Striper On - This is for you.

[Sanity]

Billy, I know that you and your friend are currently going through a "bump" in the road of life. You've had some "hard luck" as they say. The fact that you have maintained your spirits through all this is commendable. I know that you both still have some rough times ahead. Life happens and changes us, but hopefully you will regain your strength and capabilities without too many shortfalls. Whatever happens, remember that your ability to deal with this in the manner that you have is inspiring. It hasn't broken you. Maintain your optimism that you will adapt to these changes in your life. It's a learning experience and makes us appreciate just being here on Earth for the short time we have. It gives us "perspective".

I wrote this earlier in the morning with you in mind. I know that you have time on your hands.....well....one of them!


I've Got That "Old Feeling" Coming on Strong


I'm involved in a project right now to try and salvage some old photos before they deteriorate from not being archival. Why I'm saving them and for who, I don't know. When my children are going through "Dad's stuff", I'm not sure that they will cherish them or throw them away because they already have their own "stuff" cluttering up their lives. I know, it kinda sounds like a George Carlin monologue, but he was all too often "spot on" as the Brits would say about "life" and our foibles.

For me, it has caused me to reflect a lot on life and some "life altering" events in some of my friends lives. In these photos, I see a YOUNG man and woman in the flower of their youth and am amazed at how lucky I was to find a woman as talented and beautiful as my wife. I think about how my adolescent "mind's eye" was so critical in its concept of "beauty" and what it involved. How many people did I dismiss in some way as not beautiful because they could not live up to my "ideal"? They had insignificant "imperfections" which in my old age I can readily dismiss with the multitude of imperfections that I now have.

I still see my wife with the clouded vision of her lover, I overlook some of the ravages of time and envision the girl of our youth. I thank God for it and am pleased that I can't see her any other way.

As far as current youth is concerned, I view them with astonishment at how many beautiful people there are. I chastize myself for not having the maturity of Melanie who sang about the "Beautiful People" in her own youth. I missed a lot! It's a shame.

It seems that I've always been able to enjoy the beauty of natural surroundings. As I peruse my photos I'm glad to see that my vision was less critical and could find beauty in the simplest of things and in the oddest places. I could focus on a trash pile and find something of beauty in it. I could find a crack in the pavement with rust stains eminating out from it to reveal its abstract art.

One thing that you should pay attention to in a non Chris Hanson way, is the beauty of children. You can't take enough pictures of your children gentlemen. It is harder in this day and age to take pictures of other peoples children but I'm glad that I grew up in an era when you could stop a lady with her children and take their picture while they were at play. After introducing yourself and permission in hand, you could take a picture of that child outside an ice cream store dressed in her Easter finery, ice cream smeared like Clown's make-up, dark choclate, all over that beaming face. Now that's beautiful. When I sent it to the lady, her thanks for taking a picture that they never would have dreamed of because it was one of those "sloppy" moments rather than the staged Studio photos that we always went for at Olan Mills or Sears, made it more special because as she said, "My husband was away on business and couldn't be there to enjoy the moment."

So find the beauty in our world ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy it while you live at all ages. Your vision and physical faculties will fail with age but it's the way that you look at things now .....and THEN that's important. They make memories and Kodak moments that are our lives.

Savor the moments. Sometimes its value is in the looking back while looking ahead to the next one.

[striper_on]

wow tom some very kind words sir and i thank you from the bottom of my heart! how true your words are. what a great read. i am waiting on your book.

thanks again tom

[MeOff]

Totally mushie!!! Suck it up cry baby

[PA BRED]

Tom,

You did it again!!! Great read and a few more of life's lessons.

Thanks,
Dan and Sherrie

[Al B]

As always, "outstanding" and "thanks" Tom.

It's not often that you get a really great, heart warming, introspective post like this; and then snort your coffee through your nose laughing (Thanks MeOff).

[MeOff]

As always, "outstanding" and "thanks" Tom.

It's not often that you get a really great, heart warming, introspective post like this; and then snort your coffee through your nose laughing (Thanks MeOff).

Just keepin Billy on his toes! I ain't ready to give him an Electric Reel yet!!

[rhahn427]

Well said guy ......... well said !!!!

[Jet Ski Brian]

Sanity, thanks for all of the great reads. I do not have the art of writing down so I take a lot of pics.

[Sanity]

My fishing usually goes like this..........so I write!!!

YouTube - Tim Hawkins - Cletus Take the Reel


We each have our individual gifts......fortunately.......yours is fishing!!!