Life and Stuff

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I appreciate Art.  Not so much in the traditional sense, but I manage to find the beauty in almost anything.  I also appreciate nature.  When I was a child, I’d go for long rides to look at the fall foliage.  I’d make fun of my mother when she would “ooh” and “ahh” over the colors of the leaves.  Now that I’m older, I really appreciate the palette of colors the changing seasons bring.  The one piece of art, created in nature, that stands above all others in my mind is the ocean.  I easily spend hours staring into the clear blue water, watching the waves hit the rocks, the crashing white foam, the patterns that form in the sand.  I search for shells, watch the glimmer of the sun on the surface and dream of places far, far away.  The most spectacular image I’ve ever seen, is without doubt, the ocean.

A piece of paper.  Three inches wide, four inches long and printed with an unimpressive array of numbers.  If those numbers are chosen in the daily lottery, your entire life would change.  Everyone has fantasized about how they would spend the money.  Here’s how my life would change.  I’d buy a bigger house, and secure my son’s future.  I’d pay off my immediate families debt and spread the wealth with two close friends.  I’d be able to sleep at night, no longer worrying about how to pay the mortgage or what late fees I’d incur on my charge cards.  I might do some travel, and  I’d definitely help a lot of sweet people that have helped me along the way.  I’d fight for the underdog and feed starving children.  While I don’t believe that money can buy you happiness, I sure believe that it could make you a lot more comfortable in your misery!

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To say I was raised in an Italian family would be an understatement.  We were true blooded Italians, steeped in tradition.  Mealtimes were special, and family was the most important connection that you could have on this Earth.  Children were allowed to sip red wine on the holidays and no meal existed without a crusty loaf of bread and a hunk of sharp cheese.  Bar B Ques were no exception.  Until I became an adult, I had no idea that it wasn’t “normal” to have macaroni along with your hot dogs and burgers.  It was a tradition!  Heck, most of the time we even had a little eggplant parmesean.  My wife thought I was nuts when I told her about it, but its become a tradition in our family.  One that makes us laugh, and remember the joys of sharing fun and food with family.  Now, try topping your hot dog with a little spaghetti..Go ahead..Mangia!

Shortly after getting married, I was scheduled for surgery which involved an 8 week recovery.  After my wedding we drove 3 hours to Cape May at the Jersey Shore.  We always loved it there, and we were happy to be close to home in case of a medical emergency.  There’s something very special about the little shore town, at the southernmost tip of New Jersey.  Magical sunsets, cool ocean breezes and quaint little shops.  All very romantic.   Four months later after all of the medical hoopla, we went to Walt Disney World in Florida.  We spent days wandering through the magic kingdom, shopping and dining in Epcot, exploring the thrills of the Hollywood studio.  You may think that Disney is for kids, but we found it renewed our spirits and allowed us to recapture the magic of youth.