nothing after this life.  My Mom made the point that one of us is right.  George said, "I hope you are." 

A week before I returned from my mission, he passed away.  Boy did I cry.  I ached to see his "old and moldy" face, hear his gruff voice and do everything I could to make him laugh.  He was a great challenge that I enjoyed breaking him down and making him feel happiness.  He gave me so much.  I learned that we can love anyone, even those that are difficult.  Also, life is to short to wait until we're old to travel.  We must seize the day and be happy with all the tremendous gifts we have.  There are many.  George had much to be grateful for.  I'm grateful for him.  I'll see him again.