I like to write about the old days, because it is what I am about. In all of my sixty-fours years on this beautiful land created by The Great Father, I have been a loner. By that I am telling you that I have always treasured my time alone, doing those things that I like to do, instead of being in a group doing the things that they want me to do. Of course, the time that I lived at home and the forty-four years of married and family life does not fall in this catagory. Now you are reading this over again, and you are saying that this old man is crazy and is talking out of both sides of his mouth. You are wondering how I can be a loner yet love his growing up years and his marriage and family at the same time. Well, you might be right on half of that , but let me explain to you what I really mean to say.
Growing up in a family of fourteen kids, I had the same chores to do as did most of the kids my age in thier family. I did my homework, I listened to the radio, and I watched television when we finally got a tv. And we kids were always playing some game like" Hide and Seek", "Captain May I", "Kick The Can", and baseball and all the other sports. And the topper on all that fun was listening to Mom as she told us stories, and she played the piano. And now you are thinking about when did he get some time alone. Well, there wasn't too much time to be by myself, but there was some. I used that time to draw on the walls of my bedroom. I was a pretty good artist in my young days and no one except Mom had seen these drawings. She never said anything about it, and one day she told me that I was a good drawer, and that it was our little secret, because if Dad ever saw it, he might be mad at me for marking up the walls. Well, I guess that Dad knew about it , and he kept the secret too. That was the way that our mother and father were to us kids. They had secrets with each of us and that was thier little bond with each child. And so you know why I say that I am a loner, because that puts me back in time to be with my Mom and Dad, if only in memory.
And my life with Ramona and our two daughters Deborah and Patricia, has been a blessing given to me by The Great Father, and the time that we spent together and are still spending together is all I need in this life. I don't belong to any organization or any group that would dominate my life following those rules set down by that group. I value my family time and I value my time alone. To be able to work in the garden, or to work in my woodworking , or just to sit down and watch the world go by , is very satisfying to me. To be able to stop the world in my mind for just a few minutes, tends to heal my pains and it gives me that little thought that it is just me left here on this earth, and that I don't have to answer to anyone except The Great Father himself.
Well now your thoughts have gone from this old man being crazy, to thoughts of where is he going with this article. And again you might be right to some extent. What I am trying to bring forth into your thoughts is that we as indivduals do not have much alone time. We don't get off to ourselves enough and spend time with nature, and with the Creator. I sure would like to have more time to do so, but we live in a world where time does not stand still and our families and our jobs take up just about all the time we have. So where does that leave me in my alone time? Let me tell you where. Driving to work each day all alone in the car, or taking a shower all alone in the bathroom, or that few minutes just before you fall asleep, can be your alone time. It is mine, and while you say that it isn't much, it can be an eternity. There is time in yours and my time to be alone, but each of us will find it in a different way.
I have found through all my times of sickness, lost of my parents, and of my daughter, that only I and no one else can heal the hurt. There are times when the help from those good friends is needed and accepted in order to help heal the pain. But there are times when you and I need to just get off by ourselves and have a good cry and get all that mixed-up feelings out of our bodies. And then we go on with our lives. The Great Father never promised an easy life, but He did pave the road for us to follow. Whether we walk the walk his way or our own depends on how we decide to live. I am not a perfect person, nor is anyone else, but we can be close. I do it my way which I feel will get me to the gates, and then we do it His way. But even though I like to be alone, I cherish the life that has been placed before me. I love my wife Ramona and my daughter Deborah, and I miss my daughter Patricia. I love all my family and my wife's family and I wouldn't want to be without them.
And so as you read and you think what is this guy talking about, it is this. Cherish what The Great Father has given you in the way of a family. Cherish each person you meet and cherish that little time by yourself. Make the most out of a little, and prepare yourself to meet The Creator in your way, and not that of others. You are the one that will be there, and you are the one to answer for your life. May each day of your lives be enriched with one minute of being alone. Thanks for inviting me in to visit with you this week.