Take some time to kick it and enjoy your day...

Its something that we say to each other all the time. But do we really slow down enough to really enjoy the little things? This week a tune up on one of my vehicles meant more to me than usual. Helping My daughter out with changing her alternator wasn't a problem at all, and I really enjoyed watching the first game of the world series with my 80 year old dad last night without a care in the world as to who won.

In the last 3 weeks I have lost 3 really good friends. All of them were hot rod buddy's of mine and all so unique to each other. One passed from Parkinson's, Another had a tractor accident, and the third a car accident. About 3 weeks ago I was talking with one of them and encouraging him to slow down and enjoy things more as he is a workaholic like I am. I remember him laughing and saying that there would be plenty of time to rest after he was dead.

Ive learned through the deaths my three friends that I havent been living! Or at least slowing down enough to enjoy the regular things that I should. I guess I just want to encourage you all to stop and do a quick operational check on your lives. Get off the Dyno long enough to make sure your really enjoying yourself. Ive had to reboot a few things in my life and make some corrections. I've decided I need to start working on enjoying the little things more. I realize no one gets out alive... But Im going to try to look at life a lot differently from now on. And I encourage you to do the same. I know this isnt hot rod related and I don't want to bring everyone down, but its been a rough couple of weeks from... well, I hope Heaven! Enjoy and Cheers Friends. :cool:

Tri Bob, sorry to hear of your losses. It does make you think after you lose some one close to you.

Sad but true .

M.T. been there and your right sometimes you have to slow down and see what you have passed up. It won't always be there for the next time.

I've been trying to get the group ofold friends/racers around here together for three or four years now-seems the rock in the road is one guy who really was close to everyone and I consider a must be attendee----------about every time I see him he's telling me about how many funerals he's been to lately-----------think next time I go see him i'll take a mirror and hold it up so he can see himself with pics of all our lost friends around the edges------------

Bob,
Sorry to hear of your loss of three friends in such a short time. A few years ago I picked up on the advice you shared, made it a signature line, and see it every day on a pocket piece my daughter had engraved for me as a gift. Even with that It's easy to get tangled in trivial junk as you say. My sympathies...

Losing friends is a bummer, as we get older it happens far too often!!!!

As Ogden Nash once said, "Life is far too important to be taken seriously".

Thanks guys, My buddy's are gone and I had a heart to heart talk to each one of them last night, they are just fine now! The hard part is the shattered family's and watching them try to recover. They will work their way through it just like everyone before them has done. Thanks for the kind words and allowing me the opportunity to post my self prescribed therapy here and allowing me to put this into words. It was a great help while helping make it a reality to me. Its Over now! Thanks again.
Bob

Lets talk Hot Rods. :LOL::D:eek::rolleyes:

I lost another very close one yesterday. The man who as a youngster treated me like one of his owe his kids and thought me a lot about a lot of things. He was the one that got me going to the desert with him and his family as a youth and really sunk the hook in my mouth as far as metal fabrication, Motorcycle, off road toys, ect. While my Dad was into the same kind of things my Pop had weird work hours and couldn't get away on weekend very often. Jim allowed me to tag along with his kids and was in many ways a second dad and great role model. He Tought me and his son Jimmy how to drive in his VW powered dune buggy. Pretty safe task as there was nothing to hit except an occasional pucker bush. LOL He was up in age but still pressing strong when he came by the shop visited just a few weeks ago. The Cancer took him quickly and I will miss him greatly. Thanks for everything Jim! Love ya!

Man what in the world is going on?

So sorry to hear about your loss, again. It sounds he made a great impact on your life and sounded like a great man. My thoughts and prayers go to you and his family.

As mentioned one of my buddy's passed from Parkinson a few weeks ago. Its ugly having to watching this disease progress, but I guess that is the way it is? A good friend sent me a pic he took of Jim and I just over a month ago here in the shop next to his car. Jim was a hot rodder to his core until the very last days of his life. He would wheel up to the car and work on it as long as he could. After he could no longer work on it he would be wheeled out to the garage where he would spent his day just looking at it and admiring his 32. Who knows what he was thinking but you could tell he was happy. He was building it along with another friend who busted his hump to make it street able for the funeral. It still isn't done but this guy put on a full court press to get it going. He made it and I know Jim appreciated the heart felt effort. Rest In Peace Jimbo!

Sorry to learn of this MT...

Hope you and all the Bob's can remember all the good times hangin' out with your buddy.

I think you guys were a good friends for each other and that's what is special!

I agree... This past few weeks has been a real eye opener for me. I seem to really appreciate seeing the old friends even more and when meeting new ones it has a more sincere feel to it for some reason. Life lessons are often the hardest to learned but once learned they stick with ya and are truly the lessons worth learning! I'm a better person for having had them as friends and I'm sure everyone they came in contact with is as well! Well except that one guy... :eek: but I wont go there now! :LOL:

Thanks for the kind word everyone. It is appreciated.

Sorry for your loss,

great photo there , with you and your friend.
condolances for the loss of your mates.
as we get older its unfortunately going to happen more and more.

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