Shirley Temple

I joined Facebook! Kaylee is embarrassed but I have so many people I've reconnected with that I'm going to stay on it regardless. That site is amazing. It is reconnecting me with so many people I haven't talked to in such a long time. The fun thing for me has been reuniting with people that I lost contact with when I left the KCK school district. Although I love my folks from Shawnee Mission North it is nice to reconnect to your roots.

The people I have connected with look so good and seem to be doing great. As I get older (and wiser?) I sincerely feel good when I know others are doing good. Some people could careless if others are doing good, but I love to hear when life is treating others well. I guess I think we all deserve a good life.

Life is what you make of it. Last night I had to go to the hospital to visit a friend, a family member, Paul Vega. He was assaulted at a nightclub Thursday and was hurt severely. His head was fractured and his nose was broken. Paul is the toughest man I know and it goes to show you don't always win every battle. But when I was there I observed his gown, his hospital issued booty's, and his swollen face. I couldn't help but think that he is only human and didn't deserve the hurt he received. Tammie told me to take a good look at him and consider what could happen if you put yourself in the wrong situation. I did. Although it was a random attack it was just being there that led to his admission into ICU.

After leaving there I was suppose to meet a few guys out for some drinks but I went home instead. What happened to Paul could happen to me. It never fails that every time I go out someone always brings up how tough I was as a kid. This usually begins with someone mentioning it to me and whatever group I'm with. Then they point it out to others I don't know. Well you never know who wants to see if you still have it. I suspect that's what may have happened to Paul. I even have guys with me that will start trouble just knowing I'm there. Little do most of them know that it breaks my heart to think of anyone having to spend one night in the hospital. Especially if it was me!

Almost all of us have people that love us. I have kids, a wife, a mother, sisters, all of whom would be devastated if I was to get hurt. It wouldn't matter how I got hurt they would be heartbroken. I watched Paul's kids cry as their father lay there unrecognizable from his injuries. I looked at those same injuries and couldn't help but think how fragile our existence is. Tough to think how injury, sickness, or death can hurt and heartbreak a family.

It was sometime back that I was mad that Kaylee had gotten sick. The anger was there and Tammie was scared when I would go out. She worried that it might set me off if I was out and someone did something to trigger it. I would tell her she was crazy and continue to get dressed. But she was right. Drinking and socializing in places with strangers can be dangerous if you come across the wrong person. Hell, it could be me who could hurt someone. How ironic would that be. Me, so in tune with hurt and heartbreak and I accidentally hurt someone. That would be my luck. My irresponsible actions would place a kid, a wife, mother and sisters next to some poor guy in a hospital bed.

So from this point forward I'm drinking Shirley Temples and hanging out at the local Chuck E Cheese! Well maybe not the Chuck E Cheese but you get the point.