Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Beginning the Blogging Life...My Inspiration!

Well, I've been wanting to get a start on this blog for quite some time now, but it seems it was always relegated to the back burner. Whether it was work, things to do around the house, or just being plain lazy, I never began putting my thoughts down for others to contemplate.

Well, it's my 56th birthday on March 15th, and maybe it's the urgency of the passing of years that has finally motivated me to get on-line and say some things that I feel the need to say.

My first thought is simply what a lucky man I am. I've had some illnesses and situations in my life that some people might consider unlucky and a bad break, but one thing has surpassed all of the tough times I've experienced. About six years ago, in an adventuresome moment, I decided to get back into life after a divorce that really left me reeling. I really felt that I had hit bottom. I met a Philippino woman online on a site set up for people to meet, and we began to talk on a regular basis. As time went on, our conversations grew deeper and more heartfelt, and after a year or so, I made the awesome decision to get on a plane and fly to the Philippines to finally meet this beautiful person who I had never seen eye to eye. I was happy, excited and frankly, very scared! My vision of the Philippines was of a beautiful place, tropical and warm, but also very poor and ripe with corruption and terrorism. As a matter of fact, two weeks before I left to visit this wonderful woman, the airport and the wharf in her home community of Davao City were bombed by terrorists, and some doubts about the safety of my journey began creeping into my head. But something had changed me - our candid and ultimately romantic conversations somehow gave me the strength to see this journey through. The big day finally arrived and after almost twenty hours of extremely boring air travel, I arrived in Davao City with ardent anticipation of meeting my sweetheart from the opposite end of the earth.

After leaving the concourse area, I suddenly realized how alone I was and as I cautiously walked into the bright sunshine into such an unfamiliar place, I searched for that pretty, friendly face that I had been talking to for over a year. Then after what seemed like forever, finally! I picked her out of the crowd, standing with her sister. I was aware of how scared I must have looked, but also found myself thinking about how she also must have felt. The same anticipation, the same fears or hopes of where this whole episode might lead...

Well, as stated, it's my 56th birthday soon and I'm not alone! We're quickly approaching our 6th wedding anniversary and there is not enough space here to let you know what a lucky man I truly am! This sweet young woman who promised herself to me on that intriguing visit to the Philippines now lives with me in the cold winter climate of northwest Wisconsin, a harrowing contrast to her warm, tropical homeland. She is my strength and my inspiration. I love her dearly and can't imagine a life without her. We plan everything together - our hopes, our dreams, and even ponder the notion of returning back to her homeland to live.

So who is this mystery woman who has changed my life in so many ways? Why, it's Joy of course; the name says it all! She is the Joy of my life and makes every day so incredibly special...

Thank you my Joy for the inspiration you have provided to my existence. My life is renewed, even through the tough times and the hard decisions we have to make. I look forward to traveling through these new times with such a willing and Joyful partner.

This blog represents one of those new travels - I hope you will find it interesting in its addressing of different topics and issues, some controversial and others just describing the nuances of daily life in America.

For now, take care all, and hope to hear from you on the various posts I write. Until then...

Rick


This blog is eternally dedicated to my beautiful wife, Joy, who has made so many new things possible in my life!