Craig Fowler
For the last several months I’ve been collaborating with my good friend, author and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for International Operations and consultant to the U.S. Defense Department, Bob Taft. We have added essays, opinion pages and podcasts to the JiYC Website. Bob has a terrific ability to take complicated issues and simplify them for the reader. While we will continue to collaborate on current topics, Bob has just created his own website.
The website is Conservative Insight and the link is below:
On the site right now you’ll find the following essays:
A FOUR-PART SERIES ON WHAT AG BARR WILL DISCOVER IN HIS INVESTIGATION OF THE ORIGINS OF THE TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE.
AN EXPLANATION OF THE VENDETTA JERRY NADLER HAS AGAINST TRUMP AND WHY HE – NADLER – IS CONFLICTED AND BREAKING THE LAW
THE BRITISH COMPANY THAT IS TAKING OVER AMERICAN EDUCATION
WHY DEMOCRATS HAVE TURNED ANTI-SEMETIC
THE DEMOCRATS BEST WEAPON – REPUBLICANS
Plus…
QUIZ 1: WILL THE REAL FASCISTS PLEASE STAND UP – TRUMP OR THE DEMS
QUIZ 2: AMERICA’S SOCIALIST DEALS AND WHY NONE OF THEM HAVE WORKED
Each week Bob will feature one or more articles or quizzes on pressing issues. Coming in the next two weeks:
THE SYSTEMATIC CREATION OF AMERICA’S PERMANENT UNDERCLASS
THE CHINA-RUSSIA GLOBAL PLAN AND HOW TO STOP IT
A FIVE-PART SERIES ON THE REAL ISLAM PLAN FOR AMERICA AND WHY
Also check out Bob’s new book:
Who Let the Old Fart into the Classroom – Why Globalism, Socialism and Environmentalism Won’t Work.
This fast paced story pits a conservative retiree against progressive professors and tackles the issues students face in higher education today.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/17980408
I know you will enjoy Bob’s website and the knowledge and information he is sharing. I look forward to additional collaboration and sharing with Bob and hearing from our readers in the weeks to come.
Until next time….
Here is the latest Podcast…
If you’ve been reading my writing for a while, you know this is my favorite time of year. I find myself thinking and talking about my feelings every Spring. The extra daylight is a big positive. The sunshine is obviously warmer and rejuvenates one’s spirit as it warms your cheeks or back. Being outside and surrounding yourself in nature is one elixir I can’t do without. Another is the people I associate with on a regular basis.
Most of the people I work or socialize with are older than me. Between ten to 30 years older as a matter of fact. Not only are they more experienced and often wiser but they have infectious positive attitudes. They possess a sense of humor and enjoy high levels of humility. They’ve been successful in past careers, but rarely do they discuss that success. They have a big picture view on life and the world around them. They respect the opinions of others but are not shy about sharing their own opinions.
Four years ago I wrote about a co-worker/friend who turned 90. I was amazed at his attitude and spirit. In a few days he turns 94. He is as energetic and delightful as he was four years ago. He inspires me to be a better person every day. And the wonderful thing is he is not the only person I hang around with on a regular basis who inspire me.
I’ve been learning from another gentleman with decades of civil service and academic experience. He has written several books and is happy to share his knowledge and perspective with others. I’ve made a decision to share my website with this gentleman.
Even at my age it’s not to late to learn, educate myself and gain a better understanding behind policy decisions and world events. With all the media outlets, both social and network, it is a great challenge to delineate between fact or fiction.
My hope is the articles, editorials, essays, and educational documents we post will serve to help my readers and others become more knowledgeable of national and international policies.
I’m approaching this new path with a positive attitude. I want to continue to share facts and policy opinions in a straightforward, honest tone. I’ve always been a fan of straight talk and strategic thinking. This new path will continue both traits and widen the scope of the Jewelsinyourcrown.com website.
Until next time…
Last month I shared my thoughts about the difference between someone with charisma and someone with actual business sense. This month I want to share another example of business sense and the proper way to share it.
I know a learned individual who spent the majority of his career in government foreign services work. He worked in many different countries and in my opinion is an expert in global economics. He has written several books and is currently working on one now which I hope to share on this site in the near future. He has regularly been an Op-Ed author for the Washington Times. Just last week, he shared his perspective on President Trump’s Emergency Declaration with the junior Senator from North Carolina.
I’ll share the exchange below then provide some closing thoughts….
Dear Senator Tillis,
I appreciate your response and understand your reluctance to allow future presidents to use appropriated funds to tear down walls.
But consider this: when would it be appropriate to declare a national emergency to tear down a border wall? By doing so, the flood of illegal aliens, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and criminal gangs would not only be allowed, but encouraged. Under what circumstances would allowing these things to occur be in our national interest, especially to the extent of needing to declare a national emergency to make it happen?
This is the sort of perverse logic which is taking over the Democrat Party and sadly Republicans, apparently like yourself, seem to be acquiescing to. Frankly I get this criticism from Republicans all the time from all corners of North Carolina and beyond.
The statistics don’t lie and you know from accounts by our ICE officers at the border that the ONLY real way to prevent the problems that are occurring there is to build a wall. Democrats and Republicans just a few years ago agreed on this point and passed legislation to fund such a wall at much more than a measly $5 billion, a mere pittance of our annual federal budget. Given that it costs us over $300 billion a year to provide illegals with social services, Congressional allowance of this type of funding is inexcusable. If you want the breakdown of the $300 billion, I would be more than glad to send it to you.
I strongly recommend that you rethink your position on the wall issue. Perhaps you and your Republican colleagues should look at it this way: on the one hand, Democrats want these illegals to get benefits and stay together as families because we are a compassionate people. On the other hand, it seems perfectly fine with the Democrats to kill U.S. citizens at birth. If this isn’t perverse logic, what is?
It’s time Republicans if they want to get reelected to go on offense. Every day, between crazy socialist promises, infanticide, scandals, endless investigations with proven liars, the Democrats provide ample red meat for Republicans to pounce on. Why don’t you do it instead of fearing the nonsense of what might lie ahead if radical Dems take over? If Republicans like you take a stand, the Dems won’t prevail. Please see to it that they don’t.
Sincerely yours,
Robert A. Taft
This and your response will be distributed to a large North Carolina audience.
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Dear Mr. Taft:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you may know, on February 15, 2019, President Trump issued a national emergency declaration in order to provide the rest of the funds he had previously requested through Congress to secure the southern border.
Let me be clear: I strongly agree with President Trump that there is a humanitarian and drug crisis at our border. It’s unfortunate that some elected officials are denying this reality, because the numbers do not lie. Every year, hundreds of undocumented immigrants die trying to cross our border, and tens of thousands of Americans die from heroin-related overdoses, the vast majority of which is smuggled from the southern border.
That is why I have repeatedly supported and voted in favor of President Trump’s plans to secure our borders and reform our nation’s broken immigration system. In fact, last Congress I worked directly with President Trump and my Senate colleagues to introduce legislation based on President Trump’s border security plan. This bill, known as the Secure and Succeed Act, included $25 billion for border security including walls, barriers, and other infrastructure. However, this legislation did not ultimately gain the support needed from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to become law. I wholeheartedly share President Trump’s frustration that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have continually blocked the reasonable and good faith efforts to secure our borders and I stand with him in his efforts to protect the American people.
Due to Congressional obstruction, I understand why President Trump took the step of making a national emergency declaration, which would provide about $8 billion for border security infrastructure.
Please know that my concern with the emergency declaration has nothing to do with the President’s goal of securing the border, but it is about maintaining Congress’ power of the purse and preventing a future president from exploiting this precedent for their own agenda.
For example, in recent weeks, we have heard from two prominent elected officials who entertained the notion of removing walls and physical barriers, effectively opening up our borders. If we had a president who shared their views, they could also declare a national emergency, and use those same funds, originally appropriated by Congress for other purposes, to literally tear down border security infrastructure that already exists.
I applaud President Trump’s efforts and determination to deliver on the promises he made to the American people and I will continue to work with him on ways to provide for billions of dollars in additional funding to finally secure our border and protect the American people. I know we can get it done.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about other important issues.
Sincerely,
Thom Tillis
U.S. Senator
Follow Me on Social Media:
Website: https://www.tillis.senate.gov
To contact me, click here.
This is what I call a solid exchange of thoughts, ideas and philosophy on an extremely important topic. I give Senator Tillis credit for his prompt and thoughtful response. But here is my concern. His reason for opposing the declaration is flawed in several ways.
(1) His response ignored Mr. Taft’s commentary regarding
socialism, infanticide and the economics brought on by illegal immigrants in this country.
(2) His reason, (which felt largely political) isn’t an apples to apples comparison to what is being done by this administration.
(3) A Commander-in- Chief who would decide to declare an emergency and tear down our border walls is breaking his Presidential vow to “preserve and protect and defend the constitution of the United States. This includes the second amendment as well protecting the safety and security of the American people.
Despite their differences in philosophy and thinking, I applaud the dialogue and exchange that took place. I wish this same kind of frank, open and educated dialogue could take place on capitol hill.
Topics mentioned by Mr. Taft as well as other media driven topics like the banishment of the Electoral College and the Green New Deal need to be addressed. Too often and to the detriment of the masses the media drives the message and it is a message filled with errors, inaccuracies, falsehoods, feel good sound bites and impossible end results.
Until next time…
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with local, state and federal representatives on a Private Industry Council. The main purpose of the PIC was to secure employment for immigrants who had migrated legally into the United States. I found it to be enlightening in many ways. As I interacted with governmental officials at various levels, I quickly learned of their lack of knowledge regarding business strategy or economics. At first, I was surprised. Then, I was disappointed. These were people who were making policy and legislative decisions at city, county, state and national levels.
Since that experience, I’ve studied politicians to focus on their actual business and economic knowledge. I wanted a better understanding of my personal experience. Was it the norm or just a one-off set of circumstances? Sadly, my conclusion is; this is the norm. This is not to say there aren’t intelligent, well-educated politicians. There are. But my point is, many are not only lacking in basic business knowledge, but exacerbate issues by pretending they know what they’re talking about.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Politicians have been hiding behind big money, charisma, nepotism and a variety of other facades for decades. Before the onslaught of social media, before television, even before radio, it was easier to hide lack of knowledge.
When former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill referred to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as “the next shiny thing” her characterization may have offended Ocasio-Cortez, but the moniker made an excellent point.
Alexandria has used social media to become that next shiny thing. Unfortunately, it’s a double edge sword for her. On one hand, it appeals to her base. On the other hand, it exposes her lack of business and economic knowledge. Her supporters admire her charisma, but those outside of her constituency see through her charm, lack of knowledge and factual data. Her proposed “Green New Deal” is a perfect example of my point. There are so many flaws and errors in her thinking. Trying to account for all the mistakes would be a graduate level economics class by itself. The lack of common sense within the document is only surpassed by the bravado and ignorance she displays when discussing the topic.
There are two things keeping her from being totally exposed. First is everyone’s fear of political correctness. If she is criticized, the person delivering the criticism is considered a bigot, racist, chauvinist or some other undeserved name. This feeds into the second thing. The media. Ocasio-Cortez has created the same hysteria generated by a community organizer in Illinois, back in 2004. The media was so enamored with Obama’s charisma, they overlooked, ignored, and refused to reveal his lack of true business knowledge. At the same time, they refused to expose his real agenda.
One-on-one interviews of Ocasio-Cortez, Robert (Beto) O’Rourke, Kristin Gillibrand, and others often reveal lack of depth of knowledge. They use sound bites, catch phrases and recycled verbiage to hook, enlighten and enamor their base. The media bolsters the “next shiny thing” with reckless abandon. It’s tried and true and has worked for years.
Politicians, the media, outspoken Hollywood types, and sadly, educators in our colleges and universities continue to try sell their ideas. unfortunately, few if any, have the business or economic knowledge or experience to support their points.
Either on purpose or through a series of circumstances, they found a job, (politician, actor, media person, educator) and never had to worry about understanding how to operate a successful business.
How do we combat this widespread mularkey and incompetence?
The solution I’d recommend is to hold all politicians accountable for their opinions, views and policy statements. Put aside political correctness for straight talk. Demand facts, not theory or ideology. Instead of defending your position, ask questions. Intelligence, knowledge and common sense are not substitutes for charisma. And they never will be.
Until next time…
For several years I’ve given a presentation entitled “What Difference Can I Make.” It seems to resonant particularly with people who don’t have significant job titles. We can all make a difference.
Over the years, I’ve come in contact with many people who limit their perspective to their work life. This limitation diminishes the scope of the difference they may be making in the world. Below are examples of people I know who have made a difference.
A Relative
My kid brother lost his wife just over a year ago. She was way too young to leave this world. I’ve reflected upon her passing throughout the past year. Her gifts and talents are revealed throughout our home. She was extremely creative and patiently shared her knowledge with others. Her legacy lives on in the art and crafts she created, but even more in the people who learned from her tutoring.
A Friend
One of my dearest friends lost his son last month. He was way too young to leave this world. No parent should have to attend the funeral of their offspring. His son (my friend’s grandson) delivered a touching eulogy. He said his dad did all he could to shield the family from his illness. He shared that his dad told him death happens all the time, but it just feels different when it happens to someone you know. It was so obvious to me my dear friend had raised a magnificent son who had in turn brought up a wonderful son. Both grandfather and father had left a legacy that will live on for generations. What more can you ask out of a person?
A Professional
Earlier this week, I learned of a grade school chum who passed away. Once more he was way too young to leave this world. He had developed a very successful practice as a dentist and oral surgeon. But twice a year he unselfishly would leave his practice to provide medical services in Haiti. It was his passion. And in addition to the countless lives he helped and changed over the last 35+ years, his mission work will also be his legacy.
A President
The word “Legacy” has been used hundreds of times on TV this week while describing the life of George H.W. Bush. There is no doubt he left an indelible difference in many lives. One person shared “he changed my life.” Another said, “without him there would be no me.” Every testament reflecting the legacy of a world leader and a distinguished citizen. But more importantly, the legacy of a husband, father, and grandfather who left a legacy and made a difference of enormous proportions.
Four people, four legacies. All four monumental in the eyes of those the person touched. As we head full force through Hanukkah and into the Christmas season it’s a good time to reflect on the gift of a legacy we may be leaving. We all can and do make a difference. And we can create our legacy a day and deed at a time. Be about it and live it.
Until next time…
I was receiving extra text messages last week. Short, kind, caring text messages. Some went like this:
“Is it raining there?”
“Is it still raining?”
“Are you doing ok?”
“Are you safe?”
“Is it windy?”
“Are the trees still standing?”
“Are you floating yet?”
I responded kindly to all the text messages. I appreciated everyone’s thoughts and prayers. It was called a 500 year storm, so I shouldn’t have to worry about the next one coming. We were very fortunate. We had one incident that was worth sharing.
Raindrops – So Many Raindrops
Rain started at 2 p.m. on Thursday and continued until Monday around 7 a.m. The last eight hours was the hardest rain I’d ever experienced. When daylight occurred Monday morning I went and checked the property. Stepping into the “Game Room” some 30 yards from the house, my foot felt a splat on the grey concrete floor. Ground water had seeped into the structure. The nearly two feet of rain had overwhelmed the concrete structure.
We worked for three hours to squeegee and shop vac the water out, but it kept coming in. I called two major restoration companies to get some expert advice. Understandably they were way too busy to provide help. One company did tell me it would stop coming in when the water level went down. I laughed and asked “Do you know when that will be?”
We decided to go to the local hardware store for sandbags. Probably the best decision I’ve made in quite a while. And it wasn’t my decision. It was my wife’s. The hardware store was packed with people. Most buying wet/dry vacuums. This hardware store is family owned and epitomizes customer service at its best. They were out of sandbags. But I was given a name of someone who could provide what I was looking for – advice to stop the water seepage.
I called the person and got voicemail. Totally understandable I thought, so I left a message. Within minutes my phone was ringing with his number identified. He was out pricing jobs, but could stop by in an hour. When he showed up he gave me the advice and instruction I’d been waiting for. Then to my surprise and relief he told me he could be back “first thing in the morning” to dig out and install a french drain to suck up and divert water.
True to his word he arrived with shovel in hand to begin the work. Once the trench was deep enough, the trickle of water reversed its path from inside to outside the structure. But digging the trench was hindered by the enormous amount of cedar and magnolia roots which had grown against and under the concrete block foundation. With loppers, a bow saw, a handsaw and a chainsaw we painstakingly removed the obstructions. The trickle became a stream as each root – some over ten feet long and four inches around were yanked from the watery ditch. Mike Rowe would have enjoyed this “dirty job.”
By the afternoon the six ton of rock were holding the drain in place and the game room was drying out with the help of a neighbor’s fans.
THE REST OF THE STORY
I relate this “mini-crisis” for several reasons.
* We were fortunate. The damage and inconvenience we experienced were miniscule when compared to thousands of other people.
* We were present. Had we not been there the water would have continued and the damage would have been far greater.
* Great neighbors still exist. I hear all the time about people not knowing their neighbors. That is not the case here. During the storm we all kept communicating with one another and when our issue arose our neighbors responded quickly.
* Coincidence or a Godsend. Was it a coincidence we just happened to go to the hardware store at the right time? Or that we just happened to run into an employee who provided an expert resource? Was it a coincidence the resource was available to resolve the issue within hours of it occurring?
The answer to all three questions is “no.” It wasn’t a coincidence. It was a Godsend. Things happen for a reason. Reasons we often don’t understand right away. But in time they reveal to us and cause us to pause and reflect.
Maybe the terrific and talented resource will help me with another project someday. It could be that he will help my neighbors – who came by to meet him and check out the work. Someday he may need help in some form or fashion from me. We don’t know how it will all play out. But I know there is a message and a lesson to learn.
In the midst of a crisis, a challenge, or an obstacle it’s well worth the time to reflect on how we faced the situation and what fruitfulness came our way as a result. I contend there is always goodness coming from within an event. We just need to take the time to see and understand what we have been given.
Until next time…
Many years ago, the late Andy Rooney penned a poignant piece entitled “A Bad Case of the August Blues.” He wrote how August was always the most depressing month of the year for him and many others. Among the examples for his opinion were lines like this:
• The vacation is over, but the bills to pay for it are just coming in.
• The grass, which was so lush and green and actually fun to mow is now turning brown and mowing has become a chore.
• The heat, which was a welcome change in June, is now oppressive and often overwhelming.
Mr. Rooney’s piece really resonated with me.
As a kid I recall the depressed feelings I would get once the county fair was over. It usually began the first weekend in August and concluded the following Saturday. Once it was over, I knew the school year would begin and the carefree days of summer would be over. I didn’t mind school, but I hated losing summer. That feeling continued into my adult years, but for a different reason. The end of summer signaled the beginning of winter for me. Winter in the Midwest, unless you like snow, ice and biting cold, was always something to be endured, not enjoyed. As an adult, once Jerry Lewis sang “You’ll never walk alone” on the MDA Labor Day Telethon, I knew autumn would soon be here.
Today, August still has a tendency to get me down. I look around and see all the things I want to get done before the days grow even shorter. Recalling June when it stayed light longer and realizing my minutes are slipping away. I notice this feeling in other people as well. Maybe, as Mr. Rooney pointed out, it is the “oppressive” heat that helps make August overwhelming. After all, it usually is the hottest month of the year. Add in high humidity and breathing becomes far more difficult. I’m no doctor, but I know lack of air to the lungs and brain causes panic and all kinds of issues to the body. Even the dog isn’t crazy about going for an afternoon walk in August. I know it’s time to turn for home when his tongue starts to drag the pavement.
So how do we deal with August? How do we keep it from overwhelming our body and mind?
Here are a few suggestions:
• Take one task at a time. If you have a list, that’s fine, but don’t try to complete the entire list in a day. Space things out and celebrate each successful task.
• Plan your day so your biggest tasks are done first when you’re fresh. Setting priorities is always the best way to accomplish things. It reduces stress because you’re taking care of the most important things that lie in front of you. Just like the old adage of putting the big rocks in the jar first so all the little rocks can fit in as well.
• Don’t stress about what isn’t getting done. If it’s on your list, in priority order, it will get done. At the end of the day, assess what you accomplished and feel good about yourself. All too often, we let what we haven’t completed overwhelm us and that leads to a defeatist attitude. Remember the sidewalk cracks filled with weeds will disappear in December. So if you don’t get to them, don’t worry about it.
• If you have outdoor tasks to complete, do them in the morning or right before dusk. That way you do your best to avoid the oppressive heat. When forced to do outdoor activity in the heat of the day, take frequent breaks, drink plenty of fluids and work in the shade as much as possible.
I’ve learned the secret to defeating the overwhelming feeling of August is to find the shade. It rejuvenates your spirit, refreshes your mind and helps you breath. Shade allows you to pause, reflect, and assess what you’ve accomplished. It makes you feel cool.
You’ve heard the phrase “In the heat of the moment.” It seems to me we rarely react the way we want to “in the heat of the moment.” If we had the wherewithal to step back into the shade, I’d venture to say we’d have much more success with our decisions and our outcomes. The same is true for life. Particularly life in August. Prioritize, pace yourself, don’t stress, and find the shade.
Until next time….
It’s coming. Can you feel it? Spring is in the air. Depending on where you live, you might not believe it, but it is coming. The “positive” change we all look for after the cold, gray, blustery days of winter. I don’t know about you, but when the perennials pop from the earth it rejuvenates my spirit and exhilarates my mind.
As baseball season rolls around I fondly recall the phrase “Hope springs eternal.” It allows the fan to believe this could be the year their team gets to the World Series. That eternal hope should not just apply to baseball and it shouldn’t just arrive in the spring.
Several good people have reached out to me lately as their lives have been forever changed by their job situation. For some it is traumatic. For others it is the new lease on life they have been waiting for. The trauma comes because the person is thrown into a situation unfamiliar to themselves and their family. Too young to retire, too old to think they could be hired by someone else, too insecure that they have marketable skills outside the work they’ve been doing for 10, 15, 20 or more years.
Among the many questions to be answered are possibly these:
What about the kids?
How can we move them now?
Who’s going to take care of the folks or the grandparents if we move?
Will the house sell in this marketplace?
I suspect the circumstances are tantamount to blindly jumping off a diving board and hoping the pool has been filled with water.
The other side of the equation is the person who can’t wait for the next adventure. A chance at a new career, a new hobby, a new location, creating new networks or expanding existing ones. This person is filled with hope for the future and faith in themselves that good things will happen.
W. Mitchell the inspirational speaker, disfigured and confined to a wheel chair from two separate horrific accidents is known for saying “It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it.” We can all sit around and complain about our plight in life, our circumstances and our bad luck. Or we can create a new strategy for ourselves to be successful. It really is up to us.
If you have that feeling of despair, hopelessness, anger at your circumstances or overwhelming anxiety, rest assured you’re not alone. This is a natural state of being. At least for a while. Everyone goes through disappointment. Big and small. The key is understanding it’s all temporary and move on. Seek out someone who will provide you positive perspective. You can learn from people who have struggled with blaming others and rationalizing that bad events and circumstances were caused by everyone other than themselves.
Without getting too political, Hillary Clinton immediately comes to mind. She has spent nearly 18 months blaming practically everyone else for her defeat. She goes on speaking tours, wrote a book, and will tell anyone who will listen what she thinks caused her defeat. She could be spending her time in a much more positive way, but she has to be the one to let go and move on. We all could learn from her behavior.
As I’ve visited with folks who have reached out to me, I first empathize with their situation and circumstances and then I pose several questions.
What is their family situation?
What are their plans moving forward?
What is most important to them?
From those few questions I’m able to assess their mindset, their strategic thinking and most of all their values.
I’m pleased to say the people who I have shared time with have been positive, optimistic, innovative in their plans and excited about their future. They all realize it won’t be easy, but they are up for the challenge. They’ve shared stories of people who are completely changing careers, pursuing their “real” dreams, moving to places they always wanted to live and looking at this crossroads as the best thing that could possibly happen to them at this point in their lives. I’m confident these individuals will be successful in their new endeavors. It’s in their DNA to take stock in their circumstances, be confident in their talents and skills and have faith in their future.
The current state of things might seem as bleak as a brown yard on a breezy March morning with the wind directly in their face. But to those who have faith in themselves, to those who are willing to believe the best is yet to be, to those who are creative, innovative, positive people, the future belongs to them. They know the grass will turn green, the colorful perennials will sprout through the thawing earth, and their future will be a budding success.
Until next time….
It happens to me about this time every year. The melancholy, and bittersweet feelings that creep into my heart and mind. The nights become cooler. The morning dew becomes heavier. The sun sets sooner and rises later. All little signs of the times. Absorbed separately, these changes aren’t too bad. But for me they seem to roll together like a snowball heading downhill.
The late journalist Andy Rooney once wrote a column called “A Bad Case of the August Blues.” I’ll always be able to relate to that column. Mowing the grass is not fun anymore like it was in April or May. The crabgrass creeping through the cracks in the sidewalk is now an irritant instead of a challenge.
This time of year is also my most reflective. I find myself contemplating the future and recalling random memories of the past. I remember, people, places, and events. Paul Anka captured the feelings nearly perfectly when he wrote this in 1975:
“Good morning, yesterday
You wake up and time has slipped away
And suddenly it’s hard to find
The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember?
The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The good times and the bad you’ve seen
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life?”
The times of your life are happening all the time. We just don’t realize it until we reflect back on it. Maybe it’s a photo on your phone or a melody on the radio that brings it back to your mind. But the times of your life are always being created.
My daughter just bought a home and moved away. So ironic that she would move at this time of year. I have to say it just added to the feelings I seasonally conjure up. I was reflective and it was bittersweet. But it was mainly a proud feeling. She had worked hard to get to this point in her life and made sound financial decisions.
People deal with good and bad things all the time. Long term illness, daily aches and pains, promotions, graduations, weddings, funerals and births. Each one a moment in time. Each one painful, hopeful, joyous, gratifying, heartwarming, heart wrenching, heart breaking exciting, exhilarating and a memory.
One memory among thousands that make up the time of your life.
We can’t stop the seasons from changing. But we can cherish and remember the times of our lives. As the lyrics remind us:
“Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The memories are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow
Here comes the saddest part
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember, the times of your life.”
Until next time…