I've come back to re-read this several times over the last week or-so, and was so moved by it that I wanted to take a bit of time to gather my thoughts before I made a comment...
What a beautiful, tender piece of reportage. It brings tears to my eyes as I read it... Both as a widower myself, but also as someone lucky enough to have encountered a number of men like John in my life journey.
I only know John through your neighborly stories, but I suspect we ALL know at least one "someone" like John, and there have been a handful of older men (including a beloved grandfather and a handful of uncles) for whom the care and attention and nurturing they brought to their corner of the world are completely different than John in the specifics, but exactly the same in the aggregate.
Because what they have in common is that the bring care and attention and nurturing to the place THEY are in, without fanfare or the need for great attention to be paid to it. It's just... Their way of being in the world. I've been a beneficiary of that occasionally gruff and sandpapery style of nurturing, and wouldn't trade the experiences or lessons for anything. May we also be those kinds of men in the world. (But perhaps, at least in my case, with about 10% less "sandpaper." ;-) )
You already know that I'm a giant fan of your writing (and you!), but I do genuinely love and admire how you consistently seek and find "the story underneath the story." You truly are a Story Catcher and a Meaning Maker. Thanks for this!
I've come back to re-read this several times over the last week or-so, and was so moved by it that I wanted to take a bit of time to gather my thoughts before I made a comment...
What a beautiful, tender piece of reportage. It brings tears to my eyes as I read it... Both as a widower myself, but also as someone lucky enough to have encountered a number of men like John in my life journey.
I only know John through your neighborly stories, but I suspect we ALL know at least one "someone" like John, and there have been a handful of older men (including a beloved grandfather and a handful of uncles) for whom the care and attention and nurturing they brought to their corner of the world are completely different than John in the specifics, but exactly the same in the aggregate.
Because what they have in common is that the bring care and attention and nurturing to the place THEY are in, without fanfare or the need for great attention to be paid to it. It's just... Their way of being in the world. I've been a beneficiary of that occasionally gruff and sandpapery style of nurturing, and wouldn't trade the experiences or lessons for anything. May we also be those kinds of men in the world. (But perhaps, at least in my case, with about 10% less "sandpaper." ;-) )
You already know that I'm a giant fan of your writing (and you!), but I do genuinely love and admire how you consistently seek and find "the story underneath the story." You truly are a Story Catcher and a Meaning Maker. Thanks for this!
Jeff, this is such a gracious and kind comment. Thank you so much, friend. Happy and honored that it has resonated with you!
Cheers to all the Johns!