Courageous

The people that are courageous in my eyes are the little ones who have cancer or some other terminal disease, who are fighting with all they have. Life has dealt them a crushing blow, yet through sheer willpower, they are determined to live their life to the fullest. Compared to these 'chillins, there is nothing in my life that can ever resemble the pain, the heartache, the frustration, that these courageous kids go through! I salute them, their courageous parents and grandparents, their caregivers, and their doctors!

China

This week's word, China, as in 'made in China', brings up special thoughts. We, as the United States of America, have lost what made us great to begin with. Born in 1955, my parents wanted the best for me, but they didn't make me earn it. Had the people of my generation had the strength, the fortitude, the moral compass of my Dad & Mom's era, things would be different in the good ol' USA, today.

Instead, 'made in China' or 'made in wherever' is very prevalent today. I was one of the last people I know to give in, my union heritage being the reason, but, none the less, I did give in. It started slowly. If I got Christmas presents from my family, made in China, they would be thrown away. If Jean would buy me a coat or a dress shirt, not made in the USA, they would hang in the closet, never to be worn. My actions finally made Jean start looking at all the labels. It would have been nice, 20 years ago, if she had never had to start.

Automobiles were the first foreign items I can remember noticing. Nearly forty years ago I wanted a Volkswagen Beetle real bad, and my Dad said 'no way'. I didn't understand the whys and wherefores for several years, but I understand perfectly now. With the demise of the United States electronics industry, and the onslaught of the 'computer age' almost all “gadgets” were made offshore. Almost all cameras came next. Then the textile industry went south, and there was no stopping the flood of manufacturers heading toward cheap labor.

What once made America great, our manufacturing expertise, has now gone the way of our many manufacturing skills. I fear that it will never return. We used to be able to design anything. Now, we look to China. Even the making of some of the defense systems has been relegated to foreign companies. How safe is that? Instead of a “nuts & bolts" country, we are now a “service” country.

I feel real sorry for the generations after mine. The men & women of the United States proved their mettle during WW1 & WW2. The countries that wanted to defeat us could not because we were too mighty. Now, my generation & those after mine are just handing our country over to the powers that be. We have record deficits with China, in the BILLIONS of dollars. We have borrowed against our children & grandchildren's future until they will have no future. The demise of the United States of America is next. In one thousand years our country will be known as another civilization whose prosperity was their downfall.

Diamond

I cannot hear the word diamond without thinking of the song “Diamond in the Rough”. It is an old John Prine tune that has meant a lot to me over the years. The gist of the song reminds me that we are just a work in progress, and as we go through life's experiences we are polished a little more, then a little more.

Some people reach a certain stage of their life and it seems they start coasting. Many, many are way too young, but through drugs, or a lost love, or through a perceived slight, they just quit trying. Others, after going through too many trials & tribulations just hunker down and stay in “protection” mode. Still others, having reached a plateau where they are content, are happy to stay where they are.

In this game we call life, I believe we should never quit. We must always strive to master new things. We must challenge ourselves to reach to new heights. We must always polish on that ol' diamond!

Camp

Camp is another word that brings back extraordinary memories. Some of my camping excursions could be likened to staying at the Ritz-Carlton, without the roof over our heads, or the plush carpet under our feet! I think my buddies & I kept trying to one up each other, so our camp kept getting nicer & nicer. We had a kitchen area that was nicer than many homes of the day. Our camp cuisine was just hamburgers & hot dogs, with an occaisonal chop thrown in, but we would have all the condiments & all the side dishes to make the meals very tasty. We had nice, roomy, tents, with goose down sleeping bags, with Therma-Rest mattresses under them, & candle lanterns. Our fire pit & fire were always the nicest around, and there was always an endless supply of beverages. I had a hammock I would carry with me that was big enough for two, & I had a rain fly mounted above it. When the temperature got the least bit cool, the goose down vests, coats, & booties would come out. We camped year round, but when it got down right cold, there was a cabin in LBL that we would go to. It didn't have any glass in the windows, but we would build a roaring fire in the fire place and stay warm as toast!