It's Sunday morning and time for another of my ramblings---- I'm feeling a bit low. I do volunteer work and we had

[3Hotdogs]

several high school and college kids volunteering with us four "permanent" volunteers. Two of them were there as part of a community service sentence. And they all worked... Hard. And it was fun teaching them how to use the power tools, how to build a boardwalk, safety things and so forth. I would have them hold up their hands and show the supervisor that they started the day with ten fingers and at the end of the work, show her that they also left with 10 finger. Safety.

And they all learned my Prime rule of safety: "If it looks stupid, it is."

They got a kick out of that.

They also learned how to identify some of the birds and denizens of the swamp from their poop. And plants - especially Poison Ivy. They all soon became experts in identifying P.I. and the other more attractive plants in the swamp, such as Cardinal Flowers and Baby's Breath. By the second week, they were taking their phones out to photograph plants and use the phone's identifier to call out a name of a plant.

Yesterday was their last day. Back to school. And I miss them. I guess I became a bit too attached to them.


On top of that, is my h.s. class reunion in September. Class of '60. I have never attended any of the prior reunions. This time, attendees were asked to submit a brief autobiography. The class is remarkable. One Nobel Prize winner. One head of a department at Harvard Med. Many other people who achieved success in their fields. One is the C.E.O. of an investment firm you would know the name of. And so forth.

Me? I fucked up just about every job I ever held. I got out of it with a defined benefit state pension and a paid off mortgage. I have money at the end of each month so I am not a complete failure. But I still fucked up a lot. So I look at what my classmates achieved and compare it with myself and there I have it.

Tomorrow morning is another day, joining a hike with my hiking club. So I know that come around 3:00 p.m. tomorrow, I will be in a better frame of mind. But tonight, not so much.

3H

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. You live and you learn.

If you don't, you are kinda fucked.

[blm]

2. Your life sounds like a pretty damn good choice

To most sane people.

[Lifeafter70]

3. I think you are too hard on yourself

The volunteer work you are doing is very important. You are making a difference in those young lives.
Heck you let teenagers use power tools and they still have arms and legs lol.

[3Hotdogs]

10. For the sawing, they have eye and ear protection. I stay at the bench to "coordinate" the distribution of sawed lumber.

"Take these three to Jim. Take those for to Tom." That gives me a reason to stay to watch them without giving them the feeling that I am there to watch them. The "learning" is for the kids with boots on (we supply them) in the water, learning what lumber goes where and why...how it all fits together like a puzzle.

Jobs are rotated so that nobody gets bored.

[Tarzanrock]

4. Be happy! Enjoy life! You have it made!

There's roughly 8.2 Billion people on the Earth. You are far, far better off than 8 Billion, 900 million + of those people. Be happy! Enjoy life! You have it made!

[Kali]

5. the only one you should compare yourself to

is you. have you done better than before? are you satisfied with your life? are you still learning and growing? one way to deal with people who may seem more successful or "intimidating" is to be interested in them, get them talking. it makes the listener come across as a positive experience. and one often finds out things that are reassuring.

mentoring people is one of the most rewarding and honorable actions elders can take. you are a good person.

[3Hotdogs]

11. Yes. I am still learning and growing.

[HeartsCanHope]

6. Not everyone lives a "big" life.

I wouldn't want the life that other people have. I wouldn't have my husband and my son. They can keep their Nobel Prizes and being the head of anything--every day I get to spend my life with the two people that mean the most to me! Not dissing their life choices, just happy with mine.
What you have given those young volunteers this summer are memories they will always have. You've taught them some valuable survival skills, helped them learn how to safely use power tools, and build a boardwalk. You taught them about flora and fauna. You also gave them your most valuable commodity--your time. Talk about that in your autobiography. You are making a difference in your community. Take pride in that. You are a hero to those kids, and that is something most cannot say.
Thank you for what you do for your community. Take care.

[UTUSN]

7. This is fantastic

"I got out of it with a defined benefit state pension and a paid off mortgage. I have money at the end of each month"

in addition to all your other activities/accomplishments. In my late stage, am barely learning to dismiss bad dreams and ugly moods and negative people as pfft that can be cured with more hydration and a nap - and quality time with sig-other, companion animal, or yourself. And not applying this to you since you value fellowship so much, but I have never gone to reunions and never will. You sound like a wonderful human.

[SunSeeker]

8. Right? What more do you need?

I mean...besides love.

[DFW]

9. Just remember

There are those that don’t have a cent to spare at the end of the month. If you do, it’s worth valuing, even if someone else edged you out in that Nobel Prize.

[Blue Owl]

12. "If it looks stupid, it is..."

That sounds like a Tim Walz campaign message right there!

[quaint]

13. Your life seems very successful to me.

Helping others. No burden on others.