I received a piece of email the other day that actually made me stop
and think. Imagine that, ‘stopped and thought’. I know what you’re
saying. “He hasn’t had a thought since he got his first pair of ‘big
boy’ pants”. Well, yes, it does happen, occasionally, I do formulate
a thought, and this one, I’d like to share with you this Christmas
Season. The email I received, depicted a gentleman, who was
declaring ‘Thanks’ for all the wonderment surrounding him and his
life, and that somewhere along the line he had made a resolution to
“Give Thanks” for these things, at some point, each and every day.
The ‘spoken line’, not to demean the rhetoric he used, while not
something he would apply for patent rights to, was simply, “It just
doesn’t get any better than this!” Now, I have heard this
expression countless times in the past, and am sure I will be
reminded of it again in the future. Reiterations, however, will
have new meaning for me. For at the moment I read it, this time, I
realized that he was speaking not only of the financial wealth he had
accrued in his lifetime, although it seemed on the surface to lean
in that direction, but, as well, all the health and love and sunsets
he had yet to call his own, no matter how much or how many or how
well, he may or may not experience them ever again.
Leading a simple life, with a modest home, he enjoyed the majesty of
the mountains ever present at his front door, the remainder
addressed with desert plumage. One could assume a family, while
unseen, to be of comfortable proportion to his own being, and
worldly possessions, apropos to this conservatively dressed
gentleman. All things being ‘relative’, he seemed to be quite ‘well
off’. “’Relative’ being the operative word”.
I find myself at this juncture of my life, to be, in my mind, in a
rather unique position. First and foremost, I have my companion. I
believe that she feels that it would take a huge sum of wealth and
power to cause her to separate herself from me. ‘More than likely
for no sum, no power.’ She prefers to remain, at any cost, by my
side. I own 4 guitars, a hammer dulcimer, a keyboard and a set of
golf clubs, which could entertain myself and others, should I spend
the time to ‘practice’. A lot. These instruments, I have always
considered to be my ‘friends’, as they have stood by me through the
lowest of low points of my life. I actually ‘sold’ one when
destitute one time, and I will never do that again. That was tantamount
to turning my back on close friends when they needed me. I will
never do it again. I will never do it again. I will never do it to
her. I have a few bucks in the bank, enough to keep me in groceries
and a few pleasures, as well as the occasional ‘toy’. My toys are
my tools. Big Boy toys. Men never grow up. Unless, of course,
they become very sad. Pick a job. I have the tools to do it. I
could supply a plumber, a brick mason, an auto mechanic, electrician
and carpenter with all the necessary tools of their respective
trades and then some. A little pride here. Thank you, both.
I live in a ‘relatively’ comfortable home, with a ‘relatively’
comfortable woman with ‘relatively’ comfortable assets, sharing
‘relatively’ comfortable relations with family and friends. So, for
this Christmas Season, allow me to say…
…”It just doesn’t get any better than this”.
Now, tell me, how’s your life going? Relatively. I need to know.
All My Love, Jim.
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