RANDOM THOUGHTS….

by Bob Thomas

(At this time I owned a shop at the beach)

JUNE 1996….

As I write this it suddenly occurred to me that I’m doing what everybody in the world wants to do….just as I damn well please !

Most of my life has been consumed with “making a living” or “making someone happy”, and, quite honestly, that hasn’t really changed. I still have to make a living. But I can work my own hours…I can sleep late…or not. I wear what I want to wear (or not!)…sandals all year…pull over shirts… (No ironing)…wash and wear pants (no ironing), underwear on special occasions and sunglasses if I need to feel “cool”.

I’ve found that I no longer need to be envious of “successful” business people because it’s more fun to let them be envious of me! They want what they “think” I have . . . I’m not sure what that is, but I’m sure that I have it!

I used to think that work was drudgery, you know, tote that barge, lift that bale etc. Even if you wore a suit and sat at a desk the feeling was the same…you had to do “this” in order to get “that”. . .”that’ being what ever it was that you strived for…retirement, riches, women, fast cars, women, vacations, women etc. But I have discovered in the last few years that I was wrong. . .it was time to sit back and enjoy the journey, because  happiness in life is “The Journey” , not the destination. I have to remember, “I cannot survive life, but I can win”!

My Best friend reminded me that “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time”. (A James Taylor song).

 

   When they put me in the pine box I want people to say “…Is he smiling?”

So, pursue  happiness in life and stick with it. . .accept the little defeats, bumps, scrapes and bruises that life gives you, and forget about them! You can’t change the past; you can only improve on the future. So, get your attitude right, plug in “Margaritaville” on the stereo, grab your hat and see what happens when you decide to be happy come hell or high water!