The younger Mr. Wilner and I wandered through the homestead sharing thoughts and ideas about a variety of things until we reached a momentary impasse about a particular topic.
We battled each other for a bit but not because I truly disagreed with him but because I wanted to make him work to articulate his point in a way that would convince others who don’t know him.
I know him well enough to understand things that might appear to be leaps of logic and thought but are not. I know how to follow the shortcuts and that he has thought such things out.
But others do not so I told him to remember who spent nights in recliners holding who. And then for good measure I added I have had multiple sleepless nights courtesy of him since those days of diapers.
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Later on I remembered the garage sale in the old house from a dozen years ago and how he asked me why I charged the homeless man a dollar to buy a pair of my shoes.
“He offered me a dollar for them. I hadn’t asked him for anything or placed a price upon them. He offered a dollar and I wasn’t going to take his dignity by refusing his dollar.”
The young man who is in his twenties today understands that ever so much better now. Not that he didn’t get it then, but now he understands having to work for a living.
Now he understands the value of paying his own way and how most people prefer a hand up than a hand out. Now he understand why we don’t take someones dignity if we can help them keep it.
I’ll Tell You In June
It has been about a week since I last posted here. I can’t tell you the last time I went that long between updates because I cannot remember.
If I go back to the days of Tim, Willie and Norb I am certain there hasn’t been a moment I have gone without writing for as long as I have now.
Sure I have written other places and put thoughts down upon a page, but it has been a lifetime since the blog(s) went unwritten.
Ask me why and I might I say I’ll tell you in June or perhaps inside of June depending on what form of communication I think to engage in.
Been thinking about how we talk to others and what we say. Been thinking about who we look for during the hard times and the good and have come to certain conclusions.
I am certain that some things I said might happen again are absolutely upon their way because there are aspects of karma or destiny that require fulfillment.
Such things do not include the final answer to bigger questions, but they absolutely mean that stories that we thought had concluded were not.
They were merely put on hold and the writers of such tales are required to pick up their quills and resume writing words upon a page.
Perhaps they are in the final chapters or perhaps merely the middle but there is no doubt they aren’t done.
It is all proof that life is one hell of a ride and that carousel pony you thought was bolted to the ride has broken free of its restraints and instead of heading in a circle is bobbing it is head up on and down the path.
Time is going to tell whether it is all Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride of if perhaps it will include a more sedate pace. That is part of the fun because you get to see who wanders along that Yellowbrick road to the Emerald city.
Maybe they’ll wander with you or maybe you’ll pass them along the way and wave as you go by. Maybe you’ll make a camp together in the midst of the poppy fields and promise to help keep watch while the other sleeps.
Can’t see or say for certain but you know for certain if the flying monkeys come to do battle you won’t be alone, you’ll have stalwart companions for that much of the road.
And regardless of how it comes together or doesn’t, the knowledge of support is probably the most important thing of all.
