History...

[DDT (12)]

Well, history did not repeat itself this time, some might be interested in learning. I’d laid out my electric jacket liner and gloves even before I went for dinner the evening before, and I had every intention of wearing them the next day! It turned out to be a good decision, too, as they were indeed worn, and set on the highest setting... all the following day! Sometimes, even I can guess right on a no-brainer…  

I departed ‘home’ that morning… ummmm, a bit late by most standards, I suppose, but relatively early by mine… I was eager to get back at it and do what we do! What a gorgeous day… Bright and sunny, the only clouds were way over on the horizon, the wind was not exactly light but quite tolerable, and life was good…

Except for the frost on ALI’s cover that morning, it was dang-near perfect! Oh well, I’d much rather have temps in that range than what I’d been experiencing a few days before… provided I had the appropriate gear with me… and, provided I actually had it on…!

It wasn’t entirely procrastination that had prevented my departure a bit earlier. As I was studying conditions just outside my room before actually loading up, an older gentleman… he looked to be about my age… happened by, and a conversation began.

He was wearing a 'Nam Vet' cap, so that dated him, and it caused a bit of speculation on my part about what part of his path through life might have looked like… We shouldn’t pre-judge, of course, but some clues are just too hard to ignore…

One of the many things I absolutely love about my own ‘journey’ is the unexpected encounters I have with strangers, just like this one. The world looks so much different when our perspective is broadened by seeing how it appears from someone else’s point of view. It can also be reaffirming, too, when we see that maybe we aren’t so far off base on some things as we might have feared we were, too…

Born into a mid-western family, his upbringing had been very much like mine in most ways, but different in some others. Like me, he’d become a teenaged warrior, having enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from high school.

Unlike me, he’d seen tours of duty in Viet Nam (he’d made a career of military service). While I’d entered the Army about the same time he had, during my time, I’d been sent to Korea instead of ‘The Nam’, so as a very young man, I’d seen a different side to the ‘service of our country…’

Many of the lessons on the ‘price’ of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for each of us were formed based upon widely varying experiences and the degree of intensity of those. Still, we eventually have come to many of the same conclusions. Reaffirming in some ways, to be sure, but also reinforcing of the good fortune I’ve had throughout my own life, as well.

I was so ignorant and naïve in the days of my youth… And yet, I wasn’t so far off track as I might have been either. It’s as though I’d formed many of the correct notions, but those were more the product of chance, ‘instincts’, and good external influences. The role one’s 'values' plays in all of that factors in heavily, as well... For that I owe my upbringing.

While I’m not all that different today, I now feel that through experience, thinking, reassessment, and choice, I have far greater confidence in the appropriateness of my beliefs and attitudes than I could have ever had back then.

True, many of the things I was convinced of back in the day, I now know were not correct. While I believed strongly one way back then, I now just as strongly believe the opposite. Again, upbringing comes into play.

The environment I’d grown up in had prepared me very well for many of the challenges I’d later face in adulthood. The limits of exposure to some aspects of life in the broader, rapidly changing world outside that environment, however, had also laid some snares that would later trip me up!

Chatting with someone who has traveled the path of life during the same period of time, witnessed the same world history unfold, struggled with the same 'changes', tasted the sweet fruit of guessing right, and suffered similarly with the bitter fruit of being wrong… Well, there is much to be gained from such encounters…

It’s not enough to explain away ones’ errors in an effort to escape or to at least mitigate blame, ergo, personal responsibility. The pain we sometimes cause others because of our mistakes, no matter how innocent or well-intentioned, weighs heavily upon the conscience of people who care about ‘doing the right thing’.

Comparing notes, if you will, helps to put things into understandable and acceptable perspective, and it increases confidence in being on the right track… It was a good use of time to have engaged in that dialog that cold morning in Dexter, Missouri.

I loaded ALI, and she seemed relieved to finally have the chance to strut her stuff… While she is always quite patient with me, I know she would prefer to be out and about doing her thing rather than sitting around while I jaw with strangers… “Sorry baby, I’ll make it up to you… I promise...”

Perhaps I don’t give her enough credit…? Is it possible she does understand the importance to me of what I do in situations like this? I strongly suspect she is fully aware of the important contribution she makes to my ‘development’ and personal growth… Perhaps she isn’t impatient at all… Whichever is the case, it soon enough became a moot point! We were off!!!

DDT

[Oss]

Thank you for that, the perfect side to this breakfast at the beach.

I think for you its not so much is the glass half full or half empty but rather what is the next thing to consider (or not) putting in that glass as you meander thru your destiny

Always interesting to learn what is bouncing around in that noggin of yours, looking forward to the next stop

Oss

[Misfit]

Wisdom. It's not something we were born with. 

[northernvalk]

Thanks DDT, Seems as though you are the poet laureate for VRCC.  Always an enjoyable read

[John Schmidt]

Wisdom. It's not something we were born with. 

Try telling that to someone under the age of 20, a period when most have all the answers but have no clue as to what the questions are yet. 

Bruce, it is interesting to see the different paths others have taken, those folks that are in the same age bracket as I. A good friend down the street, a mediocre golfer such as myself, married for about the same number of years, and is one day younger. With the exception of the final position he held prior to retirement, our lives almost paralleled one another; i.e., time in the military, branch of service, etc., college degrees....not the majors but the total. Also the age when first married, number of kids....the list goes on. The big plus in his favor.....he's full Italian, I'm about half. It has even gone so far as to include open heart surgery, mine was about six months prior to his. A year ago I had a hip replaced, earlier this year he followed my footsteps after falling and breaking his. His mother's name; Vivian. Mine.....you guessed it; Vivian.

So, if it was cold in Dexter, MO, were you still headed north? You need to remember at this time of year it's: north=cold(er), south=warm. Enjoy the ride! 

[Bigwolf]

The world looks so much different when our perspective is broadened by seeing how it appears from someone else’s point of view. It can also be reaffirming, too, when we see that maybe we aren’t so far off base on some things as we might have feared we were, too…

Very true. 
Thanks Bruce for again sharing a glimpse into your journey and thoughts.

[The emperor has no clothes]

 :cooldude:When I look back at my youth I thank my lucky stars. My upbringing also put me in good stead. But sometimes I wonder if it was just “dumb luck” that let me get to where I am. Good read as usual. Thank you 

[DDT (12)]

Thank you for that, the perfect side to this breakfast at the beach.

I think for you its not so much is the glass half full or half empty but rather what is the next thing to consider (or not) putting in that glass as you meander thru your destiny

Always interesting to learn what is bouncing around in that noggin of yours, looking forward to the next stop

Oss

Not sure if it's destiny, fate, or just the vagaries of random happenstance... Whatever it is, though, I'm mighty happy about it! Yeah, about that glass thing... actually a pretty good metaphor for what I do. Thanks for that!!! I've already quoted you on it... I read your PM the other day, and I'm still trying to come up with a good response... You're a special dude, my friend, and you deserve a good reply... Soon, perhaps...

DDT

Wisdom. It's not something we were born with.  

Ain't it so! Gotta work pretty doggone hard to even approach some level of true understanding of life... Sure hope to get close one of these days. Your own insight and understanding of the complex dynamic we call life is rather impressive, and I do look forward to spending some more time sitting and chatting... comparing notes and such... with ya! Thanks for the thought provoking reply!

DDT

Thanks DDT, Seems as though you are the poet laureate for VRCC.  Always an enjoyable read

Thanks, NV! Mighty nice thing to say, but... well... what can I say. Nothing special about this tired ol' trekker, I'm just an ordinary guy who's had the opportunity to live a rather extraordinary life... The journey is far from over, I hope, so I'm figuring (but NOT planning!) on doing it for some time to come... Hope to see ya down the road someplace!

DDT

Wisdom. It's not something we were born with.  

Try telling that to someone under the age of 20, a period when most have all the answers but have no clue as to what the questions are yet.  

Bruce, it is interesting to see the different paths others have taken, those folks that are in the same age bracket as I. A good friend down the street, a mediocre golfer such as myself, married for about the same number of years, and is one day younger. With the exception of the final position he held prior to retirement, our lives almost paralleled one another; i.e., time in the military, branch of service, etc., college degrees....not the majors but the total. Also the age when first married, number of kids....the list goes on. The big plus in his favor.....he's full Italian, I'm about half. It has even gone so far as to include open heart surgery, mine was about six months prior to his. A year ago I had a hip replaced, earlier this year he followed my footsteps after falling and breaking his. His mother's name; Vivian. Mine.....you guessed it; Vivian.

So, if it was cold in Dexter, MO, were you still headed north? You need to remember at this time of year it's: north=cold(er), south=warm. Enjoy the ride!  

Yeah, John, the part I hate most about trying to explain stuff like that to a young'un is I always remember how I was just like them back in the day! 'Verifying' and validating our own thought processes and choices are most reassuring... and, learning that others are 'like us' is indeed comforting! Nope, Dexter was the 'top of the arc', so I headed east southeast from there, and now I'm heading more or less southwest. Not sure where I'll end up today, but I will be somewhere, and... rest assured, I will be living large and loving life!

DDT

The world looks so much different when our perspective is broadened by seeing how it appears from someone else’s point of view. It can also be reaffirming, too, when we see that maybe we aren’t so far off base on some things as we might have feared we were, too…

Very true.  
Thanks Bruce for again sharing a glimpse into your journey and thoughts.

Thanks, Jerry! You are one of those folks it's taken a long time to peel back some layers to get a better look at the 'core' person. It's been worth it, though, as you are not only a really nice guy, you've got some depth that I've enjoyed learning about! Let's do some more!!!

DDT

:cooldude:When I look back at my youth I thank my lucky stars. My upbringing also put me in good stead. But sometimes I wonder if it was just “dumb luck” that let me get to where I am. Good read as usual. Thank you  

Rob, you're definitely one of those folks it's been quite enlightening, on many levels, to get to know better... I appreciate ya, dude, and I'm mighty happy to count you among my friends! We're all fortunate indeed to have just made it this far in life relatively in tact! So many folks we know didn't!

What is most telling, I think, is how the 'truths' we internalize and the values and attitudes we adopt can vary widely, but the ability to form connections with others appears to be outside that. 'Goodness', it seems to this observer, is the one indispensable common ingredient, and that is something I read loud and clear in you... Thanks for your replies...

DDT