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Month: September 2011

Life Lessons

I am learning a lot of life lessons. That is good news. It is troubling how long it has taken for me to begin to get it. Recently, I have begun to gain some much needed wisdom; namely, the ability hear and discern between statements and questions. Now this is not about knowing proper punctuation and sentence structure. It is about the ability to instantly discern and respond properly in the course of everyday conversations. Let me illustrate.

I’m getting ready to leave the house to run an errand or such. Ann says, “Are you wearing that shirt”? For most of my married life, what I heard was a question? No problem, my response, “Yes”. With my newly gained wisdom, I now understand that what I heard as a questions was in fact a statement. Accordingly, I go and change my shirt. I highly recommend that all husbands, especially those who are in the early years of their marriages, strive to cultivate this very valuable wisdom. It is not easy but the benefits are worth it.

Catching Up a Bit

Before I catch up on what’s been happening with me, I am watching the 9/11 remembrances on TV. Even 10 years later, it is hard to comprehend. The idea that a few fanatic terrorists can reek that kind destruction is frightening.

Beyond the loss of lives and the destruction of property, the events of that day have shaped our world in ways that I could not imagine. I thought about this as we traveled by air last week. The personal inconveniences are inconsequential compared to the residual costs, not only fiscally, but culturally and spiritually. It remains to be seen whether this nation will be able to rise to our former heights.

Ann and I have been pretty busy lately. We started a new project. We are building an additional bathroom located in what we will be calling our “mud room” (we think that sounds more sophisticated than laundry room). Of course, like all these kinds of projects, it will trigger additional changes. I just hope that I have enough time left to get it all done.

Thursday grandson Tyler had back surgery. I am glad to report that all indications are that it was successful and Tyler is recovering quickly. We expect him to be back in shape to wrestle before the first of the year.

Last week we traveled to New Mexico to meet Ron and Jean Like, our good friends from Kansas. We spend three night in Chimayo located between Santa Fe and Taos. I had only driven through New Mexico previously. I was impressed by the countryside and the people of New Mexico. I would enjoy visiting there again. I think I have a better understanding of why they call it the land of enchantment.