This Day Will Never Be Again

There are days that I think I will never write again and then there are days when a thought, then a stream of words and ideas full my mind faster than I can process what direction my thoughts and feelings want to go. Most of you know that I am spending my days with Mom and Dad. With the first "winter like" weather forecast looming, I spent the day doing a few last outside chores around their house, painting the basement door on the rental house, cleaning the fern bed out, dragging the birdseed bag to the back porch and preparing for the rainy, cold days to come. I've wrestled with my feelings about being here with Mom and Dad.  Like many things lately, I have come to the conclusion that the best thing to do in certain situations is to embrace the moments of my life. As I began to prepare Dad's evening meal, I found myself standing in front of the microwave, a fairly typical behavior for someone from my generation.  Within a few seconds, I thought what a waste of time standing here for 3 minutes waiting, so I walked to the back porch to embrace what I know will be one of the last warm fall evenings. As I gaze at the hillside behind my childhood home, I see that a few trees cling to their leaves and the sun is reflecting the glory of colors these trees present to me. I also notice that Mom was correct that the old magnolia tree, that provided the limb for our childhood rope swing, has lost most of its leaves today. They lay in a pile at the foot of the tree. The evening sun casts its last rays on the river that is coated with a layer of leaves floating along for a ride on the Cheat to a destination unknown. The bell on the microwave brought me back to my task at hand, but I begin to think of how many moments I have lost to impatiently waiting by a microwave, a toaster, a phone, really the list is endless. It also dawned on me that really we never fully appreciate that this exact day will never be again. The sun will not set on the hillside exactly as it did today on the trees, on the hillside, behind my childhood home. What might tomorrow bring, or the week to come, or the year to come? What is the likely hood that I will be standing in this house this time next year? I have had people tell me that this is a difficult affair and time, that of taking care of aging parents, but somewhere in time I decided to embrace these moments and cling to them like I do with the last warm, sunny days of fall in the mountains before the cold rains and snows of winter set in for the duration until spring thaw. We all cling to the hope of one more fall, one more winter, one more Christmas with those we love, but we actually never know, do we, what the future brings so I will embrace this fall day, the view of the hillside, and this time with my parents.

DEAR MR. COUNCILMAN

Bruce Simon Great to see another patriot in Rowlesburg. This election has me and Connie on pins and needles daily. Maybe our national nightmare of four years is almost over.  

Definition of Patriot  One who loves, supports and defends their country. 

Mr. Councilman, 
 Are you inferring that anyone voting for President Obama is not a PATRIOT? 
I can assure you that I am a Patriot, for I love, support and defend my country.


You on the other hand, do not even support or enforce the laws and ordinances of a town you were elected to support and represent. 

Maybe I am confused but does being a conservative patriot mean that you condone, (condone
To overlook, forgive, or disregard (an offense) without protest or censure.), "leeches" on the governmental system who refuse to work and pay taxes but rather choose to abuse and use any governmental or social handout they can acquire? The same "leeches" that have no regard for their neighbors, neighborhood or the beauty of the picturesque, historic village they live in. Their "past times" for years bordered on being immoral and/or illegal while being funded by their hardworking, middle class, taxpaying neighbors who were kept up all night by barking dogs and domestic violence.

You may feel that the last four years have been hell, Mr. Councilman, but my last thirty years have been hell, while "patriots" like you refused to do the job you were elected to do. So basically you are just another politician like the one you are criticizing.  Maybe you should think about getting off of facebook and do the job you were elected to do.

Writer's Block

I wanted to write a blog tonight but I kind of have writer's block. It could be because sharing myself and my life  is still a little difficult after this last battle. I started thinking about what one word would define my life. I think it would definitely be the word SURVIVAL. I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. I think it is also rather interesting that one of my favorite "reads" is Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species – in his Principles of Biology.   Robin came to see me today and we went to the meadow and sat on the wooden bench by the river. We started discussing survival after stumbling on the topic of a survivalist we know and his "bomb shelter". We thought we would fair much better than city folks if an apocalypse would occur. We can shoot a gun, throw a knife, shoot a bow, gather food, etc. The gathering food floated into my mind because as we wandered down the dirt, rutted road to the meadow, black walnuts covered the ground along with the fall leaves. I was taught as a child how to get to the nut meat inside of a black walnut. My father also taught me how to make a fire by friction and mushrooming. I assured Robin I would not starve. I also think I would be a gather during an apocalyptic situation. I would not want to set back and wait. I would want to be out roaming and gathering, founding what is left, using it and rebuilding. So this brings me to a quote I saw on Pinterest tonight about hitting rock bottom and using that rock to build a new foundation, and that my friend would be a good description of survival. Survival is not given its due credit at times.  We think of "just surviving" as barely getting by when it is so much more. Survival is having the skills, lessons, and strength to endure hardships, attacks, and the hungry times. How do we learn to survive, by experiencing hard times and learning what it takes to make it through battles, lean times, attacks, natural disasters, devastating loss and disappointment. These set backs and lean times also teach us to be humble and appreciate and give thanks for the good times. If you want to do your children a favor, teach them about survival, teach them skills, let them fall, teach them to get up, and most important let them know that "rock bottom" gives  a person a foundation on which to build for a new day.