tough

[saw]

days of yore
freight trains of humanity
tracked
tales of just trying to live
sometimes you eat the bear
sometimes the bear eats you
my ancestors were tough
cheapsteak tough
marine tough, nail tough
dad grew up
with the outhouse
mountains of Virginia
Norwegian well-digger tough
witches' tit tough
milked that damn cow
everyday of the year
mule tough, cornfield tough
John Wayne tough
I have a remote control and Netflix
Oh sure I too had some long hard days
out in all kinds of weather
but I had this thing called central heating
and indoor plumbing
no he was Marlboro Man tough
though he smoked non-filtered Camels
in the army
He was World War II tough
Three and a half years in Europe
with crappy food and inadequate clothing
He met Mac Arthur one day
side of the road, the scrambled eggs on his helmet
shining like a lighthouse beacon
a half mile before he got there
Dad is 94 years old
and managing the day is his toughest challenge yet
but he's ok with that wheelchair
don't wanna be fussed over
he's got his jigsaw puzzles and Oriole games
nah, I ain't ever gonna be tough
the bar is set too high

[the mingo]

My Dad the same way and both my grandfathers. When I compare myself to them I too come off second-rate.

Enjoyed, saw.

[mtmynd]

It's my guess that most folks dads and grand-dads had much tougher lives than ourselves.

Life is tough with a few good times tossed in to help keep us sane.

Thoughtful read, Steve... memories keep the best and the worst alive.

[mnaz]

Good topic. Tough is tough. We done tough. Now we're getting into evolution. Like we had a choice!

[creativesoul]

One of my friends who is a surfer of many years : had hip replacements- 4!
He says” how tough do
I gotta be”
He never like listen to nobody
Just wanted to walk on water

Jesus was tough
Loving and healing people
Sending negativity into the pigs
And they jump off the cliff
When pigs fly
I will be tough

I tried being a biker chick
Being tough
I feel too much for tough

Fathers : grandfathers- it’s time to open your hearts
Forget about tough and holding things in
Not liking to be touched
Because it hurts

Dreams are shattered In wars
Relationships lost
Tough
?
Fuck it
What would I do for love
That’s tough
The most amazing tribe
Is the ones with the broken wings
Learning to fly again
That’s tough

[saw]

there are all kinds of tough of course
and we don't want to get confused with semantics
working double shifts for a lifetime at the local steel plant is tough
but it also illustrates the love for one's family to continue to do that over and over again

Che Guevara once said, " Let me say, at the risk of seeming ridiculous, that
the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love"

to commit oneself to the toughness needed to make great sacrifices
requires love in your heart and the overall understanding that I am doing
this because it needs to be done, and I won't shirk my responsibility

Courage, hard work, not complaining about your aches and pain are all motivated by love

[theirishsea]

I like this one. I like the elaboration of what tough is and how your father survived more basic conditions of life---WWII was one. Surviving war is a lifetime experience in itself----and living through the frailties of age is a daily experience. You have to be tough to survive. Good that your father is 94 and have had him for all those years.

[creativesoul]

Brilliant responses - and I am certainly learning about the many kinds of love
As in the tough love section
It is not allowed for people to have melt downs in my house
1tenant
1 dog
This was arranged by my sons
I used to bring people home
In Kauai
And try to love them back to life
I was successful
Or was it magic
Jesus ?
I dunno
At any rate
What I get is claiming my life
My contributions to its river
Running through us all
I even cannot wait to read you again later