I read this in an obituary recently:
In lieu of flowers or cards,
Jim would want you to write a card or letter to someone that is special to you.
Dear Travel Penguin Blog Readers,
I never met Jim, kinda wish I had. He lived near where I was born and raised, I often check obits there, people around my age are often people I crossed paths with when I was growing up. Those 20-30 years older are often the parents of people I grew up with. Sadly sometimes the younger ones are the children of my classmates.
You are special to me. I know a handful of you. I wake up everyday looking forward to interacting in the comments. The statistics tell me there are many more that read, than I have never seen a comment from. I write for everyone of you. My sincere hope is that a photo I have posted, or a phrase I have crafted, makes your day a little better.
I hope through these photos and words I am able to express that life will be okay. It has ups and downs, we persevere and focus on the good. The today is all we have, the future is not guaranteed, the past we can't change. Find joy today. A pleasant smell, a silly giggle, an image that makes your mind wander, an oddity that distracts you.
Most people are good. Yes, there are evil people in the world. There are also a lot of people who are frightened, or hurt, or abused, that respond in the only way they know. If before we die we can each help just one person have a better life, we will have a life well lived. Remember the old Chinese proverb, it is better to light a single candle, than to curse the darkness.
I have had a good week. Nothing swopped out of the sky and tried to eat me. 30 years ago I was sitting in my office in Florida watching a flock of seagulls in the vacant lot across the street. Out of nowhere an Eagle swooped down, the birds scattered, except for a couple that were not as agile, one of them was the Eagle's lunch. As long as I am not lunch, I have had a good week.
And I know someday I will be the Eagle's lunch. Someday I will follow Jim into the crematorium. I hope when I do, I have lived each day in search of joy, helped others to have a better life, brought a little ray of sunshine into an otherwise dreary day. I hope that I have few regrets about what I have done, and even fewer about opportunities I have passed on. I saw a T-shirt recently that said, "If I die broke, rest assured I had a million dollars worth of fun." I hope Jim had his million dollars worth of fun.
Thanks Jim, I needed that, I hope my readers enjoyed,
Love,
DG
https://thecountypress.mihomepaper.com/articles/james-j-obryan/
What a wonderful idea -- and a very touching letter.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I liked this one
DeleteThey are nice words and you certainly make my world a little better every day. Btw, if you fancy a little navel gazing...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek7YY1QT_6o Is that the train you catch? Your station is stunning.
ReplyDeleteAndrew, I usually board one station farther south. I have ridden Acella a couple of times and found it to not be worth the price difference. I have used Union Station a lot over the years. There is a subway station there, the closest to the Capital. At Baltimore, he passed a MARC train, that is the Maryland Commuter rail service, it is a nice way to travel between DC and Baltimore - the schedule is limited. It is inexpensive, like $8 vs about $35 on Amtrak
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ReplyDeleteAlways
DeleteWhen COVID shut down the world and then a few other things turned my world upside down, I began writing letters, sending post cards, silly notes to say "hi, thinking of you." Here comes the teacher in me...writing is powerful. It's physical (you're holding a writing tool and your hand is moving), you are pouring your thoughts onto some type of paper, you stop to process your thoughts, you smile at memories that you're sharing, you are spending that moment in time thinking of that person, and you are going to make that person smile when he or she finds a letter in the mailbox addressed to him or her among all the other stuff that arrives with it. I love this post. Thank you for sharing your joy. Your initials are perfect, DG...you DO GOOD.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I try to send more cards and letters
DeleteI like that idea, and your letter is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy you all
DeleteWhat beautiful words. A perfect way for me to start my day. I love this idea of writing letters instead of sending flowers.
ReplyDeleteCustoms are changing
DeleteYou always make my day a bit better, even when I don't understand some of the things you write. It's your passion that makes me happy. I personally want flowers while I'm still alive. Friends and family can have the rest.
ReplyDeleteWe keep fresh flowers in the house most of the time,
DeleteAwww, what a great letter, thank you! I hope we all have a million dollars worth of fun!
ReplyDeleteRemember we can't take it with us
DeleteThis was the best read of the day; thank you.
ReplyDeleteI liked this one
Deletehave any of my recent comments come through?
ReplyDeleteLet me look
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