Can You Come Out and Play?

Winds of Change
Colorado City, TX

A prophet once spoke and said:  "Behold I stand before the door and knock."  I am not sure if his next words were "can you come out and play?"  They could have been?


For the past six months,  I've been looking for those that want to come out and play.  There's a wonderful world to enjoy and explore.  There have to be many like me who have spent a life time earning but spending only several days a year enjoying it.


My journey is not solely personal.  I recognize that I meet many people along the way.  We share stories and experiences.  We foster thought and spread our hope and dreams.  Yes, life is not easy and we have some trying times along the way.  Yet our attitude and our resolve makes the difference between joy and despair.


Personally, I've experienced this extreme roller coaster ride since the end of my nine year stint with Commercial Metals Company.  Although, I never confessed it, the velocity of change in that company had taken its toll on me and my cohorts.  Over two thousand have been let go.  Most of these served  tenures longer than me.  It was not unusual for people with over twenty years of company experience laid off.


I made a very conscious choice to enjoy my time off while looking and studying what I would do next.  Some think I am crazy for not having an extreme sense of urgency.   Do not judge me.  I do not want to be going through this every year.  My best option, may very well be that I learn to be self-sufficient.  Photography will be part of my trade, but it will not be my only source of revenue.  Yet photography and writing are things that I have to do.  It's my nature and part of my passion.


In the mean time, I recognize that I have a certain amount of frames left in me to shoot.  There may come a time, as I mature, that I may not physically be able to do so.  Time is more valuable to me than just money. I can't buy time.


Yes, I've taken some chances because I know that even if I replace a job, it will take time.  Yet time the time ahead of me is less than the time behind me.  If that is in fact so, then it behooves me to practice my passion as much as I can; if not, it becomes time foregone.  


My question to myself and to my friends on whose doors I knock is simply this:  What are you waiting for?  The notion that you are going to enjoy everything once you retire is simply ludicrous.  My friends you will be older!!!!  Our generation needs to enjoy and live now.  It's not crazy.  It just makes good sense.  We will find ways to take care of ourselves with or without a corporation.


So I keep knocking at your door....like a good salesman and a great friend.