Archives for June 2018

Just some thoughts:

“He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over
which he himself must pass.”

George Herbert

Never burn a bridge.

==============================================

June 10, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-30-2018

Just some thoughts:

“Too many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the warmth of the sun.”
Edward Heyman

I’m not sure what to say further regarding that line but it is from the song, “When I Fall In Love.”

==============================================

October 30, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-30-2018

Just some thoughts:

Sometimes in one’s life being ignored can be just as bad,
maybe even more so than being mistreated.

======================================

June 21, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted  6-29-2018

Just some thoughts:

“Always wink at the crowds.”

“That way everybody thinks you’re winking at them.”

Said by thirty-two year old golfer Billy Joe Patton in 1954 as he participated in the Master’s golf tournament.

I can always remember how Arnold Palmer would smile at the crowd and how often he would pick someone out to especially take note of  them…made them feel very special.

Hum…a wink and a smile….can go a long way…. in a lot of matters. Not just even in golf. Right?

I think some boys once sang a line that was kinda similar to this wink business. It went something like:

“City girls seem to find out early how to open doors with just a smile.”

Smiles and winks………. they can carry a lot of influence.

============================================

April 15, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-28-2018

Just some thoughts:

Recently I was driving south on Franklin Road in one of my old cars (’55 Thunderbird) when all of a sudden I heard a car horn and someone yelling at me. “Hey, Hey!” I heard someone but I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

The next thing I know a car turned around and is now coming up behind me at a fairly rapid rate of speed. I looked in my mirror and I could see a lady who is now leaning out her car window and blowing her horn. Then she pulled up beside me and motions “pull over.” I take note of her, noticing she has a couple little ones in cars seats in the back of her SUV.  Oh my what have I done now?

I looked for a place to pull over, you know when a lady tells you to pull over you best listen. I found a side road to make a turn, then pulled up the street a bit and stopped. The lady immediately pulled in behind me. I got out of my car and started to walk back, but she has already jumped out of her car and is now within a few feet of me. She appeared to be almost out of breath, “Mr. Mr., I apologize but I had to stop you.” Now standing next to her are two small children I would judge to be six or seven years old. “Jamie, my son, saw you first and said Mama there it is.”

Evidently I appeared a bit puzzled. She said, “My grandfather had a car like that, exactly like that, exactly, same color same everything. I have told my kids about that car so many times, showed them pictures but have never been able to see one and then we see you. That’s why  the kids and I got so excited. May we look at your car?”

“I’ve told my kids countless times about my grandfather’s car and about when I was a little girl he used to take me every week-end to the Dairy Queen for ice cream in my hometown in that car. Oh, it was so special. You have no idea how special it was and now to see this car again! My grandfather has been dead for a good number of years, but I have that great memory, it has never left me.” I thought she might cry. “Thank you.Thank you. I thought I would never see that car, one like it again.”

I asked the lady if she had a camera? I thought she was going to faint, and turning to the two little ones she said, “Oh my, wait till we tell Daddy about this.” “Why don’t you get in the car and let me take some pictures of you?” She and the two children were circling the car like it’s some monument. Some pictures were taken of her sitting behind the wheel and we even took some with the kids behind the wheel. Finally they were finished, and she said she could not thank me enough for taking the time to stop.

I think I may have made the lady’s day. But you know what… she made mine also. Sometimes when making another’s day, they  also help in making  yours.

“One of the best virtues one can possess is improving the quality of another’s day.”
David Thoreau

===============================================

August 5, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-27-2018

Just some thoughts:

Some years ago out in west Texas, cattle and oil country, there was an old Dutchman diary farmer.  Yes, in the heart of oil and cattle country the man had cast his lot with dairy cattle. These creators they have no knowledge of Sunday’s, Christmas or the idea of one taking a vacation. The only thing they know is they need to be “unloaded” (milked) every day of the world.

This man, this dairy farmer was well like and respected by the cowboys in his community as he was a hard worker. He didn’t have many cows or much acreage. One morning he went to his  barn as usual, milked his cows–remember this in the days before automatic milking machines–and then picked up a shotgun and took his life.

The biggest topic of discussion regarding this sad happening was not so much this man had taken his life. Oh yes, it received some brief discussion among a few in the community. But the main question ask by the cowboys time and time again–“why in the world if you are going to shoot yourself, take your life, why would you first milk the cows?”

The fact of suicide itself didn’t so much puzzle them as to the why, what he did before taking his life. The cowboys had little interest in probing such mysteries regarding the matter of suicide.

But you know  isn’t that like man, too often we want to discuss the “symptoms” rather than address the issues. Too often the right questions are not ask.

We just ask “Why did he milk the cows?”  Too often in life wrong questions are asked.

===============================================January 8, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-26-2018

Just some thoughts:

“We are prepared for insults but compliments often leave us baffled.”

I have a physical every year and six months in between go see my doctor for a follow-up and blood work.

Now I enjoy going to a doctor’s office about like our old dog Shadow liked going to the vets office. I swear that dog knew when I turned on the street and then pulled into the vets office. She would give me a look of panic and start to shake.

Today was that six months day. After the usual time with the doctor he sent me to the lab for my blood work. The lab was very busy this day. I stood for a while and watched the nurses taking blood. Finally it came my time to sit down  and swing the  chair arm over in  the position for my arm to begin the  process. A process  I never look forward to.

The young lady (why does everyone at a doctor’s office look like they still should be in junior high?)  came over to begin the procedure. I said to her, “Young lady what’s your name?” She smiled and said “Danni.” “Danni you know my next question?” “No, no I don’t.” “Well, how good are you at this blood taking thing I want to know.” She smiled, even laughed a bit and said, “I’m pretty good at this.” “Pretty good, oh come on  I want to hear that you are really good at this, not pretty good.” “OK I’m really good at this.” With that she went to work.

She punched around on my arm a bit trying to get a vein to make a greater appearance. I sat rather motionless and waited to feel the sting. Next thing I know Danni has pulled the needle from my arm, places some cotton where she had stuck me, then taped and done.

“Danni, you know what,” I said to her. “No, what?” “Well the committee has just met and we voted you the number one blood taker not in just Williamson County, not just in the state of Tennessee and but I voted you the number one blood taker in the U.S.” With that she laughed, “Boy I’ve never been voted number one in anything, wow that is quite a compliment.” “Well you just now have, a call from the governor is forthcoming and your citation will be in the mail tomorrow. With that I got up from the chair, thanked her and left.

As I walked to my car I thought about that encounter. True  most of this exchange between Danni and myself was said and received in humor. But also why is it that criticism more often that not gets marque billing over a kind word or praise so often? Why is it that man can be given so quick to criticism rather than praise?

I believe one can ride a compliment farther

than a horse can carry him.

Larry Adamson

===============================================June 21, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Just some thoughts:

A dictionary might tell you that a volunteer is: A person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task—freely offers to do something. Key word is “freely.”

Today my wife and I went to a professional golf tournament. For the past few years the PGA Dot.Com tour has an event here in the Nashville area. Having once worked in  golf circles I still have an interest in the workings of such and certainly enjoy watching players play at such a skill level.

Today as I left the event the thought kept coming to me the number of people it takes to put on such an event. Knowing a bit about such I am even more impressed with the fact that most of the people involved in doing such are volunteers. Meaning they personally get nothing from it other than the satisfaction of knowing and enjoying what they are doing. Helping, support a cause. In fact most times they even pay for their own shirt, hat,  jacket, items needed when working at those events.

The transportation at this event was excellent. From a local high school parking lot you were bused into the tournament grounds. At all points there were people to instruct you where to park, where to go to get on and off the shuttles,etc. Kudos to the tournament committee and their people.

Let me ask you this. What in the world  posses a person to volunteer where their responsibilities put them in a hot asphalt parking lot or a dusty overgrown field waving people in and out to park a car? You don’t even get to see any of the event that you are volunteering for? What gives?

Volunteers. Interesting enough the state of Tennessee gained the nickname  the Volunteer state. Reason, was because of the high number of people who volunteer from this state to serve in the Civil War.

What a blessing volunteers are and can be to so many good efforts. My wife has worked as a volunteer for this one group since moving from New Jersey to Tennessee beginning back in 2002. Assisting in support of a non profit out reach group in helping the less fortunate in various ways. Likewise there are a number of organizations I have and some I continue to support as a volunteer today.

This past week I had lunch with a young lady (Karen) who is the Executive Director of the Nashville Adult Literacy Council. Currently there are over 300 people who weekly are giving of their time to sit down with and help one learn to read. That’s life changing. Karen has talents that I believe far exceed what she is doing, but she has a passion for helping others.

So if you currently are or have been a volunteer.–THANK YOU. If you are not doing so let me suggestion you find a good cause and give some of your time and talent to such. There are thousands of groups, good causes out there that need our support.

In closing again a thank you to that person whose name I don’t know who has been standing in that hot school parking lot for much of the day  helping me and others park our car and enjoy the golf. Or to that person sitting each week helping another person learn to read.

“One of the greatest virtues a person can posses is the ability and the
interest in trying to add to the quality of another person’s day.”

Volunteers do that very thing.

===============================================May 27, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-23-2018

Just some thoughts:

Every year as a young girl Rose Anne wanted a Roy Rogers cowboy hat for Christmas.

And every Christmas she would get a cowboy hat but not a Roy Rogers cowboy hat. Every Christmas she would receive a Benny Carle cowboy hat. Benny was a local TV cowboy having a daily afternoon program at  WBRC Channel six in Birmingham, Alabama.

“Evidently my parents thought that it really didn’t matter or that I wouldn’t notice whose name was on the front of the hat as long as Santa brought me a hat.”
The Stories I Keep–Dr. Rose Anne Coleman

But to Rose Ann it did matter. Every year “I want a Roy Rogers cowboy hat.” Every year it did not happen. To Rose Anne Benny wasn’t a real cowboy, he didn’t even have a horse and the name on the front of the hat was not Roy Rogers. Benny wasn’t capable of fighting the bad guys, righting wrongs and make the world safer for others. Wrong hat.

You know Rose Anne got half of her wish each year. She did get a cowboy hat but not the right one. She got fifty percent of her wish. You know some times in life that is about the luck that some folks have, they get about half of what they want. Life gives no guarantees, one does not always get the “cowboy hat” they want or asked for.

One can live their whole life… and never get the hat they ask or really had hoped for

==============================================

April 19, 2018
Keep on,
Larry Adamson

Posted 6-22-2018