True words.

“It is not easy to forgive, because in quiet moments one says: “Yes, this has done me all the colors but I too have done many. Better to forgive to be forgiven.” But then the resentment returns, like an annoying summer fly that comes and goes and comes back ... Forgiving is not just a matter of a moment, it is a continuous thing against this rancor, this hatred that returns… We cannot expect God's forgiveness for ourselves if we do not in turn grant forgiveness to our neighbor.” Pope Francis

Is there anybody out there?

WOW? 7 years since I put finger to keyboard? Really? Has social media killed the blogger? I was thinking of jumping back into my blog; even if just become a repository for my random venting's. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

On the Road Again.

Yup, it has been a while. I can only offer the usual lame excuses,but to many irons in the fire and not enough hours in the day pretty much sum it up. So here I sit, several thousand mile away from my beloved bride, my girls, and my cherished little isle. I sit here in another airport bar/eatery waiting on some fried haddock and sippin' a Back Bay IPA. Good thing about chilling at the airports is that I get to chew my cud and ponder where I have been; what I seen, and what I have heard. Over the past week 'n half I have loitered in several location twixt home and down east. I will admit traveling during the end of an election year is more than interesting. There will never be a time when you will witness so many people willing to discuss a subject long thought the eternal taboo/party foul. Yep, politics is the topic, and it is rocking! Maybe it is that so many are so disillusioned. Maybe it is simply that we are hoping to actually have a say and make the changes we were promised so long ago. Add a flat screen to almost every location a person can visit and even the cattle chutes at the TSA check points become a Petri dish of political commentary; and I absolutely love it. I am hearing a lot of opinions, contemplations, and solutions. All have similar things in common;, dissatisfaction & mistrust. There are two common thoughts. One is fire the man in charge cause he didn't deliver or, keep him in so he can finish what he started and save us all. Honestly from what I am hearing, it is hard to believe that the polls truly reflect what might happen come November. So my friends on the west coast think I have jumped a train I was never on and cling to my arm in an effort to pull me back on. The folks down east are praying for my liberal soul in disbelief as to what I have become. That is until I tell them where I am. We asked for change and placed our faith in a smooth talking lad from Chi-town. Well I guess that isn't working out so well. Is it because the man was naive? Perhaps his policies really are just rhetoric and based on liberal beliefs proved unsuccessful years ago. I dunno. Maybe, just maybe he was hobbled by a bunch of self serving, job protectionists. Maybe they have become so immersed in the powerful and sinfully accepting environment we allow them to work in, that the goal has become irrelevant and replaced by the status quo; theirs that is. Maybe that could mean the new guy is not going to be any more effective if the pack simply turns on him the minute he disagrees with the party politic. One thing I do know, if he does take the crown and wants to be effective, he will have to disagree with both parties, broker compromise, and save the middle class. Truth is, probably not going to happen. This is not a matter of cutting the head off a snake to destroy the body. This is more like pruning the Hydra. The many heads of the house and senate need to go. Sure the more you cut off the more that will come back. That is OK, that is what is supposed to happen. Off with the old head and in with the new! That said; change the oil. Replace 'em all. Throw the newest, wackiest freshmen/women into the martini shaker and toss it up! What could possibly hurt that we can't undo next time around. Put the "experiment" back in the grand experiment that was the dream of our founding fathers. If you are not ready for that, at least get off the couch and go vote. Just vote your conscience and not what the media thinks it is. Ask hard questions folks and expect real answers. Peace.

Not just another barbecue.

Nor it is the mark for summers start. It is day of respect and honor.Sometimes I look about and think that far to many have forgotten this. Today is also a day that, several times, I will look to the horizon and quietly wipe the tears from my face as I am reminded of those, I know, who gave their lives so that others may live. I was honored to know them and I miss them every day. Those who have read my past rants know where I stand on this subject. GOD, Family, an Country are my passions. The core values of my service; Honor. respect, and devotion to duty still carry through in all that I do. The video I chose for this year is long, but it bears watching. The end will hopefully remind all just how many wars we have lost American lives to. Millions have gone before me and far to many will follow in their path. So today I will thank their families for their sacrifce and at 300pm EST I will bow my head and thank all those who paid the ultimate price for all that I hold dear. I will thank them for the safety of my family and of my nation. I will thank them for showing the best of what we are in the sacrifce for others. For my friens & brothers that have gone before me : AMTC Myles Rheinhart AST1 Dave Skimin AMTC John Seidman BMC Rich Belisle My eternal thanks. To the Uncle I never met and who I am named after; Edward Boodro, my gratitude for your sacrifice. Our family name died with you on that fateful day. For all those who serve, my gratitude is boundless, but that celebration is for another day not this one. Join me today folks at 300pm and bow your head. It is the one moment we can all, as a nation, do the right thing. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

A-mhaith a bheith Gaeilge.

Today is one of my favorites, no doubt. Where I grew up it is a day of joyous and somtimes excessive celebration.
As a child of Boston it was shepards pie, corned beef, and green cupcakes all day long. It was being uber careful to make sure my wearing o' the green was plainly visible as to avoid that dreaded pinch.
It was Sister Patricia gently telling my first grade class the true story of St. Patrick. Her version was a tale of hardship, amazing adventure, and indelible faith. It left a mark on my very soul and later in life, when times seemed harsh, it gave me strength.
Even as I grew older and began the more steriotypical practices we Irish have been assigned, I took time to quietly reflect on the man that changed an entire nation and in doing so saved its soul. No weapons, no economic sanctions, just simple and strong faith. Perhaps some of todays leaders could learn from that.
Sitting here now, with the Dubliners playing, I think on some great memories from past St. Patty's.
My first kiss from a girl who used that day to reveal her crush and caused my first blush.
The times in Southie that were crazy nights and occasional drunken fights.
Teaching my children the Unicorn Song and how to be Irish strong.
That night in Portland enjoying the music and on my arm; my beautiful wife.
Ybor City and the crushing crowds, Eric and I so drunk and so loud.
The day in Ayre where the Scot's showed honor for one not theirs.
Cooking and sippin' all day with me son-in-law and learning much along the way.
There are far more memories and some yet to be made. So get out there, learn the music, celebrate a culture that endures. A people that beat the Roman Empire and has since populated the world.
First though, take a moment to reflect on the person who this day honors. Maybe even read up on him, for it is truly an amazing story.
Bí bródúil agus a bheith láidir.
Bí an chreidimh soladach.
Dia libh go léir.

Super

That is the word I usually quietly exhale after reading about yet another congressional stalemate that results in another extension of something we really need to make a decision on.
I see a group of democrats who want their ideology to move us forward with experimental social engineering and economic naivete'. This is countered by republicans desire to move in the exact opposite direction. Not the status quo, but a return to simpler times and less government costs, not realizing that you can never go back.
Put simpler, it is a living demonstration of the immovable object and the irresistable force.
Truth is both groups are partially correct and equally wrong. Add a commander in chief who cannot sway either group into compromise on any issue of significance. This results in us becoming stuck in the quagmire of rhetoric, finger pointing, and the eternal fillibustering we now suffer with.
Remember the super committee? Why did anyone expect a group of politicians made up from a cross section of the extreme views from both parties to produce anything of value? Am I the only one who viewed these compromise incapable party loyalists as a readers digest version of the group causing the problem?
Then when they show up at the table with heads hanging, mumbling, "sorry boss but we just couldn't get 'er done", we act shocked? Why not fire them then? Oh yeah that's right , they are elected officials and not subject to the same consequences for lack of production as the rest of us.
So now we are shopping for the next superman, cause it turns out the current one is far to prone to stumbling into kryptonite laden bombs.
That leads to my next question. If we can be so willing to fire the president, why can't we fire these life long politicians in the houses?
Folks, we do not need superman. No super hero superpowers are going to save us.
We need Batman.
In fact, we need millions of Batmen & women
Here is the rub. We already have a legion of them waiting in the wings. It is made up of folks like you and I. We all have a tool kit laden with the freedom to choose, armored with a free press, the right to assemble, and the freedom of speech. All that and more, buckled together with a ballot.
How often have you heard someone express their frustration with a statement like, " if they worked for me I'd fire the lot of 'em!" News flash folks, they do work for you. You can fire them. Your voice can be heard and your will be done. You just gotta tighten up that tool belt and use it!
So from that perspective I can say this.
I'm Batman
Are you?
Peace y'all.
Ask hard questions & demand real answers.

My Favorite Day

Happy Thanksgiving y'all.
Yes this is my favorite holiday; for many reasons.
It is a day to be grateful and realize how lucky we are.
It the first American holiday, it is ours no one elses.
It marks the beginning of the holiday season, a time when most folks act their best.
The food is awesome.
So today my lovely bride and I are doing something different. We are spending our afternoon with the neighborhood. Yup a large part of our Flats Rats are gathering at the local pub for dinner. This is not some buffet or thanksgiving special. The pub is actually closed to the public. The pool table will be coverd with plywood and that will be covered with dishes from all of us. We will gather,bringing a cornucopia of dishes and sit down together for a feast like no other. Most of us are empty nesters now and our children have moved off this emerald isle, so we will sit together and tell stories, watch football, laugh, maybe cry, and eat.
What children are left with us will run about and be spoiled by the entire neighborhood. Often you hear the saying about a village raising a child. In this neighborhood, we actually do that. We cherish, teach, and watch over the children here and when they grow up and move on we stay in touch. When they return, we rejoice and celebrate. Life is good and I am thankful.
So please, enjoy today for what it is meant to be. A day of grateful celebration. Beat whatever swords you may have into serving platters and feast! Feast on the atmosphere of love and comfort with whatever group you are with. Call and touch base with that old friend, tell your parents, children, and friends that you love them.
Rejoice and celebrate all that is good in your life. Time enough tomorrow to deal with the things that are not.
Peace my friends.
Griff

Veterans Day

When the War is Over

by W.S. Merwin

When the war is over
We will be proud of course the air will be
Good for breathing at last
The water will have been improved the salmon
And the silence of heaven will migrate more perfectly
The dead will think the living are worth it we will know
Who we are
And we will all enlist again

Thank you to all who have served and all those who still do. Many thanks to their families who endure so much so that we remain free.
God Bless you all.
Griff

LOST ?

I am now anyways. Yes I have been lost from the world. Life has a way of getting in the way doesn't it? I have been having some fun. I have also been balancing school and work while trying to maintain a househlod, and be a good parent, husband, and son.
I did get to travel a bit with my son. We went back east to visit family and friends. We experienced triple digit heat, thunderstorms, and something the lower
48'ers call a hurricane.
First stop was Atlanta to visit with family I had not seen in over a year. Got to get reaquainted with some of my grandchildren and daughters.
On a side trip I travelled to Virginia and I would love to thank them for trying to make me feel at home. I woke up every morning to the smell of a campfire as the smoke from the Great Dismal Swamp fire filled the city of Norfolk with a woody haze. Then to top that they even had a genuine earthquake just to make me miss my great state. Now that truly is southern hospitality.
The off to Beantown for some more R&R. I reestablished a relationship with some very dear friends. They were actually my surrogate parents for many years. I apologized to them be being so out of touch for so long. They did not even blink, shoot they just laughed and reminded me that I always had a knack for getting sidetracked. Then they offered up their home to me and my son, whom they had never met.
We had coffe in the morning and dinner at night. Later my son would say, "they act like you never left dad". I reminded him that it was probably beacause in their hearts, I never did.
Then came the "hurricane". By the time it arrived in New England it was just a tropical storm. We battened down hatches and chained things down, then sat back and watched. To me it looked like any day in Kodiak. Rain and blowin' 40-70. We helped clean up and then hit the golf course.
Finally back to good old Kodiak. My son, after meeting so many of the folks I grew up around, now seems to have a better understanding of why I see things as I do. Nothing like a dose of old fashioned yankee thrift and comments to open up a young man's eyes.
One theme popped up every where I stopped.
Atlanta - "Dad you should go back to writing in your blog."
"Daddy are you going to start writing again?"
Virginia - "I heard you had a blog, so I checked it out. Why did you stop?"
Boston - "of course you should start writing again, it's how we know you!"
On the long ride home I realized that I was truly lost in several ways. I had let life steer me down a path to a point that I lost touch with several people who loved me. I had let sorrow take me down a hall to a self induced isolation chamber. I let carreer lead me away from one of the things I truly enjoy.
So yes I was lost, but now I am found.
Thanks to all who searched and waited; and finally brought me home.
I am back. I hope y'all don't mind.
Peace folks, and ask hard questions even if its only to yourself.

REMEMBER

Yes, I have been gone. Perhaps even lost. More on that later.
"We will never forget", has become the rally cry for this day.
I am choosing to say " I will remember".
To me that phrase carries more love and less anger.
So I will remember:
The way the we were before 09/11/2001.
The children that day and how they have grown.
That now they fight in the two wars started that day.
The thousands lost.
The hundreds of heroes lost and the thousands of heroes who responded.
The tears dripping into my coffee as I sat watching the United States be changed
forever that morning.
Lastly I will always remember what this country stands for, was built on, and will
remain.
As long as we all remember.
Peace y'all.

Thankyou All.

No long rants today folks.
For me this is always a day of reflection and celebration.
My thanks to all have ever served our great nation, my gratitude for all who are still serving and protecting us all, and a heartfelt godspeed and bless to all of you about to enter into a life like no other.
So get out there folks, find a veteran and thank them, shake their hand and salute them, for it was their sacrifices that made everything you take for granted today; possible.
Beatus Nostrum Patronus.

The more things change.......

Ain't politics grand? Maybe I should say Ain't politicians amazing?
When are we gonna learn for crying out loud? We wanted change right? We got it crammed down our throats and now we want more! Maybe we have become spoiled by the instant responses in our everyday life. I mean you can push a button and receive near instant results for most things. From instant messaging to ordering pizza, it works every time; all time.
Case in point; I am not home, rather I am sitting at the Upper One bar in A-town right now. My fellow prop-hoppers know exactly where this, only airport bar outside of security, is.
I have checked all my email, talked my my bro in Colorado, and sent numerous texts, all while swilling some tall glasses of Alaskan White. All that; yet I am way behind the electronic power curve when I sit around the millennials, or even my peers that live in the outside world.
It is no wonder that America is dissatisfied. I mean we gave them two whole years to turn the largest economy in the world around and solve global warming!
Enough! Oust 'em and bring in some new hopefuls.
Really?
Come on folks,the new darlings of the new third party are wackier than Jessie Ventura and Sara Palin duct taped into the same straight jacket. There is a retired witch in Delaware, and an Alaskan candidate who is getting most of his funding from the lower 48. Add a whole bunch of other assorted wannabe's and you get the whole Planters Party Mix sans the can.
Meanwhile behind the curtain lurks the woman who went from Governor to Vogue,(thanks to ISH), to rogue, and now is in vogue with a group of change mongers from the east coast. BTW folks it is not change if you are going back, that's called retro and is usually considered faddish.
Meanwhile the GOP has switched dance partners faster than a jilted prom queen and Lisa Murkowski is now Ronin!
Man if this was any more Disney, I'd be pukin' from the dizziness of it all.
My point? Patience folks, that's what.
This nations problems will not be solved like that empty freezer gets filled during the Coho run on the Kenai. Rather it will be the hard work and patient strategy of the trout fisher on a mountain stream that brings long lasting results.
American economics will not be solved with draconian, binge diets. The problems will be solved with innovation, time, and an understanding of the process. Yes there will also be some sacrifice involved too.
Good luck Alaska, I only see two viable and honest,(mostly), candidates out there.
Good luck America, cause if y'all don't start reading and voting, than all you will see is a never ending cycle of change and no results.
Just thinking folks.
Odd that it was an English band that came up with this one.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
We won't get fooled again.
Or will we?
Ask hard questions folks.
Peace

WOOHOO! It's PARTY TIME!

Yeah baby, let's start this thing up! Six shiny new hopefuls & six new chances for change Or is it?
Sure the Tea Party has broken new ground, and both republicans and democrats are scratching their heads, and possibly other body parts.
Who woulda thunk? I mean these upstart wannabe politicos came out of no where. They had no backing from the GOP or the majority right? Well I guess they showed us huh? Is it gonna be Ross Perot all over again?
Nope, this political drive may succeed. Ole Ross did not have Sarah pitching for him. Ross did not have a nation full of folks who felt shortchanged when the change was handed out.
Change folks, remember that? The current administration sold their entire campaign on it. They promised a break from the status quo, they promised more services for less taxes, they promised a lot things and we bought into it. We lapped it up like a starving kitty on a broken milk bottle.
Well we got change alright. The deficit is swelling, the experimental financial theories of the administration are failing, republican and democrats have resorted to name calling and finger pointing. Nothing can pass the house or senate without pain-pain-painful rhetoric and slandering. The media is making billions on the show, hell, they are creating half of the show themselves. Spin doctors are trying to deflect our gaze from the people behind the curtain............
WAIT A MINUTE!
I thought we were going to break away from the status quo? Mr. Obama was going to save the day while he changed the world. America was going to shine, our children would prosper, all under the bright warm light of bipartisan politics.
Ah, the more thing change aye?
So what next? Looks like tripartisan politics to me folks.
The GOP is already pandering to the new tea party runners, rubbing their hands and shuffling their feet. It would appear that they can accept change only when it is forced down their throats.
The Dem's are circling their wagons. They are also looking over their shoulders. They too have jackals at the back door. They have a group that thinks they are not far enough left of center.
So whats left for the majority of us? Do we vote for the new status quo in hopes this wake-up call will bring us back to the American ideal of nation before self?
Maybe we should throw the dice. Maybe we should vote in all the new faces regardless of which side of extreme they are ranting from. We did it two years ago didn't we?
Face it folks, the entire world is in financial trouble and global warming affects the planet, not just America. Millions are out of work, billions are below the poverty level, and superpower nations are approaching mediocrity.
Lets put the experiment back in the "grand experiment". What qualifications did our founding fathers have? Maybe we need a fresh perspective. If it doesn't work, we can always undo it later. Yup the beauty of democracy is the eternal mulligan. With the power of the election process we change anything.
It's could be a hell of party folks. What is the cost of admission?
A conscience and a ballot.
I don't know 'bout you, but count me in.
YEEHAA!

Remembering to be grateful.

It can be hard to be grateful at times.
I am sitting here listening to replays of the news broadcasts from that day nine years ago. The day that changed our country as much as Pearl Harbor changed this nation for our ancestors.
In honor of the thousands that died, the hundreds of rescuers lost, and the families left behind; I will not pontificate on the politics of this tragedy. Instead I will remember and I will be grateful.
I will be remember that even though America was attacked, more than Americans died that day.
I will remember that it was not just Christians that died that day.
I will remember what our founding fathers sought when they bled and sacrificed to build this great nation.
I will be grateful for all the heroes who have sacrificed so much for so many, far to often.
I will be grateful for living in a nation where all opinions are respected, all faiths given the opportunity to be practiced, all people given the chance to achieve their dreams.
I will remember that the great freedoms I have, that my family has died and sacrificed for; carry a terrible price sometimes.
I will remember that God loves me, in fact God loves us all.
Today I will ponder all of this and then some. I will go fishing with friends and grill later.
Every once in a while today, I will be quiet, my eyes will blur, and I will remember.
I will pray for those lost and their families.
Lastly, I will reflect on the principals this nation was built upon.
I will thank God for all that I have.
Peace ya'll

Back in the saddle....

Wow has it really been two months already?
Hmm, been on the road a bunch. (In fact I'm sitting in Logan International right now.) In between hopping from one plane to another, the sun came out on our little island and I just sorta got lost.
I had to jump back in folks, before I lost my way altogether. Nothing big to say, but I did observe/experience a rather odd thing back here in Bean town.
Apparently the former governor of our great state is the talk of the town.
Imagine my surprise at that. I was questioned more often about the Palinator than I was about our great brown bruins.
Fortunately I had several great pics of the famous brownies rather than the quitter.
Yup, that's what I told my former neighbors back east, I told them about the quitter and opportunist known as Sarah Palin. I told them a short descriptive tale of media pandering and a unique talent for not quite finishing anything she started.
Imagine their surprise. This a place in our great nation where folks still work simply because "you gotta work". Every task started must be finished, every child must share the load in the house until they too can work. Most New Englanders cannot sit idle for long. Sleeping means six in the morning seven days a week. I know this, I was raised there.
So there I was sitting and listening to some of our elders chat about how truthful she is, how maybe she oughtta run for the big office after all.and that she comes from a state that still holds to the old values, etc, etc.
So I told them the truth; at least my perspective. That raised some eyebrows. I told them of a two time quitter, I reminded them of what the ORIGINAL tea party set out to do, I reminded them about the second tea party of the seventies. I explained that to me she was the "Jesse Ventura" of Alaska. In closing my soliloquy I taught them a new phrase; Sarah Barracuda.
That brought a chuckle.
Normally I avoid all things Palin. She has embarrassed me as an Alaskan and she ticked me off me personally. I simply could not listen to my elders and friends back east tout this media personality as the next possible coming.
So I finally spoke me piece, I finally broke my silence; and I did it where this great nation began. How could I not?
Ask hard questions folks, demand real answers.
Peace Ya'll

Ladies & Gentlemen!

Actually, thanks to a whole lot of good folks who sacrificed a whole bunch I CAN!
That said; I give you my choice for the next President of the United States.
This man and his sidekick (let's just call him Joe), may be the only human beings with greater oratory skills than our current; albeit well intentioned, but mostly ineffective leadership.


Rumor is the original was total improv, yup no speech writers.
He and the VP candidate got my vote for sure!
Even if he accomplishes nothing he's bound to be fun.
Ask hard questions folks.
Peace ya'll

Time for a Tune-Up?

So there I was 19 and staring at my VW bug and scratching my head. "I don't get it", I said to my friends dad. "It was running pretty darn good until last week, then it began to start harder, ya know crank & crank but not fire". I continued, "now it just spins all day and never starts at all".
My friends dad was a simple old New England hobby farmer, but in true New England tradition he had learned to fix almost anything. Wise beyond reason, Earl, had learned that self sufficiency relied on knowledge and the willingness to get dirty.
He looked under the hood, fiddled with a few things, made a couple of small "thought so" comments the straightened up and smiled at me.
"It ain't so bad", he explained. "Just need to change a few things is all". He then went on to explain the basics of car maintenance. "Change the plugs and wires, and not just the ones you think are bad, but all of 'em. Then change the oil and filter, not one or the other neither. Ya gotta change 'em both or it won't help the motor one damn bit. Next you need change that cap and rotor. After all that, it should run just fine".
I stood there, head down, thinking how expensive it was going to be. That and
I was feeling a little dumb for not taking care of my car.
Sensing my despondency, he added "don't sweat it kiddo, I'll help ya and after we change all that stuff she'll run like a top"
True enough, we did the work and my little bug was back on the road.
"Now don't forget" Earl reminded me as we washed up," you have to do this on a regular basis or she'll quit on ya again. That or eventually she'll stop altogether. Just change the fluids and tune 'er up on schedule and she'll run forever".
Wise man.
Twenty years later I had a similar conversation with one of my daughters while she stared down at a now dead truck. "Baby", I said, " you gotta change the oil once in a while. It's not the end of the world, the trucks in good shape, so we'll change the engine and she'll be good as new".
Yup, once again change fixed the problem.
So now I'm looking back east, scratching my head, wondering if a tune-up isn't over due for the capitol hill crowd. Change the oil so to speak. Then again, why not look down the street at our own local politico wannabe's, even across the water at the folks in Juneau? I mean really if you're gonna change the oil you gotta change the filter too. Otherwise the oil just gets dirty and the problem comes right back; friction versus lubrication.
Soon I will have a chance to help change the political oil with the stroke of a pen. I can participate in a government wide tune-up & I'm going to take advantage of that. I'm going to check the block next to the new person on the ballot. Some will call that a "protest vote", so be it. However; if enough voters turn out and check that block, then "protest" will turn into "upset". So long as the candidate believes in Democracy and loves our country, I'm willing to give them a shot. Really folks, if they don't work out, then in a few years I'll just change the oil again and again and again.
I apologize in advance to my friends that hold office. Please do not take my decision personally. Even if I think you are doing a good job, I'm not going to vote for you. Changing one bad spark plug will only lead to another failing later, so ya'll gotta go. Don't sweat it if you don't make to another term this time. Shoot, take a break, enjoy some time with your family. Re-connect with the folks you used to represent, then run a gain next time.
The USA was once called "The Grand Experiment", so let's do it folks. Let us be bold, let use be daring, let us shed the security blanket that we knitted and is now strangling us. Let us be Americans.
Do right thing folks no matter how scary it may be.
Peace

Do you feel lucky?

I do.
23 years, 4 months, and 22 days of service and I made it home.
A lot of good people didn't.
A lot more good people won't.
So please remember what this holiday is all about.
Sure have fun this weekend folks.
Grill, chill, and wave the flag; but remember how lucky we are.
Lucky to have so many give so much so that we may enjoy the freedom and security far to many of us take for granted.
Enjoy the video. and have a great Memorial Day Weekend.

This is for Dwayne, for Dave, and for John.
Although their luck ran out before mine, I was lucky to have known and flown with them all.
This is for the Uncle I never met: I hope I have brought honor to your name sir.
Peace and thank a veteran this weekend.

I Did Not Know.......

Some have noticed that my rants are leaning toward the reflective side. I am grateful for those still reading even though this is true. I also thank the small but growing group, that after exploring my outpourings, are discovering that not all bloggers are politico bashing wannabe's or religious zealots. Some of us actually have something to say that is not at the expense of those easy targets the mainstream media and so many blogs seem to feed on.
There are many, so many, that really put it out there. Who share so much, without tearing down others. The Saltonstall's enrich my day often, PJ makes me think, Womom does all that and she makes me laugh. There are many more, so please check out the links on the side over there.
So back to being reflective.

This for a friend who has beaten me to heaven.
I did not know.
When I listened to you playing your guitar at church,
It was the last time the missed chord, the little smirk,
would grace us with presence.
I did not know.
When I talked to you Friday at the store,
it was last time I would hear that laugh,
feel your energy.
I hope there was no harsh word said,
your last day among us.
That too, I do not know.
Yet I do know
I hope to be loved as you.
When I go.
Live every day as your last folks. Treat every person as if every word you speak to them is the last. Every action the one you will remember most.
My definition of ultimate hope:
My mother never says goodbye. Never. She always says "so long" or see you later".
That's optimism folks, it truly is.
Treat every day as your last chance to do the right thing and every conversation as your last one. Take nothing for granted, especially those you love most.
Maybe, just maybe, if we all do that, the world would be that much better when we walk into our last sunset.
Good night Steve Kreber. I am better for having known you.
Peace ya'll
you know the rest................

THANK YOU

Happy Easter everyone. It is a time for people all over the world to rejoice. It is the time when spring births add to many a shepherds flocks and family. It is also a time of spiritual rebirth for many.
For me it is all that and more. It is a time for gratitude. I try very hard to be grateful every day, but today is a day I try to remember all I have to be grateful for.
That is a long list, so this post I will keep it simple.
Millennium ago one men gave his life to save us all. His resurrection started a movement that changed the world and continues to do so even today. Jesus died so that we may live, he has risen so that we may live forever. This I truly believe, it guides me when I am troubled, it strengthens me when I am weak. It gives me purpose.
It keeps me humble, for no matter what sacrifice I feel I have made, none can top the one made that day in Jerusalem.
Thank you Jesus.
I am grateful for my family, they also give me purpose. They also teach me much.
I thank them for that.
Thank you to the mentors I have been blessed with knowing. There were many, but I would name a few here.
Thank you Sister Patricia, my first grade teacher, showed me love and that learning was an adventure.
Thank you Earl Jones, you taught me responsibility, wood craft, patience, and how to have fun.
Thank you Sister Dianne, for even though I had strayed for so long, you welcomed me back. You nurtured me and my family and never judged.
Thank you Sister Angela Goedkin.
I met you at a time in my life when I needed you most. I was transitioning from a life of service and purpose to a life unknown. When I started coaching your boys I had no idea the education I was about to receive. Your gentle guidance helped me out time after time. When my relationship with my son was strained and challenging, you showed me that love and patience would prevail. You guided me through my "rebirth" and I am better for it.
Sister Angela rests with the Lord she loves now, and I know that I will see her again. Perhaps she will come across the son I have in heaven. Perhaps she will tell him about me. Perhaps she will do the same for my fathers. I can only hope.
That's what it's all about folks. Hope and faith are what keep us going. By having hope we demonstrate our faith. Saints, sinners, believers or not, hope is the product of faith. It proves we believe in something. So many will argue that faith is not necessary for life. However; few will argue that a life without hope is worth living.
So admit it, hope and faith go hand in hand. Then be grateful. Be grateful for every good thing that happens today and every day after this one. Recognize the gifts you have been given. Use them to help all those around you. what better way to demonstrate your gratitude than to share your gifts?
On Grateful Living: Reflections by Catholic Sisters
“Gratitude is my constant consciousness of God's presence
in persons, nature, and circumstances,” says Sr. Angela
Goedken, OSF, a teacher in Kodiak, Alaska. “Sometimes
gratitude comes easily, and, often, in more challenging or negative times, it is hard. I am
growing in giving thanks in difficult circumstances. When my mother died so
unexpectedly, it took me years to be able to thank God for her gift of life to the family.”

This post is dedicated to Sister Angela Goedken. God keep you and hold you.
Peace and thanks ya'll.