FriendBurst Blog

Hello everyone. I know I don’t write much,and I am sorry,but I do greatly enjoy reading what all of you write.

 Anyway,as i sit here with my son and watch a seven minute segment at the end of the CBS news (please,no criticism of my channel choice,I only have the one) that is titled 2010 Triumphs and Tragedies looking back and really bringing  to mind everything on a global scale that has affected our lives as a people.Not just one person,and not the entire populace in any certain event,but the feelings and emotions that were brought out by so many of the horrible events of the past year.My nine year old son,being the sensitive, caring little guy that he is,had a mildly tough year,on a global scale,loving the oceans,the environment,and the presciousness of life in general,paid fierce attention everyday to the oil spill in the Gulf, wondered what the meaning of war was,and cried over the tragedies of the numerous earthquakes of the year,the floods and storms in our own nation, always, with every new event on our planet,asking me “why dad?”.

Myself only being able to give a generalized,normally scientific  explanation for what was happening (except for the oil spill,which was 100% human screw up), and knowing that he was satisfied with the how did it happen,but still hurt for the people involved directly.

 So as we sit and watch an entire years worth of human pain and suffering,catastrophic environmental tragedies,and the greatest things that happened in sports and Hollywood,in seven minutes,he cuddles up to me and I begin to remember,and think about how all of these things have affected him and the world that he sees as he grows up.

 He’ll be ten years old in a few weeks,and there’s no way that it feels like he has been in my life that long.Actually,he HAS been my life that long now.Just before he turned eight months old,was 9/11. He himself way too young to ever remember it,but the feelings in my heart on that day of what will this world be like when he is grown? What will,or may he have to do to live a “normal” life as I have had,or even just to survive in the world that will someday be his. I think about it everyday,mostly with all of the inhumanities of one person to another.

 Then I begin to think of our own lives,and granted,nothing in comparison to what has happened to many in this past year,but still very significant to our own existence.

I made a New Year’s resolution  ten years ago to quit smoking,finally did it on April 24 of 2010,lost almost forty pounds in 2009,gained it all back when I quit though.Not making a resolution to lose it again,but maybe it will happen.Lost my job that I’ve had for fourteen years in August over some ignorant BS,and have been doing ok since then on my own,but even that worries him everyday,asking me  nearly every morning where I’m going to work at that day. I hate the days that I have to tell him that I don’t have any where to work today,even though there are no worries along with it for myself,I really wish it didn’t bother him that I don’t have a regular job anymore.

The greatest thing that happened this year,I got to spend another 365 by his side,watching him grow and mature into a fine young man,and am so looking forward to the next 365.

Thanks for reading,and I wish all of you a safe,happy,healthy and peaceful 2011.