June is here. June brings the promise of, among other things, warmer weather, blossoming gardens and increased opportunities for outdoor activities. All which I enjoy thoroughly.
I don’t know about you but…
When June comes I immediately think of celebrating birthdays. I have a father, son, sister, two uncles I was close to when I was growing up, and two very dear cousins that have birthdays in the month of June.
I don’t know about you but…
As I became an adult, celebrating my birthday did not seem to be very important to me. It was just another day in my life. Sometime later when I became a senior citizen, celebrating my birthday seemed more important. I consider every year I add to my life an accomplishment that should be noted. It sure beats the alternative.
Many equate birthdays with aging. Something that is to be feared and put off as long as possible. In my opinion aging should not be considered a negative. Now, aging does come with a price, but longevity does have its rewards. Living long enough to be able to retire, and becoming a senior citizen should be considered quite a feat that should be worn as a badge of honor. Remember age is only a number. It doesn’t matter how many years you have in your life, it only matters how much life you have in your years!
During the first week of June we celebrate National Pet Appreciation Week. I don’t know about you but…
I am an animal lover. Pets can be a great source of companionship and comfort for their owners. I know mine have been. I deplore the fact that there are some that mistreat their own pets, let alone animals in general. In my way of thinking that should never happen. I guess at some level I believe that there are not any bad pets, just bad pet owners.
June also means we will be celebrating Father’s Day. I don’t know about you but…
I am thankful that I had a strong father figure in my life. My father was an important part of my growing up to be a productive citizen. I had great respect for my father for many reasons. One of those reasons was how hard he worked to make sure he provided for his family. My dad worked multiple jobs at the same time when my siblings and I were growing up. His primary job was not a job that he really liked doing, but he did it for decades. Because of that, he would repeatedly tell me that I needed to find a livelihood that I would enjoy doing because it wouldn’t seem so much like work.
I did a number of jobs before I became an educator. None of them would I care to have done for the rest of my life. I was fortunate to find, not a profession, but to find my passion. It was a message I heard related to a group of Kewanee and Wethersfield high school seniors by keynote speaker Dr. Richard Bush from Blackhawk East at a recent career day. In short, his message to the seniors that day was to get an education, try a lot of different things that you think you may enjoy and try to find your passion-something you will enjoy doing for the rest of your life.
June 14th is flag day. I don’t know about you but…
I believe our country’s flag is an important symbol for our great nation and the freedoms it affords us the opportunity to enjoy. I do not believe that you need to wrap yourself in the flag to be a patriot. I also do not believe that you are being unpatriotic if you disagree with the leaders of our country or if you have deep concerns with the direction in which our nation is headed.
I don’t know about you but…
I believe that one’s country is like one’s family. You don’t have to like everything your family members do, but you should always love them and be there for them when needed.
I don’t know about you but…
I think it is time to wrap this edition up. I leave you this time with my thought of the month. This month’s thought is a quote from Abraham Lincoln: “It is amazing what can get accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit.”
Remember June is the best month to take naps. At least until July comes along.
