My great-grandfather was a man who had lived through many an adventure.
He was one of the few survivors who had put in the Madeira Mamore Railroad through the heart of the rain forest in Brazil 1911-12 (but not before contracting both Typhoid and Malaria).
He was in the Cavalry (yes, the guys on horseback with the bugler, while someone yelled “Charge!”).
He worked for the government and worked in places like Alaska before it was a state in 1916, and the Navajo Reservation.
He was a ranger in Hawaii and California.
He worked in Spain, and even owned his own company in Hollywood.
And, yes, my great-grandmother, along with their two children, went along for most of the ride (after the Brazil).
The other day, I found a letter dated 1963. He had written it to my grandmother. In it I found some very good sage words of advice:
“These days will be different…
a mixture of pleasure and pain.
Which predominates
will depend largely on what you look for.
Enjoy to the fullest all that is good
in every one of your days.”
—JB Fordyce
He passed away quite a while ago but I did get to know him for my first seven years. Even though he walked with a cane by that time, he was still full of spirit and loved to walk-race his little great-granddaughter (and he WON!).
Thank you, G-pa.