subsea Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti was a book that I had read some years back, introducing the topic of spiritual warefare to me. You could compare it to the commercial in which the consumer is being pulled in two seperate directions by a miniture devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other shoulder. Well so it is in regular life. Sometimes it is as simple as a conflict in time management, but sometimes it is rooted much deeper and the process is a journey not only a point in time. So I find myself at that point in time for my life. I have shed some baggage in my life: retired after 30 years in the same vocation, divorced after 38 years. Nature will not accept a vacumn. If a large part of your life is removed, something else will change. For me, the last three years has been a roller coaster. One year of depression. One year of party. I year to transform. As I mulled over things this morning, before the sun came up, I was overcome with emotion and felt sadness for some things that I can not change in the past. In my previous life, I would not have allowed the emotion to follow thru. This morning, I allowed it to follow thru. I do not cry often. As the intensity welled and broke I felt a relief and peace. At that same time, the sun came over the hedgerow on my east fence line. During the night we had a light freeze with a slow thaw on the metal roof. The drop of melted ice from the roof and the first sun ray from 93 million miles away intersected in that instant of time that I had come to peace with my emotions. Everything happens for a reason. It is a good day to be alive. Seize the day. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Thanks for sharing Patrick. Just like dealing with an illness there are stages one goes through after a divorce, career change, or other life altering event. I went through the same stages as you after my divorce. I wouldn't be who and where I am today without having gone through it though. With a new wife and stepson all I can tell you is that life goes on and can be good again, but sounds like you had a taste of that this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 As I left home this morning, my canoe was on top of car with paddles and fishing gear filling the back seat. Not being able to interest any of the veterans at the VA clinic, I drove to Town Lake behind Austin High School. Some Noreigan tourist who were enjoying the morning sunshine helped me offload my boat. Instead of me going fishing by myself, we sat and enjoyed conversation and sunshine for an hour. I had lived in Germany for four years and we shared memories about art and leisure. When Erma Bombeck wrote her book "If life is a bowl of cherries why am I always in the pitts", her remedy was to slow down and smell the roses. I am a hopeless romantic, there is a ray of sunshine in every drop of water. The water in Town Lake was still offcolor for fishing due to the recent heavy rains and I moved the base of operations up to Lake Austin at Tom Miller Dam. Last winter I had left my canoe moored at the docking facility between Hula Hut and Abes on the Lake, which is a very nice location going out over the water. It is a nice place to hang outdoors with many beautiful people to look at. When I was not using the canoe, I allowed the service people at th club to use it. Anyway, I had previously arranged with the manager of Abes to leave it there. It feels good to do nice things. While I was eating ribs three Captains in Army fatigues sat at a table close by. As a flight mechanic on "Puff the Magic Dragon" I did four combat tours in Vietnam. If it was not for those Army fatigues of the 82 Airborne I would have died forty years ago. Everry time I see a military citizen, I thank them for there service to country. I was able to buy there dinner. We talked about canoing and fishing. While I do not do war stories I will tell fishing stories. Last year in Feb,I caught a 20 pound catfish 50 yds out from the Hula Hut pier. I fish with 15 lb line and it took twenty minutes to bring the fish in with an audiance at the restarant. The reason that the service people like me at Abes is that I brought chevechie back to them with catfish and red ogo. This retirement business has its advantages. I am not motivated to make money, only to enjoy it. http://www.nuttybrown.com/ N'awlins Nite is fun at the Nutty Brown. The manager that has been doing Cajun and Creole dishes for four years now is a **** good cook. I have eaten in four/five star restaurants in New Orleans without getting better crab cakes. If you like to hear lively Zydeco/Blues/Texas Swing then you could be a redneck and enjoy Zydeco Blanco. While I do not normally burden people with the intensity of what I experienced this morning, I have been told that I should get in touch with my soft side. Feeling is not always soft, but it is real. I apologize for any discomfrot I may have caused anyone, I do not do it often. Once in 63 years. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 It is a good day to be alive. I'm glad you were able to find some peace today. Hopefully many more will follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wa1tx Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 It is a good day to be breathing. No doubt it beats the alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 It is a good day to be alive. I'm glad you were able to find some peace today. Hopefully many more will follow. In the Chineses lunar calendar, [This is the year of the Dragon. I am the Rat. This year, I will partner with the Dragon and we will accomplish much. I must be careful in my relationships with the Chicken.] While I can identify with accomplishing things this year, LOL, I am not very comfortable with being a Rat. Did you try the "brandy wipe"? For those of you'll not familiar with some "old wives tales" for fixing what ails you. To help a sick infant calm down and sleep, "Rub brandy on the bottom skin of feet". The small amount of alcohoal absorbed thru the skin acts as a sedative and baby sleeps. If baby does not sleep, then drink rest of bottle so that you can sleep. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 Thanks for sharing Patrick. Just like dealing with an illness there are stages one goes through after a divorce, career change, or other life altering event. I went through the same stages as you after my divorce. I wouldn't be who and where I am today without having gone through it though. With a new wife and stepson all I can tell you is that life goes on and can be good again, but sounds like you had a taste of that this morning. Mike, as I have said in PM, I thank you for your caring attitude. While it is true that it is good therapy for me to vocalize my thoughts, I choose to post this stuff because it is important and many people isolate themselves in this stuff. To those that remain uncomfotable, I apologize. I ask that Mikes response be a beacon of example on how to show care and compassion to fellow human beings. It is the humane thing to do. Patrick PS If you google "Reg Ogo Chevichee", you will possible see a link to Hospitality. Come on down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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