A recent lesson in determination caused me to notice some other good examples not far from home. We’ll get to those, but first let’s consider a decades-old memory that continues to inspire me. 

It was probably 40 or more years ago when I was watching a hummingbird in our back yard. I paused to admire it busily feeding on the honeysuckle covering our fence. Admiration turned to alarm when our cat knocked the bird to the ground then engulfed it in its mouth.

Chances of escape were zero, until our cat chose frivolity over food. She’d release the bird then swat it with a paw, playing a cruel game with her minute captive. But the cat and I had underestimated the tiny creature’s determination. As the cat raised her paw again, the hummingbird darted away.  

In the latter part of May, I pulled into my mother’s driveway a little before noon. My phone rang and I talked for a few minutes, unaware Mama was in the yard. I didn’t see her until she ambled past my truck. On top of her walker, she had balanced a long pecan limb and was taking it to the burn pile.

A 98-year-old woman carrying a limb on her walker would have made a great photo, but that thought came too late. Picking up limbs might be a tad risky at this point, but determination is a big part of what has gotten her this far.

The next day, as I drove by a neighbor’s farm, I saw Thomas “Bud” Sangster near the road. Bud, who is well into his senior years, keeps up several acres of yard and pecan trees. He was riding on a small scooter with a cart in tow, picking up limbs with a reacher.

I continued on toward Unadilla and passed by Mrs. Ruth Cross’ house. I won’t speculate on age, but she taught me typing in high school and her daughter Cathy was my classmate. Miss Ruth still works in her yard and maintains a substantial pecan orchard. It’s so neat I think she sometimes catches limbs before they hit the ground. 

A few minutes later I stopped at Mr. Charles Speight’s home. He had just gotten off his John Deere tractor with which he mows a small field. He uses a Husqvarna in his yard. The list of 103 year olds with two mowers will probably fit on a postage stamp.

I’ll close with a mention of my longtime friend John David “Bud” Law. He just turned 92 and would be busy laying bricks if not for a collision with a log truck. His badly broken ankle was repaired first. Hip replacement followed in early June. Whether he’ll return to laying bricks, I don’t know. But if he doesn’t, it won’t be for a lack of effort nor a shortage of prayers.

Factors such as health play a role in how active anyone can be, but there are always opportunities. Making phone calls to check on others, mailing notes to shut-ins, or knitting items to give away are among the many ways to stay engaged. And if such things are not possible, there are plenty of long prayer lists. Sometimes it takes effort to find what works.

I didn’t think that little hummingbird in our back yard had a chance, but while I was looking down the bird was looking up. And looking up, I’ve learned, pairs well with determination. That’s more than just an opinion. A lot of good examples are close to home.