Happy Anniversary! Work Tomorrow!
The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of work.
So, the week off is coming to a close. Let's do the tally: five rounds of golf. I'm not ready for the tour - three-putted everything yesterday, but good fun with good friends, a few cold beers, and a tan that makes me look like Buddha, as one buddy put it. Didn't worry about anything other than where the ball was going off the tee. The weather was absolutely perfect as well. I couldn't have ordered more blue skies or sunny days - perhaps someone was watching out for me there.
Plenty of time with the boys, as well as my parents, siblings and the in-laws. We had a great birthday party, nearly every night of watching baseball, some good meals, and arguments about the state of the Sabres and Bills. We shot some hoops - no small feat at 45 years old - and cleaned up the yard. Sam and I planted the garden together, and he wondered why I just didn't buy the tomatoes instead of getting dirty.
And I remember my father telling me that a lot of life was just showing up and doing your job. He explained that if I was there and at least half-willing to work, I'd do all right. I believe he was driving me to a concrete pour when he explained it all.
"Just buying a tomato is easier," Sam said.
Easier, sure, but I tried to explain being proud of getting something done. Sam helped and I'm grateful for that, but the 'I want it right now' life that we lead is disconcerting.
That's why I'm so thrilled to be going back to work tomorrow. Thank God I have a job to go to, and live in a free country where I can choose what it is I want to do. I think of that a lot through Memorial Day. I saw a couple of soldiers at Fort Drum last week, and we got to talking about the weather.
"You think it's hot here," the one pimple-faced kid said. "Try summering in Iraq in full uniform."
We both laughed. "No thanks," I said. "But thanks for doing that for us."
The kid shook my hand and called me sir. I can't imagine that sort of job, but we're the home of the brave because of kids like that.
And then...to top it all off...today is my 13th wedding anniversary. We still have two years on the current contract, and last year, feeling so happy and confident, I asked for and was granted a five-year extension, so I'm signed into this until 20 years.
"Twenty and out," a buddy of mine used to say about his own marriage that dissolved. "It was like a murder sentence."
Well, not mine - Happy Anniversary to my beautiful wife - the 13 years breaks the record of my second longest relationship by 12 years and 364 days.
Have a great day - the sun is shining again!
So, the week off is coming to a close. Let's do the tally: five rounds of golf. I'm not ready for the tour - three-putted everything yesterday, but good fun with good friends, a few cold beers, and a tan that makes me look like Buddha, as one buddy put it. Didn't worry about anything other than where the ball was going off the tee. The weather was absolutely perfect as well. I couldn't have ordered more blue skies or sunny days - perhaps someone was watching out for me there.
Plenty of time with the boys, as well as my parents, siblings and the in-laws. We had a great birthday party, nearly every night of watching baseball, some good meals, and arguments about the state of the Sabres and Bills. We shot some hoops - no small feat at 45 years old - and cleaned up the yard. Sam and I planted the garden together, and he wondered why I just didn't buy the tomatoes instead of getting dirty.
And I remember my father telling me that a lot of life was just showing up and doing your job. He explained that if I was there and at least half-willing to work, I'd do all right. I believe he was driving me to a concrete pour when he explained it all.
"Just buying a tomato is easier," Sam said.
Easier, sure, but I tried to explain being proud of getting something done. Sam helped and I'm grateful for that, but the 'I want it right now' life that we lead is disconcerting.
That's why I'm so thrilled to be going back to work tomorrow. Thank God I have a job to go to, and live in a free country where I can choose what it is I want to do. I think of that a lot through Memorial Day. I saw a couple of soldiers at Fort Drum last week, and we got to talking about the weather.
"You think it's hot here," the one pimple-faced kid said. "Try summering in Iraq in full uniform."
We both laughed. "No thanks," I said. "But thanks for doing that for us."
The kid shook my hand and called me sir. I can't imagine that sort of job, but we're the home of the brave because of kids like that.
And then...to top it all off...today is my 13th wedding anniversary. We still have two years on the current contract, and last year, feeling so happy and confident, I asked for and was granted a five-year extension, so I'm signed into this until 20 years.
"Twenty and out," a buddy of mine used to say about his own marriage that dissolved. "It was like a murder sentence."
Well, not mine - Happy Anniversary to my beautiful wife - the 13 years breaks the record of my second longest relationship by 12 years and 364 days.
Have a great day - the sun is shining again!
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