Ruminations

It's graduation season again and we have been getting a few announcements from children of friends and relatives. I wish them well. As I am about to celebrate another birthday in a few days, I am also very much aware of how fast time passes by. With that in mind, I would like to share some words from Baz Lurhman, who created this song a few years ago. The wisdom of what he says, rings truer to me now than it would have forty five years ago.

"Wear Sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proven by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience... I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked... You're not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind... the race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, please tell me how.

Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe, you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents; you never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you hold on to. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geopgraphy and in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time it's 40 it will look 85.

Be carefull whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen..."

Mother's Day, 2008

On Mother's Day, last Sunday, Adam and I were preparing our evening meal while we were waiting for J.R., Casey and the girls to arrive. The door opened and in walked Sam, Lindsay, Reed and Max from North Carolina. We were blown away! It turns out that they have been planning the surprise visit for some time, knowing that they were coming to California to meet Lindsay's family to go on a family vacation to Maui. We had a wonderful, but short visit, before they had to leave for the evening. It was the first opportunity to have the "Dickson Boys" all in the same photo, so I am including a few flicks taken that evening.

I can't wait for the OBX trip. It will be so nice, and so noisy, to have all of us together. I have visions of the photographer we hired, pulling her hair out trying to get all of our clan to look at the camera at the same time. Can't wait to see all of you.

My Bucket List

I think that Nancy has determined that my "bucket list" includes seeing every Bass Pro Shop and Cabelas outlet in the Continental United States. Now that I mention it, she is probably right. We took a trip to Phoenix this weekend and in between seeing a Diamondbacks game, golfing, a lunch with Marti and Doug and their family, and a dinner with Reed, Marge, and Doug, Marti and Barbara, I managed to convince Nancy to accompany me to the new Bass Pro Shop in Mesa. We did some shopping for my upcoming Birthday and wandered the store adding to my wish list. There is also a new Cabelas in Phoenix, but alas, that will have to wait until next trip. Knowing that it is there, we will likely visit Phoenix again sooner than later.