Happy Birthday Granddad!!

My granddad, Charles Filmore Martin, was born on this day in 1914.  Celebrating his birthday today is quite a feat in itself.  There is no doubt my granddad has beaten the odds.  For an American male born in 1900, his life expectancy was 47 years.  Statistically speaking there is only a 0.3 % chance of him living to be 97. Men have a 0.1% chance of living to be 100.  And my granddad did not live in a protective "bubble" throughout his life.  By most standards, his life has been quite difficult.  For example, his family's house was burned to the ground by a crazy neighbor so they lived in a tent for 1.5 years, through a rugged winter while his father tried to afford and build another home.  As a young boy, my grandfather would stay up very late rowing the boat while his father fished for the family meal. He would then sleep for a few hours and go to school, getting permission to sleep during recess.  He didn't own a car for quite some time, so he would run 20+ miles (roundtrip) to town to date Grandma. He worked two jobs while building his own home.  He walked from just west of Kansas City to Peoria after visiting his aunt when he was just 8 years old.  The trip that he made on foot was approximately 400 miles.  I could go on and on and on with stories like this about my granddad, but hopefully you get the picture, his life has not been easy and he is quite remarkable.

And the fact that he has beaten the odds regarding the longevity of his life or that his life has not been sheltered is not the remarkable part of my granddad's journey.  What is remarkable is the way that he has lived his life and his love of life.  I will not make my granddad out to be a saint.  He is not.  He is human and has struggled with things just like you and I, in particular his temper.  But to me, that makes his story more attractive.  It makes me appreciate and love him even more. He has inspired so many around him with his caring nature, his love, his support of extended family, and his love of nature and traveling.  He simply has a zest for life, even at 97.

Just recently Grandpa has continued to write his remarkable story.  When you get to be my granddad's age, the government likes you to take an annual drivers test to ensure that you haven't slipped too much throughout the year.  So my granddad took his test a few days ago.  After waiting for 3+ hours, he finally got his opportunity to take a written and driving test.  The administrator encouraged him to take his time and think through his answers.  As Grandpa got to the second question, he noticed that the test was immediately providing an answer as to whether or not the answer that he submitted was correct.  Encouraged that he got the first two answers correct, he continued to work through all 29 questions.  As he ended the test, he was rewarded for his incredibly sharp mental capacity.  He had gotten 28 of 29 answers correct.  Not bad for a 97 year old man.  Not bad for anyone.  He was thrilled with the results but regretted that he didn't change the one answer that he had considered changing previously which would have given him a perfect test score.

It was then time to take the driving test.  Granddad indicated that the instructor made him drive at least twice the normal amount of distance usually required.  She said nothing to Grandpa except to give him directions of where to turn.  When they pulled into the driver's license facility at the end of his test, the instructor looked at Grandpa and said only, " You were a little heavy on the brakes on some of your stops."  That was it.  A perfect written test coupled with a perfect driving test.  Simply amazing.  Another inspiring story. Another chapter for my book.

I believe my granddad's life is so incredible and inspiring that I have started writing a book about his life.  Actually, I have started the book four or five times now.  I get a few chapters in and decide that it doesn't capture the essence of my granddad's life and so I throw it away and start again.  Hopefully, someday I can get the book to come together.  I think you would be inspired by his life's journey as much as I have been.

Granddad, thank you for living your life the way you have.  You are a true inspiration to me as well as hundreds of other people.  You have showed us all how to love, you have showed us how to persevere, and you have taught us, by example, how to live.  I am looking forward to you becoming part of the 0.1 % club in a few years.

I LOVE YOU!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!