“Life is divided into three terms- that which was, which is, and which will be.  Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future.”  William Wordsworth

I came upon this quote today and it has stuck with me all day.  “Let us learn from the past……”  Wow.  I gave\it deep thought and it hit me.  From the present I learned that the past was quite remarkable.

My trip down memory lane took me back to a time that was quite different than the present.  We didn’t have a colored TV.  Our telephone was on a party line.  You could go to the butcher shop and get cracklings for free.  Saw mills gave away their sawdust.  You got popcorn balls on Halloween   and you didn’t have to worry about finding razor blades in your candy.  We would fill a glass jar with lightning bugs and watch them light up the darkness of our rooms at night.  In high school Don Mraz and I were country when country wasn’t cool.  David Tripp, Glenn Land and I were always competing against each other in art contests.  David went on to become an extraordinary artist and teacher.  We didn’t have the internet.  Really.  We had to look things up in books.  McDonalds was a treat, not an every day deal.  We went camping on the weekends AND slept in a tent.  The list goes on.  Sorry if I bored you.

I look at the present and compare it to the past and I tell myself, modern day inventions have made a lot of things easier however, those same things that made life easier also made it more complicated.  They say not to dwell in the past.  I think there is an exception to that.  If it makes you happy then by all means indulge.  Go back there and feel like a youngster again.  Remember how great the simple life really was.  How you had to use your imagination to figure out the missing colors of the black and white TV.  Smell the aroma of an apple pie your grandma placed in the window to cool.

When I think of the future I become sad thinking about how much my grandsons and their generation are going to miss out on.  I doubt that they will ever get a chance to milk a cow.  Taste fresh churned butter.  Experience the slow paced laid back days like we enjoyed in the 60s.  Personally I think they are going to have a rough row to hoe.  I pray for them and this nation.

I hope I didn’t bore y’all to bad with my ramblings.  Your mission, should you decide to accept it is to go out and make young folks laugh by telling them about some of the silly things you did growing up.  Explain to them what it is like to live the simple life.  Tell them about how you recited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning.

Thanks for reading.  Go hug somebody that doesn’t want to be hugged.  Call your mom, dad or child and tell them you love them.  Spread the love and God Bless you one and all.

 

 

I live to fish.  I fish to calm my soul and rejuvenate my spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything worthwhile in life requires love, faith and imagination.  All three are mysterious and difficult to put into words. – Henry David Thoreau

The times that we are living in at the moment are turbulent and fast paced.  The news is filled with violence and murder.  Children are killing children.  Scam artists are ripping off the elderly.  Respect for human life has been left behind.  Humanity seems to be spiraling toward a deep abyss.  No one wants to take responsibility for their own actions.  Things are truly a mess.

Imagine, if you would, a world without hate, a place where everyone respected one another and valued a life.  A world where a man’s word meant something.  Now stretch your imagination to the max-drum roll please- an honest politician.  An unbiased media.  Congressional leaders who actually cared about  Americans.

We sure can’t have faith in our government.  They have given us no reason to have one iota of faith in their leadership.  It is going to take a miracle for me to restore the faith inside me that I once had for our congressional leaders.  The only place I can put my faith right now is God.

Love conquers all.

If there is one thing we need in our lives and nation at the moment, it is love.  Fill your hearts with love and it will destroy any hate within you.  Encourage one another to believe and to have faith.  Share the love.  Take responsibility for your actions and believe in each other.  Thanks for reading.  God Bless you one and all.

 

 

 

“The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet.” Mark Twain in Eruption

I don’t know about the rest of you but I am sooooooooo ready for the elections to be behind us.  I am tired of all the political ads that repeat themselves day in and day out.  The flood of lies and empty promises.  The say anything to get your vote rhetoric.  The division of friends and family members because of who each other support.  The contest of who can tell the biggest lie.

The candidates are giving the late night comedians a lot of “joke material”.  Facebook is covered with humorous political views.  One that comes to mind is a picture of Bill Clinton and a heading on it that says “I chose other women over Hillary and you should too.”  One late night host even rustled Trump’s hair and , drum roll…………it is real!

Ok before someone blows a gasket, I know the elections are important and that this President will have to make some Supreme Court appointments.  I know emotions are running high between Americans who support Clinton or Trump.  Personally I wouldn’t PP on either one of them if they were on fire.  One of them is going to win and it may not be the one you want.  However, life goes on.  Don’t let politics come between you, your family members and friends.  When these elections are over we are going to need friends and family close.

“I am quite sure that often, very often, in manners concerning religion and politics a man’s reasoning powers are not above the monkey’s.”   Mark Twain in Eruption