Pulling Together

Hazel and Charlie never had many worldly possessions. They always lived in a tiny house, even when they had four children living with them. Both Hazel and Charlie worked hard and never complained about what they were doing, no matter how long the hours nor how difficult the task. In fact, they enjoyed the careers they had chosen for themselves and took great pride in the fact that they excelled in their crafts.

They had an unconventional but loving marriage, one that lasted over sixty years. Unfortunately, Charlie was quite a bit older than Hazel, so she lived well over a decade longer than he did. But while they were a couple, they faced life head on, each bringing their own strengths to their union. In many ways, they were a modern couple well before their time, with Charlie supporting Hazel’s wishes to have her own career and to keep her own name when she performed. Hazel also advocated for women’s rights. But eventually, motherhood became Hazel’s full-time job as she quickly bore four children in just over three years by the age of only twenty-one.

With the additional stress of illness in the family, Charlie was a tireless provider and often worked two jobs. Hazel did her best, but continued to grow weaker, and the family came to depend upon others for additional support.

For Hazel, her personal support always came from her Bible, and because I inherited it, I’m able to see the passages she underlined and annotated as she struggled as a young mother, particularly when their child was missing (spoiler alert for those of you who haven’t yet read Saints & Deceivers). She would also sit down at her beloved piano and play hymns that brought her solace.

Charlie was a faithful person too, but he tended to put his anxious energy into his work. He would take on more and more shifts, until he realized that he was needed at home. Then he would gather the children on his lap and read to them, sometimes from the newspaper and sometimes from their favorite books, often changing his voice to imitate the characters.

Hazel was comfortable with receiving help from others and assumed she and Charlie would reciprocate when someone else needed help. Charlie was often embarrassed with the idea of charity, but eventually accepted it and became a generous giver himself.

Charlie and Hazel have been on my mind because they couldn’t have survived without the support of kind and generous people who assisted them in their time of need. We have friends and loved ones who are in our prayers as we face a catastrophic hurricane season. It’s time for all of us to pull together to do whatever we can to help.