CHARLEY ’ S TREASURES • CHARLEY NORTON
Pulling Myself out of the 2020 Funk
It ’ s been a few months since I ’ ve felt like writing . This has been a year of years and I think for many of us the end of it signified the end of a time where we could all say “ I ’ m just glad it ’ s over ”. But of course we all know we still have a ways to go
It has been a good year , as far as business goes , for me and my brother Tom . We ’ ve done well and been blessed with some of the best customers we ’ ve ever had . But at the same time , we ’ ve seen such struggle with our friends , our community and within our own family that both of us would trade any success we may have had for the lives affected by these terrible times . But without it and the people that have supported us , we couldn ’ t be here to support our own families which include all the families that work within our company who are now family too . Unfortunately , we may all be in for more rough times ahead . But I digress .
Any of you that knows me , that really knows me , knows that I am no disciple . But they should also know ( I hope ), by example , that I am a man that follows Christian values . Values that my parents taught me as their parents taught them and so on and so forth . And even though my dad was a devout Christian , I have to say it has always been , and will be , my mother ’ s voice that lingers in my head when I have a decision to amake or a question that needs answered . She will always live immortally in my mind and soul as she does with so many . She is , was , and always will be , the light that always shines bright . The one of infinite wisdom , optimism and total understanding . The one that always looks at the bright side , even when
18 LAKE WEDOWEE LIFE the light can be so dim . And dim it is now . But fret not , this isn ’ t humanities first rodeo . And it won ’ t be the last .
We , as a people , have always been survivors . I am a firm believer that when it gets difficult , the best of us comes out . And I have seen it first hand and so have you , even if you didn ’ t realize it at the time . Just take what we all call the greatest generation . What made them great isn ’ t what they did or went through , but what they did with what they learned from it and how they tried to instill those principles into their young in hopes that they will do the same with their own , and so on and so forth . But it gets harder with every generation because our youth haven ’ t truly seen strife and sacrifice . Without that experience , it ’ s hard to paint the real picture so that they can feel it as our predecessor ’ s did before us .
Remember how when we were teenagers ( and I hope teenagers are reading this ), and we went through such tough times like acceptance , loneliness , lost love , rejection etc . etc .? We thought that once we got out of the nest , we would be fine , free from all the trappings of adolescence and yes , the ever scrutinising parents . But as we got older , we realized that those experiences were only training on what life really had for us and it ’ s tough . Life is a series of concessions , compromise , heartache and joy . It is what you choose to be at the forefront that will keep you sane . I still believe what my friend Jenny told me years ago . “ Take what you need and leave the rest ”. Living by that simple advice sustains me . Why worry about that which you can do nothing about ? What comes will come .
It is a special and proudful feeling to painfully do the job you didn ’ t want , or go to a dangerous battlefield and fight when even you may not know what you ’ re fighting for . To forego creature comforts that you could have afforded without the limitations of family life . To budget and invest so much of your time for others toward something that you yourself never had the same opportunity and may do it for someone that may not appreciate your sacrifice until after you ’ re gone just as your parents and others did for you and for the same reason . As a parent , your only job is to make a better person . What that person does with it is up to them .
There will never be a trophy or fanfare or even a mention in the local newspaper giving you accolades for your sacrifice but that ’ s not why you do it . You do it to hopefully be as good an example as your parents were to you or in some cases , even better and end a cycle . Nothing can be substituted to emulate the feeling of pride and well being that only comes from a selfless act and all parents of any salt do this every day . “ It ’ s worth the trouble ”.
As I said before , tragedy can bring out the best in people . Our kids are at home more and it is truly a blessing that we can use this time to truly bond with them . People are cooking more than they need so they can share their meal with a neighbor or someone in need . Stores are stepping up and bringing your goods to you so that those at risk can avoid potential exposure . People are going outside with their kids and TV ’ s are turned off , just as we did when we were kids . And if any of you think being