The Death of Summer, On the Road Again and Happiness.
It’s been a busy week. Catching up with friends that had come from far, attending the wedding of one of my longest friends, working and training in between and dealing with several responsibilities before the long weekend arrived. A confusing mixed bag of joy, love, loss, overindulgence and of course intoxication. It culminated in a wonderful birthday party and a memorable gig to mostly strangers with Rufus at Railways Café. The good kind of busy. Friends, loved ones, tears and laughter… music.
On the last day of April I watched Martin’s pickup truck disappear around the corner with dogs on the back, on the way to a new start in Cape Town with his family a thousand miles away. Soon my other long time friends Stiaan and his wife would be heading South as well, back to the wine lands. I thought about the wedding the night before. The beauty, the joy, the unexpected late Autumn thunderstorm and the deep gratitude for being part of an important day in my friends life. I put a Willie Nelson record on the radio and opened an early morning beer, wishing I had ingredients for a Bloody Mary. Willies 90th birthday deserved a stronger drink on a text book “Bloody Mary Morning”. I thought of my grandfather and noted that he’d be 93 years old today. I wondered if he’d be proud of what I’m busy with on the farm. If I’m honouring his life’s work. I hope so.
It seems strange to be back in the grinder after a week like this. It’s a reminder that nothing ever lasts and that living in the moment is way more than an overused cliché. To me it’s essential to living a meaningful and fulfilled life. I have long ago let go of the notion of being happy. I don’t think men are supposed to be happy and to even pursue it seems futile. Men are supposed to provide, protect and show up every day. Most of the activities involved in the above statement does not involve being happy in the traditional and perverted sense of the word. It takes self-sacrifice, commitment, failure, loss, insecurity and danger. These things don’t make you happy but could make life meaningful and worth living. Pursuing honour, integrity and kindness in a dark, dark world seems to me like a more worthwhile endeavour.
Now it’s time to pay tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. He came to town in Wausau Wisconsin back in 2006 and the show was sold out. I’m sorry I never got see him live. He passed away this morning. I also have to pack away the gear and guitars, iron a shirt for work and make my list of things to do. The Giant Strides at the Radium Beer Hall in just over a month and other responsibilities to keep the ship afloat. See you down the road.
“you can’t hop a jet plane, like you can a freight train.
So I’ll best be on my way
I the early morning rain” Gordon Lightfoot
JB
