Travel Travail Tranquility

A young man's pause in between battles in the fight for Freedom.

As a brief quiet ensued...

A young man thought about how he came to be.

His Father was a decent honest man and a bit of a character. The family had some prominence and the young man of the past had worked hard, not pampered, like his nouveau riche father and mother, who chose easy ways and greed. This was due to his Grandmother and Aunt and Uncle who were polar opposites of his parents. His work demanded play and he dallied with many a woman.

One day, his roving eye beheld a lovely young woman from the 'poor side of town'.

He pursued, wooed and won her.

Little did he know she had been abused by a property owner in her neighborhood. She kept it quiet and ashamed that she became pregnant, sought to flee her plight.

This handsome gentleman was her answer.

She quickly surrendered herself, both attracted and satisfied he would take her away.

This he did, spurred by her declaration she was pregnant.

He felt he had made a mistake. He didn't hate her but there was no love. He did the honorable thing and married her.

Ten years passed. There had been a son born in that time as well. He was welcomed into the family. The brother and sister were equally loved but secrets were still kept.

This young man was prepared to part with her, seeing to the children. He cared but loved another. He cared but felt obligated.

Alerted to this, the woman, afraid of being abandoned (There was never a real fear. He would have provided. But she was very insecure, possessive, due to her roving childhood and her abuse.), had a plan.

On the cusp of her husband wishing to part, she declared she was pregnant again.

He was in a quandary. How could he go, knowing a child was to be born? This was not the day of 'no fault divorce'. He was truly a man of honor. He cared. He was afraid that a child would not have his influence. He was a Father. He was responsible. He stayed.

He stayed til this youngest son was a teen.

Then the Father got ill. It took him three years to die. In that time, he imparted to his son that he would take him along to a new place if he got well. He didn't. He couldn't. He died, leaving the son alone in the midst of turmoil.

Years earlier as well as later this Mother, besotted with insecurity, would try to hold onto her kids. She did everything to keep them with her. Instead of letting them go, she clung to them as though they were life itself for her. Without them what would she be?

As this youngest son began to reach out for independence, she would smile and tell him he was the only planned baby she had.

He was puzzled til he realized the manipulative nature of this woman.

He left and wandered many a path.

Many turns, trial and error ensued. His quest led him to seek folks like his Great Grandmother and Great Aunt and Uncle. He found some, though his own mistakes took him astray.

What he ahd learned from them stuck. His love of history and his innate sense of right and wrong saw him through.

His journey brought him to those with similar purpose.

Here, he had that home away from home. A reason to use all he had.

Just to bring his wayward Republic back from the brink as he had been brought.

The noise of battle started growing once more.

Renewed, he realized that it was the course of his life that had delivered him to this place in time.

Had it not been for his forebears, both good and bad, with all the errors and success, he would indeed not be here.

Renewed, he would fight even more strongly for Freedom.

Renewed, he would pass this all to his children, for their portion was coming.