Month: June 2021

Reflections for Father’s Day

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, faith, family, Happy, Insight, mental health, parentingLeave a comment

Reflecting on this day, worthwhile indeed, to say, thankful for this day.

Father’s Day.

On this day, funny thing, things on my mind. I think about my own dad, now gone three years. I think about what he was to me, really, so much, maybe everything, to me.

He helped me be me, the best me I could be. From the very beginning right up through so many struggles and obstacles and lessons and adventures and some victories too. He filled me with his belief and his love and his approval to be exactly who I should be, could be.

And now I’m a dad myself, times three in fact. And I want more than ever to be everything my dad was for me, be those things for my kids.

For sure they are the first priority, for sure I feel the need and the power and the ability to rise to the occasion for them. I want to empower them and guide them and fill them with belief and courage and faith to be exactly what they’re meant to be too.

They’re on the front end of their lives: we’ve thrown them quite a curve ball with a two household model now; but there’s no less the love for them, commitment to them; maybe somehow even more.

I know I feel more certainty and purpose and love than I’ve ever felt before. I will lift them up, be their rock, be the foundation on which they can stand and step out into the world; continually into the world, until my last breath this vision, this certainly is,

Is the most important thing I can do, for them, for love,

I’ve failed at love in some ways, failed marriages, love that could not be sustained somehow,

But this love, my love I feel and commit to with our kids, it transcends everything else.

Why do I share this on Father’s Day, or any day, in this blog?

Because that is the very purpose of these words, this blog, as a portal to share much of what comes through me, but not just for me, for you too. You too.

So Happy Father’s Day to my dad Howie, to his memory,

And to the many dads I know who are also my friends,

And thinking especially about another dad gone too soon, decades too soon, Happy Father’s Day Pat Welsh, in your memory too,

I hope I can be something of the dad you were to your three boys, greatness for sure in the men they’ve become,

And raising my glass and my prayers of love and thanks to all dads everywhere,

All power, and purpose, and love indeed,

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY~~

Roadtrip

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, Happy, mental health, travelLeave a comment

Not an ordinary road trip today; quite short; about 32 hours, all told.

Friends moving to Vancouver, WA, 574 miles away. Driving their cars north; one extra car left behind.

I and another friend team driving that stray left behind.

Just this week as I’m thinking about the trip. Glad our friend agreed to make the drive, team up with me, hang with me on that long haul. I think I suggested it. He cleared it on the home front. We both cleared it at work.

And then set to roll.

I’ll state the obvious: grateful for that friendship, this sneaky connectedness I’ve felt with this friend now these 20 some years.

Friends longer, neighbors once too.

This current bond forged through life events and trials; thankful we made that extra connection two decades back.

And so we’ll motor along in that black little motor car on this rather short road trip. Looking forward to whatever convo comes among us; looking forward to the open roads; looking forward to a day’s journey, and all that it will be.

In that little black motor car left behind in our care; to transport north in our care; a little road trip to help solve a problem, one extra car; a little fun in one extra car, that little black car, zipping along the highway in that little black car.

Lyrics Post: “Mediate”

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, culture, Happy, mental health, music, voicesLeave a comment

Was mesmerizing when it came out so long ago, still stirs the same feelings now…so much to think about…or…just…groove.

“Mediate”

Hallucinate

Dessegregate

Mediate

Alleviate

Try not to hate

Love your mate

Don’t suffocate on your own hate

Designate your love as fate

A one world state

As human freight

The number eight

A white black state

A gentle trait

The broken crate

A heavy weight

Or just too late

Like pretty Kate has sex ornate

Now devastate

Appreciate

Depreciate

Fabricate

Emulate

The truth dilate

Special date

The animal we ate

Guilt debate

The edge serrate

A better rate

The youth irate

Deliberate

Fascinate

Deviate

Reinstate

Liberate

To moderate

Recreate

Or detonate

Annihiliate

Atomic fate

Mediate

Clear the state

Activate

Now radiate

A perfect state

Food on plate

Gravitate

The Earth’s own weight

Designate your love as fate

At ninety-eight we all rotate

Hallucinate

Dessegregate

Mediate

Alleviate

Try not to hate

Love your mate

Don’t suffocate on your own hate

Designate your love as fate

A one world state

As human freight

The number eight

A white black state

A gentle trait

The broken crate

A heavy weight

Or just too late

Like pretty Kate has sex ornate

Now devastate

Appreciate

Depreciate

Fabricate

Emulate

The truth dilate

Special date

The animals we ate

Guilt debate

The edge serrate

A better rate

The youth irate

Deliberate

Fascinate

Deviate

Reinstate

Liberate

Liberate

Liberate

Liberate

Writer(s): Andrew Farriss

—

And Happy Birthday, Michele M.~

And Again, Follow The Muse

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, culture, examples, Happy, lifestyle, mental health, voicesLeave a comment

Recent piece on living a creative life; even if it’s not your profession, per se’, so important to find it and do it.

Example? An old school friend, actually through my brother. A tech professional by job, an artist by vocation, creative in both endeavors, I suppose.

He draws, doodles, paints, scribbles, whatever inspires him, I suppose, whatever he fancies in the moment, moments.

He found it early I think, this gift, this talent, and he’s good at it. And he shares it.

Lucky for us.

“Theo Croker, top talent out of the gate, #Trumpeter, 2021“
“Quick doodle of ‘someone’, 2016”
The muse in effect
“Chadwick Boseman, 2021”

Glad to be your orbit, Joe.

Find Joseph Arruda on IG handle:

@zeruch

Website: http://society6.com/zeruch

Flag Day, ‘85

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, culture, family, Happy, Place, voicesLeave a comment

36 years ago, 1985. I graduated from high school on Friday, that Flag Day, 1985.

There were 377 of us that day. I’ve known some of them since before high school; for sure on that day, I felt connected to every one of them. They were my first tribe. Kindred spirits, launched into the world on that day.

And we’re still going, most of us, anyway. And we’re still connected, some of us, anyway.

Grateful for that feeling, for those people, my tribe, everyday.

All of us with that common mark of Flag Day, Graduation Day, 1985.

Books Everywhere

On By jeff ludlumIn AttitudeLeave a comment

I live with three little kids.

Our home is pretty small.

There’s a lot of stuff everywhere. I’d call it a moderately cluttered house.

And maybe like most people, I have waves of desire followed by action to clean up, reduce the clutter, except…

Except for books. Books everywhere. I like this. I want this. I want my kids to be surrounded by books, I want them to devour the stories, keep reaching for stories old and new.

I’m only a so-so reader; I have times of heightened consumption, but overall, pretty modest. I have friends who are reading all the time. Our oldest daughter, a ten year old, reads and re-reads near constantly; she’s much like her mother.

I love this.

I sat on the couch reading books with the two younger kids one morning recently. I read to them; they took turns reading. I love this too.

Books everywhere.

GOOD.

Summer Season

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, culture, family, Happy, Insight, mental health, parenting, PlaceLeave a comment

Summer is just upon us and the kids are out of school. Last season we set up a tent in the back yard for a handful of backyard camp-outs. The plan is the same for this summer; maybe a few more nights even.

And as the kids have gotten bigger, it was time to upgrade the tent size too. And outfit the crew with full size sleeping bags. And bedrolls as well.

We are geared up now and good to go. Bring on the outdoor night sounds; bring on the breeze against the nylon walls; bring on the middle of night staring at the tent ceiling, when I wake up and consider how blessed I am to have these three kids in my life, to be their dad, to have this time, our time.

The pace changes a little for a couple months, the tempo and timing shifts, joy and a little freedom on the rise.

It’s summer season, it’s Tent Time, it’s OUR Time. Soak it up. GOOD.

Well, Being

On By jeff ludlumIn Attitude, Happy, health, Insight, lifestyle, mental health, voicesLeave a comment

Well, I find myself being, again in this space, this place, dull aches, a few pains, run-down, somewhat displaced.

Dull in the head, shoulders heavy, thick. Slowed by the world around somehow, usually buoyed.

Reduce to min, simmer on low, covered, dozing, deep. Thick in the brain, pause the constant activities and responsibilities and the hum and the buzz they create, doze, deep.

Seek to refresh, spring back better, ready, for more, find well, being.