Reunion

The past ignited by a spark of recognition
 Is dimmed by the realization of change
Shared memories fan the flames of reconnection
And from the embers glow the warmth of family remains

Raczon Family Reunion – October, 4^th, 2014

If Time Stood Still

When the days go rushing by
And time my schedule must deny
I think that it would be a thrill
If just for once time would stand still


The bills still due would wait a while
The clothes I own would stay in style
My kids would stay both sweet and small
My hair would not turn grey at all

But then the future would not be
No goals or possibilities
Problems now would stay unsolved
My hopes and dreams would just dissolve

I guess time must continue on
And mark the seasons and the dawns
To move me through both joy and grief
And fill my heart with memories


When my life comes to an end
And all my time on earth is spent
In God’s arms I’ll find true peace
As time stands still for eternity

Whatever You Do Don't Grab That Branch

 

Everyone at the ranch was excited about the opportunity to go tubing. The nearby river, that was usually too shallow, was swelled by recent rains, and just high enough for a good ride.  I had great memories of lazily floating on an old car tire inner tube down the deep, meandering, waters of the Fox River back home.  Those memories began to fade when I saw them loading the gigantic tractor sized inner tubes into the horse trailer.  The memories disappeared completely when I saw the river. This deep water wasn’t calm and smooth it was swirling and dark with a relentless canyon carving flow.  

As she was holding the tube so I could climb on, my friend told me to just hang on and down around the bend the current would wash the tubes up onto a sandbar.  The trucks would wait for us there. Knowing I was inexperienced she added, “Whatever you do don’t grab a branch if you get close to the shore, if you are afraid of getting hit by one just duck down as low as you can into the center of the tube”.

With that said she pushed me out into the current.  I couldn’t believe how fast I was going, spinning with the swirling current then bouncing across small bubbling rapids that formed between the scattered boulders.  Suddenly I was headed toward the riverbank where there were overhanging branches.  I remembered the part about ducking but as I sank lower into the center of the tube I felt myself slipping.  Instinctivley I reached for a branch to pull myself up.  It only took a split second to realize why I should have remembered the 1st part of the warning as the rushing current pulled the tube right out from under me.  The branch and my grip were not strong enough to hold me and I splashed into the icy cold water.  Immediately I felt myself being pushed sideways instead of sinking to the bottom.  The sideways momentum gradually brought me to the surface not far from my tube.  I grabbed it and finished the ride clinging to its side and being dragged up onto the sandbar like a fish on a line.

The moral of the story:  When we feel out of control, sometimes we need to fight our first instincts and heed the warnings that come from experience, otherwise we may find ourselves in over our heads.