I've been sitting here watching the wheels go 'round and 'round for the past month. 2008 is turning out to be somewhat reflective. I've been more attentive to some of the little things. Figuratively speaking, I'm slowing down to smell some of the roses along the way. The ones that I would normally just dismiss or plainly just take for granted.Perhaps I've been sitting and watching those wheels a little too much, actually. The holiday wreath is still hanging outside our home. I've been meaning to take it down and I don't remember to do so except as I pull away in the car every morning. I did want to take it down a couple of weeks ago on consecutive Sundays that I was at home.
The reason I didn't was that it requires that I open the windows in both The Savages' bedrooms and untie it from the moorings that it hangs from outside. It's a big wreath with lights. Five feet. The temps on the weekends have been a little too cold and since I need an extra hand from Wifey, it wasn't a very popular idea both of those days I wanted to tackle it. So, the wreath remains up but, not for long. There is a sense just in the last few days around here that winter is deflating.
In recent days, as I drive around my neighborhood and community, I can see that there are others who are waiting for a break in the weather to discard the last remaining remnant of the past holiday season. There are others like me.
Two weeks ago I got an e-mail from a cousin who I haven't seen in quite some time. Good guy. When I came to live out east, he would dote over my mother. I have a soft spot for him. He wrote to say that his mother and father -- my aunt and uncle that is -- will be celebrating a fiftieth wedding anniversary and that he and his sibs are putting together a celebration of it. That only close family and close friends would be invited to attend.
I was touched that he had written to ask me to be there. I, however, reflexively wrote him back and expressed my regrets that I would not be able to go. That the short notice was insurmountable but, that they will be in my thoughts on that day.
Three days later, my older cousin Luis, the guy with the death wish who’s been married four times, who smokes and drinks too much, the one with the high pressure sales job, called me on the phone to personally apologize for such the late notice about the event. He mentioned to me that, both my uncle and aunt had expressed to him that they both hoped I would be able to make it to their celebration.
That’s when I got bathed in that light and I heard that voice.
“It’s the roses, Jerry”. “Stop and smell the roses, Jerry”. That’s what the voice said. It’s the same voice that rears itself on occasion and says "Jerry, get your head out of your ass and go out and build a baseball field".
The voice had me relent and tell cousin Luis that, since he had called and mentioned his parent’s wishes, that I would march into work tomorrow and see what I could do about getting out there.
This event is after Super Tuesday, is after the Super Bowl and after the likelihood that a parade down The Canyon of Heroes were to occur if the New York football Giants were to beat the favored New England Patriots.
So, it was a go with the bosses. One mentioned that sometimes life gets in the way of work. My thought was that no one ever lies on their deathbed thinking that they should have spent more time at work.
Another reason I re-thought about me going was because, earlier in the morning, I was going through the obits in the Newark Star Ledger. I came across one announcement that really stood out and that was salient for me that morning. I regret not ever having known this man, but he sure sounds like a guy who’s really going to be missed. His family requested no flowers and no donations to any special causes as is the norm to read in that section of the newspaper. They simply requested the best for you and me.
http://obits.nj.com/starledger/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=101804133
I was also intrigued to have read a press report later that rang a prophetic bell. It was about how Lenny Kravitz has recently been doing some rose smelling of sorts and doing some personal reflection also.
I remember a colleague who I work with mentioning once that, if he were a groupie for anyone in show business that he would drop it all and be a "hanger-on" for Lenny Kravitz. I remember asking, "Why him?"
He said, "The babes". That he would be happy to have Lenny's "sloppy seconds" anytime.
Well, it appears that in the last three years, Lenny Kravitz has been doing some self evaluation. One of the things that he's sizing-up is his sex life. Seems Lenny's been getting so much of "it" that he's turning inward for some well-being.
Kravitz unequivocally proves that a man who's been fucking some of the most beautiful women in the world, can eventually grow tired of fucking some of the most beautiful women in the world. All that deflowering and now he wants to spend his time just sniffing. He appears to have concluded that it's not always about the sex (must be nice). Rather, sometimes it's about the figurative smell (mind and spirit) of his partners.
http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/40136/no-sex-before-marriage-for-lenny-kravitz
So, as it is, sniffing I go.
Thursday I will be flying out to Phoenix and then heading out to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico all by myself just to smell some roses for three days.
*!*
posted by JerryNJ @ 8:07 PM
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