Owning It

They went to a baseball game together on that warm, damp night.  It was to be yet another in a long string of "date nights" where the lovely couple could enjoy festivities as they did before they married.  The humidity hung in the air with the same heaviness as the anticipation they felt for the evening and as they found their seats, they took in the lights, the atmosphere, and the energy of the field.  

The couple was very attractive and it wasn't unusual for either of them to receive longing or flirtatious glances from the opposite sex.  They had made it a bit of a game; a game that would determine which of the two would be the designated driver for the next outing.  Unfortunately, the humidity coupled with the fact that neither of them had eaten earlier in the day made each adult beverage they consumed more intense and before long, the concept of a designated driver went by the way side.  

He drove them home and didn't react quickly enough to the deer leaping onto the highway in front of the vehicle and his reaction sent the vehicle into a ravine.  They survived the ordeal, however, neither would ever walk again and their hopes of children and a "normal" family life disappeared before their very eyes.  The guilt and anger over his mistake drove him to commit suicide a few months later and his loving wife was left all alone.

This story illustrates how one person's bad decision can become a decision with consequences that ripple throughout time and space as we know it.  The wife will be forever transformed physically as well as emotionally; forced to face her condition alone and without the love of her life.  He didn't "own" his mistake for one reason or another and the aggregate result was tragedy heaped upon tragedy.  No one made it out unscathed and as a matter of fact, it was infinitely worse than he imagined it could be.

Every day of our lives we make decisions that, while they may not be life or death, cause ripples in the cosmos and certainly impact those around us.  Speaking for myself, I've made so many mistakes that I've actually written a book about my mistakes and how not to commit them.  I own them all; they are all mine and no one else is responsible.  I've been at the bottom of the barrel and I've been at the top of the heap and none of it equals the joy of just "being" in the here and the now.

I'm not one to hide behind anything, nor have I ever been; I don't hide behind a religious facade though I am a Christian (a lousy one at that, see Romans 3), I didn't join the military service because it was something that would help me in a run for office but it was a childhood dream fulfilled, and I don't hide behind the facade of righteousness as so many involved in politics do with impunity today.  I can't.  I'm far too flawed.  Too many of us wear masks to hide who we are and present a visage of who we are not, but who we wish we could be or whom we desire TO be.

I'm an imperfect human being and I own that 100%.  

You will fail your spouse, you will fail your partner, you will fail your children, and you will even fail your pets, but failing is only the beginning of the human experience.  Once we fail, we can start over and change how we do things so as to have a positive outcome that benefits everyone.  If you're one of the cats running for office right now and you're doing it to stroke your  ego or to cover up your mistakes, you're lying to yourself and to everyone who even considers casting a vote for you.  Hit yourself in the head with a sledgehammer because you're of no use to the rest of us. 

Life is easier when we own who we are and what we've done in our past and what we're doing right now.  I know a few people who are scampering about right now waiting until filing day to see what kind of opposition they will face and they do so at their own peril.  We have to live in the here and now and own where we are and what we may or may not face in the future.  It's all dust in the wind anyway, isn't it?

Of course, this has been just my opinion and I could be wrong but I seriously doubt it.


Gorilla

Blues Jam: Rainy Success

The 2nd Annual Blues Jam and Wail held out at Paradise Farm started off early Sunday with what seemed like never-ending rain.  For an outdoor music jam, that presents serious problems.  Namely, guitars and equipment subject to its archenemy...water.  Undeterred, John Greening, Steve Jones, Pat & Frank Paradise, Shawnnessy and myself had heard from a bunch of people who were still planning to come so, the show must go on, right?

About two hours before the jam, we received a call from Seven of Swords from Stillwater, letting us know that they were not going to risk their equipment in the rain.  Totally understandable, but they were going to bring the flatbed trailer and the cover for the trailer to ensure the gear didn't get wet.  So, what were we to do?  Adapt.  Improvise.

As you know if you've been following this blog, I have had more than a few problems with my Chevy pickup truck and have had numerous diagnostics done wherein the answer from the mechanics to the problems have been, "Gee, I can't figure it out."  My truck decided to remind me as we were out getting tarps for covering that there is, in fact, a God and I am not Him.  After swapping out vehicles, we arrive at Paradise Farm and get the tarp put up along with the gazebo - not an easy task.

By the time we get that completed, it's about 30 minutes until guests are to arrive and it hit me:  No one has fired up the grill yet.  We had a bunch of hot dogs to cook, some sausage to get simmering and food to prepare.  Fortunately, we had some volunteers who were ready, willing and able to get the job started. 

People started arriving just as we were putting in place the music equipment and the music began.

Keep in mind, the rag-tag group of misfits have only really practiced together twice so our song set is pretty limited.  Even so, we still had a great time and at the end of the day, we raised money for the Mid-America Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, ate some great food and played some music.  And yes, there is video of the whole disaster to follow real soon.

Again, thanks to everyone who came out.  We got to see some old friends and meet new ones. 

We will be having another one closer to the end of summer and maybe, just maybe, we won't have the rain to contend with and our group will have practiced.