Christmas Time

 

 

 

It is almost Christmas time and we have had our first snowfall that has amounted to anything. I decided to walk through the park early this morning because I enjoy looking at the pine trees with their blankets of white decorating them and the icicles look like shinning lights on the trees as the morning sun reflects off of them.  The snow is a blanket that covers the entire park. No footprints yet, no children playing and building snowmen as the laugh and run around.  Just the quiet solitude I love in the morning.

I sit on the park bench with the blanket I have brought and I am thinking of all the soldiers that are away from home this holiday.  It is a sad day for them because they can't be with their families and they miss Christmas with all its trimmings.  I know they have their fellow commardes with them but it isn't the same as holding your loved ones and wishing them a "Merry Christmas".  There is no church for them to celebrate the birth of Christ and sing to his glory, but they will have a chaplain to say words of Christmas joy and maybe they will gather together and sing a few carols to brighten their day.  I really hope that they do. 

The wind is picking up and my winter coat just doesn't seem to be warm enough today, I am glad that I have put on my winter hat and gloves too.  The sun has come up and people are starting to enter the park with their dogs and some with their children to spend some time as I am just enjoying this first snowfall and the crisp fragrance of the new season.

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Confusion and Uncertainty

Well, the summer is almost drawing to a close and as I wander through the park, there is a fine mist coming down. I draw my hat down and pick up my collar on my coat and look at all the beauty surrounding me. Now all the colors are starting to change and the flowers are all oranges and darker hues as they hail in the change of season. Children still play their games and you can here their joyous laughter as they run past and chase each other.

There is a small shelter nearby with a few benches in it and that is where I am headed today. I really am not up to sitting down on an outside bench and getting soaked. Even though it is a light mist, after awhile it would penetrate my coat. No sense getting sick.

Sitting and opening my thermos it is so soothing to drink my cup of Joe and think about all that is happening in this world.  So much confusion and so much uncertainty. Some are for this war and others oppose it. All have their reasons why they feel they are right and each believes that their way is the only way. Some just have fear in their hearts for all that is going on and are uncertain as to which way is the best way to proceed in gaining peace. Ahh, PEACE, it is a wonderful concept. Will there ever be a time in our lifetime  where there can ever be total peace? I truly doubt it.

Recently I had the privilege to see the Blue Angels perform and I could feel goose pimples form on my arms and legs. My chest swelled up and I was so proud of those fighter pilots as they whizzed by each other in precision. So wonderful and talented these young people are up there showing us their skills in maneuvering their mighty fighter planes. We are a strong and wonderful nation. We have the ability to show other nations how to work and live together as one with freedom and love for each other. I  sat there and watched the whole show and watched the people around me too. All of them felt like I did. You could see it in there faces as they stood and the marching band came into view with the American flag waving in the breeze. I stood up as the band stopped and played the National Anthem. Then a soldier stepped forward with a microphone and began to say the Pledge of Allegiance.  We all said it and I could feel the pride enter my body and the lump form in my throat as it always does when I say the Pledge of Allegiance.

I thought of all the people  that were there, every race, religion, and each with his and her own opinions on what is best for these United States. Here we were all joined as one. All of us reciting and singing about our glorious nation. I smiled because when all is said and done, we all love our country in our own way.

The mist has turned into a full blown rainstorm and I have decided that I will wait here until it slows down before trying to return home.  I just smiled and watched the rain as it trickled down the petals of the flowers and made them even more beautiful. I had plenty of Joe left, so I poured myself another cup and settled in to wait for my chance to scurry back home. 

Too Many Lies and Too Many Thoughts

I have decided to rest here on the bench today in the park and have some joe and a sandwich that I picked up at the deli. It is so beautiful here in the park. Spring has come and the park is waking up again to its full beauty. You can hear the songs of the birds again as they hustle to make their nests and the geese are back swimming in the pond.

I have been thinking of all the things going on in this country of ours and it seems that there are alot of things that we were told were not true. One lie after the other is coming out and so many members of the cabinet are resigning and leaving. Two were arrested for being pedifiles and that is a shame that we have people like that in our government. It doesn't help us to respect them now, does it?

Our men and women are scattered all over the world fighting and now they are thinking of taking on yet another country. Why is that? I can't understand and wish someone would explain that to me. Is it our policy now that if we decide that we don't like what a country is doing or if we don't like their leaders, we will go and attack them? What gives us that right? I guess I am getting old. I can't remember any other president doing what this one is doing. It seems everyday he has a new agenda. So many retired generals are saying that Rumsfeld should resign because he doesn't know what he is doing, and I have to agree with them. When our troops have to scrounge around for parts to make their tanks more bullet proof, there is something wrong. When asked about it ,he said the parts were not available and yet when the reporter went to were they make the parts the manager said that he asked him if he wanted more and he said no, and that they could make all he wanted. I believe in saving money, but not at the risk of a soldiers life. They should have all the necessary things they need to ensure their safety. I can understand why parents of these young men and women and the wives and mothers of our seasoned warriors are upset. I would be too if my family was serving there. In my opinion, I feel that all should be done to get all the soldiers home and quickly, and maybe let the world take care of itself for awhile and not butt into eveyones business. What a wonderful thing that would be to do. We have alot of our own problems to solve right here in our country, we don't have to try and police the whole world. Let's get people more jobs, and better wages. Improve medical treatments for all Americans and make sure that they have social security when they are ready to retire. Seems to me that these are very important agendas too.

Well, I am an old man, but I am entitled to my opinions and if you have any, jot them down here for others to view too. I pray every night that the nightmares will be over and peace will once again prevail in the world. Or at least in our part of the world. Too much violence, not enough love .

Time to go now, I need that hot cup of joe waiting for me at  home. I will just button my coat and put my hat back on and meander back home. What a beautiful park this is in the spring. Listen to all the birds singing and the geese on the pond swimming. How peaceful and serene it is here.

General Thoughts of What is Going on in the World

I have been missing my walks in the park, so seeing that today was a nice brisk 45 degrees I decided to put on my winter coat and warm hat and take a stroll down to the park and see how it looks now that spring is here.

I found my old bench and sat down. Today I had brought a nice thermos of hot cocoa and it was nice to be able to sip on it as I sat and thought of all that had happened during the long winter months. 

My friends young son had joined the army right after graduation from high school and went through basic training and graduated as an MP in the army.  He sure looked wonderful in his dress uniform. What a wonderful young man he has grown up to be.  Lately he sent his mom a picture of his superior officers pinning his pins on for the promotion that he had earned.  They have stationed him in Korea and he is able to write her and she tells me all the news.  

Every day I call her to make sure that all is well with her son and that he is doing good at his new job.   How wonderful to see how proud he looks and how proud he is to serve his country.  Of course, as all friends and parents, we worry for all the boys and men and women serving in foreign countries.

I pray for them all every night and weep when I see them come home in caskets draped with our flag. those are the sad days for America. So many caskets coming home. Not only to America but to the other countries that are in foreign countries too. 

I sit and think of all the years I  have lived and all the things I have been through, but I can't even imagine what a dad, mom, grandparents must feel when they see their offspring walking away from them to board a plane to an unknown place. It must be devastating to have to give that last hug and kiss before letting them go.  Trusting in their commanders and team to take care of each other. 

Well, my cocoa is gone, and it has turned a little colder out here in the park, Time for me to head back to my home and I can picture that hot cup of joe waiting for me.  But as I walk, I say a prayer for all the troops from all the countries that are in harms way.  I wish I could ask all the people in the world to do the same thing.

To lose love

Today is a balmy day and you can see the green grass in the park and there isn't any snow around because it is 58 degrees now. I decided to come to the park to sit on a bench and just relax and regain some sense of being.  I haven't been myself for a long time now and I think alot of it has to do with being couped up in the house and not being able to get out and enjoy the park like I can in the other seasons. 

So many people don't realize the beauty surrounding them because they are so busy making a living and worrying all the time.  I can find beauty each day I come here. Each day something new appears. This park has so many beautiful waterfalls and meadows where the animals come to feed and they are so used to us being here that they never run away. I love to look at them and watch them . How beautifully colored and magnificient they are as they prance and play in the meadow. 

My place of peace and tranquality is in this park. My place to think through all my problems and try to come to good decisions. 

the next time you are troubled and don't know what to do. Go to the park and just sit there and look around , or even better take a long walk through it and enjoy all that is there. You will find that doing this will clear your mind and the answers to many of y our problems are right there in your head, but you didn't give them a chance to surface because you were worrying instead of listening to yourself. 

Time for that cup of joe and a quiet night just reading and relaxing . I enjoyed my walk today. I needed to get out and come to what I consider my place.  I am grateful that it is so close to my house and I can come any time I want. 

 

 

Christmas Scenes in the Park

I have decided to take a walk into the park this afternoon and look at all the Christmas decorations that were put up last night by the local townspeople. There is an area that has a small building and in this building protected from the elements, they all came and had a party last night.  They had eggnog and sang Christmas songs while they worked. 

Around this bend I could see that they had decorated the trees that led to this building too. How beautiful they all look.  Once inside I couldn't believe my eyes. So many wonderful and brilliant things to view. Scenes of people singing and the stable entitled, "The true meaning of Christmas". I walked all around and stood and looked at each place and it brought me so much joy to see how this small building had come to life with the Chirstmas spirit.

One scene was more beautiful than another.  More and more people started to come in as I was standing there and in the background you could hear Christmas songs being song by country singers. How wonderful to have this place to come to and enjoy with all my neighbors. 

As I watched, I saw the childrens smiles as they excitedly ran from place to place calling their parents to hurry.  How great it is to see their happy faces as they enjoy this magical time of year.  I spent alot of time there and met a few of my friends too. We all found a place to sit and they even had a snack bar set up where you could get a free cup of cocoa. Now, not many small towns do that any more. 

After a few hours, the people drifted away and me and my friends decided it was time to leave the park to, before it became dark and colder.  What a glorious day I had there in the park with my friends and neighbors.  Christmas is a magical time. People seem to love each other more and are more compasstionate then at other times of the year.  I wish that people felt this special Christmas compassion all year long for one another. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Well, I buttoned up my coat and put my hat back on , flipping up my collar on my coat to keep my neck warm, I started to walk out of the part humming a Christmas tune, as I anticipated that nice cup of joe waiting for me at home. 

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WINTER IN THE PARK

Today I dressed very warm in my winter coat and scarf around my neck and my good ole winter hat.

I decided to take a stroll through the park just to see all the beauty that God had sent during the night. Every tree looked as if He sent an angel to place the snow just so on each limb of every bush and tree. As far as you could see there was breathtaking beauty. I stood in awe of this creation that no living person could ever create. When I look at beauty such as this I am reminded of just how inadequate we really are compared to Our Lord. There in the meadow standing just so I could watch was a doe and her mate. Standing there proud and beautiful at the edge of the park. There were many deer I saw that day as they grazed on the grass.

When I am feeling sad and alone, I love to come to this park and just walk and look all around and enjoy all of Gods creations that I am so lucky to be able to share.

If you ever need your spirits lifted take a walk into a park and just look around at all the beauty that is free and more exquiste than any picture in any museum. I quarrantee that you will leave with a lighter heart and brighter thoughts.

Well, It is cold today and so I will slowly walk back home and by the time I get there My auto-coffee pot will have made my cup of joe.  Look at that sky! Blue and magnificent! Thank you Father for this day.