Answers to some questions asked on another forum:
Q…What has brought you the most Joy as you aged?
A….Seeing our sons make their way thru life, has been an up and down thing. There were times I wished for retroactive birth control. Then times my chest swelled with pride. BUT over all, it has been a joy.
Q… The most joyful thing?
The grandkids have been great. But learning that life is actually short, really short, and the things we wanted to do in years past and did not, if we are to do them, we must do them NOW. There is no PROMISE of tomorrow, nor continued good health..
Q…What would you do differently in your life?
A… 1. For one, I would really study and get a REAL formal education.
2. My first love was the military, Using the college (that I would have gotten) I would still join but as an officer. I would request the Sea-Bees and major in construction. Then on retirement I would start the construction company as I did, but I would not spend years ‘Learning on the job’.
(For a long time I denied the education thing above, pointing out that I (we) had done better than most folks with the 4yr degree)
3. I would take more time with my sons’ educations, and TRY to encourage them to also seek a formal education.
4.. Above all I would strive to be a better husband and father (I am pretty good at it now, but I haven’t always been).
Q… What words of advice do you have for my generation, as we try to grow closer to -- and guide -- our children?
A.. Here I am stumped and fall on the clichés, As you try to understand your children, LOVE them. Unless you just have an aversion to church, you should be active in a church and encourage your kids to also.
Church is definitely not a cure-all, but good morals will be learned and Christian folk are pretty good people to be around.
I am not preaching here, but many wise folk believe in salvation. It would be wise to ask some serious questions in that area.
There were a lot of good questions but I am not articulate enough to express my feelings.
thanks for stopping by the Shipslog.
Nite Shipslog
PS:
I have enjoyed a great life. But even the best of lives could have used some tweaking!
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If I had it to do over again, I would buy that $50 1934 Ford from Bud Coren and asked my brother to store it for me. LOL
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9 comments:
I would say you have had a good life. You have seen the world..
Experienced lots of different
things, building, traveling, teaching, entertaining with your drawings and a good trumpet player when you could hear. You have
helped so many people and still do.
So there---you have been there
Brother.
I'd agree the best times of my life have been with my family. Watching them grow up into beautiful adults. I am now enjoying the grandchildren too. I agree too that going to church with your family gives them a good foundation to grow on and I think it's important to have those good values to base your thinking on. You and Sherry are blessed to be living out some of your dreams. I feel blessed to have been able to retire and live life in the slow lane. Life is short and you have to make the most of your time while you still have it. Good post today!
Good questions. GREAT answers.
My kids are always in a whirl wind of activity. But then every so often they remember their mom and their dad are still alive. Their dad is long distance and he does not travel so it is more phone calls. I am grateful they turned out to be responsible, good kids. I could have been a better mom I believe but I loved them all with all my heart. That was the best I could do and kept food on the table.
My kids are always in a whirl wind of activity. But then every so often they remember their mom and their dad are still alive. Their dad is long distance and he does not travel so it is more phone calls. I am grateful they turned out to be responsible, good kids. I could have been a better mom I believe but I loved them all with all my heart. That was the best I could do and kept food on the table.
I like what you said about the education part, Jack. Our son is reluctant to pursue any more education though it would help fine tune him. I might share your thought about it to him and say how you wished you had looked into it more seriously in your younger days, so that he doesn't reach his older days wishing he had gone to college or taken some other courses past high school.
This was enjoyable to read; I think we all need the reminder that life indeed is short, no matter how many years we may be given.
So true too about a church; I know that is what draws people to go back to church or to try a church when they become parents; they want to impart some of those Christian values so to speak into their children and themselves and along the way end up finding salvation :)
betty
I agree with what you say.
I remember this Ziggy statement - How do our joyous of joys turn also into our saddest of sads - from the same source!?
I guess I regret we didn't spend more time at church with our girls. We did take them to Sunday school, let them out and go back to pick them up (me bad). With the way Mel worked Sunday morning was really the only time we had to discuss and plan, eat together, have coffee etc. He really did work long hours, was out of town a lot but if I had tried harder we could have managed. We really did enjoy those Sunday mornings though.
I really enjoyed this Q-&-A, Jack! Plenty articulate for me!
Looking back, my happiest times were spent with family. How I wish I'd realized that at the time. Ya, regret is a sour soup.
Continuing, formal education is a great thing ... if one knows what they want! In the Fall of '68 I hadn't a clue, and pretty much squandered my parents' hard-earned money. Some of the finest, most successful people I know don't have college degrees.
Nevertheless, I like how you prompt us to think!
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