A Hard-Learned Lesson

“Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you” (Proverbs 2:11 NIV).

A Hard-Learned Lessons---eyes with tearsHead down, shoulders shaking, and tears flowing, this was not the Uncle Leonard we knew. Years of poor choices still showed in the crevices of his bony face. However, his wrinkles no longer widened with laughter that turned into a ragged cough. He wasn’t regaling us with another of his drunken escapades, like the middle-of-the-night trip from Indiana to Kentucky when he realized he was driving the wrong way. He wasn’t doubled over, slapping his legs, as he described heading north on I-65 while all the headlights shined south toward him.

Neither was he recalling childhood memories or catching up on extended family news with our mother. Gone was the confident man who discussed the economy, work details, or the latest ballgame with our father.

The Pain of a Hard-Learned Lesson

A Hard-Learned Lesson--broken alcohol bottleNever a mean alcoholic, Uncle Leonard emanated love for life and others despite his addiction. We rarely knew when he was coming. He simply showed up at all hours to stay a day, a week, or several months when he sought sobriety. He knew drinking was prohibited at our house. However, he also knew he was welcome any time and in any condition for however long it took to regain a clearer mind and healthier body.

He had fallen off the wagon once again, but this time it was different. As he sat across the kitchen table from my younger sister and me, his yellowed fingers danced as he raised them for another puff of courage.

Sweating sorrow, he begged, “Girls, please listen to your old uncle. I’ve made so many mistakes. I didn’t mean to end up like this.” His head bobbed to his chest and then up again. Following several blows into his handkerchief, plus a couple of swipes at his eyes, he continued. “I love you. You know that, don’t you?’

We nodded, and he kept talking. “Promise me you’ll never take that first drink. Please, look at me. Listen to me. You don’t want to live like this.” Spreading his arms wide, the leathered skin hung to bits of flesh on his skinny frame. His eyes reflected broken relationships and missed opportunities.

We did listen and never forgot the hard-learned lesson from this gentle, hard-working man who loved us with his entire being but suffered the demons of a bottle tipped time after time.

The Change from a Hard-Learned Lesson

Eventually, by remaining near the support of our father and others in his small but close-knit support system, Uncle Leonard managed to listen to himself. He grabbed hold of hope, held on to sobriety, remarried, reignited his relationship with a sympathetic Savior, and bought a house near to ours. He lived well and laughed often until the day of his early death, a consequence of one drink that led to many.

A Hard-Learned Lesson--family near a park bench and tree, facing a sunsetIn addition to learning from Uncle Leonard’s mistakes, we learned from our parents who supported, confronted, and guided Uncle Leonard to a better way of life. My sister and I took the way they lived for granted. Looking back, we see the impact they made and the example they set for us and anyone else who visited or lived with us.

Relatives, friends, and foster children found food, shelter, love, and spiritual guidance when they resided under our roof. Church attendance, family devotions before bedtime, and prayers before meals were the norm. Mom and Dad coupled unconditional love with firm standards for behavior.

Living What We Learned

Those childhood lessons from Uncle Leonard and our parents continue to guide us today. We thank them for their love and care.

Diana Derringer

Diana Derringer is an award-winning writer and author of Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary: 12 Dramas for Christmas, Easter, and More! Her articles, devotions, dramas, planning guides, Bible studies, and poems have been accepted more than 1,200 times by 70-plus publications, including several anthologies. In addition, Diana writes radio dramas and question-and-answer television programs for Christ to the World Ministries. Her adventures as a social worker, adjunct professor, youth Sunday school teacher, friendship family for international university students, and caregiver for her husband supply a constant flow of writing ideas. For a free copy of Diana’s “Words of Hope for Days That Hurt” and her weekly Words, Wit, and Wisdom: Life Lessons from English Expressions, join her mailing list at https://dianaderringer.com.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn - Pinterest