Learning from our Past
What have we learned and from who? Hopefully the old saying, " learn something new every day and from everyone you meet". Truly everyone has something to offer and we can learn from every moment if we open ourselves up to it.
Don't dwell in the past, but learn. " If you keep your eyes open long enough, the stuff you will learn, oh the most wonderful stuff you will learn", Dr Suess. There is something you have to share with others as well.
It is here in the moment we create our reality and ourselves a new with our current knowledge and information.
Today's writing is not about the Gorge, its bigger and beyond. I realized its been one year for my dad's angel anniversary. There are things in our past we need to live to learn peacefully with. It is all experience we take a little piece from that sets our tomorrow, but what happens and how we react today stays with us.
In honor and tribute to my dad's one year passing I learned what I carry with me for the future:
We really do not say good bye to people when they leave this Earth, I do believe they are always with us. Yes, in memories but more than that, if you learned from that person you will always have a part of them with you. The people in our lives shape who we are, so we essentially will always have them with us, not just in memory. We take with us a part of them and the person we have become, because of them. What have learned from a life time of the wonderful man I have called dad? Yes, he taught me not just how to ride a bike, but a motorcycle. I learned that you will crash and fall in life, but don’t ride with fear of falling, ride for the adventure and live life without fear. He taught me how to snow ski, I was little enough I rode the rope tow between his legs and no mountain was too big for me as long as you know how to stop and if you crash try to do it in a pile of soft fresh snow. Skiing is not about speed, but grace so do it with style and live your life the same. He taught me how to sail, and the ocean is bigger than me, I learned I rather climb a mountain and keep my feet on the ground. But, if I am going out in a boat, I prefer, to have the gentle wind in my hair and no sounds of motors, I prefer to sail. We shared great adventures of hiking, fishing, searching for gold, riding dune buggies and he taught me how to drive a car. I learned not to just drive but to appreciate a fine machine, the speed limit signs on sharp corners are for those who don’t know how to handle a vehicle because they test them over double the speed they post them at, know when to let up and when to put your foot into it. My first real vehicle was a truck, ½ ton Chevy with a 350 small block 4x4 and I learned how to handle it in mud, dirt roads, sand and snow. But, respect the road and the wheel you are behind and stay in control.
I learned that the things worth doing require hard work, not to be afraid of hard work. He said my first words were, “I can do it myself, let me try”. I realized they were words truly spoken by him with his last days and losing strength he said those same words to me when I tried to help him. Maybe I get a little independence from him too. Those who know him, will remember him with his famous reply when asked, “ how are you?” reply: “never better”. As he aged sometimes his reply would be,” today is the best day of my life, I can’t recall yesterday, tomorrow is not here yet, so today must be the best”. He taught me to always smile head on at today, don’t waste it. And with him passing, touched that many people wanted to call him daily and check in and tell him they love him. I learned even more, don’t wait for someone to be on their death bed to tell them you love them. Do it today, don’t waste that time. Those who keep calling, while it’s a nice gesture, death is personal. Its not about they want to keep saying good bye, it’s the time about the person as they are making their journey. So, say your peace, be kind and do it while someone is here today, feeling good, don’t wait until it’s the last minute.
And, parents are human and make mistakes. Forgive them, they are doing the best they can do at the time as they also learn a new task “being a parent”. We all make mistakes, forgive others. Life is not about the date you were born, the date you die, it is about the dash in between and what you make of it that represents your life and who you are. If you truly learned from someone, they shaped a part of who you are today, so they will always be with us. I know he will be remembered and missed by many RIP Dad.
“I’m glad we had the times together just to laugh and sing a song, seems like we just got started and then before you know it, the times we had together were gone.” – Dr. Seuss
Don't waste another day, congradulations, today is your day get up and go there are mountains waiting.
