Anyone that knows me, knows that I can go to the extreme from time to time. Too much drinking has happened, too much work has happened, pushing to get things done instead of sleeping. John saw it to and I am guessing he was doing kindness to help me out.
I was looking for a bush hog and JohnG said he had one I could just have. I argued that I would pay something, and he wasn't having it. I had just finished up a brutal week of work, been up late nights working on my tractor, working on my truck and I was exhausted. All my posts on HL made no sense and I agreed to pick in the bush hog in the morning, an hour plus drive from the house. Rolling in to Johns house, I back the truck and trailer past his motorhome and in between his shop and trailer. I was super tired and was very deliberate with my driving. It took a few minutes longer to back it perfect, but I was tired and for sure not hitting anything valuable for the day.
John helped load it up, I cinched it down, tried to pay him and was about to set off. He said let me show you something and started on the tour of his shop. If you haven't been there, it is an absolute treat. Organized, cool, like a JohnG museum. He told me stories of things his mother had saved, and where he had gotten toys and rode this there and so forth and so on. I was tired and ready to go, kinda rushing towards the door to get going. For some reason, John kept slowing it down. He didn't want me to leave yet and if you spent any time with him, he had a way of getting what he wanted.
I think I spent another 3-4 hours talking with him. Might have only been two, my mind was a little fuzzy, but it was just great conversation about life. Slowing down to enjoy some things, taking care of myself, loving my wife and kids. Why would this man do this? He didn't owe me anything and just gave me a bush hog. It took a while to wrap my head around it and it has helped to me stay truer to some Christian beliefs I hold dear. A lot of people say they are Christian and do very little to show it. It doesn't have to be praying together or going to church together. Sometimes, it can be a little nudge in the right direction, it can be kind words, sometimes it can be removing fireball from ones grasp and handing them a Dasani. Sometimes, it can be helping a struggling man, wrapped up in his own thoughts, take a step back and realize he needs to ease up. Sometimes, it is listening to someone ramble about nonsense until it is all out and backfilling that void space with some wisdom and knowledge from someone that has been there before. I told myself I would not cry anymore about this man, he is in a better place, but this memory hits hard and was integral in me taking a step back from work.
I quit working in August of 2015. I still own my store but took a pay cut to spend more time with my kids, wife and friends. A huge portion of that decision came from that very conversation, most of it sitting on a very warm steel deck trailer, in Johns back yard. I made time for my kids, have been more loving towards my wife and I have been able to make more rides (though with less money to fix my junk) all because of the decision to step back. As well, I was blessed with a lot of spare time. When John got sick, I made it a point to repay him for helping me through my tough times. I went to see him every chance I got, sent him flowers in the hospital and tried not to be around too much. I may not have been blood related, but John was family to me.
Ramble, ramble. My eyes are so watery I can't hardly type. Knowing he is looking down and I have 20 projects to go, I am going to get up off the couch and to work on my truck. I know John would be proud if I finished up one project today.
