It was a late Friday night and my mom had allowed me to stay up to watch an NBA Playoff game from out west – a rare gift in the days before ESPN. My dad worked the evening shift in the mines and was due home at any moment. Then 15 minutes passed – no dad. Half an hour passed – no dad. Finally, after an hour past his normal arrival time he was home.
Now, for anyone whose parent(s) work in a dangerous industry (including mining), your mind can race when someone is late. Life and limb were always at risk and were a reminder of the beauty and value of life. My parents embraced, as they always did, appreciating every moment of being together. Later I learned that my dad, as he was inclined to do, had been delayed by doing something good.
A young man on that foggy night was trying to hitchhike to a friend’s house. My dad saw the young man, turned around, rolled down his window, and asked, “Where you headed Son?” Dad learned that the young fellow had gotten into a fight with his parents and was going to a friend’s house. While I was not privy to the conversation, and Dad never shared with me the contents of their chat, I can surmise that there were encouraging words, words that assured him that his parents loved him and that things would be fine. My dad ended up taking him back to the young man’s home.
There are many things we could ask today about where we are headed.
- Schools that are struggling with many issues.
- Lack of housing, especially for those of modest means.
- Mismatch of open jobs with skill sets of potential employees.
- Inflation and other economic turmoil.
It can make you just want to run away! As my father knew and counseled to a young man once upon a time: hang in there, talk it out, and work it out. Know that you are cared for and that you should care for others. And it will be just fine.
Stay Safe.
– Leton
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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
