Today The Choices Came Home To Roost

 This morning I opened my e-mail and found the following image. Back in the day I would have said that 'it blew my mind!'

 The Life And Times Of Brian Waddington

A proud and happy grandfather

From right to left; Al, his grandson, his son and Al's twin brother John. For many years we lived across the alley and two (?) houses down or up from one another. 

No need to fear this isn't going to be about the good old days. We weren't old and the days weren't all that good.

No, this is about now. 

I look at this image and I get lost in the Sea of Wonder. 

The memory I have carried of Al: A young man who was a rebel. Loved fast cars and motorcycles. Moved out on his own while the rest of us were still in High School. Built a 60's Triumph Bonny Bobber (British racing green?) in his kitchen because it was close to the beer. A world traveller that worked on the North Sea Oil Rigs as a diver.

I look at the picture, what do I see?

A grandfather with a 'Slim Pickens' look and feel sitting proudly with his family. That's a pretty good place to be at 70+ years old. 

I also see a lifetime of choices. Al's choices and mine. 

I doubt that Al's choices would have been right for me or mine for him. And that's the way it should be. T'would be a dull world if we all lived the same life. 

As I said, I'm adrift in the Sea of Wonder. For give or take 55 years we have lived very different lives. Yet here we are in the Winter of Our Lives, living the same dream though it be in different ways. 

Al, I'm glad your way has worked so well.

Brian