Saturday, July 01, 2006

Red White and feeling blue no more...

Ohhh man...
I'm dragging but a good kind of dragging... This weekend was the first one where I didn't have to go out of town or work at the hospital in quite some time... To say that I needed this time off is a great, great understatement... The area here on the lake where I live had an area-wide garage-sale day today. I left early Saturday morning to go and do my radio show and when I came back home and went to park alongside my house... people who I didn't even know had already parked on my grass... I saw them come towards the car and very politely asked them to move their vehicle because I had to park my car and I lived there. They said "you should put a sign on your property that says 'no parking'... it took everythng I had to not laugh outloud and say "um, now explain to me why I would put up a no parking sign on my own property"???? But the locals near me got a kick out of it and we enjoyed the day's proceedings. People were very friendly and it was actually a terrific time... People were walking up and down the streets and we laughed lots and lots... After doing a little garage sale-ing, I went home and took a brief nap. My sister called and her and her sister-in-law and their kids were putzing around since both of their husbands were working. I invited them over since I'm only about 45 yards from the beach. Plus, we had the fireworks going off at about ten... so they all came over and were surprised at where I live... They didn't realize how close to the beach I was...
At night-fall, the kids were all giddy with anticipation... I watched them swim out in the lake and they just had a ball. They ate corn dogs, elephant ears, and other food that was unhealthy. I wish I could've fed them (and me) more... we drank fresh squeezed lemonade and it was so wonderful. When the fireworks started, we all sat on the beach and I watched my nephews and the expressions on their faces said it all... They were applauding throughout the fireworks display since it was literally right over their heads. They watched in awe... I am so jaded from being able to appreciate simple pleasures like that anymore... but watching them in their innocence, appreciate something so simple as a fireworks display, really touched me inside. So maybe I'm just jaded and these things don't always mean as much to me... but to watch them look at the night sky as if it held the key to their happiness, It caused my heart to warm and grow which is something it hasn't done in quite sometime. As we walked back to my house and said so long, the boys were grateful and I just said "hey, no problem... come on back". Inside I wanted to say 'thank you guys for restoring some of the warmth I used to have' and letting me feel like a kid again... even though my innocence waved bye-bye to me a long time ago, I still felt a flicker of it on Saturday night... I have to find a lot of gratitude in that...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Mik. I see He is working on your heart. Your post warmed my heart as well :)

Unknown said...

First of all mik I get a kick out of the words you use like putzing around. lol I dunno why I find that funny, I just do. hehe And what is an elephant ear?
I guess I am still a kid but I still feel all happy and content when watching fireworks. It thrills me to no end :) I do know what you mean though. Sometimes I watch kids playing at the valley and it looks so perfect and I'll think.........I wish I could be like that again.....you know, without this stupid chair to hold me back. But then I go home to the best parents, a clean house,creature comforts and they go home to drunks and druggies and in some cases no phone, no TV, no beds. I realize no one has everything for long.

Mik said...

Several things... first to Riccie: Yes, He is still working on me... I am a work in progress... slow, but steady... thank you ma'am... and to JXN: First, I am just midwestern guy so I guess anything that I say will seem a bit odd. But that's what makes me who I am... warts and all... lol... and 2nd, an elephant ear is something you usually find at either carnivals or fairs... it's deep-fried dough about a 1/2 inch thick and is in the shape of a pinwheel more so than an actual elephant's ear. but it is usually hanging over the plate its served on... and coated lightly with cinnamon and a splash of powdered sugar to make it oh so unhealthy but then again, I'm a midwesterner, so what do I know? It's just dang good eatin' that's all I know! and people lineup forever to buy them! They are soooooooooo good! I may have to find a festival around toledo to go to this weekend just so I can eat another one... yum! Now as for everything else, I can only say this: I too, wish you weren't in the chair and that you were perfectly healthy. But to be honest, I truly believe there is a greater purpose for you to be in that chair. I also believe that maybe you wouldn't be the wonderful person that you've become if you were otherwise... not that you wouldn't be a great person if you were walking, but when I read the things you do at JV and with Virgie and your family, and how much joy you bring into their lives, as much as we all would love to see you walking and without FA, You have made a greater impact on the lives of those in your real life and even a few of us out here in the blogosphere... I guess it's all a matter of perspective... The chair may pose some limitations, but it also has allowed you to be a powerful blessing to others... I hope you realize that!