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 The weeks most interesting
Original Music Scene
Common sense?
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Did you know?
Fact, fiction, or funny
Opinion
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From the editor: 
I just finished reading, “How Full is Your Bucket?” and it really hit home in a number of key areas. The premise is simple; positive feedback fills a person’s bucket, and negative comments drain a person’s bucket. The “bucket” being the way we feel about ourselves.
It got me thinking of all the people that have filled my bucket over the years; my parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and colleagues. There have been many. Some have made a bigger impact than others. Some may not know the impact and I would like to focus on someone that made a huge impact on my life but may not know it.
He is one of my uncles that over the years treated me more like a brother than a nephew. It may be that we are relatively close in age, only 10 years difference, or the fact that we share the same name. We had quite a bit of contact in my younger years. He started a catering business with my parents and we spent quite a bit of time rolling Swedish meatballs, making sandwich platters, and serving up the dishes at a number of functions. It all took place in the close quarters of my grandmother’s kitchen in the Bronx.
We spent time fishing each year on the Saint Lawrence River. We would rent a houseboat and float around, occasionally getting stuck in a cove where I would be recruited to jump out and push the boat to deeper water (which I actually enjoyed). He was famous for making the event more about the meals, companionship, and the jokes rather than the fishing. Great memories. But how does this relate to filling a bucket?
He has been a role model for me in many ways. He is first and foremost a great father. I watched his dedication over the years to his children’s well being. I try to live by his example with my children. He has such an entrepunerial spirit. He started a catering business, he owned a restaurant, and when technology was impacting the business world, he was there to take full advantage of it. I learned a lot about determination and perseverance from him.
He also made it possible for me to graduate college through his generosity and faith in me. I remember the situation vividly. I needed funds (a significant amount) to continue college, and I remember approaching him with such apprehension and his reaction awed me. He said how much? He said, is that enough? He didn’t ask how and when will you pay me back? He handed me a brown paper bag with this enormous amount of money in it and said this, I remember it like it was yesterday; “All I ask is that someday, if one of my children come to you and need some help, if you can, I would hope you would be there for them”, period. It wasn’t about the money to him.
I remember paying him back but I don’t know if I ever thanked him properly. There are many paths in life we can travel down, there are many crossroads that can change the direction of your life, and this was one of those moments. His absolute generosity at that time made a difference in my path. I don’t know whether I would have continued college and graduated? Whether I would have met my wife at college? I don’t know if I would have been blessed with my children? There are many unknowns and what ifs. I do know he made a difference.
He dropped me an e-mail the other day and asked for my cell number so he could call. It got me to thinking about our past. I was looking forward to hearing that cell phone ring. I started thinking about all our shared history and how often we would see each other, and how - now we hardly do. I got to thinking about how I could repay him but I can’t. All I can do is to try to fill his bucket. He filled my bucket many times throughout my life and this is my attempt to fill his.
I know you have a bucket to fill out there. Filling someone’s bucket shouldn’t need to be the topic in a book. It should be in everyone’s character. It was in my Uncle Richie’s character. And because of the things others do for us in life we are who we are. I am a better person because of him. Now go fill a bucket. They need to hear it – you need to say it. Thank you Uncle Rich.
Thanks for your few minutes of support each week!
If you missed the first 26 editions of The Divot (formally "SoundCheck") don't fret. Just go to www.richhandband.com and go to the R.O.T. tab and click on the link for any edition you would like to see.
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Kind Regards,
Rich Hand
Flounderer and CEO
My Opinion click here...
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The weeks most interesting
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly applied, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Original music scene & not so original...
Peasant's new release expected in May. Check out the details at http://www.thepeasants.net/
The "Gazette" Review : "Something 4 Everyone" - Click here to read the entire review!!
Common sense?
More citizens watching the border reduced illegal crossings. Hmmmm!
Did you know? In honor of Mother's Day. Thanks Aunt Dot!
Mother's Journal
For those of us who are lucky to still be blessed with our Mom, this is
beautiful. For those who aren't, this is even more
beautiful....
The young mother set foot on the path of life "Is this the long way?"
she asked.
And the guide said "Yes and the way is hard. And you will be old
before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the
beginning. " But the young mother was happy, and she would not
believe
that anything could be better than these
years.
So she played with her children, she fed them, and bathed them, and
taught them to tie their shoes and ride a bike and do their homework
and brush their teeth.
The sun shone on them, and the young mother cried, "Nothing will ever
be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark,
and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them
close and covered them with her
arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are
near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children
climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary
too. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and
we are there."
So the children climbed, and as they climbed, they learned to weather
the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.
Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but
most of all...unconditional love. And when they
reached the top they said, "Mother, we could not have done it without
you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the
mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were
tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay
down at night, looked up at the
stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children
have learned so much and are now passing those traits on to their
children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her and gave her
their strength, just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a
shining road and golden gates flung open. And the mother said, "I have
reached the end of my journey. And now I know that the end is better
than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride,
with their head held high, and so can their children after them." And
the children said, "You
will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the
gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates
closed after her. And they said, "We cannot see
her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a
memory. She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you. She is the whisper of the leaves as
you
walk down the street. She is the smell of
certain foods that you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she
wore. She is the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well.
She is your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the
sound of the rain. Your Mother lives inside your laughter, and she is
crystallized in every tear drop.
A Mother shows every emotion, happiness, sadness, fear, and all the
while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in
life.
She is the place you came from, your first home, and she is the map
that you follow with every step you take. She is
your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but
nothing
on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space, not even death.
May we never take our Mothers for granted.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
Fact, fiction, or funny
I
You have to check out this link to JibJab.com! A great suggestion from my Uncle Richie! Cooking with Clinton!!! They have some hysterical cartoons!
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