Don't Weary

Of all the expressions I heard growing up, one of my favorites has always been my daddy saying, Don't weary. It was an all occasion phrase and always came with a smile.

Children get a lot of the same advice. Always wear clean underwear in case you're in a wreck. Clean your plate, there are children starving in Europe. Don't pet strange dogs. Tell the truth and I won't be mad. Don't take candy from strangers. Don't be late. Call when you get there. Children should be seen and not heard. Don't forget to brush your teeth. Wait two hours after you eat before going in the water. Don't play with your food. Wash behind your ears. You'll spoil your supper.

But it's my daddy's Don't weary that has stayed with me the longest, maybe because it's been the hardest to follow.
Maybe the best advice always is. I do weary - of working and struggling and not getting things right. A couple of times a year I weary of the animals I love more than life and long to wake up just one morning without them. I weary of being a grownup with responsibilities and chores and bills. I weary of all the complications of life, of the day to day stress and never having enough time. I weary of insomnia and coloring my hair and washing dishes. I weary of worrying.

Somedays it's just a weary old world. But I'm still glad to be here.