I have found out the hard way that this Covid stuff is as bad as they say it is. For the last three days, I have been experiencing the worst sickness I have ever had, that includes being shot twice. My personal nurse is suffering this malady as well. And, to make the day pass faster, her 91-year-old mother has also been stricken.
I have to tell you that if they offer a Covid vaccine, you should do some very deep thinking whether you want to take it or not. I am not a fan of governmental sponsored giveaways. There is always an ulterior motive to their largess. You might look back at the Covid fiasco that we all suffered in the past and the folks that got rich while we were wearing our masks making identifying anyone difficult.
I crawled out of bed this morning because I have eaten very little the past couple of days. My bride, whom I love dearly, does not want me to lose any more weight (something about filling out my jeans). Laying in bed because you just don’t care about anything is not a way to get things done. You would think that I could use that time to accomplish some overdue letters or do some sort of paperwork, but I would argue that it takes too much energy to gat out of bed. I was happy that the bathroom was just a few steps away.
There is one good thing that happens when you have all this time on your hands. It isn’t something that you can hold in your hands, but it does pass the time. By the way, it isn’t writing your column for the week. Or mowing the lawn or washing your car or really anything other than to do as I did and will do more often. If you try to do something that is important, you find yourself out of breath very fast.
The first thing I thought of while thinking about my blessings is my rock in everything I do. Lorraine is all that is as far as my blessings. I have tried, in all that I do, to show my love to a woman that has saved my life more than once. I had tried being married once before I met her and didn’t do too well. In fact, I could have been called a cad and I had no good reason to debate the subject. I might have looked like I was happy, but the truth is it was one of the most difficult times of my life.
As I lay upon my bed in the darkened room, I started to think of how she has changed my life. She changed my life for the better, and when I start thinking about her, my malady seems to have dissipated. Not only has she been the catalyst for my life change, she does it in such a way that I don’t even notice. I just wake up and she is there.
Another blessing that came with her is her family. I learned how people are pretty much the same all over the globe. But the Swiss Family is a particularly proud and loving unit. I took lessons from her father Eric and mother Nelda. When I met Lorraine I brought along a reputation that raised the eyebrows of her parents. Yet they embraced me and my attitude on love. If I was good enough for Lorraine, I was good enough for them.
I am blessed to come from a family with all the mannerisms of life lived to the fullest. I had my mother who was as sweet as could be unless someone threatened her children. She would wipe away the bruises, and remind us that she was always going to be there for us. She was correct and her words and love are always with me.
I must write of my father, who raised four boys and allowed them the room to grow by our mistakes. I am blessed to be his son. To always revere the mother of anyone and to treat members of the fairer sex as you would treat your mother.
They are not the only people that touched me in such a way that after all these years I can still see them in my mind’s eyes. Their voices are strong when I need to hear them and help to guide my actions. I am blessed to have had teachers like Mr. Maker, from the Bonita School, who gave me tough assignments because he knew I could reach deep to make him happy. He taught me that even a small harmonica can be used to make beautiful music. His blessings are engrained within me and I draw upon them when a problem arises that is difficult to answer.
Lt. Col. Skip Sadler, who taught me that you can never know the outcome of a difficult assignment until you deal with it head on, and to command men you must set the bar high and help them reach beyond their own limitations. Lt. Stewart, who allowed me to find what I could do rather than what I couldn’t. He showed me that sometimes you have to let someone fail so they can climb up again. Lastly, Joe Locatelli, who showed me that the first answer is not necessary the final result. You keep pounding the door until it is opened.
These people are just a few that I have spoken about over the years. But today I wanted to recognize them again.
This week is a unique opportunity to celebrate the USA on Thursday, July 4. Please remember to be considerate of your neighbors. “Safe and Sane” fireworks are only permitted. I’m blessed to be here and to eat too much and drink slowly and watch the parade go by. This year, Steve Fellows is the grand marshal. Steve and his family are part of the bedrock of our little town. Make sure you wave to him as he rides by.
God Bless.
