Life Lessons

Been doing some thinking lately. This was partly written for the boy. What would I want to pass on to him? What lessons in life have I learned? Some of this stuff should be common sense and isn't. It's a little long, could have been longer but I stopped.

Don't tell a joke that's not that funny more than once. Help strangers and friends when you see they need it. When you help someone, whether they asked you for it or not, do it with a smile and don't complain. Sometimes it takes a lot to ask for help and even more to accept it. Don't expect anything in return. When someone helps you, goes out of there way for you, buys/gives you something don't complain and don't ask for more. Accept it with a smile even if it wasn't exactly what you wanted or needed. There heart was where it should be and so should yours. Choose your battles wisely when arguing, you don't always have to prove your right. Sometimes it means more to the other person to believe that they are right. When you're wrong admit it. When you apologize mean it. If you don't know, say so. You can tell the character of a person by how they treat people they don't need, someone who is not nice to the waitress is not a nice person. Just because she is serving you doesn't make her less of a person. Be nice, smile. You never know what other jerks she may have just been dealing with. When you're ordering food, the more complicated you make the order the more likely they are to screw it up. Remember that and don't get mad when they do. You're the one that made it difficult. Tip well, if it's someplace you go to a lot, tip even more. If you can't afford the tip you can't afford to go out. Let the past live where it should, in the past. Don't let the lessons go, just the pain. If you can't change it, don't worry about it. Don't expend energy worrying about something you can't change (like the past). There's enough that you can change. You won't appreciate something handed to you as much as if you had earned it yourself. Just because it's free doesn't mean you need it. Hehe, and a somewhat cruel thing don't want for something too much, once you get it you may realize the dream and the struggle was worth more than getting it. Don't lend money you can't afford to live without. Money is not worth losing a friend over, don't hound them about it, they know. If they don't pay you back you know what you can't trust them with. Don't make fun of someone else's dreams, that may be all they have. You may not be able to control the situation you were pushed into but you can control your attitude and how you deal with it. When you're that angry don't talk, you may regret what comes out. Sleep on it, sometimes when you put a little distance on it the truth is clearer. Don't close your mind. Keep learning every chance you get. From people, books, TV, wikipedia where ever. Try new things every chance you get. Try old things again. Never say you don't like something you haven't tried (unless it's drugs or skydiving). When someone you care about or are getting to know wants to show you something, book, movie, restaurant song etc. Do it, they are sharing a part of themselves with you. Declining that is declining them. The tough times will make you appreciate the easier ones. When there's too much rain on the path you've taken you may want re-evaluate your path. No need in reminding you about the truth and your word. You got that one down. Just to expand on that though, don't do things you may feel you have to lie about later. Live well, work hard and remember in the end you are the one that has to live with yourself.

Dead End

Oh my I've been to the end of the road before. When I thought it was the end I managed to climb over the rocks and debris. Kicked it into 4 wheel drive a few times and made it through. Hmm I'm not sure 4 low is going to get me across a large brick wall. So I sit here idling. Breathing in the carbon monoxide trying to figure out how to go over it. Maybe it's a prison because it's seems to go all the way around. Having an idea of paradise I can see it in my review mirror. Somewhere through my mistakes and transgressions I missed the turn off. So here I sit. Waiting. Do I die here breathing fumes or see if I can tunnel. Sometimes life isn't meant for everyone.

They're Just Boys...

Somethings needs to be said. It's 2am and I've been awake for over twenty-four hours, not even able to count right now because I know it's been longer than that. So, if I write this the tears will stop so I can sleep. Two weeks ago I found out my best friend's nephew, who I've known since he was two-ish, is going to Iraq June 2nd. My first thought? Kidnap him, hide him. Shoot him in the foot. He can't go. Not him. Am I proud of him? Of course. He's still the cute little boy with blond curls to me. Not a soldier. Fast forward to tonight... an email that my brother's only boy is leaving for basic training June 3rd. His unit has already been put on alert to be deployed in November. This boy was offered not only a full ride football scholarship (University of Nebraska had him listed on there website for awhile), but an academic one as well. He was supposed to be safe in college, not joining the Army. Both good kids. Rewind to last summer... The night before his two week leave was over. Sitting on the balcony telling us he missed his unit, he needed to be back there. Staring off in the darkness, half gone twelve pack in his lap, telling us, if they didn't extend his tour again, how long it would be until he was home. February. He's still there.

"Life is a series of dogs"

To quote George Carlin... A good friend of mine just had to put there dog down today. Not knowing the dog that well I don't feel the loss but I feel his pain. There aren't a lot of things in life that are worse than making that choice. When I was 19 I had to make the call to put my black lab to sleep, I had gotten him for Christmas when I was 7. I remember the vet telling me about the tumors and what they were doing and all these horrible sounding treatment options that may not even work. Might only give him 3 or 4 more months. Through a blur of tears, and a voice that I'm sure he could barely hear, I asked him "And if it was your dog?" He stopped. He'd put him to sleep. Don't prolong his suffering. What a good dog he had been and who was I to put him through all that. Because I loved him I could end his life. Love between dogs and humans is so totally different, there really isn't anything to compare it to. Looking at my two girls now I know that there may come a day when I have to make that call again. Looking at them I know that they trust me to make the right decision for them, that's my job and that's what I signed up for when they agreed to love me back. Dog's teach us something too, besides to love unconditionally, I think they teach us selflessness. No matter how much it hurts.