Z. Tyler---My Hero!
Hope! Ye---Comfort! Me…Inspiration!Thee
Day 17
Zachariah Tyler
(Z. Tyler) July 24, 1987
Christmas!? In July? You
bet! When you’re Santa Claus---every day
is…Christmas!
Love
at first sight! Yes! Indeed! It was! A beautiful baby face crowned with
jet-black hair.
First
time I laid eyes on you, Z. Tyler, I fell in love. Of course, I already loved
your essence long before your arrival. And, boy-oh-boy! Did we ever have us
some fantastic times…Always!
My
little “shadow buddy” went everywhere with me. We traveled the U.S. of A. from
your first days; lived in several states and some awesome homes. You could hold
a ball head-high, drop it and club it with a little red plastic bat when you
were just nine “months” old. Wow!
You
rode in the front seat of a Ryder big ole truck as my co-pilot through the
Rocky Mountains one full moon night in Colorado as we eased on into Cheyenne
for the night; you were two. I taught you to ride a two wheeler on Groundhog
Day in Tennessee; you were four. We traveled from Florida to Oregon in a three
week period for your Mom’s Law School Graduation; you had a little all white
“lawyer” suit and promptly stepped into the campus river.
After
getting you “mostly” dried off, we traipsed up the stadium steps to our seats
as I held your hand; a “fine” looking female specimen happened to be in front
of us and, you, ran your little hand
right up her white stockings as we were moving along, slowly. She turned around
and gave me a warning glare! I should
have said, “I was just watching.” I learned that line from you when Nanny
caught us just after some knick-knack had gotten “accidentally” broken in her
house as we were rough-housing. Anyway, the “legs”-gal gave me her phone number---so, all’s well
that ends well… (just an old man’s vacant wishes! I reckon! Darn! The luck!)
You
played golf from age three, on; and, you were really (and, still are) very
good! We went almost daily to the driving range in Oregon to hit a bucket of
balls. “Talent!” Your middle name!
I
took you out of school on many occasions to challenge the links; I had done the
same for Aunt Becky, but, she told stories (fabricated, I’m certain) of flying
golf clubs! I could throw!
I
“cheated” on the score card every time we played so you would “win”; until, you
were twelve. Then, I couldn’t beat you! You were that good; of course, I wasn’t
much of an opponent.
Also,
when you were twelve, I taught you to drive a vehicle, my red Ranger pick-up.
And,
what an ice hockey talent; six years old on through high school and college and
beyond!
When
I took you out of school to go to a St. Louis Cardinal game, we went early so
we could shop at Union Station. We were walking along on the lower mall level
and I noticed you looking straight up. I asked you what you were so interested
in up there? You just flashed that dazzling smile and pointed: Hooter’s girls were on the open-grate
walkway above. Quickest eye in the west! I reckon. Yep! Taught that boy
everything he knows?---Well!...I tried! (It sure was embarrassing when I was
“distracted” “accidentally” bumped into that nun! Wow!)
Bed
time was as difficult when you were a kid as it was for your Mom and Bobi; we’d
stall and whine and procrastinate until all
patience of Nanny and your Mom was depleted. Then, I’d suddenly remember: We
had not eaten our shared orange for the night; you might get sick!?
And,
you know, Son, in spite of your choice of a friend who was the worst rebel,
rascal, rogue, rapscallion “role” model you could have chosen---you sure turned
out…Just-Perfect!
Like
I always say, “If I ever grow up (God
forbid!), I wanna be just like Z. Tyler!”
I
am so very proud of you! Always have been! And, always will be! Amen! Thank you!
Hope! Comfort!
Inspiration!
Indeed! Love, Bapa & Nanny Ah! Cookie Jar Sweet Memories!
Plus:
Christmas Diamonds
Wind-swept pristine frozen white fluff
delicately sculpted into powdery drifts, shaped and designed and, then, refined
to tasteful elegant overhanging crested waves of immaculate beauty,
sparkle-glisten in frigid crispness with captured light focus assimilated by
the random patterns of individual flakes. Each icy lace quite subtly, yet
precisely distinctive, different from all clones, shines brightly in its own
unique manner, twinkling like blue-white crystal stars strewn random upon black
satin midnight dark. True miracle for the Christmas Eve, or, any gifted other.
Interspersed amongst the multitudes of
those who annually celebrate Christmas, that sacred event of the birth of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God made man, a few diamonds shine with the holy light of
Christianity. In the realm of exemplary “Christians”, those identified and
recognized not by their own self-deluded continuous pious profession of
Christ-like through practiced word and performance show, but, rather, clearly by
their holy manner, action, speech, worthy deed, attitude, selfless way of
living, to wit---generous, humble, kind, filled with virtue, faith, hope,
charity, good, even, to a fault…those saintly types who voiceless preach by
living the Golden Rule, even when no one is watching, those rare angel diamonds
sparkle with the very essence of God’s own goodness as light assimilated by
fine cut facets indicative of the shape of virtuosity.
Christians---persons
like…
Parents---who
daily sacrifice so their progeny might have a better life;
Clergy---who
dare preach the gospel accurately in the face of social adversity;
Teachers---who
educate by example, fairness and without favoritism or excuses;
People---young
and old, pure of heart and tender nature who live un-selfishly,
obeying all ten Commandments, not just those
they find convenient
or easy or acceptable…
A lady approaches the century mark, soon
to be one hundred years young; a fine lady, full of Grace; one who smiles
naturally…and, always! And, while certainly not wealthy with silver or gold or
worldly material worth, has garnered little formal education but has been
perpetually kind, considerate and---what? Good? Yes, very good! Truly one of those
special sparkling diamonds easily recognizable among mankind’s own. Frail of
physical; Herculean of spirit!
Thankfully, the gleam within this
precious stone presently in the guise of woman, shines on, in her children and,
to the future with their progeny. The family cares for this lady in a manner that
allows dignity, offers hope, contentment, happiness for all concerned. And, to
the world, there is a steep price exacted for their sacrifice of time, love,
caring; but, there are no complaints.
Only quiet examples of purity…of love…of
Christians---real life, true, shining Christians!
Christians, like diamonds, catch the
eye, touch the heart, lighten the soul, inspire the spirit.
That mission is what God meant for them
to do---it is their sacred purpose! Amen!
Merry Christmas!
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