Stories of Gumption

Stories of Gumption ? MT School Counselors

stories-of-gumption
Stories of Gumption is a regular column that profiles individuals who admirably demonstrate Gumption as we define it. These are the stories of real people who exhibit gumption in overcoming personal challenges, and validate the spirit of Gumption during their journey. Let?s take inspiration from those who seize 100% personal responsibility and show us how to live a life that exhibits Gump-like character traits worthy of applause!

Last week I presented at the Montana School Counselors Association(MSCA) Spring Conference. School counselors have to Function with Gumption to effectively do their job. In many ways, they’re like independent entrepreneurs working within the educational system.

When successful at their jobs, school counselors not only Function with Gumption personally, they also help their primary clients – the kids – learn to Function with Gumption for themselves. That is a big responsibility and an extremely important contribution to society.

Here are a few things I learned about school counselors.

Stories of Gumption ? Rod?s Auto & Align

Rod's-Auto-&-Align

I?m sitting in the lobby of Rod?s Auto working on my laptop. Of course, they have WiFi so I?ve brought my office with me. The days of reading magazines or watching some dumb TV show in a waiting area are over ? thankfully. Getting your car serviced can be productive work time if you plan accordingly.

Ten days ago, I was driving home from a speaking gig in Dillon, Montana. The trip is a wonderful 150-mile drive that crosses through the Big Hole Valley. Between the Big Hole and the Bitterroot Valley is the Lost Trail Pass. As I was descending the 7,014-foot pass returning to the Bitterroot Valley, I hit the brakes hard, as I had a lot of speed from the decline and was heading straight into one of the many hairpin turns. As I applied the brakes, I felt a definitive shudder in my steering wheel. It was so pronounced I not only felt it, but I even saw the steering wheel physically vibrate.

I ?tested? the brakes once more by applying them hard and again felt the same vibration.

As I drove the last forty-five miles back into town, I made the decision that I would stop at my mechanic?s and have it checked out. Here is what happened when I pulled into Rod?s Auto & Align?s parking lot.

Stories of Gumption ? Ray Petersen

Ray Petersen's two-story Haunted House in Victor, Montana

Constructing a two-story building on your property with a single theme and single purpose takes Gumption. It?s a building that essentially gets used once a year.

Eccentric? Maybe ? but definitely lots of fun.

Allow me to introduce you to a new friend. His name is Ray Petersen. I met Ray and his bride of 38 years, Judi, just this past summer. Ray and Judi are certainly eccentric when it comes to Halloween. They?ve built their own Haunted House.

Before I first visited Ray?s residence situated on about 10 acres in Victor, Montana, I was told Ray?s place is a little like the Winchester Mystery House. Sarah Winchester believed if she kept building on her house in San Jose, California, then she?d live eternally. I don?t believe Ray is superstitious, but he does enjoy a project.

At 78 years young, Ray continues to put his engineering, mechanical, and building skills to good use and has built a total of fourteen buildings on his property. Some bigger, some smaller ? all designed with some particular purpose or theme.

Are you brave enough to come with me into the Haunted House? Boo-ha-haa!!!

Stories of Gumption ? My Siblings

Five siblings: John, Eileen, Steve, Jeanne, Ken

My last post told the story of my father moving from the family home of fifty-eight years to his new home in the retirement community. This week marks the end of one grand era and the start of new chapters. Dad stepped up and made the choice to move. With that choice made, he received lots of help. This is the story of Dad?s helpers.

Today, I salute my siblings. Together, they made it much easier for Dad and Amy to move. They?ve spent the last two months doing what needed to be done. They spent many weekends, days, and hours sorting through memories, treasures, junk, and stuff ? lots and lots of stuff. My siblings have Gumption.

Here is why I?m grateful for and thankful to my four siblings.

Stories of Gumption ? My Father, the Family House, and Another New Chapter

Historically, the elderly would stay in their homes until they died ? at least the fortunate ones. Oftentimes, they were forced to leave the family house and live out their remaining days with either caring relatives or in a nursing home. This unpleasant relocation became necessary when they reached the stage of life where caring for themselves was simply no longer possible.

The family home of 58 years sold as Dad moves to retirement community

The old house was filled with 40, 50, 60, or even 70 years of memories, antiques, memorabilia, and lots and lots of junk. Wading through all of the stuff, giving mementos to family members, finding charities to benefit from still usable items, and filling a dumpster with everything else was a job left to the survivors. That process, while potentially therapeutic for the memories, was a task more necessary than fun.

Thank you, Dad!

Thank you for doing today what we won?t have to do tomorrow … or in five, ten, or in seventeen years, three months, and twenty-one days when you celebrate your 100^th birthday. God willing, that is what we will do on your 100^th birthday ? celebrate all together!

This week, my father will complete the sale of the family house of fifty-eight years and move into a retirement community.

Today, I salute my father as a man who is still living his life with Gumption. At age eighty-two, he is making a bold move. Any time one starts a new chapter in life, it takes courage. Starting the closing chapters takes foresight and shows great compassion.

Thanks, Dad, for doing today what will make your next five, ten, or seventeen-plus years more comfortable for you, Amy, me, and my siblings. You are a man of Gumption. You are my hero.

Here are a few more of my personal thoughts about Dad, the family house, traditional elder care, and a new way for the elderly to care for themselves.

Stories of Gumption ? Gary?s World Trade Center Story

On September 11, 2001, my cousin, Gary, was working in lower Manhattan when our world changed. Reprinted here is his first-hand account from that day … 10 years ago.

Gary’s Scary But Lucky World Trade Center Story

This was similar to what Gary was seeing just before the dust cloud overtook everyone on the street. Photo Credit Unknown.

My office was diagonally across the street and one building away from the World Trade Center.

The first boom was about 9 AM. People in the office wondered if it was thunder. But sheets of 8?-by-11-inch paper filled the air outside my 16^th-floor windows like a ticker tape parade. People on the sidewalks were looking toward the World Trade Center.

I took the elevator down. A coworker got off a different elevator car, looking disgusted and upset. Guys in the elevator going down said a plane had hit the WTC. On the street, I could see the whole 80^th floor of Tower 1 was ablaze. I walked about a block closer. I saw at least five people jump or fall from the smoke between the 80^th and 110^th floors. I could not see where they were hitting. The low buildings of the WTC were in the way. I was hoping there was a net at the bottom.

Stories of Gumption

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