How Much Do You Really Know

[HARDCORE]

5-27-2018

How much about life do you really know, and just how much do you just think that you know? Life is, after all, just an open-ended journey – you enter it unarmed and you usually exit it pretty much the same!

‘So why are we often so shocked and caught flatfooted when a person departs this life?

And why is it that our mortality never seems to enter the picture until it is usually too damned late to do anything about it? And more tragic yet is the fact that no matter who you are, or even who you claim to be, your worldly considerations are wrapped primarily, if never quite totally, around yourself? This is, of course, not how it has to be, nor is it the way that it should be, rather, it is unfortunately, just the way that it so often is – and more is the shame!

Like it or not, and face it or not, most of us do have the capability to really make a difference in life, be it even in some small way. Unfortunately, however “The New Years Eve Syndrome” often comes into play, in that we are usually full of promises and resolutions that always seem to begin tomorrow?

So, how much does anyone really know about life, especially their own? “Again, there are no guarantees – only potentialities, so do try to make the most of them!”

Hardcore

[Boats]

HC

How true a statement. Loosing Family Member's and Best Friends is difficult to accept. I know my life will end before too long and I always say to myself who will come for me when I do finally pull the plug? I was raised a Catholic by my Grand-Parents (Italians) of which my Grand-Mother was really religious. The reality of the finality of death is when you loose someone to whom you wished you could have said more to. To let them know how much you appreciated what they did for you.

Later we loose our Parent(s) then our sibling's meaning the end nearing. What we do next is reflect on the life we have and what we accomplished. Were we good or bad? If there is a maker of all and judgement day comes how will my score card be?

I'm neither good or bad. I've seen terrible things in my life as have my fore-father's. We don't reflect on these often as the things we've seen and done are neither good or bad. As we grow older some of us look forward to the Great Dirt Nap as age has taken much of what we once were and turned us into a walking shell with little companions to discuss times gone by.

My wife is so ill all she tell's me each day is that I can't be fixed its incurable and the pain will never stop. It's heart breaking and watching her suffer is a terrible thing when there is nothing anyone can do for her. It's to difficult to watch and harder to find ways of trying to comfort them when nothing helps. Their anguish and anxiety of living each day with no hope is difficult to say the least. 52 years I've been married to her and I know when one of us goes the other won't be long after to follow. Here is where you hope that when one of us passes away that other will come for us when our time comes.

Loosing my best Bud's in the military is also difficult as once we were young and strong and Gung Ho men full of wanting to prove ourselves in time of war. Nieve until tested and scared beyond anything anyone could relate to other than other military folks.

Loses to relative's in the war's were hard but (to us youngsters) they were our heroes or trophies to us young men - as they volunteered for WWI-WWII-Korea. As kids we idolized them and were proud as hell of their contribution to keep American's safe. It was hard on them and difficult to talk about. As we got older they would open up and let me in on some of the things they experienced and even then you could see it in their eyes the horror of what they went through. They never talked to their wives about the wars - only other's that they served with.

The same goes for myself and other's our age. Wive's don't understand but the mates we served with are life-long brothers. I lost my Brother to AO, my best school Bud was killed in NAM. Several other's I went to school with were also lost during that time.

When we came home - there were no greetings just comments that usually ended up in up in a fist fight. It took time to re-a simulate - back into civilian life. Today I'm an old man with only a couple of old Bud's still alive. We talk once a year on the phone and laugh about time's gone by. But they too are dropping off the map as the years go by.

I'm not afraid of death it will give me closure and the long dirt nap most of us old guys need. It's nothing to be afraid of - it starts a new chapter of which I'm looking forward to. Who knows? There may be a light at the end tunnel but who knows maybe another light opens up a little further down the road?

One thing I do believe that there is "Hell on Earth" we've lived through it and other's are taking our place and finding out what we've already learned.

Boats