Friday, September 10, 2010

Looking Down The Road

Looking down the road what do you see? I’m not talking about actually looking down the street although it’s a good idea to look both ways before crossing the street and once you cross the street and come to that fork in the road which way do you go?

Yes I know that was quite a ramble but I was thinking about myself way back when I first cut out on my own so to say, you all remember back when we thought we had the world by the tail and knew exactly where we were going and what we were going to become, how many of us actually knew as much as we thought we did then?

When I graduated high school I was working at a grocery store in the meat market, the first thing I was going to do was drive up to Hinkle’s Jeep Sales in Pickens, SC and buy myself a Jeep, I always wanted a Jeep and just knew I’d look good in one, I went to work as a laborer at a construction company and with the extra money I was making I’d have the Jeep real soon.

Well as most of you have figured out I never bought that Jeep, I took a road trip away from my home and ended up married and having kids, you know the old saying “Life Happens” and it was happening to me, now I had to be responsible and take care of my family, I got myself a good job and began paying into a retirement account which I forgot about because it was taken out of my check before I got it. Looking down the road at that time I knew that my future was secure with my family and job, I would work as long as I could and make a fortune in my career.

Life Happens and my marriage ended, the only thing salvaged from this little part of my life was my retirement account which I felt was worth fighting for because I had paid into it for so long, Looking down the road now I figured I had nothing to lose so I turned the page and locked the door closing myself into an empty apartment, my family was now gone and nothing I could do would ever change that because in a nutshell I was now alone, far from home.

Looking Down the road I had many plans and very few of them came to pass, I had a good friend who would continue to poke at me giving me a hard time which got me through this hard time, I never knew that this good friend would be the next chapter in my life, most of you already know where this is going don’t ya.

Life Happens and Cindy became a big part of my life, Looking Down the road we had big plans and even though they have not all come to pass we have endured a lot of hard times which has never driven a stake between us but rather has driven us closer together, Looking down the road I planned now to retire at 55 and ride my Motorcycle to South Carolina, Life Happens and I had some medical issues which forced me to retire at 42 and Cindy to trade my bike for a Ford Taurus, the Taurus became a mini van and biking down the road went away just like my plans for a Jeep did, sometimes life may throw you a curve ball or two and even though they may be hard to hit, these curve balls are hittable if you change your swing a bit.

Looking down the road now I look forward to sitting on the porch and throwing beer cans at the grandkids, OK no beer cans that was just a joke, seriously my future is now secure because I am at home with Cindy no matter where we are, and with her I want to sit back on the porch and enjoy the laughter and joy that these grandbabies will be bringing to us, we have one grandbaby right now and God only knows how many more are to come but looking down the road I see a life of happiness because Looking back I made a few wise decisions that have made me a happy man.

Wonder if Cindy wants to go look at Jeeps?

15 comments:

  1. It is time for you to get your Jeep, doesn't have to be new. And save those empty beer cans. I invented a game for my grandkids called bunny bowling. (Balls had bunny faces on them.) Set the cans up on the kitchen floor in bowling formation and let them have at it.

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  2. Yes.. get that Jeep...
    Jimmy, I look down my road and it's all bright and shiny.. sure there will be a few dustballs in my path, but like you said, Iwill adjust my stride and keep on keeping..

    Great motivational piece!!!!!

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  3. Funny how life takes a turn that we would have never picked, but sure enough it had the best road and views. The vision on the porch lobbing beer cans. Ahh! :-D

    We have a Jeep, it's fun sometimes, but not very comfy!

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  4. Sometimes it's good to turn around and take a look down that long road and see how far you have come. Things happen in our lives that we have no control over, so we just go with the flow.
    I was widowed at 26, just coming up to five years ago now, but the things that we did, the plans that we had, the places we had visited...but they are all "Life Experiences" and that is what we put them down to.
    I always wanted a Jeep, but ended up with a Range Rover instead! A 4x4 is much more practical living in such a remote area...but who knows...maybe one day!
    Hugs to you both!

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  5. Yep, time to get the Jeep. You will put it to good use on road trips.

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  6. Jimmy--This reminded me of the song "Broken Road" by Rascal Flats. Do you know that song?

    Don't you dare throw beer cans at the grandchildren! What are you thinking? Use bottles instead!

    Beautiful post. We never know what's around the corner...

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  7. Oh, Jimmy. I just love your writing. Like a piece of home in written form.

    Just think... if you hadn't veered off that road you were on, you would never have met Cindy and even though you may not have gotten your Jeep you got a treasure much more valuable.

    Yep, Life happens.... and isn't it GREAT???

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  8. Oh, Jimmy...what a grrrrrrreat post!

    Both funny and insightful!

    Your words here are such a validation for me that what I initially sometimes see as down the road for my life is not always how it goes. Yet, how it goes, is always ends up being so much better than what I saw for myself.

    I have a feeling you'll be getting that Jeep!

    Thanks for sharing, buddy! What a great way to start my day!

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  9. In the great words of John Lennon..."life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." This is the theme song of my life now. It has been very difficult for me to change my way of thinking....being innately a planner and a plotter. But all the curve balls and stray paths that life throws at you force you to take the attitude of "one day at a time." I don't know if there is a grand plan for us or things just happen randomly, but what I have learned now is to try with all my might to make lemonade out of lemons and try to appreciate what I do have instead of what I don't. With that being said...I am in complete agreement with others...the Jeep is a must. I think it should be red. I can just see you and Cindy driving down the highway on the way to New Mexico to see your grandbabies...oh yah...don't forget to pick up a few six packs along the way so you will be well prepared for the eventual game of "porch pong."

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  10. Life never does go as planned. But it somehow still works out! I liked looking down the road. =)

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  11. Sooo many things I thought were going to happen nevr did and then there came along the things I never dreamt about.

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  12. Hey Jimmy I'm back! love reading your posts!!!

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  13. Thank You everybody, we had a turn of events that took us on another road trip which turned into a blast, I appreciate each and everyone of you and will attempt to answer each one individually, our son Randy is in town for a week and the next post will explain where we have been.

    Love Ya All!!

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  14. Hey MC, I would go for a used Jeep even, and the Bunny Bowling sounds like a plan for our future :^)

    Thank You Lynne, Keep your stride and keep on keeping that’s the way to think my friend, what do they say about making a stumbling block a stepping stone, you either trip or use the hardships to step up and grow.

    Hey Angelia, You are right about life taking you places you would have never picked, I have said before that if you want to make God laugh then tell him what “Your Plans” are.

    Lobbing Beer cans from the porch would have to be a good thing :^)

    Alice you are so right, it is good to look back and see how far we have come, losing your Spouse at such a young age is not fair but the Life Experiences you have are priceless because it made your time together all worthwhile.

    Hugs back to you my Dear Friend.

    Hey Joe, I agree that we would definitely put it to good use.

    Thank You Betty, I don’t know the song off the top of my head and will have to look for it, if the Grandbaby is anything like his Dad it will at least take a bottle to get his attention Ha Ha

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  15. Thank You Peg, I am honored to have friends like all of you here, and yes if my road hadn’t changed there is no telling where I would be now without Cindy, I wouldn’t go back and change it for a Jeep.

    “Life happens.... and isn't it GREAT??” Very true my Friend :^)

    Hey Ron, I appreciate you Buddy, yes if everything goes exactly how we plan then it would mast likely be a boring life, change is good no matter if it looks different than we had planned at first.

    Hey Susie, “life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." What a great theme to live life by, a Red Jeep and Porch Pong is a thought that makes me smile, Thank You my Dear Friend.

    Yes Kristy it does always work out, you gotta love that, I’m proud to have you looking down the road with us.

    Hey Heather, “Sooo many things I thought were going to happen never did and then there came along the things I never dreamt about” there is always a positive that makes it all worth it.

    Cindy, So good to see you back my Good Friend

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