DECEMBER
And the final chapter of 2014 begins at my river's edge on this 1st day of December. How many times have I shared that my river is calm and looks like black glass? I just wanted you to see a snapshot of her reflective peace as the world comes alive all around me. It seems that sometimes word alone cannot describe the beauty the eyes behold! This Christmas season is already reflected on Pineville's side of my River and the tall lights across the way you see reflected in the picture will evolve into 100' Christmas Trees, probably today. If I could capture this morning as it plays out before me in my heart and share the reason for this defined season with every person listening for the sound of a singing soul, there would be Peace on Earth! Posted December 1 from my early morning river
I don't care what kind of Little Friskies cat food you promise me! I AM NOT going into any Kwik Pantry or 7-11 convenience store with this stupid panty hose on my head! I have no idea why this cat loves me so much, nor do I have any idea why I posted this. I've just always had a weakness for this stuff!
Posted December 4 from my home
Surreal, I might define myself this beautiful moon lit morning at my rivers edge. I think back of this past weekends events. I told Linda that I can't think of six names outside of family? Actually found away around that too. I strongly suggested it but that will be her decision, of course, at whatever time. And "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," reverberates in the recesses of my mind. Have I ever shared with you that I have always enjoyed choral music?
I had several friends that may have taken offense to my "I can't think of six names outside of family," statement. Of ever person that commented, I only had one that was tuned into what was going on in my life to figure out where my head was. I reminded my friends that I said good by to a couple of friends this past weekend. As I commented to Linda on the way back from one of those funerals, I seriously pondered that question this morning here at my river. Who is rreally close enough to me that would want to be my pallbearer? That was the question that was parlayed mostly in riddle form. And if Linda has me cremated, that would eliminate the stress of someone doing what they might not want to do, pallbearer me around. Yes, I have many wonderful friends, but seriously? Who really wants to do stuff like that?
Posted December 8
I have sat around for the later part of this calendar year wondering just why my friend base seemed to be eroding! As I read the following posted caption, I figured it out! Laughing. If you are just learning that every personality that skips by you on social media may not fit into your warped standards, drain the tub and start over. It is healthy in a mental sort of way. Here is what it said:
You gotta learn how to drop people with no warning...
We are getting too old to explain to people what they know they're doing wrong...
Now, with that being set before me like my mother's chocolate pie, I sat back and smiled with amazement as the "buts" became evident... One of my favorites from the Shreveport time zone nailed it, "Besides, at our age, we don't care what we're doing wrong." Ya think? When you have bonded in friendship through like thoughts, you really do not care what you say or do wrong and even if you do this, it is usually not even noticed by the other party! At least that's the way it is with me, anyway. However, the comments continue. My published friend in Monroe weighs in. "It's also healthy in a spiritual way. There's a big difference between a friend and an acquaintance that doesn't care to walk with you thru life. But I like having both. Perhaps the acquaintance will become a friend." I cannot help but agree with her as this is so very true. Maybe they will become a friend... The learning curve is, You gotta learn! Some simply aren't worth the efforts required at my age to gel a friendship at this stage in both of our lives! At least to me anyway... It continues. One of my DFW favorites simply laughed at me and said, " Lol! Rod, you always have such a way with words!" I sent her a smiley face and let it rest. Then one of my favorites from the last millennium entered the fray with what I perceived as a heart felt concern. "Don't drain me , please... I can just picture myself going down the drain with the last soap bubble... Sometimes I'm talkative and sometimes I'm not... It doesnt mean I don't still love ya! *sniff, making sad eyes*" With these words tapping my shoulder asking for an explanation, I trust my DFW friend's jest rings true as I attempt to have my way with words in explanation:
Dear Precious Friend (I called her by name on my facebook post...) You are perfectly safe in my existing world, and have been for a considerable period of time. What is it now, say 46 years or so? For the sake of many, let me see if I might categorize those people that could meet the criteria of your soap bubble analysis. If you have 1000 friends on facebook or more, clearly I would never be noticed on a newsfeed of such great proportion. These collective people have absolutely no time for me or anyone else for that matter to justify a "social" relationship with, as there are simply too many lined up for attention. Here is another "soap bubble" at risk of finding the drain... Check out your friend list. How many do you have with maybe 15 to 25 friends? And of course the next question. When was the last time you heard from them? They recognized your name long enough to make a friend request, yet never cared enough to grow a relationship! And of course my most favorite, take the plunger and purge them. Those that have major problems with that left/right thing, like me! I am way too far to the right to deal with bull feces and those that believe it! I don't understand the left, don't want to understand the left, will never attempt to compromise with them and wish they never existed! All 5 of them I have encountered are currently existing on my blocked list and there they will remain. If you have those, family included, pull the plug and wash your wall with Clorox and no one will ever miss them. They will not miss you either. And oh my soul, the chronic poster. *sigh* I know this is a social sight, but hey, this is where my guilt lies. I am sure I have been that soap bubble you speak of in so many people's tub as they drained my stupid river, mockingbird, and urban noise comments down their bathtub drain, re-inserted the stopper to keep me from re-surfacing only to flush their toilet to make sure it received that extra push into another affluent water source! lol That's ok... You see, we both have been around long enough to know that people, reasonably sane people that exist in the real world, actually build fences to separate themselves from their despised neighbor. I know this 8' wooden privacy fence is being installed to protect them from my dog and my dog from them, right? Now, here is something else for you. When someone I know and can identify with "goes dark" on this form of social media, I may seldom notice even for weeks or months. If they mean something to me, they will eventually discover a private message has suddenly appeared in their private mailbox! Yes! That has happened to you, has it not? And there are other classifications of folks that I also find marginal... The bi-polar types? You never know if it is PMS, or some other sort of psychotic disorder like psychopathic vs sociopathic rants that affect your comfort zone or crush your head with misspelled bad words. You just one day realized they have managed to exceed the limits of your medication and you no longer want them around. Go through your list occasionally. I just found my own son was not a facebook friend anymore. He deleted his account. Go figure! Just deal with the fact ya gotta drop people from time to time without warning! We are too old to explain to them what they are doing wrong. And seriously? Would they even show up at your funeral?
Posted December 9, 2014
On December 10, I had Carpel Tunnel surgery performed on both hands. I figured if Linda could have both of her knees replaced back in July, then certainly I could have both wrist corrected and over with. I did, and it worked. I am sitting here informing myself and those that follow my blog, why I have been so silent the last couple of weeks. Now you know. I am fine! Never had a problem going to the toilet nor did I have to ask my wife for assistance! Even though I prefer cats, dogs are actually more practical in correlated circumstances! I mean seriously, you think I would even consider the sandpaper tongue of a cat? Awe shut up and smile! Every person that I talked to wondered how I wiped my butt with both hands wrapped up! I go in Monday morning, the 29th of December to have an injection in my left shoulder. MRI found a tear in my Labium and we are hoping an injection along with Anti-Inflammatory medication will eliminate the need for surgery there. I am ready to start shooting again! So, if you are dealing with Carpal Tunnel, get it done. I dealt with the suffering long enough and it was well worth the minor inconvenience...
Posted as a filler on December 25
Christmas morning is in action in homes all around us. I watched the morning awake with Meggie curled up in my lap. Mrs. Santa completed her work after her "helper" gave up the spirit around midnight. Some time around threeish, I made my way to the media room and sat there covered in my LSU blanket smiling at the "bounty" that magically collected over night under the lighted bows of our Christmas tree. Down the hallway I just heard the hair dryer engaged so it won't be long before Linda makes me dress warmly as she chases me outside to fry a big ole turkey for Christmas dinner that is annually planned around one or this afternoon. That feasting usually goes fast as the grandkids anxiously wait to see what Poppy and Punya collected for their amusement! I do enjoy that time. The excitement, as I go back years to my youth and wonder how my mom and dad did all of this for my sisters and me. These memory trips back to my childhood certainly helps define the word "blessed!" For that, we are, my many friends and acquaintances. Merry Christmas to all of you on this day we celebrate as the birth day of our Christ. What a gift we received!
Posted December 25 from my early morning home
And finally, the last page of the last chapter of my 2014 collection of facebook quotes has arrived. It is a Wednesday workday for me. I sat and reviewed December 31 of 2013, to remind myself of where I was and what was going on. Oh, I well remembered, but reading through it I discovered that post was actually more of a thank you to everyone and more of a hope for the coming new year. As I exist at this time, at this moment of this year, I collectively post my thoughts from 31 December of 2014... I drove to Slidell, Louisiana to spend the night with my cousin Al. I was last down visiting with him the weekend following Thanksgiving. He told me as we sipped coffee on his deck the Saturday following Thanksgiving that I should see how beautiful the New Year's sky was from this spot when the New Year rang in. I took him at his word inviting myself back for the festivities! I brought with me, Linda and my oldest grand daughter, Mckinzi, or Kbear as many of you know her. It was a perfect night for celebration! No fog, no clouds, only a cold, blowing north wind. As the last five minutes of 2014 became history, Al's description of the sky line was not an imagined projection. Somewhere around the 1 minute before until 1 minute into the new year of 2015, the world before us exploded into bright colors and accompanied the cacophony rapport of distant cracks, cackles and booms. Linda gazed upon the spectacle of exploding fireworks from the warmth of the third floor bedroom window as Mckinzi, Al and I hunkered down on the second floor deck deflecting the bite of the blowing winds while mesmerized by the display unfolding before us! Kind of like that crazy wild ride at some amusement park somewhere in our life. It doesn't last long, but it will live forever in our memories... Breath taking...
And thus the final chapter of 2014 closed as I walked back into the warmth of Al's beautiful home on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Where I was this time last year and where I found myself at this moment was a question that ran through my mind. I tried to answer it the best I could. I do know this year there was a comforting peace. Yes, a peace of knowing at that moment, all was well in my world. My 30th year with Linda was before me, yet to be defined and that I was holding tight to memories past more than I did the faces of those I made them with. We all simply move on until we are no more. I knew my 2014 was beginning with expected but yet to be defined realities. Today is like a fresh snowfall or stretched canvas just waiting for the Master to reveal His plan. This time next year, this blank canvas I speak of will be filled. Thanks to all of you that might be reading this for the prayers you shared with and for me, the encouragement you gave me, and especially for holding tight to that thread of friendship that bound us together! What a ride!
Rod Ferguson
December 31, 2014
Re 12-9-14 post - Some of us will be there in spirit, if we can't be there in person. And some of those will be "more" there than the people who are there. Now noodle that one... Don't let it be anytime soon, please?
ReplyDeleteAs I read your December Post, it brought to mind numerous thoughts. I think sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our own little world, that we forget to be thoughtful. I speak for myself, but also think it would be beneficial to others if they would contemplate the same. Maybe you did delete some of your oldest friends, or at least one, but that person may have no idea why. I think sometimes all of us forget that others may be going through some serious matters in life, and even though it seemed to
ReplyDeleteyou at the time, that you were forgotten, nothing could be further from the truth. So, old friends are left to wonder.....why didn't you reach out?....if nothing else, just to check to see if maybe they were okay. That's what old friends do, and all of us can be remiss, more often than not. We all are somewhat caught up in our feelings, all too often forgetting others are feeling the exact same way.. But, then again, that's human nature, isn't it? We are selfish creatures,, every single one of us. Just something to contemplate from an old Bud.
Re post Dec 9th - True friendship is not electronic and therefore cannot be deleted by a button on facebook. For me social media is a place to keep up with SOME of my friends not a place for folks to PROVE we are friends. I am not friends on fb with every person I know or have known does not mean I do not like those people.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous comment of Dec 11th - very, very insightful and I needed this reminder. Thank you, from another Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteRE: post Dec 25th - Merry Christmas! Feeling particularly blessed this Christmas as the blessings are a cumulative affect from the blessings of the past!
ReplyDeleteAs I read your comments about Christmas, it also took me back to my childhood days, and the sacrifices my parents made to make sure all of us had a wonderful Christmas. Christmas was my Dad's favorite time of year and he absolutely loved giving to us and others. I have been accused of being like him in that regard. I'll take the compliment. I miss him so, but both of my parents left such a legacy. We were truly blessed in those years, were we not, Bud? Thank you for all of your wonderful stories. You are truly blessed as a writer. I do hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, and glad you are now ready for more shooting. I know you love teaching others, and how lucky they are to be taught by someone who has such expertise..
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very happy new year, Rod.
ReplyDelete