Food, fun and fellowship make for a good Valentine’s party. Call me at (507) 373-8655 and we will reserve a seat for three hours of food, fun and fellowship costing $5 per person, beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 to eat pizza, play Norwegian Bingo, and devour ice cream with toppings.
Many people have more than one person they called “Grandpa.” I had two—both hereditary. One Irish (McFarland), the other Norwegian (Hanson), both were farmers with a love of farming and the great outdoors. Surprisingly, neither liked hunting, and only one liked fishing. Grandpa Hanson fished every chance he could, whether in open water or through the ice (sometimes not all legally).
One of my best memories of Grandpa Hanson was in our fish house, fishing through the ice at St. Olaf Lake. He brought sandwich meat, bread, pop and soup for our noon meal as we left for the lake mid-morning. The fish weren’t biting very well as he warmed the soup on the small stove in the fish house. As we were eating, he told me there was an “old Norwegian” tale of two wolves to be my guide in life.
He began, “An Old Norwegian is teaching his grandson about life. ‘A fight is going on inside me,’ he told the boy. ‘It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.’
He continued, ‘The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.’
The grandson thought about it for a minute, then asked his grandfather, ‘Which wolf will win?’
The Old Norwegian replied, ‘The one you feed.’”
Readers, at the first chance of closing your eyes and reflecting, recall a good time with your grandpa. Is your situation such that you could repeat the Norwegian tale of the two wolves to a grandchild?
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.