The Man of Grit: A Tribute
Dear Almost Friday,
It is my hope that the following words would be a source of encouragement to you, the reader. Although it is with a heavy heart that I wrote this letter, and an even heavier heart that I write this preface, I trust and believe that death and pain and suffering and grief are meant to be experienced for the sake of the joy that comes on the other side of it all – the light at the end of the tunnel.
I suppose every year has its highs and lows, some far better or worse than others, but this year is worth reflecting on. 2018 was a year of joy and pain. A year of growth and uncertainty. A year of taking the time to understand who God is and who I am as an individual. A year of new house plants and new relationships. Each experience of this past year had its time & place and provided new perspectives on how to understand the people and life around me. Through the ups and downs, I’ve found it’s important to give thanks each day for even the littlest things in life – it goes a long way.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018, was a day of days. Derral Keith Sperry, better known to me as ‘Granddad’, breathed his last. In 88 years, he was raised on a farm in Missouri during the Great Depression, served in the U.S. Army after WWII, practiced law for over thirty years, married and raised two wonderful children, and gifted me with his leadership, compassion and love for over twenty-five years.
Two weeks ago, we said our goodbyes before I drove back to Austin from his home in Houston. We had a truthful and intimate conversation about life and how much he loved me and was proud of me. I’ll treasure that day forever. I wrote him the following week as his days became numbered, trying to give back to him what he has given to me after all these years. It’s my gift to share with you the love I have for this man. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Dear Granddad,
Seeing you on Thanksgiving and the days that followed reminded me of the countless reasons I have to be thankful for the life that I have been given. You are one of those reasons. My earliest memories as a child, roughly 4-5 years old, revolve around family and the places we’d go. You and Grandma were there so consistently – thanks for being there.
Among these memories, the bay house always comes to mind. Waking up to the sound of the A/C unit pumping in the bedroom, sunlight beaming through the blinds. Opening the bedroom door to the warmth of the living room where the lamps would jingle as I’d walk across the floor to the kitchen, finding Mom and Grandma with their coffee, cooking bacon and eggs. Then I’d make my way out to the deck, binoculars in hand, racing up the stairs to the third floor to get a better view. Looking out over Galveston Bay I’d see you and my Dad wading out to the sandbar and into open waters, casting your lines to bring in the ‘Catch of the Day’. I feared for both of you, thinking of the movie ‘Jaws’ and the unknowns of the ocean – but there you were, fearless and alive. And soon enough you’d both wade back to the shore, with fish or without, and we’d enjoy the day together, salty air and sunshine and all. It’s memories like that that I’ll treasure forever.
As I’ve grown up, now graduated from college and finding my place in the world, I’m able to give more thought to who I am, what I’m made of and who I can never repay for helping me along the way. You are one of these people. Someone very wise once shared this with me, “Grit. G-R-I-T. It’s the name of the game. Don’t ever quit, give up or concede unless it’s plain obvious you’d be a fool not to.” Can you guess which of our presidents said this? Probably not. Because these were your words to me. The longer I live, the more adversity and pain I seem to come across, but know that your leadership, love and support will help me through it all.
So thank you. For your wisdom, stories, guidance, laughter, honesty, loyalty, perseverance, and undying love and support. They mean more to me than you’ll ever know.
And thanks be to God, who out of His love sent Jesus to be our Good Shepherd, our King and our Savior. In closing, I give to you the words of Paul in his letter to the Ephesians,
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”
Love,
Clayton
