Tag Archives: health

General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Wednesday Afternoon Ramblings – Thankful #24

2 Comments

I’m thankful for life.  Twice in mine I’ve nearly lost it, and no matter how dark things may get, I’m grateful to still draw breath.  When I was eight, I developed severe anemia from a tick bite and very nearly didn’t make it.  To this day, I have no memories of that summer, other than stories that have been told to me.  When I was sixteen, I suffered a terrible head injury that quite literally almost killed me, and for a couple of days, my future was very much uncertain.  I’m a slow learner, so it took a few years after that accident for me to realize just how lucky I am to be here.  I spent too many years of my life mourning for what I lost, instead of being grateful for the life I still had.  Today, I am wise enough to know that as long as we are on this earth, we have the greatest gift possible.

I’ve seen hard times.  I’ve been about as desolate as a man can be, living in places that would have been considered condemned by many.  I’ve spent many long, dark nights alone, weeping over my children and missing them more deeply than any words could describe.  I’ve watched my career stall and sputter and go nowhere despite my best efforts to make something positive happen.  I’ve been through difficulties, and no matter how badly things have gone or how dark my nights might have gotten, I’m glad to be here alive experiencing this life.  Living life, breathing it in, and feeling it course through my veins are enough to be thankful for.  Everything else, as they say, is just gravy.

I’m grateful for my life because it gives me the opportunity to continue giving my love to the people who deserve it: my sons, nieces, parents, sister, and friends.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow old near the sea and sun, sharing my love as best as I can.  I’m truly the luckiest man alive and have been blessed with more than any one person deserves.  I would endure the dark days and low points again a thousand times just to have the good once more.

When you are feeling down or overwhelmed or fed up, come back and read this post.  The peaks and valleys are inevitable.  Difficulties and sorrow will come to everyone’s life, and all of us have moments when it seems like too much to endure, but that’s the price of admission.  This journey we get to experience is priceless and amazing, and no matter how many people try to tear you down or make you feel as if your life isn’t important, you have to remember that you are a strong person who can overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal.  Those people are not worth your time and energy, so only share yourself with those who enrich you and give you strength.

Life is beautiful.  Life is precious.  Life will be what you make of it.  On this day, I am thankful for the life I have.

General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Friday Morning Rambling – Thankful #19

1 Comment

I’m thankful to be a Tennessean.  Yes, we have our issues, just as every place does, but overall, this is a pretty good place to live.  Our summers aren’t too brutal; winters aren’t too harsh; and fall and spring are beautiful.  The natural beauty of this place is still breathtaking.  The mountains, the rolling hills, the stone-littered fields, the rivers, and the lakes are simply gorgeous.  I’m four hours from Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte, so if I need to experience a city, it’s not that difficult.  I’m eight hours from both the Gulf and the Atlantic, so the beach is also an easy escape.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, I’m an hour from absolute and utter isolation, so when I want to escape from people, and for me that occurs much more frequently than the other, I can disappear into the mountains and get away from the insanity of humanity.

There are things I’d like to fix about this place, like the education system for starters, but the older I get and the more I learn about the nation as a whole, the more I see that the issues here are part of the bigger problems with the United States, so the state can’t be held solely to task for these issues.  Still, at this point in my life, the low crime rates, natural beauty, and low population density far outweigh the negatives.  Yes, I’d like more opportunities economically.  Yes, I’d like a better infrastructure, but both of those come with a trade off that I’m simply not willing to make.

I love my state.  I’m thankful for my state.  Even though technically speaking I was born in Florida, make no mistake about it, I’m a Tennessean.  My family on both sides has deep roots here, going way back, and my Scots-Irish heritage is deeply entwined with the Appalachian Mountains.  I’m also grateful that I got to attend college on the other end of the state in Memphis.  The Delta is part of me, too, and I’m thankful to have lived my life and given my service to the Great Volunteer State.  Tennessee: Agriculture and Commerce.  Tennessee: America at Its Best.

Humor

Entitlement Ramblings

2 Comments

In a shocking new demonstration of bipartisan cooperation, Congress has unveiled its newest program for the country.  While the program is the brainchild of Tea Party candidates Billy Joe Oilmoney and Rob R. Barron VI, Democrats have also rallied behind the proposed legislation to reform retirement.

“We see this plan as the opportunity to save America,” said Theodore Bluedog III, a Democrat from New York.  “We’ve come to see that since the parties can’t agree on healthcare reform or taxation, this program gives us the opportunity to fix most of our glaring issues in one fell swoop.”

In all my years as a political journalist, I’ve never seen witnessed such bi-partisan support for anything, so I sat down with Representatives Oilmoney and Barron to discuss the program.

“Well, like all good programs, it’s rooted in common sense,” Billy Joe Oilmoney stated.  “The program won’t cost taxpayers nothing, and it reduces big government spending.  What more could people ask for?”

“We also believe that this piece of legislation allows Americans to get back from the system what they’ve earned.  It’s fair for everyone,” Rob R. Barron VI added.  “We’ve entered a new era for America, an era free from handouts.”

Impressed by their fervor, I rushed to the private sector to get I finger on the pulse of how corporate America was receiving the news.  I hurried to Minneapolis to speak with Iwanna Getindempokets to get the healthcare perspective.

“Glory to God!” he shouted upon hearing the news.  “My daughter’s dream may come true yet!”

Next, I scrambled to California to speak with Dr. Jen TouchyFeely to find out how academia was receiving the new program.

“We’ve convened a sub-committee to review the emotional impact this legislation will have on field mice in Rhode Island,” she said.  “As long as the rodents aren’t negatively impacted by it, we see no reason to oppose this plan.  In fact, most of us in education are already following this practice.”

Then, I called William Joseph Cartwright III, conservative blogger from South Carolina and Tea Party activist, to see if the Tea Party was pleased with the results of their fear-mongering to win the election.

“You know, my great-great grandfather, who started his business with only one rinky-dink slave trading block but retired having sold more slaves than any other human trafficker in history, would once again be proud of this country.  This was his vision of how the country should run.  Damn, it’s good to be an American.”

Apologizing for his emotions getting the better of him, he excused himself and hung up, so I then called Cletus McOnetooth to see how the rank-and-file Tea Partiers were receiving the new legislation.

“Well, I just finished watching wrastlin, so I ain’t turned on Fox News yet,” Cletus said.  “I reckon Glenn’ll tell me how I feel about it.”

Not wanting to miss the unveiling of this historic legislation, I scampered back to Washington and arrived just in time to see Oilmoney, Barron, and Bluedog on the steps of Congress.  I swelled with pride at the thought of our nation pulling together for a common cause, Democrats and Republicans showing a united front.

“Back when my great-great-great-grandfather, Rob R. Barron Sr. was working Chinamen to death to build the railroad,” Barron VI proclaimed, his voice tinged with emotion.  “He dreamed of this day.  My fellow Americans, here is your new retirement plan.”

All three men pulled a string to draw back the drapes covering up the logo for America’s new step forward:

Work Until to Drop Dead, You Ungrateful Peasants

Thunderous applause erupted from the crowd of Senators, Representatives, and Tea Party volunteers.

“The productive members of this society are no longer encumbered with the burden of caring for the lazy workers.  My great-great-great-grandfather worked harder than theirs to steal land from savages and break the backs of laborers.  He was a shining example of how this country should run and how it WILL run in the future.”

“And let me just add,” interjected Theodore Bluedog III.  “My great-great-grandfather did a better job of exploiting child labor in his sweatshop, so I’m entitled to this office.  No longer will our beaches and ski slopes be encumbered with the throngs of retirees who think a lifetime of making us money entitles them to relax at the end.  Once again, retirement is the realm of the elite.”

The crowd roared in applause, and there wasn’t a dry eye on the steps of Congress.

“Next up,” Billy Joe Oilmoney said.  “We’re gonna reform education.  We’re tired of all this book-learning polluting the minds of the lazy workers.  We’re gonna build an education system free from the shackles of reading and writing.  God bless this great nation.”

And in that manner, our “new” leadership shall restore America to a bright and prosperous future in the global economy.

www.thirdaxe.com