Fragment of Summer

 

I have been witness to summer’s beginning. The sounds of young children playing in the roads of a campground. The screams of laughter in abundance, mother’s and father’s gently letting the children play and mingle with new kids. This being a reflection of times we had with our own young children. We can only listen to the sounds of babies crying, not being the ones to rub their cheeks to calm them down. Time was spent with our own baby who now is an adult. I look at my beautiful daughter and I see all these reflections of our own time at the campgrounds.

Summer heat is upon us and time to enjoy the outdoors to the fullest. We took a walk on a nature trail. I have memories of walking the trails with my son when he was a young child. I tried to explain all the different specimen’s of plants and tree’s. with the hope that some day he can teach his own children. See this son, this is an oak tree, see how long the leaves are. This one here is a maple. See the long needles on this tree? It is a conifer, or pine tree. It is softwood, what is softwood daddy? The fibers are softer, see here push on the wood. You cannot do that with hardwood.

I can hear motorcycles cruising the streets, varoom. That must be a Harley, you can tell by the sound. You hear that granddaughter? Here take a look here. A teaberry, look at the leaf. I rip it apart and let my granddaughter smell it. This is teaberry, smells good doesn’t it? So much summer to explore and the days are getting shorter already.

I have enjoyed a bit of summer entertainment and will make sure that the lesson’s of life will be passed on to our younger one’s. Oh, that is Pepe just telling stories, don’t listen to him. Well you have to listen to me because I am the one who is teaching about life. The digital world is upon us but we still have to enjoy nature. You cannot get that from a computer. You have to be witness to this life as we know it.

I  will go on thinking about how these summers go by. My own children have a life to teach, I just hope I have instilled a little bit of me in them. Ok, I will be right there, marshmallow’s are on the fire. Smore’s maybe!

©Bilodeau,D.H. 2014

 

 

Nothing Better Than Family

 

The older I get I realize that nothing is more important than family. You can have cars, a house, motorcycles, boats, or whatever but really family is the most important aspect to life period. I have wondered through this journey with my wife and have two children. I am however very happy for the fact our kids were able to grow up having grandparents. I only had one grand parent alive growing up. He spent the last remaining years in a nursing home so that is all I remember of him. Our children and our granddaughter has been very lucky to have their parents, grandparents and great-grandfather and mothers alive.

Life now at this stage. Our children are all grown up and moving in their path of life. I hope that my wife and I have instilled into them the value of family and that in dire needs they will be there for us. We are so happy that our children are living within the State of Maine with us so visits happen on a regular basis. Oh, how have they grown. Both are college graduates and both have partners of their own. Taking care of business in their own path of life has come with struggles. Haven’t we all struggled in our path of life. That is what makes life a book, something to write about. I remember that when our daughter called me into a her room in second grade. Dad? I have a boyfriend and just want you to know that I will always be with someone. Wow, to think that way at such a young age. Well, she wasn’t kidding, she has been with someone all her life. That one their is such a loving person, who wouldn’t want to be with her. Our son decided to be a rough and tough boy and decided to slam a door one day. I told him with a strong view, that he better go out that door right now and get a job because he was paying for that door. He started working that day and has not skipped a beat to this day. A very hard worker who knows how to take care of himself.  The children have been everything to us. Their life does come with struggles today. What child doesn’t have these problems with their life today?

Oh, life’s picture can really paint a pretty picture though. We all have worries about our children, parents, brothers, sisters, and spouse’s. If we really dig into that little brain of ours, we realize that we have had everything we wanted all along. Who cares about anything else when we have life in general? We can complain about everything but in the end who really cares? So hug yourself first, then your children and family because that is all we have. It is worth a million dollars. Have a great day everyone, I’m going to celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday today. She is 80 years old and has been there for everyone. Family! That’s what I’m talking about.

©Bilodeau,D.H. 2014

Loose Lips

 

Life’s surprises doesn’t always give you a fuzzy feeling. I walked into a local store and inquired to this young lady about a motorcycle she had on her lawn forsale. Hey, your selling your motorcycle? No, we are selling it for my boyfriend’s brother who is moving to Alaska. I was floored, this brother is a supervisor in my facility. Oops, slip of the tongue. This young lady had no idea I even knew her boyfriends brother. So a surprise to say the least to me. I wonder why someone would want to leave a six figure job, move all the way across the country. I wonder why anyone would want to move from cold to even colder climate. It really takes some sole searching to make a move like that and I envy anyone who can shut it all down.

Recently our son lost his job in a management position. You know he is telling me that he is happier now than he ever has been. There is stress without the larger paycheck but he is mentally sound now compared to what he was before. So maybe this fella, , has come to the same conclusion in his life. His position recently has moved him up the cooperate ladder and with this maybe the stress has become unbearable .

I guess the conclusion to this story is sometimes you have to do what makes you happy. One life to live so they say. I will plug along with the somewhat stability I have at the moment and get closer to retirement.  Also, I feel bad for the young lady who had the foot in her mouth. I did however tell her that I wouldn’t say anything at work. You have to be careful with what you say. Loose lips sink ships is an American English idiom meaning “beware of unguarded talk”. The phrase originated on propaganda posters during World War II. Wikapedia.

You know it is peaceful here in the morning. I thought someone was talking outside to realize that it was a Barred Owl. Darn those things will scare you. The sound is like who cooks for you.  Here is a link to a Barred Owl Sound.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njye9Qe7_Zk

I will move on today with a guide, me myself and I and keep my own mouth shut. I will see if the young lady called this person to tell him what info was laid out by mistake. Maybe a call into the office. Hey, if you keep your mouth shut about this I will promote you. Ha Ha Ha Ha, I don’t see that happening. Good day Everyone.

©Bilodeau,D.H. 2014

Life’s Edge With Her

I held her hand to life’s edge. She was hanging on for every bit of strength she had. It had been a long night with the two of us crying and worrying about the next chapter. I was worried that I couldn’t live without her. She was crying that she wouldn’t make it another breath and be able to spend another day with me. The light was getting dimmer and the memories were getting distorted by the constant weeping within. Her breathing was becoming labored, knives penetrating through my heart. Was God going to be there for her in the last moments or would I have to guide her through the journey and hand over my love.

I had not been versed into the path of delivering my spouse. It cannot be me, I, who am a laborer, not trained in the delivery of one’s life. Please God, do not let me fail. I am your son but have not the strength myself to be a conductor of life. I will not fail my spouse. I weep again, she tugs my hand, oh no is this the time? A song is playing  my ears, Is there a god out there? Please don’t let me go, I am your brother, brother, brother………

When will this pain stop, we cannot hold on anymore, either of us will destruct, with our minds being put through this test of time. I keep thinking that my spouse is going to a better place, I feel a tear coming down my face, I wipe it with  the back of my hand, all I see is red.

I hear a gasp , I look down at my beautiful spouse and she has disappeared from life as we know it. It is quiet and I am scared, where do I go from here, I’m alone. I look out the window, the sun is bright, a new path has been chosen for me. I turn around and stop, looking at her bedside I see God with her in his arms. He looks at me and with a slow wave of his arm, he waves at me and nods. It is time for me to leave, I walk out the door to a new beginning.

©Bilodeau,D.H. 2014

Life’s Tug Of The Heart

 

I have been on the local fire department for years and never have been to a fatal structure fire. I have been witness to a lot of things through the years. No one on my department has been to a fatal fire. An 84 year old lady perished in this fire and still unknown of what started the fire. It is real hard to lose someone in a fire. We train to deal with fire but no one is ever prepared for a fatal. The fire was totally engulfing the structure and no way to ever save this lady. The hardest part to deal with was our own firefighter that got the call and had to respond to his own grandmother’s house. This was so hard for him and the chief made him stand down. Still even during this horrible incident he still wanted to help with the hope of saving his grandmother.  I hope that I never become a witness to this again in my firefighting volunteer career. It is hard when there is nothing you can do to save a life. Here is a picture that was taking right when I first got there. I am on the hose on the front right at the nozzle. This was a big fire and out of any hydrant district. Water really became a challenge. Our hearts go out to our brother firefighter and his family. Here is a video of the grandson during an interview. A picture of his grandmother.http://www.wgme.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/woman-dies-livermore-fire-her-grandson-among-first-scene-22659.shtml#.U4-_f2dOWM9

©Bilodeau,D.H. 2014