WILKES-BARRE — With apologies to the late Leslie Gore — it’s my party and I’ll rant if I want to.
Yeah, it’s my birthday. I am grateful, and I will take as many birthday celebrations as I can.
I want to especially thank my family and friends — these are the people who have taken the time to try to really get to know me. And that is not an easy task — but thank you for trying and wanting to.
To all others, I thank you for your sincere attempts at friendship — you are to be appreciated for your perseverance.
Now don’t get all upset. I am not suggesting any of you are less than cherished. But I do know from personal experience that we often tend to be superficial — not by choice — but because we don’t take the time to figure out what it takes — and it takes a lot of effort — to be a true, caring friend.
Many of us really never get to know much about our friends or what makes them tick. Surface impressions often aren’t close to what is really going on inside a person you think you know. To those of you who have ever wondered, just ask. Be a friend. And listen because you really do want to be a friend.
My life has been a roller coaster that I have truly enjoyed — mostly. I know I have had more experiences of good than not so good — and I really like that I crave more of the good stuff.
I have loved — and lost — (understatement). I have been loved and I have sometimes screwed up — (another understatement).
That, my friends, is life.
We all learn from our mistakes. I know now that men will never be as mature as women — not even close.
I realize, as well, that at this time in my life, I probably am capable of handling a relationship based on trust and mutual respect, yet as those b-day numbers rise, the opportunities sharply decline.
My birthday, I hope, will be filled with spirituality, sincere salutations, and, perhaps, one beer.
May God bless you all, and may we all go forward to eternity with peace in our minds, love in our hearts, and the ability to always blow out all the candles.
Thanks for listening, and keep dancing. Be vibrant!
Slowly we turn
I am going to share a little about one of my favorite songs — “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles.
It’s a great song that hits home with me every time I hear it, because, so often my guitar does gently weep.
It may be a result of solitude — or loneliness. You get older, you think more about stuff you never thought of when you were that young lion.
Yes, I still miss my cat, Lily, but I am not getting another.
But even if your guitar indeed does weep, it could just be a misunderstanding — of me.
You see, behind those invisible walls that few are willing to go through, reality exists. Most are content with accepting the facades and have no interest in just asking if everything is OK.
This is a main reason why my guitar gently weeps.
Look, we all have a story — actually, many stories that are, for the most part, extremely interesting. With or without that damn guitar weeping.
We prefer the make-spirits-bright approach because that’s safer. But sometimes sincerity, compassion, patience, and genuine friendship are needed.
To stop the guitar from weeping. Try to follow along.
We all live in a world of our own —we all have ups and downs. Sometimes we need to ask why someone’s guitar gently weeps.
Birthday celebrations of pizza, ice cream, and cake are good, but there should be time for meaningful dialogue to stop the guitar from weeping.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Birthday are good to express, but there is so much more than that to be said.
My Make-A-Wish friend Seth always said each day is a gift — that’s why it’s called the present. I may even get out those orange suede shoes and wear them today.
And at some point, I will take a nap, and when I awake, maybe my guitar won’t be weeping.
But before I go, a few rants that cause my guitar to more than gently weep.
I’m tired of too few cozy nights, fewer home-cooked meals, and no kids and grandkids to dote on.
And I’m tired of being misunderstood by even those who should have gotten to know me by now.
It’s all about knowing how to be a human being, which is not nearly as important as being human.
Sometimes, we refuse to be all we can be, but we have learned how important it is to be good, to be kind.
We all have a lot to offer.
Maybe we should do more offering to one another.
Live your life and live up to all your responsibilities.
But always find time to be a friend — a sincere, honest, and genuine friend.
Maybe then we can stop all those guitars from gently weeping.