Let me start out with that this isn't intended to be one of those downer posts where I tell you about all the unfair things that have happened to me. I will share with you a few lessons I learned in life and a few stories and you can go on your merry way and use them - or not!
There comes a time in your life that you become aware that you have family members that are getting old(er) and some of them die. It isn't fair, it is the way of life. You get one chance to live between birth and death. Most people don't try to create a legacy, they live and try to enjoy what they have. I find it strange that some people remember the date when a friend or relative died. Heck, if it were not for Facebook, I wouldn't remember most birthdays. I try to keep my focus on what's important today to me and my family.
From the Civil War to the latest war, we have had at least one conflict in every generation where we sent our young men and women into harm's way. For some reason we always think that it is the duty of America to try to make things right in the world. It isn't fair, but it is the way we do things.
At one time, there was a dream that if you got an education and worked hard, you would be a success. Somehow that statement is being lost on the younger generation and a lot in the minority population. I am not sure what the cause of this is, but it darned sure is sucking the life out of some people. I personally cannot think of a time where I wanted someone to provide me with the basics of life but I do understand wanting a little better. Are we one of the first generations that our children will not have it better than we did? Who am I to say what is better? For now, there is room for us to share with the poor but where will we be when we are forced to balance the budget?
There is a lot of Joy out there in life no matter what your lot is. Food, sex, children and small things can be a real treat for people that try to see it that way. In Command and General Staff College there was one statement that stood out to me. "If a man has one bowl of rice a day, he might just be happy with that. Cut it to 1/2 of a bowl and he will feel deprived." Many of us would feel really starved if one bowl of rice was all we had while we watched our big screen TV's and texted each other. There is also a lot of sadness for those that don't share my positive outlook. An example of this is my feeding the animals here at Rabbit Run. I don't do it just for them, I do it for me. I set up a trail camera and capture the deer and raccoons as they come in to eat the cracked corn I put out. I keep the Black Oil sunflower seed feeder full and suet blocks out where I can watch the birds come in and out. I do get to see an occasional hawk fly in and eat one of the little birds but that's the price they pay for being where they are on the food chain. I much prefer seeing the deer looking good and well fed to the poor sick one that hung around last year. The crop of yearlings makes me glad.
The other day Barbara and I were on our way home and I saw a buck deer in the middle of a field. He was standing there in the middle where he had full view of anything trying to sneak up on him. As usual, Barbara had her camera and she took a great picture. I turned the car around and she got to take several pictures. Yesterday I saw a coyote along the side road as we drove by. It made me think that Barbara and I make a good photography pair. I spots 'em she shoots 'em. I saw an Owl in Oklahoma and she got some good shots of it. I guess it is all those years as an Artilleryman where I looked for targets. With old age, my eyes aren't what they were a few years back.
The other day I bought a recorder so I could hear the Christmas songs the Barbershop Chorus will sing this year. I got to hear myself and I am not nearly as good as I thought. I won't throw rocks at anyone else. That is a good example of life isn't fair. My reality might not be as good as the reality. But, who do I have to please? ME I guess.
Who do you have to make you happy, sad or whatever you are? You That's really the secret of life and my mother said it her way. "What ever floats your boat."
MUD
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