I Can't Complain But Sometimes I Still Do

For over 40 years now I have been reminding myself of something that is very easy to understand...the days after my Dad come home from 7 years in a POW camp in Hanoi. How could I ever complain about any inconvenience in life that would not pale in comparison that time?
This was not a prison where you get out when your time is up, this was a prison where they could kill you when they pleased. To them, you were a war criminal. There was no guarantee of release or even living to see the next day.
My coffee is not hot enough? My boss doesn't appreciate me enough? We laugh and call these "First World Problems" now days. The strange thing is that even my Dad succumbs to this sometimes, and then we smile and remember, no matter what we have now, it beats the hell out of what used to be...

The Future

Man, I have no idea. I can't even see 6 month's out right now. My plans are for the next weekend, and then the next vacation adventure. Thoughts are about a car trip up the east coast, flying up to the backwoods of Maine, cruising in Alaska, or even contemplating a 6 month stretch of 'whatever'. I don't know because my job is changing and I was told that whatever happens, next year will be different. The things I do now will no longer be relevant, so I'm busy learning the things that I think might be useful down the road. That is quite a change, because most of the time I am busy making things work and learning more about the tools I use every day. It's a challenge, and a bit exciting actually, because I don't really desire a life where nothing ever changes. I still cannot imagine a life where I am retired and have 7 days a week to do what I try to cram into a weekend now. I watch my wife settle down with a book for half of the day and just don't see me doing that. I see me looking at rivers to paddle, waves to surf and trails to ride. If I have one hope it is that I somehow manage to have the energy to do those things when I get the opportunity. One thought does come around recently, is that I'd better grab my pieces of retirement where I can get them.