Life Lessons

by Brunette Paul
It is most difficult trying to choose just one memorable time to write about when you have such a great father. Growing up as the second born in a family of six girls and two boys, a father who was very involved in church: Sunday school superintendent, church deacon, among other church duties. One memory I have that I’ll treasure forever is that of Daddy’s wonderful singing. He sang gospels at church and other places and was also a member of a community quartet for awhile. A few of the songs that I enjoyed were It’s In my Mind, When We All Get to Heaven and a Christmas song I had never heard until Daddy sang it just two years ago at one of our family gatherings. The song is called When Was Jesus Born.

As a young child, I loved when he would drive us to town on Saturday afternoon so that we kids could shop with the allowance we had been given. Daddy would surprise us on some Sunday nights after church and drive us to Nolan’s in Flomaton, Alabama where he would treat us to an ice cream cone. Each kid got to choose his or her favorite flavor. Then during the Christmas season, he would drive us in the car at night to view various lighted Christmas displays. He would ride us around Brewton and on up the road going toward Casselberry, Alabama.

During my teenage years, I recall him having us gathering collard greens from our garden to sell to Teal Grocery Store. This happened during a time when Daddy was on strike from the local lumber mill where he was employed. That year of all years, I had never seen such big leaves. I mean and they were tender too. We used what we had to help get what we needed.

Even though our family had no running water and had to haul water from a spring, Daddy insisted that we wash each leaf and make BIG bunches! We kids, in a most respectful way, showed Daddy how clean the leaves were without the extra rinsing he required and we mentioned the fact that each customer would wash their greens in preparation for cooking anyway. He still insisted that we rinse them prior to tying each bunch.

Needless to say, we grumbled amongst ourselves after Dad was clearly out of our sight and certainly where he could not hear us. We obeyed his instructions, however. We didn’t realize it at that very stage in life we were being taught great skills. He was teaching us to be diligent in what you do.

As an adult, I cherish times with him as he spent time with his first grandchild, my daughter Joy, who fondly began calling him “Daddy Robert” when she became old enough to talk. He appeared more gentle than ever before.

As a more mature adult, my favorite time with Daddy has been going fishing with him and Mom at various catfish farms. I loved the times “swimming” with him and family members in the family’s pool that he had worked tirelessly for months to have the water just right for all of us “swimmers.” Even though most of us adult non-swimmers donned life jackets and/or clung to the sides of the pool, Daddy always had the pool ready for all to enjoy.

I want Daddy to know how appreciative I am of the life skills he taught us such as resourcefulness, compassion, gentleness, honesty, integrity, sincerity and a love for God and humanity.


Brunette is the second child born to Robert and Sarah Paul. She was delivered by midwife, Mrs. Ellen Doyle. She is the first of the Paul children to be able to attend college, graduating from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL. After marrying, she got sophisticated and added an “e” and became Brunette. She majored in elementary education. She taught school for 31 years in Florida and has been retired since June 1994. She has one child, a daughter, Joy.