A Little Bit of Monday Inspiration

When you hear the word "Monday", it usually follows a groan. (Unless you are perhaps a hair stylist, and then that follows with a "yay!" because it's your day off). I was thinking of perhaps something fresh to write about, instead of the same old, same old, and I thought each Monday I would write about someone that I look up to and find inspiring. I think we all need an extra dose of encouragement on Monday. Of course, there are a good deal of people I find inspiring, but this blog has to do with living a healthy life style. In celebration of his birthday this week, I choose my Pop-Pop as my "Hero of the Week"!

My Pop-Pop is known as Murray Price to the rest of the world. You won't find too many 89 year olds on google, but I easily found mine, because he's just that awesome. When you say the word "hero", "inspiration", "determined", and "headstrong" my Pop-Pop fits the bill on all of those adjectives. He is a bit of a local celebrity, known for his contributions that he has made around our small town. Let me back track a little bit though.

Pop-Pop was born in the sleepy little town of Lexington, SC back in 1921. He was the son of a barber-shop owner. He was known for being bold, outspoken, headstrong, but he also had a kind heart. He did NOT get along with my Frannie when they were growing up together. She was intimidatingly beautiful, yet shy and softspoken, and he apparently used to stick his tongue out at her. (At which his parents would admonish him and say, "Don't do that, shorty, they're good people!!") He ended up dropping out of high school because he was frustrated with the school system, and worked in a factory until the WW II began. Always loving a challenge, he enlisted and became a bomber pilot. (When I see the movie Pearl Harbor, I always think about my Pop-Pop). The war left him with some emotional scars as he had to witness a close friend's death, and hear it on the radio as he was crashing down. He still has a difficult time talking about it, to this very day. However, I know it shaped the person that he was to become. I can't imagine the courage it must have taken to be a fighter pilot, back in those days, when it was uncharted territory. He and my Frannie ended up falling in love when he came home on visits, and were married shortly after the war. He came home with a new set of determination and climbed his way from a mere salesman in a large food distribution company, to one of the CEOs by his retirement.

When one retires, they are expected to lounge around, take it easy, and watch re-runs of Gunsmoke on TV Land all day, right?? Not my Pop-Pop! He used all of that extra time to volunteer, work out in his yard and garden, help out with other's homes and gardens, is a guest speaker at many local events, donates his time and money to charities, etc, etc. He is turning 89 this week and still drives quite soundly, works out in his yard, and does all of the things that a perfectly fine 26 year old (like myself) can do. In fact, I think he could probably kick my butt in a footrace if I challenged him to it. He is in unbelievable shape (and yes, that bomber jacket he is wearing in the above photo is his ORIGINAL jacket he wore in the War). I attribute some of that to good genetics (which I HOPE I inherit), but a lot of that has to do with the fact that he has never stopped for one second or let the "norms" define him. I would hear family say, "Murray, you are getting old and pushing yourself too hard, you need to slow down!" However, I think it's his determination and his zest of life that has allowed him to be on earth this long and has contributed to his great health. He also knows the healthy balance of not denying himself his favorite foods and desserts, while keeping his portions reasonable. He loves to take walks with my Frannie and has encouraged her to lead a healthy lifestyle. (My Frannie, who has a few minor health problems, is still in great shape for her age, too)! He has always encouraged me not to give up, to believe in God, myself and my dreams, not to care what others think, to do what I love (not what pays the most bucks), and I know that he has had a hand in where I'm at today. I like to think I've inherited a little bit of his independent spirit and bull-headedness.

So, if you're reading this Pop-Pop, I love you and I hope you have a wonderful birthday!!