Book Review - Longshot, by Lance Allred

I'm not usually one to sit around reading books all day long. Not that I don't like to read, but I'm usually very busy. Unless a book is interesting, reading will put me to sleep. I must admit that I fell asleep once while reading this book, but not because it was boring. I was so engrossed with Lance's story that I stayed up way too late and couldn't put it down.

It is a story of triumph, tragedy, happiness, pain. Never before have I really understood what it takes to be a professional sportsman, but even more what it takes to overcome the obstacles life has put in front of you. I have truly been inspired.

I was most impressed with his honesty. He holds nothing back. He doesn't whitewash the truth or attempt to paint his own weaknesses as something else. He writes as though he isn't ashamed to tell any part of his story. Because it is all aspects of our lives that make up who we are.

I Sit and Look Out

I watch the news of the last several weeks and can only find anothers words to express my thoughts.

I Sit And Look Out I sit and look out upon all the sorrows of the world, and upon all oppression and shame; I hear secret convulsive sobs from young men, at anguish with themselves, remorseful after deeds done; I see, in low life, the mother misused by her children, dying, neglected, gaunt, desperate; I see the wife misused by her husband—I see the treacherous seducer of young women; I mark the ranklings of jealousy and unrequited love, attempted to be hid—I see these sights on the earth; I see the workings of battle, pestilence, tyranny—I see martyrs and prisoners; I observe a famine at sea—I observe the sailors casting lots who shall be kill’d, to preserve the lives of the rest; I observe the slights and degradations cast by arrogant persons upon laborers, the poor, and upon negroes, and the like; All these—All the meanness and agony without end, I sitting, look out upon, See, hear, and am silent. Walt Whitman (1819–1892). Leaves of Grass. 1900.

Lucid

I've retitled and started over this blog post for a week and a half. I start writing about something and it just doesn't pan out. I guess that's because I have been so busy with things that I haven't had enough time to ponder. I take that back, I have been pondering things. A lot of things, just none of them very in depth. I have opinions about the new healthcare legislation and want to rant about it, but I'm actually growing tired of the debate. It has grown into a political debachle that both side should be ashamed of. The only ones suffering are the American People. I am however, proud of my Congressman for realizing this and deciding to vote against it. But that is about as far as my thoughts go on the matter, I'm wearied by it.

I then think about church and religion. I am grateful that both are taking a more meaningful place in my life. Not that they have every really been very far away or that I have been uninvolved with either, simply that I find more peace and solace there in new and deeper ways than I did before. It seems lately that's all I want to write about, but I don't want people to view me as preachy and obsessed with reiligion. It is part of who I am, but not in the wear it on my sleave kind of way. I want my religion to affect my actions and make me a better person. It shouldn't be a front we put up for others.

I then think of family. I have been truly, truly blessed with a wonderful wife and little boy. They bring more joy to me than anything else in this world. I have so many stories I want to share about Bubs and the things he does. Like this morning when Bubs spilled the popcorn on Slou's nicely cleaned up floor. He helped to pick it up and then wanted to vacuum it up as well. I got it on video. If he had been dressed, I would have posted it online. (I don't want half-naked pictures of my son online. There are too many creeps out there.)

Writing is laborious for me. I have to form the words before I can write them. I have to follow the ideas through from word to word, sentence to sentence. If I don't, I tend to go on tangents and start writing train of thought. This can be fun sometimes, but it isn't always very good writing. However, it sometimes provides enough lucidity to spawn the ideas I need.