Who are you? What are you all about?
Are you really that into music if you’ve never been “caught” jammin’ in your car?
When I was in my late twenties, I thought I was on the fast track to success. I had recently graduated from college and bought one of the businesses I had worked at to pay for my education- a repair garage. I had just purchased my first new vehicle, a 1983 Chevy 3/4-ton black pickup truck! One of my mechanics had talked me into buying an aftermarket stereo system for my “new ride” and he had just installed it for me. It was late on a beautiful Fall night and I was loving life! I had recently started dating the girl I would marry, Eileen, and I was driving home to shower and pick her up!
Life was good! A Creedence Clearwater Revival song had just come on. I was at a stop sign, I cranked the volume up and started singing, “Looking out my back door!” My air microphone in hand, I looked to my right and saw there was no traffic coming. “Doo doo doo, looking out my back door…” I was “scream/singing” (a word I made up for this occasion) I looked to my left- no oncoming traffic, but the car in the lane next to me was filled with high school aged kids all laughing and pointing at me.
I didn’t miss a beat. I smiled at them, tipped my pretend hat with my left hand, and continued to sing into the air mic in my right hand. “Look at all the happy creatures dancin’ on the lawn….”
Are you really a “biker” if you’ve never visited a seriously injured friend in the hospital, or had a near miss yourself?
Shortly after I graduated from high school my friend Danny was on his rebuilt HD Sportster, racing a Corvette, and didn’t slow down on a clover leaf (Highway approach ramp) he ended up in the hospital with a few broken bones and a serious head injury. When I came to visit him, he asked me to pick his bike up from the police impound lot and bring him some beer- so I knew he was alright!
Are you really religious if you’ve never had to defend your beliefs?
On my Facebook site related to this blog (aboomersthoughts.com) if I post something as simple as, “I am thankful to God for all of the blessings I have received.” I get at least a handful of angry responses from non-believers. I try to be polite with them while explaining that I am a believer and why. I pray for them and hope, somehow, I make a difference in their lives.
Are you really a writer/poet, if nobody has told you, you suck?
Early in life, I fancied myself as a potential writer and offered my talents to venues way above my skill level. I wrote an article summarizing a benefit marathon softball game my 8th grade class had put on to buy items for our small school. The venture was a success and the article I wrote about it was published in our local newspaper- with no editorial changes- I was floored that the copy editor hadn’t changed anything!
I was thrilled! My dad, who was a writer, was thrilled! The softball game had been played the Saturday following our last day of school so I didn’t get a lot of immediate feedback from my classmates. When the local pool opened a few days later I did get several unfavorable reviews- With that article I experienced a phrase that wasn’t being used yet but would soon be made famous by “The Wide World of Sports” – THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND AGONY OF DEFEAT!
NOTE: I was definitely not the best player, or even one of the best players out there but, my article just might not have made that clear and, when they saw me at the local pool, a few of the other players supplied me with “negative input.”
Have you really been in love, if you have never experienced a heartbreak?
I mentioned above how happy I was one night that I was going to meet the girl I would eventually marry. I met her about a year after my first heartbreak.
My first long term relationship ended in a devastating phone call. My girl and I had been speaking, seriously, of getting married. During our two years together, I decided to return to school so I would be better prepared to support a family. The school was 6 hours South of where we lived.
On one of my visits home she suggested we date other people. A short time later I learned that she was dating a person I had considered a friend. Awhile after that I got the “Dear John (or fill in appropriate name) phone call.
I was shattered. It took me months to recover- and still – I believed she would come back to me. Her “new guy” was bald and had a gut (much like I appear now). While I was young, lean and mean! I ended up watching her wedding procession drive past the repair shop I would eventually own. That was one sad and sunshiny Saturday morning!
Are you really a parent if you’ve never felt that deep heart ache that comes when your child is suffering, and you can’t “fix their pain?”
My wife and I raised 7 children. There were so many hurts they experienced, both real and exaggerated, that we could not fix. The first time occurs at the child’s birth and, I expect, the last will come as we say good-bye for the last time- but there are so many hurts and good times that come in the middle, aren’t there?
Thanks for reading this. I hope you enjoyed it, please post a comment and share.
Thanks,
Phil