a few thoughts,,,,
Coleen and I are driving to Dunns River quite a few years ago on the old road, as we passed Discovery Bay C said we have to have that picture - the multi colored water was gorgeous, but as we drove we also observed the small and by our standards rough houses along the road, as we made our way back to MoBay I spotted a rough sand road that would take us to some cliffs overlooking C's have to have picture, at the end of the brush wiping on the side of our jeep trail we came out into a clearing with one of the wood houses sitting in it, as C got out to take the picture I got out to say thank you to the homeowner for letting us use your picture platform and I began to notice,,,,,, garden with onions tomatos peppers, lime tree, banana tre, mango tree in a oh so beautifal quiet setting looking out over the "I have to have that picture" setting,,,,, and as I got closer to the house I noticed the owner sitting on the cliffs edge with a cane pole type stick and string fishing rig and as we said hi he held up a group of fish gilled over a cut tree limb,,,,,,, and in that moment it hit me, who is richer, me that does not see my house in light during the winter because I leave for work before sun up and work till after dark or he that tended his garden today and is out catching his supper in the most beautifal picture of our day. Paradise life maybe no, but definately has it's rewards.
Coinmon about 95 or 6. "What made you make the jump to the Island,,," , answer (as best I remember) " I was a jeweler in Des Moines and realized that I was never going to set the world on fire and make a fotune, I looked at living in Jamaica and realized that I would never set the world on fire and make a fortune there,,,,,, then I looked out my Des Moines window at a grey cold leafless colorless Feb afternoon and I remembered the sun and greens and aquamarine blues and that was my deciding factor,,,," . All things considered the weather is what made paradise for him. I should note that after some health issues he has returned to the states.
Fidel and myself sitting and talking after a day of fighting post Ivan (the storm) issues at the orchard in the hills. I sympathized with his issues and he looked at me and said (to paraphrase) "Chet I know you have employee issues and cash flow issues and business issues that consume your time 12 hours a day also, I have my issues, differant worlds differant issues but really when it comes down to the man the same stress". So right Fidel.
One thing that I have noticed in Jamaica and granting that it is "living life rough" is that those that have aspirations and dreams can achieve them through hard work. IMHO this would have to be observed away from the beach over many years of visiting the same people in the same neighborhood, I have seen very humble beginnings turn into some beautifal lives.
I was sitting on the front of a drop bed semi trailer yesterday running generators and sound board for a guy named Jake McVey (jakemcvey.com) participating in the Tri-State Rodeo parade and in my mind I was drifting,,,, I'm tired it's been a summer long stretch of festivals, shows and fairs, it seems like I have done this 18 years in a row, when I read obits those folks in their 80's seemed awful far away a few years ago and now they seem way to close,,,,,,,, and Jake broke into a song "The Best Days of Our Lives" and even though he is using a relationship as the focus he hit the chorus "these are the best days of our lives the ones that we didn't think we would survive the ones that turn into memories these are the best days of our years be it the laughter or the tears,,,,,,, and I thought to myself, hmmmmmm Chet maybe you should dwell on being thankful and quit counting the downsides,,,,,,
