Tony At 10: CONFUSION; BLOG # 2159; FRI OCT 19, 2018

THE MESSAGE:

It is not difficult to become confused as you travel through life. Confusion creates problems when you are a young child. Good parents are crucial in helping children to overcome mixed messages and to make sense out of the world that surrounds them.

The child grows and develops. As a teenager, friends have as much or more influence on thinking than that of a parent. Confusion is abetted by conflict, misdirection and the desire to be accepted into the 'A Group'. Eventually the person becomes an individual capable of making 'Good Decisions'; however, it is not a simple process to do so. Distractions, temptation and even loneliness can create an internal environment as wild as a tropical hurricane.

THE BLURB:

As a young man, I believed that my path was the correct one. I had a post secondary education, several friends, a few loyal and true friends and a gorgeous partner with whom to unfold a happy existence.

GOT IT

Challenges were easy to conquer. Dreams were realistic. Children, a productive career and a strong sense of family provided the answer to any problems that arose.

Along come the mid-life years. Life suddenly becomes a jumbled mix of ego, selfishness, ignorance and general confusion. I was convinced that I was the centre of the universe. I became unable to appreciate the depth of character that was the essence of my wife's being.

Thanks to her humility and forgiving, compassionate nature, I managed to survive. We enjoyed getting old together helped once again by family and friends. With her recent passing, my reality and sense of joy are diminished; however, she is my 'Eternal Flame'. "I Needed Her'!

I am reminded of the lyrics of a favourite song:"You Needed Me", a song written by Randy Goodrum, who describes it as being about "unconditional undeserved love". It was a number one hit single in the United States in 1978 for Canadian singer Anne Murray. She intoned, "I was confused, you cleared my mind".