As a young man I listened to the callings of “the road”. I really had no idea what to do with my life as my session of public school finally ended. My love for the ocean was something I knew must continue and it was that direction I headed. To see the world from the bridge of any underway platform soon took me to the shores of places where only post cards did them justice. There was a serious maturity issue I had to contend with, but at the time when I literally left the house with a small satchel and a winter coat, the one thing I knew for sure was the ocean was the road I’d be traveling. One without lane markers, break down lanes, merging exits back and forth or even mile markers. To tell you how far I traveled over the course of the next twenty years would be a virtual impossibility, though the stories of far off places, the undeveloped film I have stored in my head and the memories, a.k.a. “sea stories” are waiting for pages to fill a book I already have the title for … “I Don’t Have the Imagination to Make This Stuff Up” would not only be proud to write but one that rests with me for the right time. Right now, in this rain soaked little town south of Bodega Bay I now benefit from the use of today’s technology to maintain a lifeline with my oldest daughter – actually, our entire family benefits from this technology. The days of collect phone calls from all over the world and using the excuse of “I couldn’t find a mail box” are long in the past – thank god. Benefitting from waking up before the sun certainly has its advantages when your child is starting her own adventures on the campus of the University of Leeds. I was so thrilled to see that little green button next to my daughter’s name and with the Lu-dog already fast asleep after her morning meal, and the coffee brewing I sat comfortably with the keyboard in front of me conversing with my daughter who is settling into her new digs with such a natural condition that brings glee to her old man. We all realize this blog is about beating cancer and I’m here to tell you, when the stress is removed from the environment your chances of beating anything, including ductal carcinoma is certainly within your grasp. Watching your daughter leave for London certainly places some natural stress into your system until you hear from them with their feet firmly planted in their new surroundings. This blog will forever be about kicking the crap out of cancer; our acceptance, our struggles, our challenges and our achievements. Today, as I enjoy my coffee, some Springsteen and the peace and quiet of this morning’s rain it dawns on me of the paths we’ve all traveled to get here this morning, and as luck would have it – the Springsteen song filling my space this morning is from “The Rising”, so I’ll leave with you with the poetic chorus from the song “Into the Fire”… May your strength give us strength / May your faith give us faith / May your hope give us hope / May your love give us love.
It’s a good day.
Peace,
Papa
