HELLO TO ALL,

I KNOW I KNOW, IT'S BEEN AWHILE AGAIN. WORK IS STILL BUSY AND WORK AT HOME TAKES ALL MY OTHER TIME.

TODAY IS A DAY FOR RAMBLING. I READ A POST TODAY FROM ONE OF THE BLOGS I READ REGULARLY AND IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT LIFE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PATHS WE ALL TAKE TO GET THROUGH THIS LIFE. I AM A HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC, I HAVE A COUSIN WHO IS A SCHOOL TEACHER, A BROTHER WHO IS A TRUCK DRIVER, AND ON AND ON. THIS BLOG POST WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW LIFE CAN BE ENRICHED BY USING YOUR HANDS AND ENGAGING THEM IN THE PURSUIT OF CREATING THINGS.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT USING YOUR HANDS TO DO ANYTHING IN A POSITIVE WAY DOES ENRICH OUR LIVES. PAINTING YOUR HOUSE OR PAINTING A STILL LIFE, WORKING ON YOUR BIKE OR TEACHING MY SON TO WORK ON HIS BIKE, ETC., ETC.. THE OTHER DAY I WAS LAYING A PAD OF PATIO BLOCKS TO PUT IN A HOT TUB, YES I SAID HOT TUB, ANYWAY MY SON HAD BEEN HELPING ME AND ASKED IF HE COULD LAY A FEW BLOCKS, I SAID YES AND JUST FROM WATCHING HE PUT IN THE LAST FIVE BY HIMSELF AND THEY WERE PERFECT. WHEN WE WERE FINISHED HE WAS SO PLEASED WITH HIMSELF THAT I ALMOST LAUGHED OUT LOUD, BUT I BELIEVE THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND EXPAND HIS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL SKILLS BECAUSE OF THIS SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENT.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO READ THIS BLOG KNOW ME AND MOST OF THEM ENGAGE THIER HANDS IN MANY WAYS THAT I MAY NEVER DO. I HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS, BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL, BY ENGAGING THEIR MINDS AND THEIR HANDS AND FINDING THE THINGS THEY LOVE TO DO. I WISH I KNEW A WAY TO INSTILL THIS IN OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. READING, CREATING, THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, ARE ALL SKILLS THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT, AND THEY SHOULD BE CHERISHED BY THOSE WHO TEACH, INSTEAD OF PUNISHED AND PUT ON THE BACK BURNERS BY ADMINISTRATORS OF THE SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY.

I HOPE THAT I CAN INSTILL THESE THINGS IN MY SON AND THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR HIS SON. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TODAY WHO TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO, AND ENJOY, TRULY ENJOY, CREATING THINGS WITH THEIR HANDS, READING BOOKS, LEARNING EVERYDAY SOME WAY TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER.

I KNOW THAT, AS A COUNTRY THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE FACING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THESE THINGS CAN BE TURNED AROUND, IF WE SIMPLY TRY TO MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER BY USING OUR HANDS AND MINDS TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND CREATE A BETTER PLACE FOR OURSELVES AND EVERYONE ELSE.

WELL THAT'S MY RANDOM THOUGHT FOR THE DAY.

TALK TO YOU SOON,

TVI