Playing tourist
There is always plenty to do when you live where so many others would like to, but yesterday I made a rare opportunity to break away from the overlapping obligations that I should have been giving some attention to and my ever growing to do list, to dodge rain showers and take a walk on the beach.
A simple stroll on the strand is exceedingly rare for me. After all, if I’m at the beach, no matter the company that I’m keeping, I would prefer to have a kite in my hands (and half a dozen more in the air). However, as I don’t have any new kites to test, my window of time was limited, there was little wind, and I just wanted to enjoy the scenery for a change, my youngest and I jumped on a break in the grey skies to walk along the ebb tide.
Our jaunt was quite refreshing and helped to maintain the mood that I was pleased to have found myself in.
A time for all things
That mood was very nearly broken by the news.
With the state of the world today, likely reinforced by the fact that I am maturing and therefore care a little more. I have taken to listening to news podcasts to try to stay abreast of current events, while staying free to move about and get some things removed from the previously mentioned to do list.
Yesterday’s headlines were important enough that one of the weekday only shows that I subscribe to posted an episode on death of the 41st president of these united states.
For some background, I’m a Scout leader (and relatively patriotic, although I never thought myself suited to serve in the military or domestic services) and grew up while Mr. Bush was Vice President and graduated High School while he was President, and have until recently thought myself to lean to the right (politically).
While he was in office, I never really paid much attention to him, and never gave him more than a thought afterward (except to wonder how much influence he exerted on his son when he also became president).
Part of the coverage presented a side of the man that I’m sad to say I missed out on. The presenters read the text of the note left at his desk, to the president that not only followed him to the office, but beat him in the election to the position.
I won’t ever be certain if my reaction was due to sentimentality brought on by my advancing years, fatigue from my work load and current health condition, the sad fact that the grace, supportiveness, and command of the English language appear to be absent in and be seen as weaknesses by our current political chief and his cohort, or by some combination of these factors and others that I haven’t recognized.
Never the less, for the first time in my life, I like the generations before me, found myself crying over the death of a President. In the middle of doing some (much needed) yard work, I found myself doubled over. Not from exertion, but quietly sobbing and letting a tear or two slip from my eye, to mourn a man that I had failed to appreciate while I had the chance.
I ‘m having enough trouble processing my feelings here and hours later, I did not have an interest in sharing my feelings with my youngest son (who was out “helping” me) so I turned away to pull myself together, and vowed to myself to pay homage to the life of kindly service that was described to me, by continuing to put my house in order, to pursue my goals and dreams, to support my community in the ways that I see fit, and to share these thoughts in this diatribe.
Back to work, or other work
So after taking some time away from the grindstone to process a feel or two, and to enjoy a bit of the grandeur in the neighborhood, it is time to get back to make sure that I can make time to do those things again. The day job needs me and the side hustle wants some hours as well.
It’s such a blessing to have so much to do.