We are all time travelers. My friend’s 83 year old mother gave me an insight into this. Imagine a journey from 1930 to today. She would have seen the beginning of world war 2, lived through December 7th 1941, Kennedy’s assassination, Space race and so much more.
There she is this sweet old lady, who has a wealth of information about how it felt to be an American in those times. She may even have known or met some of the people who made history. From the day we begin to remember we become time travelers. The older we get the longer the journey.
When I was in the Coast Guard I was called aside and asked what I knew about Neil Goldschmidt, the former mayor of Portland Oregon. I had worked in the same building with him and once had lunch with him. I had no idea he had become the Secretary of Transportation, at that time the Coast Guard was part of that Department. Without knowing it I suddenly had Congressional influence and according to the Coast Guard Intelligence my service record now had a Gold bar on it to show I had it. I seriously doubt he would have remembered me and even if he did that it would have made a difference one way or another. The hand of fate had written that we had crossed paths and that was very funny to see how the Coast Guard thought that meant something.
Over the years I have met some people that make me smile as they were movie stars when I was a child. Mariette Hartley was at a church near Topanga Canyon in Southern California years ago. I had seen her there and wanted to meet her. I loved her in a movie where she had two navels! A sexy redhead from my youth, and there she was just a few feet away. The friends I was with told me I should meet her and I wanted to as well. However I had some eye drops for my contacts in my car so I went over and got them. While I was gone Mariette Hartley met my friends, they told her I was a fan and a Shaman. She wanted to meet me too! I guess I lingered too long putting those drops in and I missed meeting her! That stupid hand of fate again!
Though I have some famous clients they are just people who need my help. I don’t get all geeked out about talking to them. Some are famous singers, actors and actresses. None of them got me as excited to meet as Zara Beth from Star Trek. I remember things from my childhood very clearly, like the day John F Kennedy was shot and killed. The moon landings, and Tricky Dicky no longer our president. I have often thought Nancy Reagan was our 1st woman president as Ronald was in no shape to run the country.
In your own life you have memorable moments on your journey through time. Over the journey I have discovered that our attitude is what colors our memories of those moments. The 1st time I went to Disneyland with my 1st wife Debora. That woman could trip on a dust mote and sometimes did. She was so patient with me and taught me so much about being a good person.
She didn’t have much to work with, I was and still am stubborn, and often get grumpy. If I am a good person today or have any good qualities as a husband, boyfriend or friend it is because of the lessons she taught me. I know that I can be there in times of trouble because I was there for her. I know that I can make the tough choices because I have made them. I know that when someone loves you as much as she loved me I love them back that same way. She taught me how to forgive what others wouldn’t. How to be kind to those around me that might not deserve it. Looking back I should have treated her much better than I did. She also gave me the best gift I ever got. It cost her so much to give me our son. She lost her health and quality of life to do so. Of course we didn’t know that at the time. It was like the warranty ran out on her body. Our journey through time lasted 17 ½ years.
Even in her death she taught me how much I cared for her. I cried for 4 months after she passed. Funny how we do things we didn’t think we would. Every time our son does something of note I miss her. When Andrew graduated from Community College with his AA degree, or a week later when he graduated High School with a letter from the Governor for being in the top 1% of all graduates that year, winning the science medal and the math medal, I miss her. He graduated from Evergreen State College with a Phi Beta Kappa Key, at age 20, we miss her.
Though her journey through time was only 42 years her legacy lives on in our son. You could even say it lives on in me as she taught me so much. Though I am still a work in progress as I travel through time, I am grateful for the memorable people I have met on this journey. I can see that even now I have less days in front of me and more behind, makes me want to leave my mark somehow. Remember that our journey through time does end. I want to be smiling at the end knowing I made a difference in people’s lives for the better. Maybe not all people but the ones whose lives I touched on this Journey through time.
Forholdet mellom de to intensitetene i korsryggen gir en strukturell nøyaktig og lang rekkevidde måling av ekspressjonsnivået til det flate genet i de to substituentene. utc smerte skal fortrenges så snart) osihle.