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Archive for the ‘Lifestyle’ Category

Friends

June 23, 2010

“New Friends” © R.L. Herron

Friends come in all shapes, sizes and genders.

Sometimes, like in the picture above, they even come in the form of different species. All it takes is a modest amount of trust, some empathy and a generous helping of plain old-fashioned respect.

Although I see neighborhood and childhood friends often and enjoy their company immensely, I went to lunch with old friends from work yesterday, something I haven’t done in a while.

It felt good to reconnect and exchange a lot of “what we’re doing now” information. We spent quite a while talking and reminiscing after the actual lunch had come and gone.

After we all said our goodbyes and departed, I had about thirty minutes alone in the car to reflect on our gathering.

I realized what so many people have said over the years was true. When you retire, you don’t miss the work, you miss the camaraderie. You miss the people.

Even if you didn’t always see eye-to-eye, the interaction you once enjoyed with all these individuals was stimulating and special, even if you didn’t realize it at the time.

It’s an odd thing about growing older.

Realization can feel like a blossoming of the brain cells you’ve been trying to build for so long. It isn’t really like that; wisdom doesn’t suddenly blossom. But simple insight sometimes does.

I know, just as everyone does, none of that is true for everyone.

Some people, myself included, have subjects about which they never seem to get any smarter, no matter how long they’ve had time to try, or how often they get to practice.

However, given the right circumstances, people and things can sometimes seem to fall into place in new ways, and it’s funny how often that can feel like wisdom.

The kind that recognizes the words are finally there, not to be ignored, but not necessarily needing to be spoken, either.

I have a lot of faith in my fellow man, perhaps because I’ve always been hopelessly optimistic about just about everything.

Although I think I’ve understood it for a long time, I’m finally beginning to appreciate the cadence, passion and rhythm friends can add to life in general.

It feels good.

Posted in Lifestyle, Storytelling | 3 Comments »

Challenges

June 14, 2010

“Old Apple Tree” © R.L. Herron

It’s no secret life is full of challenges. We face them every day and, if we’re lucky, they are both modest and easily overcome.

Occasionally, we meet someone for whom the challenges are so severe and seemingly insurmountable that their fortitude in the face of them renews for us the basic definition of perserverance.

In rare instances, we cross paths with someone whose daily challenges almost defy belief.

They endure hardship and pain yet, somehow, maintain a cheerful demeanor. They face their obstacles and make the most of each moment. Despite their afflictions and infirmities they lead happy, full and productive lives.

Some are a lot like the old apple tree pictured above, which has a significant portion of its trunk eaten away, yet still sets out leaves and blossoms, and bears fruit.

People like that continue to contribute, and their contributions amaze us.

They sometimes make us question our own resolve and effort. Perhaps, if we really think about it, they also give us a perfect example of faith.

Posted in Award-Winning Fiction, Lifestyle, Storytelling | 6 Comments »

Organization

May 17, 2010

“Zoom” © R.L. Herron

You don’t have to go far to see how we have super-organized the lives of our children. Just look at the average park or neighborhood school yard and you will see it.

Organized youth baseball, softball, soccer and football abound. Basketball and hockey are included, too, as is nearly every sport you can name. Kids go to camps for everything from sports to music and adults mentor, instruct and shepherd them every step of the way.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of kids who don’t have the opportunity who would love the chance to participate.

But whatever happened to kids organizing their own games?

I played baseball, basketball and football as a kid, and some of it was on organized teams and leagues.

An awful lot of it, however, was just kids getting together and deciding to play whatever game it was that day. We’d figure out where to go, choose our own teams and enforce the rules ourselves, sometimes adjusting them to accommodate too many or too few players.

We didn’t always have all the equipment we needed. Football was played with just a football, or at least a football-shaped object. No helmets. No pads. No special shoes.

Two pass completions might equal a first down, regardless of yardage gained.

Baseball sometimes used actual baseballs, but it frequently used taped-up round things that might once have been baseballs, and bats that were occasionally only big, smooth sticks of the appropriate length.

Mitts were shared, and bases might simply be paper bags held in place with a rock. “Shirts and skins” were our uniform designations.

It didn’t take a lot of technology, no electricity, and we certainly didn’t need joysticks for anything. We also didn’t need leagues overseen by committees of adults who required monetary deposits for entry, insisted on parental insurance waivers and treated everything like it was the World Series, World Cup or Super Bowl.

We would play the games, on actual ball fields if they were available, in an open field or someone’s yard, if not.

We would monitor ourselves, keep our own score and settle our own arguments, all without an adult standing over us.

We never heard of frivolous lawsuits, field reservations or player statistics. Still, we learned how to interact with each other and express ourselves. Most of all, we had fun.

Are we that afraid today of letting kids out of our sight?

What a sad state of affairs. I can’t help wondering if today’s kids, with all the new technology available, adult organization and special things at their disposal aren’t somehow worse off than we were.

Doesn’t anyone want to have a catch?