The child is father of the man
Here’s a wonderful story of a 13-year-old boy’s calm courage, and the love between a father and son. As the father says:
We had a pretty solid relationship with each other before this happened,” Finlayson said, “but it’s definitely concrete now, or granite, maybe, is the way to put it.”
[NOTE: The title of this post is taken from Wordsworth:
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.]
I am from and still live in Idaho. I have been in the area this man and son were in when this happened. It is indescribably rugged. This man is lucky to be alive! Luckier still to have a son like the one he has.
(yes, I ordered his blessings in this way intentionally).
I’d love to say that it was because his name is “Charlie.”
But, nope that’s not the reason; it is because his father raised him well.
Also, that nowadays much maligned organization, The Boy Scouts no doubt helped to teach him a thing or two as well.
As an avid hiker myself, I hope that the father recovers well enough that they can do more and more father and son adventures.
Young Mr. Finlayson is going to become a sterling example of a man.
A real touch of deja vu in this. My son and I had such a relationship. And he once saved my life. (A long story, not for the telling here.)
I wish David and Charlie many more seasons of sharing the outdoors together. It is a thing more precious than gold.
Such a wonderful story, Neo!