Starting up Again

OK, you're right, I just could not stand it. Somewhere inside is the need to do some writing. I am not sure what it is going to be about this time. Perhaps I could share some things about feelings related to all the the recent happenings with medical problems Deb faces right now. I am sure that will find its way in somewhere along the line. For now I would like to share some things that I have found interesting over the years.  Deb will sometimes comment that I see things that others do not see and vice-versa. Please allow me to make comments on a few of those things.  If you find them interesting enjoy the reading. If you don't, I suppose an option is to not read them.  How is that for an astute observation?

Several years ago Deb and I visited a business in Naples, Florida. It was called "Best of Everything".  The business did not have everything. It only sold jewelry and it had table after table of about every type of watch, bracelet, ring, necklace or anything else you could imagine to adorn either a man or a women.  The store was crawling with people and the prices seemed amazingly low.  It seemed like everything you would pick up you would think of someone who would look good wearing it. You would be taken back for a moment at the low price.  They had people on raised platforms looking over the place to make sure stuff was not getting stolen. Many people would be at the counter buying multiple items. We even bought some things and later gave them as gifts.  I think the idea was that the people who ran the store would travel outside of the country and buy handmade jewelry and bring it back here and sell it.  Whatever country they bought this stuff in must have had a lot of silver because it seems like most of the things had some silver in them.

On the long drive home from Florida I started thinking a little about that store and that name. It was obvious to me that the stuff they sold was not really the best of everything.  It was not even the best of anything. What it was was a group of people who had found a way to make a living by bringing in reasonably attractive items and selling them at a  price that was affordable. They would display it in such a way that the atmosphere and the selection of the items kind of put you in the mood to buy something.  Many of the the items were  unique and the place was just plain fun and interesting.

More than the items in the store I have never been really able to get the name out of my head. What would things be like if we could really have the the "best of everything".  Once in while I observe a marriage that fits into this category.  We have an old guy in our church who is a very smart guy. Some years ago his wife started to show early signs of Alzheimer's disease and now she has digressed to the spot of needing full time care. She is not able to respond hardly at all.  This gentleman has cared for her and brought her in a wheelchair to church every single week. He is now is his 90's.  They both still live in their home and he has not shown one note of discouragement over the whole matter. I think he views the thing as part of what he signed up for many years ago when he and she were married.  In that way I think maybe they have both have experienced the best of everything. Things are hard for them right now but as I reflect I might say that this marriage is one of the best I have witnessed. Just the best.

I wonder if you did have the best of everything what type of car you would drive.  I always kind of wanted to crawl behind the wheel of a Rolls Royce.  Always kind of pictured myself in one. I with a chauffeur cap and my wife and kids in the backseat.  I nickel balanced on the hood. Once in a while my wife would send a queen like wave to people driving by admiring the car. But as time has past I seem to covet more a car that is paid for. For now I might say that if you are driving one of the  paid for models you might be enjoying the best of everything. Except maybe for a paid for Rolls Royce.

We went out for our 37th anniversary on Feb 8. We went to "The Piper" here in Holland.  Hard to beat that place in the food department. As I thought about the setting and consumed the food I thought for a moment about if it might be possible that at least around here I was living in a moment that might represent the best of everything. I checked that night on the percentage of people married that last to the 37 year point.  A little better than I thought. About 30%.  Percentages start to drop at around 40 years.  I have always thought about the contrast when people get their picture in the paper from their wedding day to the 40 year anniversary.  The pictures look better at 40 years than on the day they were married.  Starts to decline a bit at 50 years and the theory goes out the window at 60 years. Anyway, The Piper has a nice setting on the lake and they serve the food just right. At the end the waitress came over and told us that one of our friends had arranged for us to have dessert on their tab. So we even had the chance to enjoy an extension of the night with a great choice of dessert.  A fine night overall. Nice to live in a few moments that at least come close to the best.

I was thinking the other day about what happens if you are in the position of having all of the best of everything.  My guess is that most times it does not change the outcome all that much. I think now of the recent death of  Steve Jobs.  I am reasonably certain that with his wealth and access to information he was able to research and afford the very best care available to humans as he dealt with his condition.  Yet it is  very true that the outcome for him did not result in continued life on this planet. Feeling helpless in the dealing with cancer makes me worry about this right now. Best plans, best brains, most money etc might all be traded for pushing a broom someplace as long as life could find a way to continue.

It seems to me that all of the political commercials right now do not fall in to the class of the best. In fact I fear they are somehow bringing out the worst. Seems to me that many of the people who strive to one day lead our country spend large amounts of money in the act of slandering the other and creating fear. Like  little children in a fight they play for our votes by promising the best of everything. How could they ever deliver on those promises when their actions and adds play out to the worst fears in all of us. They use nothing more than trivial slams on each other. We have a local guy here who was in congress who played an add  that not only had racial overtones but played the name of one of our senators and changed it from Stabenow to Spenditnow.  Slandering a persons name is a strong form of disrespect and it is directed at a decent person. It comes from one who sometimes is invited speak in our local churches. He puts forth views that might lead one to think it is done in the name of Christianity. Time for him to get some of the "best of everything" going again. I think deep down he is a decent person who just got carried away on this one. I promise she will not do the same as they try to be elected. 

I recently read a book written by C.S. Lewis.  In it he has a dream and is on a bus going on a tour of heaven and hell.  No conclusions in this book but some very thought provoking ideas and illustrations and characters.  I think many of us who strive to reach a point where we experience the best of everything tend to have formulated thoughts about a life beyond this one that will achieve just that. But as I read further I started to think that actually ever experiencing the best of everything might be an illusive idea.  But then again I wonder if we look around a  little  we might think that we are all living in a time and a country where the best of everything is something that has been achieved.  I think many in the world might look at our homes, our cars, our food, our schools, our clothes and the rest, and say that we live in and arena that somehow represents the best of everything. 

The next time you are near Naples visit the store. (Or look it up on line if you wish.)  But for now think with me a moment about the times in your life that represent what for you were the moments where you felt that you were experiencing the best of everything.  For all of us I speculate that those times are illusive.  If we look around a little I still think we will all can experience those moments.  I knew a happy person that once told me that his philosophy on life included an idea that he had adopted.  He told me that what he did was "never complain and never explain".  I wonder if we were able to do this  we might all experience a little more of the best of everything.  If you own a Rolls Royce please come over and give me a ride.  For now I will just drive my paid for Ford and hope that you and I can experience more of the best of everything.

Stan the Man