I smile, you smile.
(Photo - Sam Varner graduates from Princeton University)Dad's family wished him well as he discussed going to college. His mother and father both had third grade educations. His grandparents had less formal education. He used to tell me "I was never the smart child, I was only the one that was able to self motivate himself." In truth my father's siblings all did well. My grandfather, My father's Father had three families with three wives, He buried the first two wives and my grandmother buried my grandfather. My Grandfather had over 28 children and took care of all of them. My Father grew up calling many of his brothers and sisters aunt and uncle. These brothers and sisters were from my Grandfather's previous marriages. When my Grandfather married my Grandfather was in his late 60's and early 70s and my grandmother, formerly my grandfather's housekeeper, was in her 20s....... Back to the story.....
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'Sunday Schooled' is a collection of blog posts from Seko Varner's former blogs. This post was dated 12/05/2007 while Seko's father, Rev. Dr. Samuel Varner was alive.
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The family went from plush to poor as the Whites in his neighborhood tricked his father out of land that he acquired. At one time my grandfather owned the first T-Model Ford vehicle in Opelika, Alabama and had acres of land. After the devils finished with him, he was extremely poor. Dad grew up with no running water, eating every two days at times, and in a home/shack that may seem third-world'ish in today's American standards. I remember the day he received his Doctorate degree from Princeton. He smiled widely for hours. His teeth became dry, he was so proud.
He ensured that my siblings and I had an easier life. He ensured that he was a better husband than his father was. He ensured that he would be able to provide us with an education after formal school since his father wasn't able to provide him with that opportunity. Dad made sure that he was the man that his father trained him to be and the man that his father wanted to be. Dad often told me that a dwarf standing on the arms of a giant can see farther and go farther than the giant. As I talk to Dad about the necessity of having more than an educational opportunity for my kids he simply smiles. I realized today that the smile he gives during those talk is the same as when he graduated. His graduation graduated our family, my new insight provides our family's new insight. I shine you shine. I pray now that I can experience that smile for many more years. After his last surgery his appetite has decreased. Dad now can go days without feeling hungry. I now enjoy every meal with him in a different light. Just watching him eat makes me smile.
It's funny......When I smile my son looks at me and smiles without knowing why. I guess I have a dwarf on my shoulders now. I smile, he smiles.
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