My good friend Mike says my best columns are when I espouse views on a myriad of issues and NOT when I talk about myself.
Well, I must disagree at times, compadre’. When I delve into my mishigas (craziness; foolishness; nonsense), I learn something about myself and honestly believe others learn about themselves, or the people they know.
I DO wear my heart on my sleeve, exposing my true emotions, making myself vulnerable, and letting it all hang out. We all know someone like us or me, so let’s talk about no one’s favorite subject, death.
I bristle when people post on FB about the loss of a well-known celebrity, pulling out all the angst and pain they can muster. We are saddened because a part of our youth, a memory is gone, and while we may have been influenced, I think we should save the real sadness for those in our lives; friends, family, and yes, even pets.
Everyone knows my story so I shan’t (good word, huh?!) repeat it. I use that story for good, to help others, and probably in a big way, to help myself. I noticed I have 3800 followers on a FB page that share that story so yeah, it’s also about them..and you.
The year is winding to a close and there are some we have lost to cancer, accidents, natural aging, and a ‘variety’ (sorry, I used ‘myriad already) of illnesses. I attended a charity event for Parents of Murdered Children and boy, it was eye-opening. I talk about a ‘garden variety death’; an auto accident; quick, final in SOME of its impact. I never had to see a loved one die by violence, illness, or suicide, all devastating. There’s a saying: “If we all tossed our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.”
Yet one thing pisses us all off: the world keeps spinning, without that parent, sibling, spouse, friend, or child. How can people continue? Well, it depends on their relationship and what that person meant to them but yeah, life goes on. In the movie Tombstone, the following exchange occurred between Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp.
Now, I must mention Mike again because he’s a wise man, but I wouldn’t let him know that. He never reads my columns…more than four times. He’s practical, sensitive, and straightforward and has never bought me a Starbucks. (Venti iced coffee, sugar-free, fat-free milk in case you’re reading this.) This column is for everyone to relate to, not for me to tell my tale. Even I sometimes get tired of hearing it!
But the character, Evey Hammond in the movie “V” utters the words:” "He was Edmond Dantes. And he was my father, and my mother, my brother, my friend. He was you and me. He was all of us."
Well, Edmund Dantes has nothing to do with this but it applies to everyone in our lives who have come and gone. They were our father, our mother, our brother, our sister, our friend, our grandmother, our grandfather, our son, our daughter. They were you and me. They were all of us.”
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Always remembering, never forgetting is a good way to start the New Year. As the saying kinda goes: “Let there be peace and love on earth and let it begin with…US!
No Stan!!! I Notice that he is quiet when you and I get into it!! Not to worry!
Friend
Nice insight, Barry, and I love a good “V For Vendetta” reference! And if I may offer a suggestion, writer to writer: when you’ve already used ‘myriad,’ consider ‘plethora.’ And that is a “3 Amigos” reference!