Ale for the Soul

Seasons of life come and go.  Some are warmly remembered while others are quickly forgotten in the rearview mirror of life.  About a month ago I decided to draw a close on working at Big Dave's Cigars in Fort Worth.  In its place I took on a full-time career with Allen Edmonds in Dallas.  While selling shoes may be old hat and the initial career post-High School, I must look back rather nostalgically on the tobacco industry.  Upon moving to Fort Worth in 2010, I couldn't seem to break into the shoe industry in the D/FW Metroplex, even if my life depended on it.  The proverbial "mark of Cain" must have been writ large on my forehead or stamped somewhere on my work history/resume.  As a result, I was forced to pivot and ended up reinventing myself in the cigar and pipe industry.  Twelve years and three cigar shops later, hob-knobbing with the likes of Doc Severinsen, Ron White, and Pat Green to name a few, I am called once again to the art of sellin...

The term bucket list has been around for quite some time, and I have slowly warmed to the concept.  It is essentially a list of experiences or achievements a person desires to accomplish during their lifetime.  My personal list has changed drastically over the years to include fewer "pipe dreams" and replaced with more realistic goals.  Due to age and the never-improving finances, I have stopped seeking advanced degrees and the childhood dream of a career in historical archeaology.  (Please don't think this is giving up on life.  Sometimes I simply need to quit beating my head against the wall of reality.)  As I shift my goals, I continue to gain personal richness through other measures.  This year alone, I have been able to mark off quite a few items on my personal bucket list.  In March I was able to visit Cedar Hill State Park for the very first time.  Since the initial visit, I have become a frequent visitor.  From the First Day of ...

The definition of Existential Depression:  inner conflicts characterized by the impression that life lacks meaning.  Ultimately my identity is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and life's meaning is to have a vibrant and fulfilling relationship with the same Lord.  This is in spite of circumstances swirling around me.  Some may argue reality sucks, but I posit that the spiritual kingdom encompasses the perceived reality of this terrestrial plane.  Reality may "suck" due to a lack of or failing relationship with Yahweh God.  This is where I am in life.  Devoid of ego or a superiorty complex, I recognize the gifts with which God has so richly blessed me.  The challenge is how do these gifts play out horizontally out of the richness of a vertical relationship with one I will call a Higher Power.  So much of my life has been spent in bitterness over lack of resources and opportunities to use the talents, skills, and abilities that are innately bestowed u...

**Found this piece of work in my computer files.  Not sure the purpose for which I wrote this, but I found the content interesting.** “I am four years old!”   This was my first conscious moment of self-awareness as I stood in the front yard of my home in Austin, Texas.   The sun was shining brightly as I stood under the shade of the house eaves, gazing upon the Chinese Tallow Mom had planted years ago.   The shadow it cast almost touched the curb as it made an outlined impression on the green grass of the yard.   That moment of self-remembrance must have been enough for my small mind that day, because I remember little else.   My life must have been in a fog of transition from dependence on others to quasi self-awareness.   At some point in time I made the leap to constant cognizance of the world around me.   There weren’t any more gaps in the course my life would take.   From then on, I remember living in Austin, enjoying the fruits of child...

Do you ever think or believe Forest Gump intended to have the extraordinary life he had?  In the movie, he was an extremely fortunate soul who was carried by the winds of life to experience many incredible moments in history.  By the world's standards, he was not a very smart man...or at least not academically.  However, I believe he possessed an intelligence and an innate fortitude to persevere when life didn't make sense or confronted with the great injustices of life.  In no way am I comparing my life to his; however, I do feel some kindred spirit or connection with that fictional character.  All through Junior High and High School, I knew exactly what I wanted to pursue as a career as well as accomplish in the periphery of life.  None of it happened!  Maybe God had other plans for me according to His overarching design.  In the intervening years since that time, I have travelled to places, met people, and experienced situations in life that ha...

On Tuesday, I took out on the open road to Cedar Hill State Park.  From where I live, the park is on Interstate 20 heading East past Arlington and Grand Prairie; in fact, I saw the very southern edge of the Dallas city limits while travelling.  Thank goodness for the map app on my phone, or I may have had difficulty locating this gem nestled in the Metroplex.  A hidden treasure it is!  Unfortunately, I didn't find out till my arrival that the beach area and surrounding grounds were closed due to restoration efforts.  In addition, a portion of the main road was down to one lane for construction.  Still undettered, I resolved to get the most experience out of my adventure.  First on the list was visiting Penn Farm.  The entrance sign suggested the tour would take an hour.  That was spot on, but it sure didn't seem like that long as yours truly was enthralled with the history of the buildings and grounds.  I was equally impressed with the u...

The new year is already off to a great start!  On January 4th, I began working at Dunham & Jones law firm in their call center.  It's simply a glorified switchboard operator or receptionist position, but it's right up my alley.  Other than the IT Manager, who oversees the eighteen-plus employees, I'm the only male working in the building.  So far, I've been learning quite a bit and believe the job will work out just fine for the foreseeable future.  In fact, I receive my first paycheck on Monday and benefits kick in on April 1st.  Woohoo!  Employment with the cigar shop has been pushed to the weekends.  This will provide extra money for odds and ends till I get caught up financially.  By no means am I in dire financial need, but I sure could start paying down the credit card balance.  The whole process will take time.  Of course I'm concerned about wearing myself out with no days off or time to myself.  So far, I've been ho...