Reflections by Fire

Camp Fire Reflections

Staring into the fire – reflecting a past life.

Remembering good friends long gone either by the finality of death or just the drifting away because of the business of living. Remembering relationships of my past loves – first kisses - -- broken hearts.

Men and woman who have inspired me – motivated – guided my youth even up to my middle ages heading into the senior days if I survive. Men such Mell Merrick, Charlie Huskilson, Dean Major and Jim and Ruth Kennedy and many, many more.

Thinking about jobs I have worked at - Canadian Tire – KFC – Banff Park lodge – Canadian Military –Canadian Military Reserves- a couple of nursing homes – working on the oil rigs as a cook – different Children camps. Some I have left with good memories and others well let 's just say they served their purpose. I can remember at a young age deciding that I did not want to settle down in any one particular job for 25 – 30 years and then retire an old man. The verdict is not in yet if that was a good decision or not. I am facing a future with no work pension so no retirement is in sight. There have been times when I have been employed in jobs that would had lasted into retirement with nice fat juicy pensions and benefits - but something kept me moving on ...

I have lived a full life even though I am convinced at least two times there was an attempt to end it. Once when I was scuba diving in the Mediterranean Sea I became so nausea that I had to lay down on the floor of the sea for a few moments before I could surface. A day or two later I was contacted that my brother had drown in the Rideau River in Kingston Ontario – calculating the time – I figured my experience on the sea floor was about the same time my brother had died.

The second time 30 September 2006 on the way to work I was involved in a head on car collision. Life should have ended right there and then but here I am. The road to recovery is another story but for now I will say that I am one blessed man even to have experience that stage of my life.