The Fifth Of July!

Another holiday survived. And nobody got hurt!

I made my annual pilgrimage up to my family gravesites to say “hey” and clean up the stuff.

Strange things, graveyards.

I put a new flag on my father’s grave and said “hey” to both sets of grandparents.

It gives you a real sense of “roots”. In a concrete way.

I rode my motorcycle the 50 miles up there. Unfortunately I left at high noon when it was about 110 degrees. So there I am with my big motorcycle, huge black boots and a sleeveless t-shirt on. A stereotypical redneck biker boy. Which is pretty funny considering I am something of the antithesis of that. It’s kind of like putting on a uniform or going to a costume party. But I get lots of head tipping in my direction as people give me a wide berth.

But OMG was it hot. I swear I thought I was going to join them in the graveyard before the trek was over. It was so damn hot.

I stopped at two fruit stand on the way home to buy a few peaches, pears, plums and whatever else I thought could make my thirst go away.

I should have known better. I needed beer. And lots of it.

So I get home and there are 17,354 little girls wanting me to put up the water slide, the water something else and to squirt them with the hose. All at the same time. The ground is so hard I can’t get the slip-n-slide planted.

I’m very hot. I may pass out.

OK, so there weren’t really 17,354 of the little girls. I think there were only 6 or 7 – but it sure SEEMED like there were a lot more.

We had some folks over later and cooked the requisite dogs and stuff and had a very nice evening.

But it sure was great when everyone went home.

I was thinking the entire day of how nice it was. It’s very nice to have something to look forward to. I wonder how many people passed the Fourth of July just as if it were another day. No cookouts. No friends. No nothing special.

I am very blessed in my life. And I promise myself that I will never take any of that for granted. We have all faced loneliness at one time or another and had those questions that roll around inside of us like “Is this all there is?” “What am I supposed to do now?”

Well, I am so beyond that – but I always remember. I always have it right there in the background every time I may find myself getting frustrated with something stupid that really doesn’t mean anything.

So have patience – love with all your heart – be kind to animals and small children – but most of all, remember what it is like to not have any of that.

Yea, graveyards are amazing places to reflect.