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Mar 13, 2004 I don't know how to act. I don't know what to write. This is my 100th column for useless- Knowledge.com and I am brain dead. Of course, some of you are thinking that I have been brain dead from the very beginning. During my high school years, when education meant something, I wore my hair long; I was the front man for 5 different rock bands; I was the catcher for the baseball team; I was (an award winning) first tenor for the high school choir; I began writing the poetry stuffed in my inner (10th grade) core; I cut a record that never made it to the top ten of the bottom five hundred; I fell in love 20 times and managed to reach first base a couple times. I did hit one homerun in both baseball and love; I was also the lead actor in my junior year play while I had a minor (but important) part in the senior class play. My first car was a 1961 Ford Falcon, 2 door sedan. I had to share it with my sister but that was okay because she had a boyfriend (later husband) who had his own car. She was never home. All my favorite relatives were still living and making my life wonderful to live. Uncle Andrew had his perfect Louis Armstrong renditions of "Hello Dolly" for every holiday and wedding. Uncle Leonard had his supurb "ala Liberache" on his personal "Hammond'. Aunt Lorna had her perfect love of children (having 11 of her own) and some for me. Aunt Bobbie had her wonderful cooking while Uncle James gave the best instructions on how to harvest clams while avoiding the sharks. Aunt Teresa had her quiet, loving temperment, even when you messed up her home. All of them had things that added to my lessons for life. Being one of six children I was actually a "middle child". I was the one Mom and Dad didn't have to worry about. My two older siblings were always in hot water for something. The three younger ones were "the babies". I could leave the house at 7 a.m. and return at 9 p.m.; eat all the leftovers from dinner; go to bed and be two hours in dreamland before anyone missed me. Did I ever mention I was born on the Fourth of July? Look at it. To contrast all of what was "then" with what is "now' there is absolutely no relationship. My formative years involved family, close friends, playing in the back yard or in the woods without fear or shame. Those years involved morality and real love and respect and obedience to the law and the rules of personal conduct. You could wear long hair but you would always have it neatly combed. You could sing rock and roll without "R" rated lyrics and high school plays did not have one single "vaginal" reference. Family was always first. There would always be time for your other stuff. I don't know what memories my children will pass on to their children. I like to think they will talk of their mom and dad with respect for their longevity of marriage and their ability to work together to raise 5 tough kids who weren't always the easiest to figure out. I hope they remember all the cool places we travelled to. Places, I never saw as a child, but appreciated greatly, seeing as an adult. I hope they live their lives with that same love of travel and exploration of new places. I want them to be content, but not so content they would stop wanting to experience new things. I don't know how my children will view their relationships with their uncles and aunts, or their grandparents. if I am ever fortunate enough to get them all in the same room at the same time again, I'll remember to ask them. So this is my 100th column. I didn't know what to write, so I just wrote about me. I hope you all don't mind. I'll try to find a few things more exciting for the next 100 articles. ------------ About the Author: Independent, Conservative, Christian. Married 29 years with 5 children raised and one grandson being raised. 30 year Army Veteran and published poet with www.poetry.com since Y2K. Email Michael John McCrae: michael.mccrae@us.army.mil Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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