Take It Outside
How to cope with life’s challenges

Joseph M. Foy was a great storyteller. I grew up listening to his adventure tales about his duties during World War II as a search and rescue sergeant on the frozen arctic tundra of Greenland. He sparked in me the spirit of adventure as we sought out all places wild, from the jungles of Florida to rock-strewn canyons of the Southwest. But, most of all, he inspired me to take it outside!
Take it outside
When tensions rise, and you want to yell what the hell, take it outside
When you get the job blues, don’t like the daily news what the hell, take it outside
When kids get rowdy and the weather’s cloudy what the hell, take them outside
Take it outside Take it outside
In freezing arctic weather, he put rescues together World War II was hell, but it took him outside
By air in ski-clad plane, by land on husky sled over jagged glaciers he led and found them outside
He learned to live with troubled times found peace to give when he took it outside
Take it outside Take it outside
From rugged mountains to spring-fed fountains we found the wild, he took me outside
I grew up lucky with a dad like that answers were found by the resounding sound
Take it outside he said Take it outside
Years later and miles apart, I knew the pain of a hungry heart my children grew, they learned, they knew
Take it outside I said Take it outside
There came a time when the old man stopped time is cruel, it robbed his fuel
He missed the outside, couldn’t take it outside I took his hand by the hospital door
Memories, memories, memories more took us outside
With more to know, it was time to go so, what the hell, he took it outside
To the Milky Way and the Great Beyond in a Universe vast, he was moving fast
From him to me and me to you the Earth is old, but we are new
So, what the hell Take it outside!
If you enjoy reading poems and stories like these, consider signing up as a Medium member. It’s $5 a month, giving you unlimited access to thousands of stories on Medium. In addition, if you sign up by clicking on my link below, I’ll earn a small commission. Thanks for your support!






