Monday Morning Boost: Focusing On The 3R’s For Father’s Day!
I spent Father’s Day weekend focusing on the three R’s – Reading, Writing, and (instead Arithmetic) Rejuvenation! It was perfect!
READING
The reading focused on finishing (almost) Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories by Tom Hanks wherein each story features, to some degree, a typewriter. The second short in the book, “Christmas Eve 1953” resonated quite deeply while “Alan Bean Plus Four” left me searching for the missing lines.
WRITING
My own words are often inspired by the words of others, as you will see in by those who inspired the three poems below. I also started a short story of my own. I’m only three paragraphs in and I’m not sure Granny Dot’s grandson Jesse knows where he is going. Ah, the exciting journey of creative writing!
REJUVENATION
My favorite place to read and write is in the mountains. The sounds of nature didn’t fail to calm my heart and open my soul — two star-filled nights, the surging flow of the Logan River, the quiet scampering of a very little bunny (look closely and you will see his him), and the exciting scurrying of a young and frightened moose (sorry, he was too quick for pics) combined together for a perfect weekend of rejuvenation.
FAMILY
Top of the list for making the weekend perfect was having Elisa and Leslie to hang out with (and Leslie’s boyfriend Chris who graciously towed our travel trailer up for us, then came back to haul it home – we love you Chris!).
I didn’t do a good job (not at all) of getting pictures of the family together. The only picture of actual humans I managed to take was this one of Leslie making the pancake batter (or practicing being a product model!). In fact, the only other photos I did take were of things that help tell the story but are not nearly as beautiful and compelling as real people.
THE POETRY
As I mentioned my poetry is often inspired by the moments of life I see around me, including those moments experienced and shared by other people. Such is the case for each of the three poems I wrote over Father’s Day weekend.
This first poem was inspired by a fly fisherman on the Logan River as well as a family member fishing with her kids in Island Park, Idaho. And since I didn’t catch any photos, I share this one my friend Robert Scott took of Blake Christensen fly fishing on the Logan River.
AN ODE TO FISHIN’
By Les Patterson
Castaway I shall
Enjoy this moment of life
Ease away the worry
Forget about the strife
Set the bait
Select the perfect lure
It’s in the process
I’ll find the needed cure
It’s not so much
If I catch a fish
A rainbow trout
Or whatever it is I wish
Casting is the joy
Then reeling the line back in
Adjusting some the tension
Then throwing it out again
The crispness of the air
Next to the mountain stream
The call of the birds
It’s more than I could dream
You’ll find me here
Most of the summer days
And when you do not
I’m probably lost in a haze
If all goes well
I’ll catch a fish or two
Catch and release or gut ’em all
Great way to escape the blues
Rejuvenation it is
Frustration not a bit
Beats at my desk a dyin’
Or another hour of Netflix
This next creative exploration was prompted by my friend Richard Watkins and his stunning photo of the tree-lined lane at the Richmond, Utah cemetery.
A DASH OF MOMENTS
By Les Patterson
The path we’ll all travel
It passes by in a flash
The completeness of a journey
Summed up by the dash
The dash between the dates
Starts with our first breath
Though we know not the ending
It always comes at death
Worthy of the dash
And all it portends to be
Shall be our greatest desire
Our most profitable key
Sometimes on our quest
Though of most noble merit
Fall short we shall most often
Despite our royal inherit
With each trip and fall
Moments of the dash we live
Relying on grace and love
Which the Lord to us doth give
When it comes to choosing love to heal no one exemplifies this better than Elisa. Her courage to continually focus her love on God and our family has greatly blessed me and our children. This photo from Rebecca’s wedding three year’s ago highlights in a small way the incredibly healing love we have experienced.
CHOOSE LOVE TO HEAL
By Les Patterson
Such courage it takes to turn to the One
Whose love doth make whole
When life would dictate be angry and mean
You choose love to heal your soul
Though such a choice never easy to make
In the midst of life’s turmoil
You took the step with a courageous heart
Doubt and fear you’ll foil
Continue now to be brave and bold
Let not your courage falter
Humble stay as on your knees you pray
Strong like Gibraltar
DISCOVER YOUR GREATNESS
I love being a father! Ever since I was a kid it was my greatest dream, even before I thought about the whole getting married thing! Our quiet escape up Logan Canyon helped me tune out the busyness of life and tune into God, nature, and family.
For those of you who are dads, I wish you the very best of joyful memories. For those who wonder if you’ve been a good enough dad, I assure you with a great degree of confidence you have been a great dad.
Greatness is when we rise each day to do our best.
Doing our best means we get back up when we fall down, screw up, or trip and fall. Doing our best means we work hard to make things right. Doing our best means we give love generously and receive love generously. Trust me friends, you are a great dad!
Have a great Monday! Thanks for letting me share!
Les
p.s. Take 13 minutes today to
Photo of typewriter from Pixabay
PERSONAL PROMISE PROCLAMATION
The Story You Most Consistently Create Will be The Story To Most Consistently Come True In Your Life. Intentionally Create A Beautiful, Powerful, Wonderful Story!
