Memories | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the tag “Memories”

28 Jan 2015

Maybe I’m Amazed

Maybe I’m amazed by the way we can make “something” out of “nothing”. And sometimes we like it and sometimes we hate it.

Maybe I’m amazed how there are always two stories to everything, and then there is the real story. Looking through our own eyes, we see them through our own lens and it has so many colors.

Maybe I’m amazed that after 30+ years of marriage I am still wildly in love with the same person. Love is not negotiable, it has ups and downs but it can be always and forever.

Maybe I’m amazed that more people don’t know about how find the beginning of something new, and stay stuck in one direction wondering when things will change.

Maybe I’m amazed that we only have a certain amount of time here on Earth, but we treat it so poorly… letting days go by without appreciating our time and using it to do what God has expected us to do. The rewards are endless.

Maybe I’m amazed that there are so many beautiful, wonderful people in this world, yet so many people are attracted to the negative things around them.

We all have a path. For us so fortunate to be able to make choices, we can. Yes we have the ability to change. We can choose at any moment to make things better.

So with so many in the world that cannot choose, we need to take that power and choose for the better. Help show others the way. Be amazed.

REPOSTING FROM 8/2013

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Acceptance, Emotion, Faith, Grace, Happiness, life is precious, Memories, moments, Music, Reality Check, Self-Awareness, Sprituality

15 Jan 2015

If The Sun Refused To Shine

This song Led Zeppelin song has been with me since I was a teen. Long forgotten, I still love it and it still has meaning decades later.

To my lovely wife. Thank You.

Thank You

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There’ll still be you and me

Kind woman, I give you my all
Kind woman, nothing more

Little drops of rain, whisper of the pain
Tears of loves lost in the days gone by
My love is strong with you there is no wrong
Together we shall go until we die

Inspiration is what you are to me
Inspiration, look to see

And so today, my world it smiles
Your hand in mine we walk the miles
Thanks to you it will be done
For you to me are the only one

Happiness, no longer sad
Happiness, I’m glad

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There’ll still be you and me, and me

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Kindness, Led Zeppelin, Love, Meaning of life, Memories, moments, Music, Music and Arts, Rock music, Soundtrack, tracks in the dust

19 Dec 2014

House Full Of Love

Something that has become much more evident since my wife and I became “empty-nesters.” We love the evenings of solitude, but we miss the “activity” of the house we once had. Four grown up kids later we realize that with that activity came much more.

Sure there was the worry about where your kids were in those teen years when they were “just going out with friends”. Yes there were those late night phone calls with urgent requirements ( I won’t explain, but some of you understand I am certain).

In the end the house was full of motion. We tried to create a “house full of love” that our children could feel comfortable to bring their friends to. To share in the laughter and the angst of growing up together. Rock music bumping loud enough to rattle the ceiling fans. video games going into the early mornings, mysteriously missing food from the pantry, laughter and doors opening and closing frequently.

Believe me some of it got on our nerves as parents, but we knew it would end someday and we were happy to know that our kids were okay. Several of their friends have become like part of our family and we still enjoy hearing from them. Sometimes we hit and sometimes we missed with our kids. Some of our kids understood it and some truly didn’t understand the gift.

Today as they are all adults and moved out, we still truly enjoy them bringing friends (significant others too) over, sharing a meal, relating to the world in so many more levels now than in years gone by. What joy it can bring.

It really is a gift of life, and makes for great moments to share and remember.As my wife and I work to enjoy the passage of time, as we have come to realize that our time here on earth is short and we have come to cherish it even more. At this holiday season what we want more than anything that can be wrapped up with a bow is to embrace our “house full of love”.

For your parents out there with younger kids or adults, you will no doubt at one point or another in the next few weeks step back and take in the moment. It is the only one like it and then time moves on. Embrace it as one of the greatest gifts.

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Acceptance, Advice, Change, choices, Christmas, Faith, Family, Grace, Happiness, Hope, Joy, life is precious, Memories, moments, Parents, Self-Awareness

17 Dec 2014

Family Traditions “German Holiday Songs”

When I was a kid my all of my aunts and uncles, cousins (distant and close) would get together on Christmas day in the afternoon to have the “family” Christmas party. Our German heritage would always mean great German food & pot luck including ham and German potato salad and so many other assorted eats including my grandmothers handed down German spice cake ( potato torte).

After everyone had their fill of great food and a bunch alcoholic drinks had duly been consumed, there was time to sing some songs. The whole family would join in to celebrate. Many were many Christmas traditional tunes “O Tannenbaum” and “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night) were inevitable. But also were a few Bavarian drinking songs ( at least it felt like they were from there). Not as Christmas oriented but certainly part of the tradition each year.

My focus for our family this year will be to recall and embrace those family traditions that got us to this Christmas. I hope that my children will better understand the rich and varied heritage that got us to the yule-tide celebrations we do now.

There was a song called “Mein Lieber Antone“. Thanks to my brother I have the words for it, but have not been able to find the actual tune on any search I have made via the Internet.. I would be grateful if anyone had any information about it.

The other song was a song about a Schnitzelbank. With assorted other farm implements (among other German things). A traditional drinking song for sure, complete with the sing-along poster as each time you added something you had to repeat the rest. What great fun, and definitely with a beer or other concoction in your hand while singing it.

Here is the poster we sang from:

Here is a rendition from You Tube ( so you can get the idea).

What were your traditions? What songs did you sing over the years that have become the standards for your personal soundtrack?

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged being remembered, Christmas music, Christmas Past, family and friends, German Drinking Songs, German Holiday Songs, Holiday Songs, Memories, moments, Music, Self-Awareness, Sing-a-long songs, Songs, Traditions

26 Nov 2014

Thankful for Our Children

My wife has said before that as a parent you may not always like your kids, but you will always love them. There may be some sense in that for many of us. As our kids get older and become adults they have had plenty of time to formulate their own idea of the order of their lives. Sometimes they make poor choices ( and you wonder if anything soaked in during those younger years), sometimes they take things for granted or create problems that are not really there.

One thing I have learned as my kids got older ( they are all over 21 now) is that they are forever entwined in their childhood personas. When they were born, from the day they could actually respond to things around them, my wife and I could tell that each of our four children were unique in their own way. They had their own way of looking at the world from virtually the day they were born. And all the life lessons and teaching you could apply would help to shape the edges, but their personality was something they were born with.

So as adults my wife and I can still see it. We had 3 sons in a row, and each one of them had their own perspective on things. While one of them was Intellectually reason out the simplest of problems ( even at 3 years old), another one of them got easily frustrated and would work to plan to manipulate his surroundings , the third was laid back and things would roll off and he would work through things in such a simple way and just smile. My daughter was our last, she was earthy, of the earth she loves animals more than people, enjoys nature and adjusts to things overtime when she finds the balance.

One thing they all had in common was music, my children did not all become consummate musicians ( however one of them has composed a number of great songs playing all the instruments and vocals). But music was meaningful. It is the canvas in which our lives would speak through sound and emotion. It ties us together in so many ways.

So this holiday season, when my adult kids will all be visiting our home we are thankful. We are grateful that we have had the opportunity to experience being a parent and proud of what they have become.