Oddball

    I’m just a nobody. I have a simple life. I’ve not climbed the corporate ladder, nor made a name for myself in a trade. I’m known by my family and a tiny group of friends. My life is encapsulated within a space that I can honestly say is small. As a writer, I have been read. That’s as close to being a celebrity as I’ll ever get, and, as a writer, is very satisfying. If I’m never known to the world, as a writer, I’m okay with that. I’m blessed right where I am. My life is good.

    This past week, a famous actor passed away. Donald Sutherland. I read of it and was saddened. He played several roles which were dear to me. Most notably, Oddball in “Kelly’s Heroes” His portrayal of Oddball, the unofficial leader of a band of gypsy, hippie, Sherman tank riding soldiers was an amazing, and hilarious, piece of acting. I was a teen when I saw that movie, and have followed Mr. Sutherland’s career since. He’s been a favorite of mine most of my life. His son, the actor Kiefer Sutherland, said in his obituary “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.” Words well said. It was a noble statement of his father’s life. It made me reflect upon my own life, and examine myself, in relation to those words.

    “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly.”

    I know that his son was referring to his father’s acting roles, but one could apply that towards the many “roles” we take upon ourselves in life. I’ve been a son, brother, uncle, father, employee, manager and friend. I’ve been a republican, libertarian and independent. I’ve been a heathen, a preacher, and a Christian. When I look upon my life, there are so many sub-divisions of each of those roles that it boggles my mind. At any given time, I’ve played the good, the bad and the ugly versions of each of those roles. When I humble myself for a minute, I recognize that the truth is that I’ve never been perfect at any of those roles. I’m human, and as such, I’m imperfect by nature. And that’s okay. What’s important is to never be daunted by that role. Never back down from being the best you can be in the moment. If we can do that, we’ll be satisfied with what comes from it.

    We’re not always the hero in our story. That’s a cold, hard fact. I’ve been the bad guy many times. I’ve been wrong. I’ve done bad things to people who didn’t deserve it. We all have. To know when you’ve been the bad guy, and to change that narrative, make it right by those you’ve wronged, ask forgiveness and then do better-that’s what counts. Humbling, but true.

    “He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”

    I don’t have to write a best-selling novel to be a writer. I don’t need awards from my day job to be a good employee. I don’t need the little gifts from my kids that say “Best Dad” to be a good dad. In all my roles in life, I can simply love what I do, and do what I love. Even when the role is “Man with a broom” I can do the job with love and love it. It’s easy to love some roles, like being a dad, or gramps, but some roles get maligned just because they’re not in the lead. Don’t fool yourself: those are the roles that need more love than most people give them. I want to be the guy that puts his heart into every role of life and does it with love. It doesn’t matter who sees it, so long as I know I’ve done it with love and my whole heart. That’s a life well lived, indeed.

    Rest in peace, Donald Sutherland. Thank you, Kiefer, for the thought-provoking words.

    As Oddball once said: “Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”

Well said, Oddball. Why don’t we all?

God bless y’all!