Walking the grounds of the marina at Houston County Lake to create photos seemed the perfect pause to reflect on “Life, Phase Three,” which is the term that I use for life after retirement from higher education.  That rain would chase me back to the cabin to write and relax is all the more perfect.

The first time that I visited the lake was 45 years ago.  In this one place, I have perspectives on a significant part of my life. Of the five other people that I came to the lake with 45 years ago, three have passed away.  Time is fleeting, whether is measured in decades or between thunderstorm outbreaks. Time is precious.  And life is to be experienced with joy, love and purpose.  Sometime the purpose is bold, sometimes sublime.

My “new” life of writing, public speaking, photography and coaching/mentoring had its roots decades ago, even before my first trip to this place.

All this to say, that we should pay attention to the roots that form in life; some feed us, and some are tap roots.  It serves us well to look at our lives and consider the things that nourish us and those that stabilize us.  We should look through the depth and breadth of our lives; the answers are always there.  We can also recognize places to return to in order to pause, recharge and re-direct.

Long live the all-too-short journey!

As one would expect, there has been a lot of talk about fathers this week in the media, on talk radio and in other venues.  I listen.  And I smile at some of the stories as I consider my dad (and mom…both helped define for me what it means to be a dad) and how he matched up to what people say today are examples of a “good father.”

He wasn’t at every event of mine…

He couldn’t drop whatever he was doing to attend to my needs…

He had demons to battle and he wasn’t perfect….

He wasn’t a perfect communicator…

But…

He loved me unconditionally and was fiercely loyal to his family.

The lesson that I gleaned over the years was “love completely and do your best at everything else.” 

For all the things that writers, bloggers, counselors and talk show hosts say about the right way to be a good dad, sometimes coming across as know-it-alls, I just smile and think of dad.  He didn’t “know it all.”  He loved completely and otherwise did his best.  How could I have asked for more?

Happy Father’s Day to all.  Love ya dad (1913-1982).