Burnt Oatmeal
Lesson from Papa today: You can always make small adjustments to create improvement.
When you spend so much time caring for someone, sometimes you feel like you're forgetting who they really are. You become consumed with the mundane tasks of helping in the bathroom, monitoring sleeping habits and preparing special food. I experienced this years ago in my early 20's, when I cared for my dear English grandparents before they passed away. I have to daily keep my eyes on my maker (and off myself) to remember what an honor it is to be able to care for this remarkable man in his old age.
As you may know, my Latvian grandfather has been living with our family in Dryden NY, for five years. At this point he needs round the clock care, although he's still quite independent with many things. You could say that we and his wonderful day time helper, are his support staff, keeping an eye on his health and safety in the background while he carries on with life (and naps a lot).
Every morning Papa Ed cooks oatmeal. I set the supplies out for him, and he works on it until it's a solid mass. It's not done until he can chase the ball of oatmeal around the pot with his wooden spatula. It's like an oatmeal hamburger. "See," he says, "perfect." A former paper pulp chemist, this method is scientific. The funny thing is that he doesn't even like oatmeal anymore. He's cooking it for me...
Sometimes we get to the point where the oatmeal is literally smoking, because Papa's hearing, sight and sense of smell aren't reliable anymore. We hover in the background waiting for the decree that he's done.
Sometimes I turn off the burner out of necessity, because I'm afraid the oatmeal will catch fire. That happened yesterday. I (kindly) explained that I actually don't enjoy the oatmeal when it's cooked so long, and that it was burnt.
Today, Papa Ed made sure the heat was lower so that he could produce a superior product. We discussed it for a long time over breakfast.
All this to say that Ed Strazdins developed some important habits early in his life. The habit of careful observation. The habit of patience. And the habit of always trying to change up his game.
He pays attention to the details that others may miss. That's how he's always lived his life. It's the reason he became known as "the father of wet end chemistry" with his groundbreaking research in the paper pulp industry. It's how he won the silver medal skiing at Whistler in 1995, by crashing the gates on his second run. It's why he continues to be interested in life at the age of 101.
Pay attention to the details, and always try to improve.