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FollowCraig: Birthday’s

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It’s been a while but I’m still writing….

Don’t you just love Birthdays? When I was a kid birthdays were always so much fun. So many people, family and friends would celebrate “ME”! WOW, that was GREAT. My Special Day. Oh my, the ice cream, the games, the presents..all because I was born.

Of course all these memories come to me as I am about to to celebrate another birthday. In just a couple of days I will reach a milestone of 65 years old. Truly never could imagine back when I was that kid with all those presents and ice cream that I would ever be this old! Funny though I don’t feel old at all, not at all!

If you have been reading my blog posts over the last few years it may have occurred to you that my life is and has been very blessed. Oh yes the troubles have come, the pain, the hurt, the loss and so much more. However with all that my blessings have been so many. I have two wonderful children who have become such terrific healthy adults with families of their own, my home life is so stable and wonderful, my home is peaceful and beautiful as well as having a beautiful boat and so much more. My health is good and my friends are many. Yes my life has been good so far.

So now it’s my birthday and the looming age of 65..awesome. Someone asked me the other day if I am retired and it was so exciting to answer “NO, I’m re-wired” Now you may wonder what that means to be “re-wired”?

For so long I have been telling my story, you know that story we tell of how things were or what we used to do or used to be? That great story of all we have done or not done, the troubles and the joys. This list goes on and on. Remembering our past and all our experiences is truly wonderful and as we grow older and wiser these memories become even more dear to our life story. Now that I am about to be 65 it is so important to me to never forget my past. This however brings me to “re-wired”.

It came to me not long ago that the a definition of getting old is: “ When you are talking more about what you’ve done than what your going to do, you”re getting old”

Re-wired! New thinking…

As I pointed out earlier, Birthdays are wonderful and for me it was mostly the gifts and I did love the gifts! So this his year I have decided to give myself a gift. It is the greatest personal gift I have ever given to just me. You may be surprised as this gift actually does not cost any money, it’s not some new toy or some fancy dinner out. No-one else is gifting it to me as it is only a gift to myself. Now you may wonder what could it be? As I used to say “perhaps it’s a silver new nothing with a hole in it?” No, its not even that.

So this is my gift!

I have decided to get a “divorce from my story and I’m getting on with my truth!”

This is my gift..now a little ice cream!
You’re still reading and I’m still writing…

So please keep following..

Craig

FollowCraig: The Past “R.I.P.”

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How do we get past our past? I don’t know about you, but do I have history. Often I’m asked about or even still confront my past. For some people that may not matter much, then there are those of us who still think it does. When someone says to me, Craig just go do it and make that change today or you’re not the same person you used to be. I just freeze. I know that’s not true, I am the same person. I haven’t died yet, I have the same family, the same life and all that goes with it. I have done and experienced many things, some proudly and some not so proudly. So I conclude and hereby stand firm, I’m still the same person. I was filling out a job application not long ago and was asked to list my last 10 years of employment. Now for or a lot of people that’s easy but for me, not so much. I have had jobs, tried various business ventures, I’ve had health issues, I stopped drinking, I’ve been married twice in that time and the list is endless as well as forgettable. Asking for ten years of history for me is equivalent to writing a book. However, with all that being said, there is one wonderful truth I have learned. In these years are all the many experiences, faults, failures, successes and more that makes me and every one of us. So perhaps each day when we get up we are a different person? Different because of our past. Each day we wake up and face a new day “Reborn” as you will to start anew. And with the gifts of knowledge from our pasts we may be just a little wiser and yes a different person.

I’m still writing. you’re still reading, so please keep following…..

Craig

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FollowCraig: Internet, Prescriptions, Ammo

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This horrible shooting in Aurora, CO last week has sparked a fury over gun laws in this country and it should. Mayor Bloomberg of New York, City has called for our Presidential candidates to offer a plan to address this very issue and I can not agree more. You see, if I wish to order a prescription medication, I need to have a prescription to get it. I can’t just get on-line and put in an order without this permission slip from my doctor. However if I want to order 1000 rounds of ammunition from a gun store or the internet, I don’t even need a gun permit! Are we a mess in this country or what? So far two sitting US Congressmen have spoken openly that “had someone else in the theater only been armed, this shooter could have been taken out” Is this nuts or what? Did the scope of the 2nd amendment really intend this, that we all should carry a side arm? I am appalled at these thoughts. We in America, the supposed most civilized nation in the world is willing to accept this! Americans kill with guns more people on our streets than most of the free western world combined! (click here) I do think we need to address these issues, we need to talk about them. We spend way to much effort talking about insignificant issues, perhaps because we fear the ones that scare us most?

I’m still writing, you’re still reading. so please keep following……

Craig

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FollowCraig: Be Yourself

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I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to just be myself. As a young man I was always told what I was to be when I grew up. You should be an architect, an accountant a lawyer and so many other things. I was taught to believe a certain faith and be of one political party. When my children were growing I didn’t ever tell them what to be, what religion or faith and nothing about politics. Let’s see who turned out best? I think the kids did. You see they found there careers, perhaps have found their own faith. So when I read the following written by; Ralph Ellison, “Battle Royal” I felt like me!

“All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.”

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Be Yourself (re-post)

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….and you’re still reading

I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to just be myself. As a young man I was always told what I was to be when I grew up. You should be an architect, an accountant a lawyer and so many other things. I was taught to believe a certain faith and be of one political party. When my children were growing I didn’t ever tell them what to be, what religion or faith and nothing about politics. Let’s see who turned out best? I think the kids did. You see they found there careers, perhaps have found their own faith. So when I read the following written by; Ralph Ellison, “Battle Royal” I felt like me!

“All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.”

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…….

Craig

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FollowCraig: “Sand in the Pants”

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Secure, comfortable in your own skin, knowing who you are and where your going. These are traits so many of us struggle and strive for all our lives. Then there are some who just seem to already have it, a comfort level in themselves that is nothing short of amazing. The first person I ever knew who possessed this natural gift and has always remained seared in my memory is my son. Not now the adult man of 30 years but a young man in his teens. One day an english teacher gave his mother and I a short story he wrote. Now I can’t remember the whole story however I recall with clarity a sentence he had written. “Just woke from a nap on the beach and have a little sand in my cuffs, I’ll just shake it out and keep walking forward”. My son was 16 years old and already possessed a gift that some search a lifetime for. Isn’t it incredible what we learn from our children?

I’m still writing, you’re still reading, so please keep following…..

Craig

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Never enough time? Read this..Craig

FollowCraig: “Bad butter; Good butter”

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My grandmother would have all her grandchildren and such sit at our own table away from the adults. Our dinner would be the same; however for our bread and toast we had to use margarine (Oleo) rather than butter. She called it bad butter. One of my aunts would share photos of friends and family with little cutouts of the people she no longer liked removed. Another grandmother would wait until everyone opened up their Christmas presents so all of us could watch her open and comment on hers. She would then tell us which item will be re-gifted to whom and why. And of course the children were to be seen but heard. I so wanted to be a grown up! They were in charge that’s for certain. As time has passed and I reflect on my own children and grandchildren, I now see so much of my character traits in them My son just the other night said “Dad, I’m so glad your writing a blog. I am finally understanding why I feel and do the things I do”. We learn our habits very young and we end up teaching our children the habits and flaws we carry. I suppose that’s true of most families. But it does make me wonder what if those photo memories were full, the Christmas gifts received and shared were of gratitude, the children could be heard and that we only had “Good Butter?”

I’m still writing, You’re still reading, so please keep following….

Craig

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FollowCraig: Who are you?

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I’ve been wondering lately, who am I? Some people never forget their roots and always seem to have a strong footing in the foundation of their youth. I wonder why some habits never go away and some character flaws remain? Where did they come from? When I was a kid, I seem to remember not really having the life some of my friends had. Oh my family was a good one and my life was by no means sad, it’s just that I never really found myself. I didn’t like sports much, but neither did my folks? We really didn’t go to church much until my mother re-married. Both my mom and dad worked, my mom was a secretary and dad was always trying to run a business. The last was a service station in Pasadena, Ca. We always seemed to have money issues, never really broke but always on the edge. Always robbing “Peter to Pay Paul”. My stepfather was a teacher and wished for me to be an architect, my father wanted me to become a lawyer or a CPA. Nobody really asked me what I wanted and I sure was not going to question the grown ups! I had to keep secrets so I wouldn’t get in trouble for what would be just normal stuff. I think my life has been driven by fear of being in trouble for so long, I just don’t know any other way of life. Even today I still live on the financial edge, much like my family did. These are the struggles that make us or at least me. At 60 years old I still have so many flaws when it comes to honesty and secrets. I struggle with fear all the time even when it appears I am at peace. However, for some reason I still have an undying optimism that all will be Great! So who am I? I think I’m human!

You’re still reading, I’m still writing, so please keep following……

Craig

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