VIPs...or Should I Say...

Road construction...Hmmmm...I met some really important people the other day. Well, I can’t actually say I met them, but I did watch them as they sailed by a bunch of us good citizens waiting our turn in one of those lane ends construction areas. You know...you see one of those lane ends up ahead signs and you pull over and wait your turn to go through like everybody else...except the really important people. I mean they must be really important...because they can’t wait in line like the rest of us. They go right to the front and force their way in. I figure they do this because they have much more important places to go and much more important people to see than the rest of us. Their time must be much more valuable than ours. Yep...that must be what it is. I mean...you don’t think they could just be arrogant, thoughtless and rude do you? Nooo...they can’t just be inconsiderate jerks...can they? They must be much more important than you and I. I must confess to being a very bad person though. Because when I finally do get to the front of the line and there’s a very important person trying to get in front of me...I don’t let ‘em in. Screw ‘em. Terrible aren’t I?

Slanted Rays and Colored Days...

Fall will be here soon. Arriving with her many colors like bright burning embers of summer’s dying fire. Beautiful, but brief. Marking the cooling of the air...the lowering of the clouds...and the coming of Winter’s silver blue. The slanted rays and colored days, as Lightfoot put it, stir many emotions. There’s a certain sadness about a lonely chevron of wild geese in the distant sky. And the rattle of dry leaves on shivering, skeleton trees. Night falls sooner and seems a shade darker. It’s a bittersweet time of memories...loves lost and found and old friends and family past and gone. For me...I know I miss my Dad more in the Fall. I do love the Fall though. Sweater weather and nightly fires in the fireplace. For all the endings Fall brings it’s also such a gateway of promise and good times. Soon will come the little ghosts and goblins of Halloween. The warmth and good cheer of Thanksgiving. The magic of Christmas. The hope of a brand New Year. Fall...the bright burning embers of Summer’s dying fire. The season of what might have been. The season of what could be.

Who We Are

From a few years ago. I knew I had to write about September 11th...I just didn’t know what to write about. My tears? My disbelief? My anger? I’ve never thought more about my country than I have since that terrible day. America...sweet America. Now, in my opinion, is the time for us to be more American than ever. Taking great pride in what we are...by keeping in mind who we are. We are white, black, red, yellow and brown. We are English, German, Spanish, Asian and Afghani. We are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist. We have many differences, but we also have great strengths. The world knows we have big, strong arms to welcome and comfort. We have a broad back capable of carrying the heaviest of loads. We have a huge heart capable of overwhelming care and generosity. And now the world knows that when you wound one of us...you wound all of us. We may be a hundred different colors...a thousand different faiths....but we are one people. We will never forget September 11th...let us also never forget why we are...who we are. We are Americans. We’ve put together the best of all worlds to create the greatest nation in the world.

Can You Feel It?

Season’s changing…can you feel it? The sun is hanging a little lower on the horizon every day. The wind blows with a bit of a chill on the edges. The evening shadows come creeping a little earlier. The critters know and have picked up their step a little. Season’s changing…can you feel it? Soon the fields will be bare…harvest gone. Cider will be filling up the cups while the scent of pumpkin and cinnamon will be filling up the air. Grandmas will be putting on the apron and pulling out the Mason jars. Soon the trees will be lighting up red, yellow and orange. Season’s changing…can you feel it? It’s an end and a beginning…and it happens every year just about this time. For some it’ll be their first time around. For others it’ll be their last. Some will welcome it…some will curse it. As for me…how about you pass me a cup of that cider and put another log on the fire.

I Asked For Your Hand

I asked for your hand...you gave me so much more. I asked for your hand, you gave me your opinion. Something I’ve found most valuable...most of the time. I asked for your hand, you gave me your curiosity. Sometimes a very “curious” curiosity I must say. I asked for your hand, you gave me your common sense. Most uncommon these days. I asked for your hand, you gave me your dreams. I know I’ve let you down on more than one of those. I asked for your hand, you gave me your trust. You gave me your faith. You gave me your...well...we’ll talk about those later. You gave me the chance to be the father to your children and the Grandpa to your grandkids. I owe a big thank you there. I asked for your hand, you gave me my best friend...my hope...my strength...my rock. You gave me the chance to be loved and the once in a lifetime opportunity to love you. I asked for your hand...you gave me so much more. I asked for your hand...you gave me your life. Happy Anniversary.