Road Hazards, Booby Traps; The IED's of Life

I enjoy some mustard on my French fries; I know, most prefer catsup.  The new dispenser caps with one small hole are very convenient for doing a sandwich or a spot just anywhere.  After having dispensed some mustard once and not closing the cap, I reached to again use the bottle.  It didn't look dangerous.  I expected no evil outcome.  A tiny drop of mustard remained in that small hole and, as I squeezed just a tiny bit too firmly to pick the jar up, that drop of mustard was propelled into the air.  With 360° to choose from, that drop of mustard went in my left eye.  This caused me (after clearing my eye) to contemplate the various unexpected hazards, booby traps, IED's of Life.  

In addition to eating. I enjoy cooking.  We keep frosted glasses on the freezer door of our refrigerator and some are precariously balanced.  When I opened the door to get sausage patties, I expected no harm but, a glass fell and, in my bare feet, I was surrounded by broken glass.  Without a wound, I survived to place a skillet on the stove and place a patty on to cook.  The top of the meat puffed up and became convex.  With the spatula, I pressed down on the meat.  Escaping steam under that meat propelled hot grease in various directions.  Need I say, my feet were still bare.  


My friend and I had both fired various guns but, on a certain day, we took  his grandfather's double barreled 10 gage shotgun down to the creek bank.  Being unfamiliar with double barreled guns, I rocked both hammers back and, with my back to the sharp drop to the water, I aimed at a tree and pulled ONE trigger: TWO barrels discharged.  The tree remained standing.  I and the gun were resting in the waters of the creek.  These are about the normal for life and  for a young boy learning to be a man.  


As life progresses, so many other booby traps await our passing.  Puppy love for the girl you thought you would die for.  To her  you were just a cute little thing to be tasted in passing.  The job you found that offered you no future.  Finally real love and marriage; the "Death Do Ye Part" kind of love, then children.  Of course you children are perfect and will never give you trouble-----until they come to you and confess their trouble and you find they are just as fallible as you were.  


The children are grown and some husband thinks he needs a little sports car to go with the shiny top of his head or the wife thinks she must again fit that size six dress and 34D bra.  You've opened the door for the enemy of marriage to infiltrate.  Compliments start coming but not from your marriage partner.  You may start looking at the green grass on the other side of the fence.  


There is a flip side to that coin.  Life has been good and love is unfailing and day after day seems the same.  You haven't noticed your mate moves a little slower, perhaps holding hip or chest with a slight look of pain in their eyes., saying nothing.  One day the world falls in when the trip to the doctor becomes anything but routine.  Suddenly you both are concious that life on this earth is not eternal and other plans must be made.


Maybe physical sickness isn't a problem but one of you just can't understand why men or women no longer look at you with those admiring glances and winning them back becomes a foolish priority one in you life.  Relations with your mate just aren't as satisfying as you wish.  Hopefully, your doctor or a good friend will explain about hormones to you and you will get help while you still have a marriage.  Sex doesn't end for a man and wife at middle age.  It just becomes more enjoyable if both watch their health.


Some people who are obese, drunken, and heavy smokers defy the odds and live to one hundred while some athletic, clean looking young person who has never done those things suddenly dies in their thirties.  There is no explanation for why this happens and it is certainly not expected; another booby trap of life.


I was booby trapped by a stroke, sedentary living, over medication, diabetes, and pneumonia.  I was thought to be dying.  I did not die.  My lost mental faculties slowly returned and I am enjoying life today.  I don't know why I am still here other than God willed it to be so.


I had a dear son-in-law, a professional soldier, who spent twenty six years in the US Army, several tours in Viet Nam and  was last in combat in Panama.  If he had more decorations he tunic would not have held them.  Innumerable chances to have met death.  After his retirement he got in his car one day to go to the golf course.  A man, drunk on wine from a local winery, driving a jacked up four wheel drive pickup rammed him in the driver's side door.  He died at the scene.  The date was 27 July.  He left my daughter and their little girl.  Thank You, Patrick, for the years you gave and for the lives you left for us to love.


No one knows what tomorrow will bring   There are IED's all along the way.  Make today the very best day of your life.  Miss no chance to let others know of your love.  Tomorrow, you too, may become a memory.  There are many  IED's on the roadway of life.