As part of cleaning out his storage units in preparation for the move, Ron has tossed what sounds like hundreds of cassette tapes that he made from LPs.
I can’t imagine the hours that he spent on this through the years.
That got me to thinking how I’ve spent my time.
I’ve been in the mode of considering time a commodity for quite a while. As such, I’ve tried not to waste it.
Like everyone else, I have spent lot of time on survival-related things, like work, commuting, studying to get my degree and to keep up my skills, cooking, washing clothes, housecleaning, sleeping.
Some time had to do directly with Peter: driving him to activities, school functions and meetings, doctor visits, clothes shopping.
Some of it was fun, like going to movies and concerts, vacations, sight-seeing, visiting friends.
More recently, a solid chunk of my time has gone to maintaining the properties on Dixon and Edgewater: painting, minor carpentry but most particularly, yardwork and putting in and tending to lawns and gardens.
I give Peter full credit for becoming the person he is. We raise ourselves as much as if not more than our parents did and my assistance in that area has been average.
I made sure that he had opportunities, like attending Manter Hall and owning a computer, but his successes are entirely his own.
Even excluding the important business of helping another human being reach self-sufficiency and except for the fact that Ron is more traveled, I still feel that my time was better spent.
For one thing, except for work, where it’s inevitable, I didn’t waste long periods of time with self-centered assholes, into which category fall just about all of his priors.
I bought and sold property. I haven’t done as well as many, but at least I have an asset in the house on Edgewater, and it’s not financially underwater.
I’ve spent time taking care of pets.
I have a few friends. Not many, but they are the kind of people with whom one can be no-holds-barred honest, and that’s worth a great deal to me. It makes me happy to do things for and with them.
I’ve had a handful of peak experiences: the Newport Jazz Festival, vacationing on Vancouver Island and at a ski resort in Durango, Colorado, and living in Seal Beach and Laguna Beach, California.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time with the grands, for which I’m very grateful. I’ve had a chance to talk with them, play with them and watch them as they grow and change.
Mostly, though, my time has been best spent on the gardens. That’s something I can definitely point to over the last 10 years that has made a difference, not only to me but to the people around the properties.