I can never stop searching for good, canoe?

Life, this planet is so interesting, wondrous, and yep, sometimes even god-awful...

To peek at it as a sphere, sometimes ya wanna grab it, take a huge ole bite outta it for it's succulence... Other times, you look at it asking "why", and then ya feel like kicking it like a soccer ball.

There are a lot of things I'm not very good at. Sitting in the front passenger seat of a car is likely my 'biggest worst.' Close behind are the many hours I plop in my easy chair and ADHD my way with the remote until something nabs my interest. Sometimes this is easy, a click or two... many times I'll find something, watch for a few and then think "nope, I'm an old fart, old farts die.. I don't wanna spend my remaining old fart hours watching something like this." Such was the case of, and pardon the interruption, looks like I needta start a new paragraph, so gonna..

Sorry.. kinda.. Everyone had hyped up Ozark on Netflix. I clicked my way to it. I watched for awhile.. it just didn't grab me.. I even rewound and watched parts over again thinking "this is probably critical for the whole thing, I'd better pay closer attention," and then wizbang, within 5 minutes some lady walked in the bathroom - and a couple minutes later there were ten bullet holes in that door. Nope, huh uh, nada.. Might float your boat, and that's all good. Me,I spent way too many hours a few years back stressing over stuff like that with Breaking Bad, I'm an old fart, old farts die, I ain't gonna spend precious time watching this. Switched, over to...........

The SEC Channel.. a special on Chucky Mullins, Ole Miss football player. This grabbed me, in spite of it's sadness. Chucky had the kinda smile you couldn't wipe off his face. I love people like that, because it simply begs the question "DON'T YOU LIVE IN THE SAME WORLD I DO?" He did. Everyone loved Chucky. They visited his hometown, yep, loved. They visited Ole Miss, former players, coaches, yep, loved. in 1989, in a game against Vanderbilt, Chucky, playing defensive back, lunged to make a tackle, hit Vandy fullback Brad Gaines head first and it didn't end well. New paragraph.

Motionless, an ambulance was summoned, he was placed on the board, taken to the hospital - and he never ever regained any feeling from the neck down. Yes, I remember I said I was an old fart, and no, this doesn't seem like something 'enjoyable' to watch - but.. What grabbed me was Chucky's smile. He never lost that smile. Gaines, the player he hit, went to see him in the hospital. Chucky knew who he was, and he offered the first words, "not your fault." Gaines went again, and again and again to see him. They became good friends. Sorry, anudder paragraph.

Chucky would return to school to school to finish his degree (his forever outlook on life, "Never Quit.").. He/Gaines, best buds.  Two years later he passed due to a pulmonary embolism. The day of the funeral, the football team rode by bus to it.. They passed Gaines walking to it, pulled over, stopped, picked him up.. the coach announced "Boys, you all know who this is. But today, he's an Ole Miss Rebel." To this day, Gaines, the player Chucky hit, makes the four hour drive to Chucky's grave three times a year.. on Chucky's birthday, the anniversary of the hit, and, the date of his death. He clips the grass around the large monument, washes/polishes it.. and sits for a long, long time.

There is a statue of Chucky just outside the tunnel leading onto the Ole Miss football field.. as the players run onto the field, one by one they touch it ("Don't quit") for good luck.

Of course I've thankfully watched happy stuff.. much.. but too I've caught other sad, gripping stories. A recent documentary on Derrick Thomas..the greatness of his ability on the football field sure, but the equal greatness of him as a person, a father, and the many hours of charitable work he put in before his much too early death at age 33. No, Derrick wasn't perfect. He has quite a few children by different mothers, and I don't believe he ever married. Still, he never missed a Christmas, a Birthday, or any beck and call by 'mom' when his children were in need.

Another day I thumbed onto Channel 9 locally, only to catch morning anchor Donna Pitman being interviewed, in tears, as they discussed the recent diagnosis of her two year old son - Pompe Disease, and how basically his learning is severely delayed. The love and sorrow in her eyes gripped me. I read a blog she started to help others who learn of their children having a similar diagnosis - and she hooks them up with programs they found to assist them in this path. Taking 'yuck' head on, with love, devotion, and thinking of others in doing so.

Yes, I remember recalling I'm an old fart, and old farts generally don't have tons of time left, WHY, then why would I chose to watch things like this... Easy. Chucky didn't want people worrying about him. He smiled when it was the only muscle he had left in his body that worked. The Chiefs showed a picture of the literal hundreds and hundreds of children Derrick Thomas has assisted educationally with his 3rd and Long program. Certain too you remember Derrick's ever present smile. Donna's too. Love. Love reigned loudly from all three.

I saw a meme recently and it made me think of Chucky and Derrick. A little boy asked his mom "Mom, why do the best people die?" "When you're in a garden, which flowers do you pick?" "The most beautiful ones."

OK Victor, all well and good.. I'm still thrown by the "I can never stop searching for good, canoe" post title. Why?

There are many things in life I love. I often ask myself "What's your favorite thing to do, where would you go right now if you could?" One of my favorites is being in a canoe, floating peacefully down river. You can't knock the smile off my face there. Ya get those moments where you wanna take that big ole wonderful bite outta life.  Sure, it too likens the Fools Gold of Life sometimes (getting in, especially when one is an old fart.. having to get out and carry the canoe when the water level is too low.. the rapids, oh the rapids.)... Nonetheless, it's a huge reminder of how good, beautiful and peaceful life is.

May your remote and your own steps lead you to love.. gripping.. admiration.. comfort..  Don't quit in searching for good...

I can never stop searching for good, canoe?

Love, Victurd