1,000 MARBLES The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it: I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's "dance recital" he continued. "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles." "You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years. "Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays." "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear." "Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight." "Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time." "It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!" You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." " What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles... A friend sent this to me, so I to you, my friend. And so, as one smart bear once said..."If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." - Winnie the Pooh.

Dee

3 comments View Entry

Do you believe in re-incarnation?

I've always felt that i have lived before, in another life. A few things lead me to believe this. First, i have always, as long as i can remember, had a flash of myself, with 2 other women, i think we were all sisters. Anyway, i see us walking along somewhere, perhaps a busy street downtown, or something, and in New York. This is all i have of this, but as well, i would have these weird dreams when younger, of being in a huge body of black water, (obviously night-time) and calling out for help. Sometime about 10 years ago, i started searching information about the Titanic and it's fate. I had always been fascinated by it, for some strange reason. As soon as i discovered about it, the dreams stopped. Odd! And, i've always been afraid to swim, never learned. As well, i think that whatever your fear in this life, has something to do with a past life. In this life, strangely enough, i felt as though my mother and my aunt were connected to me in my past life somehow....maybe we were sisters? Well short of sounding off the wall, so to speak, this is just my opinion. But, i also feel that the folks you come in contact with and meet, were somehow connected to you in a past life. As well, i've always felt a certain "connection" to the "Victorian Era", as i am very old-fashioned and love the furniture and other things from that era..Why is ist we sometimes have a faint memory of a past life, or lives, just enough to make us wonder if we lived in another era and time?

What are some of your thoughts on re-incarnation?

Dee

Tags: General

3 comments View Entry

Do you beleive in re-incarnation?

I've always felt that i have lived before, in another life. A few things lead me to believe this. First, i have always, as long as i can remember, had a flash of myself, with 2 other women, i think we were all sisters. Anyway, i see us walking along somewhere, perhaps a busy street downtown, or something, and in New York. This is all i have of this, but as well, i would have these weird dreams when younger, of being in a huge body of black water, (obviously night-time) and calling out for help. Sometime about 10 years ago, i started searching information about the Titanic and it's fate. I had always been fascinated by it, for some strange reason. As soon as i discovered about it, the dreams stopped. Odd! And, i've always been afraid to swim, never learned. As well, i think that whatever your fear in this life, has something to do with a past life. In this life, strangely enough, i felt as though my mother and my aunt were connected to me in my past life somehow....maybe we were sisters? Well short of sounding off the wall, so to speak, this is just my opinion. But, i also feel that the folks you come in contact with and meet, were somehow connected to you in a past life. I've also always felt very connected to the "Victorian Era". Love old-fashiopned furniture, etc..When i go to antique shops, sometimes i feel as though i have seen and even used certain items from this era. Why is it that we sometimes have a flash of a past life, not enough, just enough to make us wonder if we did live a past life or maybe even more than one? What are some of your thoughts on re-incarnation?

Dee

Tags: General Discussion

5 comments View Entry

Growing Old….A Privilege

I have been sitting here pondering what to do this new day given to me…and such a sunny day! as i age, i am thankful for each new decade i get to experience. Used to dread the thought, as most of us do, of getting older, but after many health experiences past 5 years, im thankful to be able to age. As well, each new decade brings new experiences, some good, some bad, but still an experience. For example, at age 63, i find i am slowing down somewhat. Could be just from all my recent surgeries, but even so, slowing down. And, i fine i tire more easily. But, regardless, it is so great to just wake up and enjoy all the good things life brings us. Many folks die way too young, not getting the chance to grow old. Growing old is an experience we are lucky to have, if we get the chance. Now in my sixties, im finding new things to keep me busy. For example, i volunteer an oldies music list, 50′s n 60′s music, to the music director of a local radio station, for a show broadcast friday nights. It is fun, and gives me something i enjoy doing. As well, i volunteer helping out various charities from time to time. This is sometimes exhausting, but so rewarding. Yes, my sixties dont seem so bad afterall, even with those health problems bought on by aging. i am looking forward to my 70′s, and the new experiences they will bring. Life is so precious, i am thankful and grateful God has given me the chance to age,i have enjoyed going through the decades of my life so far, and if i get the chance , looking forward to the next decade. Hubby is now retired, we are enjoying just going off, sitting on a bench in the park, and relaxing. Enjoying all the sounds of nature, and having this time with each other. I do worry of getting dementia, or even having a stroke down the road, but still if we are lucky enough to have the chance to grow old, we are so fortunate. What is that saying..” Grow old with me, the best is yet to be “…..hope to be able to experience the next decade, and all that the “growing older change” offers, be it good or bad. So wonderful to wake up , especially on a sunny day! makes all those problems of aging seem minimal, and for some strange reason, a sunny day seems to erase all those problems of aging! Get out and enjoy life, and each new decade, for there are new experiences just awaiting to be found.

Tags: General Discussion

3 comments View Entry

Memories....

..... I remember when i was only a youngster, playing hopscotch, and baseball and tag with boys & girls alike... those were the days! We were a family of 7 altogether, mom, dad, 3 brothers and 1 sister. We didnt have much money, but there was lots of love to go around. I remember when dad would have tis man come once a week, usually Saturday mornings, and put a HUGE block of ice in our fridge. i never forgot this, as it seemed so big! And, sitting on the kitchen floor, would be 2 large bags, one with powdered skim milk, does anyone remember that? and as well, one large bag with rolled oats. In those days, they weren't flavoured either! So, for breakfast, we get rolled oats, topped with powdered, LUMPY skim milk! And, we had this very old stove in kitchen, when the toaster wouldnt work, we'd just stick a knife into the bread and toast it over an element. But,it actually tasted good! Every morning dad would line all five of us kids up for a large teaspoon of cod liver oil...yuck! but yu know, it sure kept us from being sick. (and this wasnt sweetly flavoured either) I remember quite a bit from those days, some good memories and some bad, but for some strange reason, i cannot remember the childhood fiends i played with...isnt that strange. One girl does stand out, but that is only because while playing one day, when i was 12,i broke my finger. I remember as well going on the bus every saturday with dad down to this radio shop, where he'd pick up a part or two for another project. He was into fixing up old radios & tv's, as when he was in the air force, he was a mechanic and maintained the air planes and so on...i think he flew once or twice, but had a bad ear, so he opted to just stay on ground and do this job. I remember my sister and i had to sleep togewther, and it seemed the only contact we had was pulling each others' hair! I swear she has a bald spot to this day hahaha....I also remember a time especially when i was only about 5 years old, was playing and cut my knee on some glass, but this stands out because i remember my father carrying me on his shoulders all the way to the hospital,then back home in the middle of the night. but anyway, there a so many more warm childhood memories that come to mind, but im running out of space here. It has been fun reminiscing a bit, makes me feel close again to mom & dad, rest their souls. These memories are ours to treasure. Oh....another memory is of my dad getting me in the kitchen every sunday night, to try to teach me how to cook. The thing here is, whatever i tried to make and the results were always terible, my brothers had to eat! hahahah...they still kid me about this time to this day, but it is a fun memory. And before dad passed away, he'd come up to my house, to have dinner with hubby , my son and myself, and he once said "You finally learned how to cook" well, i am no chef, but hubby has survived 36 years now on my cooking so...
Brenda

Tags: general

1 comments View Entry