It's a wonderful life

I just caught the last hour of the classic movie, It's a Wonderful Life.  Funny how many times I've watched that movie and never thought of it as anything more than just another classic movie with a
feel warm plot to it.   Tonight for some reason it was different, I kept "seeing myself" in some of the
scenes a deja vu feeling would come over me.  I kept thinking do I make a difference in people's lives, if so is it a good difference or a bad difference? Funny how as I get more "mature" ( I refuse to get older) I start wondering about things like this. 

I was raised in a Christian family and environment in a small rural farming community of SE South
Dakota.  You were taught early and often many things, a man's word is his bond, respect your elders,
help someone in time of need because it's the right thing to do. 

Did I use these things I learned as I grew up?  Did I pass these things on to my children?  One can wonder and fret and worry, but what does that gain you in the end?  Stress, high blood  pressure and
insomnia.  I have enough of those already.   I think I just need to look into the eyes of the people I love, my close friends, people I encounter every day and if I see a small piece of me or a positive influence hopefully caused by me in those eyes, my day is complete.  Live-Love-Laugh  I think that's a new motto for me.  Keep your life real and keep your life simple and everything else will fall into place. 

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My kids

I have four kids, well they aren't kids they are grown adults with lives and jobs and families. Now  to clarify, two are mine by parenthood and two are by marriage but I refuse to use the term step child, 
they are in my life they are my kids I love them all equally.  When your children are growing up,
you hope that you can impart some values and morals and ethics that they will live by or emulate.

Isn't it a joy when you see them grow and display just how much they are what you hoped for and more? Well all four of mine are!
From these four kids, we have been blessed with five yes five wonderful grandchildren!
 Now two of our daughters are single parents and I marvel at their love, devotion, sacrifice and determination to provide a safe, healthy happy home for their kids. Could I do what these two are doing?  I don't know, I just know these two are doing a wonderful job!
Our other daughter lives too far away.. LOL  is married to a wonderful man and has the cutest one
year old boy, she is constantly sharing videos, skyping us and including us in their family life, what
a joy she is!
Our son is engaged!! YAY  (more grandkids to follow!)  He's local, has a wonderful fiancé and reminds me of MY father more every time I see him or talk to him. His work ethic, strength and character make me so proud.  Why am I telling you this?   
Am I a happy, blessed father?  You bet your ass I am!  

It's time

When I decided to start a "blog" I wasn't sure I had the right stuff to write about.  The previous ramblins I had on my face book page just come to me and I start putting it to words.  I will be
blogging on occasion and I need a favor.  If you like it please say so, if you disagree PLEASE say
so, if you have suggestions, please say so! 

My topics I promise will be wide and varied, they may come from my daily life, work, my family,
my childhood, it depends on what comes to me.   I have a few topics that have been brewing in my
mind.  One in particular I am wrestling with, it's very personal and it's about a family member, I want to write about this person, and I haven't told them.  I don't know if it's proper or ethical but it's on my mind a lot.  Perhaps I can combine it into another topic that I want to share my feelings about.  I'll
let you know soon.

For now, I will think and soon blog! 

Take care,

Russ's Ramblins

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