Wednesday, July 17, 2013
The Summer of my Discontent, or...
Life is difficult. This is the first sentence of D. M Scott Peck's The Road Less Traveled.
I'm not really complaining, but there's so much going on right now that I can barely keep up. I'd love to keep talking about Chile, or the fate of the world, but things have changed. On Sunday July 7th., a friend died of a heart attack at the age of 42. I didn't know him that well, though we ran in the same social circles for over two decades, He was 3 months younger than myself, and he left behind a wife and 3 kids, the youngest of which is 6. This took my world view and smashed it. All my concerns and worries seems so small, so mean and petty. I wondered what my friends would feel if and when I left, knowing that my plans and dreams would seperate me, if not as permanently, nearly as psychologically. It never occurred to me I'd be missed.
I also identfied on another level. Both my friend and I were very large for extended periods of time, are above agerage in height (I'm 6' even and he was 6' 4"), and we both smoked cigars. Smoked is the operative word, as I quit when I heard the grim news. I also scheduled a stress test for my heart. It never occured to me that I need to be in near perfect health to do what I'm planning, and although I believe I've escaped major harm, I really need to confirm this. I'm not diabectic, and my blood pressure and cholesterol are OK, but I want to confirm my health.
Nevertheless, however I felt about the situation, I couldn't stop what I was doing. After the inital shock, and pain subsided, I was reminded of the direction of the nation, and I knew however it hard it was, I dare not quit (anything besides the cigars.)
I'm not really complaining, but there's so much going on right now that I can barely keep up. I'd love to keep talking about Chile, or the fate of the world, but things have changed. On Sunday July 7th., a friend died of a heart attack at the age of 42. I didn't know him that well, though we ran in the same social circles for over two decades, He was 3 months younger than myself, and he left behind a wife and 3 kids, the youngest of which is 6. This took my world view and smashed it. All my concerns and worries seems so small, so mean and petty. I wondered what my friends would feel if and when I left, knowing that my plans and dreams would seperate me, if not as permanently, nearly as psychologically. It never occurred to me I'd be missed.
I also identfied on another level. Both my friend and I were very large for extended periods of time, are above agerage in height (I'm 6' even and he was 6' 4"), and we both smoked cigars. Smoked is the operative word, as I quit when I heard the grim news. I also scheduled a stress test for my heart. It never occured to me that I need to be in near perfect health to do what I'm planning, and although I believe I've escaped major harm, I really need to confirm this. I'm not diabectic, and my blood pressure and cholesterol are OK, but I want to confirm my health.
Nevertheless, however I felt about the situation, I couldn't stop what I was doing. After the inital shock, and pain subsided, I was reminded of the direction of the nation, and I knew however it hard it was, I dare not quit (anything besides the cigars.)
