Barron's Place

It’s Different We’ve celebrated Christmas with Anita’s parents at their home in Sylvester, GA every year (minus COVID) since our marriage in 2002. Unfortunately, we’re doing so this year without Anita’s Mamma Louise. Sandra Louise Rabon Clark passed at home on April 1st, ending a multi-year battle with dementia. Her cremains were spread at multiple places on the farm she loved so much during a memorial service in April. The transition has been tough for Anita and her Daddy Sam, but both know that she’s no longer suffering. There’s going to be a change in the menu for Christmas dinner. Louise will no longer be here to cook the traditional feast we’ve enjoyed. Rick will take over this year as primary chef and prepare his mother Sally’s meatloaf with mashed potatoes, French-style green beans and black-eyed peas. Doubt it’ll be as celebratory as the meal Louise prepared, but it’ll likely be the new “norm” as we explore changes to our yearly celebration. Rick added a 3rd consulting job this summer working for his dear friend Cheryl supporting the IT needs of a cardiovascular group. The work for his friend Tom transitioned from supporting improvements to their on-time delivery to the

New Roles for Many Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it!! After 2+ years of less than financially fulfilling work delivering food for Uber and packages for UPS, Rick landed 2 consulting gigs!! One to help his fraternity brother Tom’s company improve their on time delivery performance (they manufacture industrial burners) and the second to assist a team of (mostly) ex-P&Gers to grow the Right Guard and Dry Idea businesses they purchased. He’s thrilled to have something challenging to look forward to every day and is getting paid well to manage projects (aka “play Mom” – “Did you do what you said you’d do in the manner and time in which you committed?”). The antiperspirant gig doesn’t require any travel (Rick likes the commute across the hall from the bedroom to his office) with the burner gig requiring monthly travel to Cleveland (paid transportation to visit Tom). Anita “retired” from Door Dash to give the car a break and return to her passion for socializing stray kitties. Kevin landed a promotion to Vice President, Andrew is working as a Data Manager at the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research in Richmond,

We’ve heard it said that the best way to get God to laugh is to tell him your plans. We’re not sure if it was an outright belly roll or just a chuckle, but he must have at least smiled a bit reviewing how we’re finishing the year. What we do or don’t get done this year or next does not define who we are, it’s just a reflection of what we did (or did not do) and can always be adjusted with a willingness to be the best versions of ourselves each and every day. We’re free, healthy, enjoy our lives together and comforts many in the world would sell an organ to have. So, from that perspective we’ve got absolutely nothing to complain about. As we age we’re finding our parts don’t perform exactly as they used to (e.g. eyes, hands, knees), we just don’t have the stamina or resilience we once enjoyed (without a few sore parts here and there) and that we can have a thought one second, forget it the next and have to leave and re-enter the room for it to return only to decide it wasn’t such a great idea to begin with.

Who would have thought a year ago that our concepts of work, play, entertainment and togetherness would have been redefined through a pandemic requiring quarantines, shut downs and isolation? 2020 was memorable not only in its ability to alter the way we lived our lives, but also in the way in which it will redefine our lives moving forward. Like any twist or turn, some have chosen to use COVID-19 as an excuse for what’s wrong with their life, their career or their relationships. Others have used the required “changes” as a spark to ignite something new, to turn up the heat on something dormant and to provide motivation to accomplish more than they’ve ever done.

If you knew the course your life was going to take, would it be worth living? Our 2019 was characterized by twists, turns, straightaways and lapses in reason that in retrospect all added to the flavor or the year. Some were a little challenging to accept at the time, but we continue to believe there’s a purpose for everything (we just may not have the perspective of time to realize it when it’s occurring).

We often hear people say that “hindsight is 20/20”, but writing this summary in December 2019 reinforces our experience that the mind is the first to go. While we are experiencing some minor aches and pains that come with approaching 60, those are understandable given what our body’s do for us over the decades. What’s harder to embrace are the “senior” moments:
Getting up to walk downstairs, then after arriving forgetting why we went down.
Having a thought in the middle of a conversation, then forgetting what I wanted to say when it’s my turn to speak.
Deciding not to write something down because it’s too important to forget, then being unable to recall what was so important.

Life is good, but it’s even better when we stay in the moment. Requiring a little extra time or developing a technique to recall its milestones are minor inconveniences while enjoying our journey (as long as I remember to take it a little bit easier during my workouts).

We believe we influence the course of our lives through our attitude, actions and aspirations and also believe that our journey is somehow guided via the hand of an almighty Creator. Every day we encounter situations (many of our own making) permitting choices which challenge what we believe or desire and the path God would like us to pursue.

Our experiences through 2017 continued to demonstrate that we’re here to fulfill the role He has for us. Some of our best laid plans were challenged, altered, modified or put to rest. Just a few years ago that would have been reason to work longer, harder and with more vigor to achieve them in the subsequent year. Today, we’ve come to accept our journey has taken us to this point for a reason. A reason we’ve yet to discover or understand, but one that we’re willing to accept given its source.

We’re by no means giving up, going with the flow or blindly accepting what a self-centered world chooses to share or deliver to/through us. We’ve come to realize there are forces stronger and more powerful at work, molding and shaping our lives and we’re choosing to keep our eyes open to experience and enjoy the changes in course, speed and destination those forces are guiding us to encounter.

If you have no idea what I’m taking about or think this is a bunch of spiritual hog wash, I was in the same place years ago. All we ask is that you keep reading, don’t judge us or others and be open to a similar transformation in your life views.

Life has a way of throwing curve balls, presenting diversions for consideration or challenging our goals and aspirations. We’ve been guilty of chasing the “next shiny object”, believing it will be the ONE that takes us to our desired destination. Fortunately each of those experiences has served a purpose, to develop new skills, to introduce us to new people and to assist in clarifying who we are, what we’re best suited to deliver to others during the journey we call life and how we’re to obtain satisfaction while doing it.

2016 fell short for our financial goals, but we survived, made some much needed changes and are prepared to make 2017 much better – professionally and personally. With the benefit of knowing, regardless of the curve balls we encounter, they too shall pass and we can continue to build and achieve the life WE desire.

It’s amazing the perspective life provides as we age. Perspective on what’s happened “to us”, insights into who we are and what we’re here to accomplish. Both Anita and I experienced major changes at the end of 2014, changes that challenged the view of our life path. Changes disguised as opportunities to get aligned with our true selves and be true to the purpose for our existence.

Every day we see signs directing us, telling us what not to do and cautioning us as we proceed. Signs meant to guide and protect us on our journey through life. When seeking insight regarding our life’s journey, we must be careful to separate the signs placed to guide us and those we create through self-will. Lost? Here’s the context.

Recall from last year’s letter that Anita’s organization Clermont Pets Alive! (CPA) was awarded a contract by the Clermont County Board of Commissioners as their third party agent to rescue dogs (and later cats) from euthanasia at our local animal shelter for 2013 and 2014. Also recall, the Commissioners “promised” to bid out the shelter contract for 2014 vs. give it to the organization that’s held it for the past 50+ years. January 2014 came and went, without a Request for Proposal (RFP). In March the Commissioners extended the legacy organization’s 2013 contract through the end of 2014. Rick remained in contact with the County Administrator, always confident a RFP would be issued, just never sure when, for what period or scope.