The Important Shtuff

“a guy at work blacked out today and another guy recently lost his brother. i am concerned about them

6 months after his passing, my fathers death haunts my mother and i. her, because she misses him, me, because our relationship wasnt what it could have been

it seems we hear about murder more frequently in our small town of 45,000. or maybe im becoming more sensitive to it. it bothers me and it scares me

2 of my friends are happy and in love and just married.

2 different married friends seem to be fighting all the time. i pray for both couples

i just hemorhaged 1200 dollars into my car for a new engine

gas prices are stupid high

i wonder if god is talking to me or if im just talking to myself

i spend too much time on trailtalk because i am addicted to the entertainment, when i should be looking for a more rewarding job

the terrorists just wont stop, and we just wont stop arguing with each other instead of being united against them

many, many more things. however, anything that starts with a "www." is not one of them

hug someone you love tonight”

“Life is full of happiness....and sadness....find happiness when you can!!!

HUgs to all my TT friends!!!!”

“i titled this thread "the important things" but then i realized i only mentioned one positive thing

to follow up more important things

my family loves me

whether god is talking to me, or im talking to myself, i feel my spirit is maturing

even tho im not a church-goer, i absolutely love the unconditional loving attitude of my moms church. i dont believe everything they believe, but i do believe they have a great attitude

im teaching myself to swim (the ultimate "those who cant do, teach")

i never have to worry about food or shelter

ive met some amazing people

i keep my sanity meds-free

im really, really trying not to get any more speeding tickets

there are really amazing people in this world. really talented, or strong, or brave, or generous people

thai food

the white stripes in concert

bears, snakes, bobcats, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, coyotes, elk, beavers

mountains

friends

loyalty

random acts of kindness and reckless acts of generosity

matt, the webmaster (suck up!)”

“Hugs to all, especially you CB

Be thankful for every day we have. You never know when your time is up.

See through the eyes of a child. Remember wonder, little details, curisity and hope.

Play with your pets. Fido loves you unconditionally and it's very thereputic for both him and you.

Talk to your neighbors. Say hello and introduce yourself.

Do something nice to someone just because. I try to practice this one as often as possible- like buying a hot meal for a begger instead of ignoreing them or throwing change to them.

Plant a flower. Nuture it and be connected to the earth intamitly.

Enjoy each season as it comes.

Just a few of my daily afirmations :)”

“"rawk" on crash...it's pretty awesome when you find a cool church

my wife and i found one a couple years ago...very nonjudgemental and forward thinking...they actually have a motorcycle club and ash trays out front”

“Inspired by Spirit ...

”

“Profound words, Crash Bang, and true. We never know if this day will bring great news or great tragedy, and in the meantime we certainly need to live life to its fullest. Sometimes we forget and get caught up in the usual, the mundane, until we reflect on what's really important as you just did.”

“ooo pretty sarge :)”

“hey cb...invest in a radar detecter...you know, to helpo with the speeding tickets..

Mike speeds like a demon and never gets cought;)”

“speed kills

drive safe”

“all i need is a cool buzz and some tasty waves

the important schtuff that is”

“Man Crash, ya gotta pear down that list before ya put yourself in an early grave. Go back and look at you list. What is on that list that you have a direct effect upon? Looking better?

Ya need to spend some time alone. Did this kind of crap bug you when you were on the Trail? No. You don’t have to be on the trail to not let this stuff bug ya. I’m not sayin’ stick your head in the sand but don’t think yourself responsible for all the ills of the world either.

Now go take on the day you bassturd.”

“It sounds to me more like you're in a major transition stage. You've experienced a huge loss and it's perfectly natural to question everything. I know I would be. Hang in there. The sun will come up tomorrow and there are more trips to take.

Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff.”

“Crash, sounds like the ears of your heart are open, listen carefully. God is moving you along on your spiritual journey. I'll be praying for you and your mom. God bless!”

“Amen Scott!”

“hey you forgot about the treehouse!!”

“im not saying all these things are my fault or im panicked about them or anything like that. the gist of the thread is, these are the things that are important in life, not the silly little arguments we get in online. that is why i said " however, anything that starts with a "www." is not one of them"
i should have made that clearer
last edited: 8/09/05 5:03:01 PM”

“i just thought all the bickering really got to an extremely unnecessary level yesterday, i just wanted to step back and gain perspective. for myself and anyone else that might need it”

“Oh no, my bad Cr-sh. :)

It's probably me. I've felt like I've had my guts stomped out the last two days.
last edited: 8/09/05 5:06:58 PM”

“good lookin out, tho, n-g-l”

“How the poor live...

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the
country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be
considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the
trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a
creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at
night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go
beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to
protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are”

“good story-”

“Father Forgets by W. Livingston Larned

Listen, son: I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little paw crumpled under your cheek and the blond curls stickily wet on your damp forehead. I have stolen into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me. Guiltily I came to your bedside.

These are the things I was thinking son: I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face merely a dab with a towel. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You spread butter too thick on your bread. And as you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, "Goodbye Daddy!" and I frowned, and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!"

Then it began all over again in the late afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your stockings. I humiliated you before your boyfriends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Stockings were expensive - and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that, son, from a father!

Do you remember, later, when I was reading in the library, how you came in timidly, with a sort of hurt look in your eyes? When I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption, you hesitated at the door. "What is it you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, and threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, and your arms tightened with an affection that God had set blooming in our heart and which even neglect could not wither. And then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper fell from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, of reprimanding - this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you; it was that I expected too much of you. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

And there was so much that was good and fine and true in your character. The little heart of you was as big as the dawn itself over the wide hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I have come to your bedside in the darkness, and I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know you would not understand these things if I told them to you during your waking hours. But tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, and suffer when you suffer, and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy - a little boy!"

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, son crumpled and weary in your cot, I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother’s arms your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much
last edited: 8/09/05 7:05:58 PM”

“Seasons of Love

five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
how do you measure? measure a year

in daylights,
in sunsets,
in midnights,
in cups of coffee,
in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife

in five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
how do you measure a year in a life?

how about love?
how about love?
how about love?
measure in love...
seasons of love...
seasons of love...

(female soloist)
five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
five hundred twenty five thousand journeys to plan
five hundred twenty five thousand suix hundred minutes
how do you measure a life of a woman or a man

(male soloist)
in truths that she learned
or in times that she cried
in bridges he burned
or the way that she died

(all)
its time now to sing out though
the story never ends
let's celebrate remember a year in a life
of friends

remember the love...
(oh you gotta remember the love)
remember the love...
(oh yeah, its a gift from up above)
remember the love...
(sing out, give out, measure your life
in looooooove...!!!)
seasons of love...
seasons of love...”