Monthly Archives: December 2000

People who cannot find time for recreation are obliged sooner or later to find time for illness. – John Wanamaker I don’t have a problem finding time for recreation, but I’m now at the point in my life where I … Continue reading →

Dwell not too long upon sports; for as they refresh a man that is weary, so they weary a man that is refreshed. – Thomas Fuller I’m not big on spectator sports. For example, I’m just barely following the Vikings … Continue reading →

My mom showed me a letter to her from a friend of my dad’s, expressing appreciation for how much my dad had influenced his life. It was an odd feeling, seeing how a guy my age had been sort of … Continue reading →

Anxiety is fear of oneself. – Wilhelm Stekel Well, maybe. I think a better way to say what this comptemporary of Freud had in mind is “anxiety is fear related to a mistaken idea.” I’m anxious about my financial situation … Continue reading →

Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment, and especially on their children, than the unlived lives of the parents. – Carl Jung My dad’s life was his house, primarily. It was a monument to himself, as my mother … Continue reading →

I have some fond memories of me and my dad that are coming back to me now. One of his passions that he did share was his love of fireworks. It was something that he loved to do with me … Continue reading →

Not seeing your father when you are small, never being with him, having a remote father, a workaholic father, is an injury. – Robert Bly My dad was home a lot. He hated his job as an inventory control manager … Continue reading →

There was a conversation going on in the coffeehouse this morning about Mukluks — winter boots. I felt compelled to join in because it afforded me an opportunity to let them know my history with the boots and the company. … Continue reading →

It occurred to me this morning that I might have had a chance to talk more with my dad during his first week of his hospitalization. I saw him on the day he was admitted, a Monday, and we chatted … Continue reading →

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. – Winston Churchill It’s sad that my dad didn’t make much of a life. He never figured out that he needed to understand and … Continue reading →

I spent lunch and much of the afternoon with my mother and brother. My mother alternated between being sad and angry… I can’t go into the details here but I kept trying to just listen and wait for something to … Continue reading →

Do not fear death. It is something too great to celebrate, too great to fear. Either it brings us to a judgment, so it is ours to control by the kind of life we live, or it annihilates us into … Continue reading →

My dad died about a half hour ago. I saw him on Saturday, and I could tell that it wouldn’t be too long. He’d stop breathing for 30 seconds or more and then take big breaths in between. My brother … Continue reading →

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. – Theodore Roosevelt This was good for me to read today. I got a bit caught up in the ‘hard work’ … Continue reading →

A man must fill his life with meaning, it is not automatically given to life. It is hard work to fill one’s life with meaning. – Chaim Potok No shit it’s hard. As I reflect on this, I’ve known for … Continue reading →

Far away in the sunshine are my highest inspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead. – Louisa May Alcott At first I … Continue reading →