My father in law died recently. He was an outstanding man and a great example of hard work and fortitude. Below is my tribute to him.
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Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935).
The Pilot
FROM the Past and Unavailing
Out of cloudland we are steering:
After groping, after fearing,
Into starlight we come trailing,
And we find the stars are true.
Still, O comrade, what of you?
You are gone, but we are sailing,
And the old ways are all new.
For the Lost and Unreturning
We have drifted, we have waited;
Uncommanded and unrated,
We have tossed and wandered, yearning
For a charm that comes no more
From the old lights by the shore:
We have shamed ourselves in learning
What you knew so long before.
For the Breed of the Far-going
Who are strangers, and all brothers,
May forget no more than others
Who looked seaward with eyes flowing.
But are brothers to bewail
One who fought so foul a gale?
You have won beyond our knowing,
You are gone, but yet we sail.
I found this poem from the Late 1800s to be quite a fitting tribute to Bob. It speaks of an unnamed Pilot. A pilot whose job it was to keep those in his charge safe from the ravages of the unrelenting sea. Now, after his passing they must carry on using the knowledge he passed down as a guide; knowledge that, while not immediately clear, comes to the writer as his experience demands it. And he realizes the Pilot was right all along.
We have tossed and wandered, yearning
For a charm that comes no more
From the old lights by the shore:
We have shamed ourselves in learning
What you knew so long before.
Bob always seemed to know that things work themselves out. He would always describe for me the long view and forever kept the best interests of those around him close to his heart. He was a Pilot in the truest sense of the word. He didn’t need a title, and he didn’t need to get a salute, he just needed to be heard.
I listened to Bob for over 20 years. He used to tell me that I was too serious, and wondered why I would look so hard to see the difficulty in life. But it is only now that I realize that Bob knew that in the end, all we have is each other. In this way Bob lived his life. An example of steadfast resolve and the virtue of holding on to one’s principles.
When I first met Bob, I will admit, I was trying to impress him. I loved his daughter with such a deep desire, I would have said and done almost anything to make him like me. As I spoke with him for the first time he could see I was looking for something we could have a common ground on. Bob saw this and put his hand on my shoulder and said “Every one of Leanne’s “friends” comes over here and tries to make himself look good. Tell me what YOU like Gerry.” So I did. For three hours. I talked about politics and World War 2 history (one of Bob’s favorite subjects). I felt at ease.
So today I look at that as my job; my final tribute to the man who continually told me to calm down and relax. Bob would want nothing more than for all of you to be at ease, and remember him for the way he helped smooth out the rough edges in our all to consuming lives. When you leave here today, and go home, sit down and watch a good movie, read a book, spend time with your children or perhaps enjoy a glass of wine. Our pilot knew what we do not. That life is too short, and that there is no time for all the complications we manufacture in our heads. Only the time you spend making others feel comfortable and at ease.
One who fought so foul a gale?
You have won beyond our knowing,
You are gone, but yet we sail.
