On My Mind and More

Well, sometimes I look at Facebook, and I respond literally to the question: “What’s on your mind?” Today I had a whole slew of answers, some of which I verbalized into the empty room surrounding me. Mostly they were superficial and not predicated on anything too important.

For example:

I hoped that today’s matches at the US Open were more competitive, entertaining, or at least that one player per match was playing outstanding tennis.
John Farrell (Red Sox) is not a good game coach. I can’t stand how he uses the pitching staff, among other decisions.
Is it really going to be one of our snow-ier winters? I love winter.
I wish I had exported all of the information that I had input to Shelfari before it shut down and I can no longer access it.
I have a lot of stuff I could be doing but today might just be a sit and rest day.
Do I really think that I can get to all of the National Parks I want to before my time comes? I want to visit so many, and I am afraid I wouldn’t want to ever leave them. Especially in Alaska.
My Dad is on my mind. I miss him. As I live through moments with a pair of six-year-olds, I wish I could recall the similar moments that my Dad had with me.
I wish I could record all the sweetest, most innocent, most honest things that the kids say. Especially the ones of how they see me, because some days I feel like an ancient, grumpy bear. Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing one.
My wife is pretty awesome. I don’t believe I have accurately expressed to her how much I wouldn’t trade the role that God, my wife, and I have created for me over the last several years. I am so very fortunate it’s not even fair. I tell her, but I don’t know that I have made it abundantly clear that I want it no other way.
I cannot believe that Wendy Tefft is no longer with us.
How is it that the sky can be so light and airy, like we can float on a cloud, and other times seem so massive and heavy, like it’s pressing just inches from our gaze?

Mostly though folks, I can’t get the recent local stories of the Goffstown, NH community out of my mind. I have written of them. I have discussed these matters. I have heard from others. I have cried over the news. I have prayed about them. I have lost sleep while contemplating these things. I have been completely overwhelmed and humbled by the number of people who have read my words, liked posts or comments, shared them, responded in some way, and messaged my wife and I regarding the few words that I have strung together in attempts to capture my own thoughts and feelings.

Some of you probably know that I started this blog on the last day of September, 2011 after being urged by some friends to start writing, blog style. Five years later, I am still not sure what that all means. I just know that I like to write, and sometimes I have something to write about. But this past week or so has been stunning.

In just one day, you folks read my blog posts more times than in any entire single month over the last five years. One post had 5 times more views in 24 hours than the most popular post in any single day since I started. I realize that the story is often times greater than that of the content, and I don’t pretend to be that good at grabbing so much attention. Even so, the feedback has been incredible. Thank you. I am truly humbled. More than that, I want to continue.

I am blessed to be able to write and to share with folks all over the globe. I hadn’t figured it that way; then again, I had no plan. I welcome the opportunity to be a voice, even if it’s a silent one that resonates as you read and react. A voice doesn’t have to be loud it just has to be heard.

It’s highly probable that you all have just as many, if not more, things that are on your mind(s). With that I suppose I will let you get on with your day. I thank you all for the support. I thank you for the feedback. I thank you for sharing my words and more. I am a fortunate man. I am a grateful man. God is good. Always good. And that is what is on my mind, and more.