I sea

We are young, then become teenagers, trying so hard to fit in and act cool and act "mature". We get to the late teens, college, trying to fit in and act mature. We get to our first jobs or graduate school or whatever...trying to fit in and act mature. Get into relationships and get married...need to act mature and be an adult. Working that job, no fun, stagnant, same thing day in and day out. Stare out the window (if lucky enough to be near one) to see the sun or the rain the trees or the leaves or just the green grass and you long for the days of your youth. Those non-sense activities you did as a kid...outside, in the sun, in the water, the pool, the hydrant, the sidewalk, the stoop, the yard, the steps, the corner store, The Ave. You yearn for those times. Not just because of the places, but because of the innocence and purity that was your childhood, your youth. Those times when you were not aware of such a big world you were in...it was your world that you were consumed in. A world of dreams and fantasy...a world of what was and what could be. It is good to flashback to those times. The pure joy of those times can get you by in times of stress. No one can take those memories away from you. I hope they are good. I hope they are colorful and I hope they have erased any of the darkness that may have invaded your childhood. I like to think of being near water. Somehow it is always cleansing and purifying the soul. Whether it be the ocean or a pool....that feeling that what is surrounding you pleases you and creates a sense of joy and calm in your life.

We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came. John F. Kennedy

dis tort

It seems like this happens often. We all have families and our well-being. We all are trying to survive in this world. No one knows what you as a person might be dealing with. No one knows about what your family is dealing with. No one knows what you struggle with every day. Yet I see it. A person moves on. From a relationship, a job, a team, a group, a situation. I myself have experienced it. Shit. We all have. We've all been dumped, let go, dropped, cut, rejected, dejected, and subjected. I just don't get how people can be angry that you leave something you gave your time to. Time is something you can never get back, but there are so many that look at you as a quitter or a deserter when you want to move on to something else, something better, something different. Really it comes down to, you gotta do what's best for you. Not what's best for your manager, your colleague, your team, or anyone else (except wife and kids). People should celebrate that of all the things a person can devote their time to, they chose to devote it to the situation you both were passionate about. It's pathetic when people become so hateful because someone wants to improve their lives, change their lives or seek out an opportunity to grow. It's even worse when they are angry when they know the person gave their all, but is truly not happy or content. Inside, you have to do what's best for you and your family. It's sad that some people really never realize this because they are so greedy, selfish, or have distorted ideals about this world. Celebrate a person moving closer to happiness. We're all striving to get to that perfect medium. Happy job, happy relationship, happy friends, happy relatives, happy life.

Hi to my readers in Israel and France. I hope you are smiling today. Amazing how far words can travel.

When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things -- not the great occasions -- that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness.- Bob Hope