Settlin' Down in Foxborough

If you thought I was excited for last Monday's game at home on ESPN against the Broncos, just think how excited I am to actually be going to today's game against the Rams. Even better is that I have a great seat near mid-field, practically on the sideline.

I'm going with a friend from work who is picking me up in like 10 minutes, so I better get out of here and go get ready for an Awesome game! Thanks Brian and Chesterton!

~~ Fan of Being There

!!!

Split Ends

This picture may look familiar because I used it once before in my Prologue post of Wood-frame Ninjas for my Saturday's Storyers. The three stars represented in front are, from left to right, Sean, myself, and Adam. We were like best friends growing up and we had many adventures together, many of which took place in the very building behind us and in the surrounding area. I could go on and on about the dry-docked sail boat explorations or the madcap moped trips, the brick ladder of dreams or the high-speed chases. What I would like to portray, though, is an image of split ends (note the 90's hairstyles), but not those kind of split ends!

The split ends of which I would like to relate have to do with that building, the Lynnfield Ward meeting house. Growing up, this is the ward I attended, and it is the new ward where I will again attend services since today the Arlington Ward split ends. For now, Lynnfield ward's boundaries have been extended to include Woburn and Winchester.

This truly is bitter-sweet because I will miss the Arlington ward and all of its members - I love that ward, but I also love the Lynnfield ward and I can't wait to go back.

In the end, I believe that things happen for a reason, and I look forward to new adventures and hopefully new friends and blessings. For those who are sadder than I, I hope that they can settle down and know that things will be fine, and soon they will be settled-down in their new home ward. Besides, this won't be the last time that the winds of wind blow.

~~ Spalato

+=-

Skate it Off

Before I found Sunday Settle-downs, I used ice skating as a way to relax. Whip Hill provided the perfect place to play a little pick-up pond hockey. Each winter my friends and I would go skating after school up at the vernal pool. The area was just the right size for four on four or five on five (including goalies) games, and the rink was even complete with a rock formationed back-drop that also functioned as a splendid ricochet spot for firing slap shots.

For a few years at night the resident groundskeeper/caretaker would pump water from the pond onto the ice to create a fresh and pristine playing surface for the next-day skaters. If it snowed we would all pitch in to clear the ice.

Then we each would throw our stick into a pile in the middle and someone would skate up to the mass, bend over, and start tossing sticks left and right creating the teams. Naturally we each took a role and started playing. If you got tired or got a cramp there was a nice nook under a huge pine tree where you could rest, drink hot chocolate, tie your laces, etc. If you were injured (not severely of course) you were told to, “Skate if off.” (Yes, this was still more relaxing then staring at laundry in the washing machine as it agitated.)

Those were some great times. At times there were some great skaters up there too. I loved those great times.

Though there were also others ponds and venues, I will leave those great times for another time. For instance, now I will not write about the two man-made pond-like rinks that were dug into this field in Reading. No, now I will not tell of the gigantic ditches that were filled with water during the Winter by the City so that the ice could form for the citizens. Those great times may come another time.

Best of times to you,

~~D Graf

P.S. I need a new pair of skates. Can anyone guess what kind I used to have?

On My Honor I Will Do My Best to Do My Duty to God and My Country...

Though I memorized the Scout Oath over twenty years ago, and I have recited it countless times since, only now have the words impressed me in such a way that they actually have given me comfort (if ever there were a time when I needed comfort and serenity, now would be one of them - not just because the Patriots blew a Perfect season, but also because I have progressed so much over the past few years that I cannot allow some needless guilt to impede, hinder, or negate such progress or any future progress.) To be quite open, recently I had been punishing myself with needless guilt over a false concern that I had not been offering enough service or that I had been unable to more serve others.

The comfort, however, first came after I read the First Presidency's message in the January issue of the Ensign. As part of his inspired message President Monson quoted Elder Richard L. Evans (1906–71) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “We can’t do everything for everyone everywhere, but we can do something for someone somewhere.”

I knew right away that these words were meant for me, or that I was meant to read them. The Spirit of comfort was so strong that I nearly cried; finally the burden had been lifted as I realized that indeed I had been doing enough, if not more than enough.

Then I felt comfort from the Oath. After I sat pondering my new realization, the very familiar promises of the Scout Oath, which I had made over and over yet too often had forgotten, came blazing through my mind like the bright red words of an electronic LED display: On my Honor I will do my do best to do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Scout Law. In no part of this Oath did I ever promise to always do everything; I simply promised to do my best, and if doing my best does not include everything, then at least I am doing something.

~~ Eagle Scout Dave

In Tranquility He Lives

"Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, dies at 97
SALT LAKE CITY 27 January 2008 President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.
The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from cause’s incident to age. Member of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days."

-----

I am saddened to learn of the passing of such a great man, and my condolences extend to his family and all those who knew him. Despite this being a typically somber moment I am not only comforted, but also filled with joy in knowing that he is in a better place with others who love him.

Though I never met the Prophet in person, I have been moved by his words, both written and spoken, and I know that he will be missed.

When my time has past, if I may have lived half as great a life as he, I will have lived a greater life than most.

~~ David

What I Do When I Don't Have a Punching Bag

In ’94 the BYU Bookstore had a great selection of Jack(son) Hand(il)y “Deep(est) Th(i)oughts” greeting cards. After American Heritage study sessions on the lawn outside the bookstore, Dori and I used to go into the store to read the greeting cards and laugh our heads off. In particular I’ll never forget this one card that described what to do if you ever go temporarily insane – basically it suggested that one should get some weeding done rather than shoot somebody, like a lot of people do, because of how surprised you’d be.

I like that because it makes sense. Even if I never were to go temporarily insane, if I were to get angry or frustrated I would rather thrash on a piñata or beat the stuffing out of a punching bag rather than put my hand through a wall or someone’s face.

Since I currently am in possession of neither, from now on to settle down I plan on blogging. In the heat of the moment I may post a confusing, poignant, and pointed blog. If I allow myself to cool off and wait ‘till Sunday, then I will post a retro-meditative perspectived blog. During the week if I experience no episodes of anger or frustration, then I will simple use the Sunday Settle-downs to post something calming and peaceful, like perhaps an Ode to Water such as this one that I learned in Germany (if I can remember it correctly): “Nichts in der Welt ist ebenso weich als Wind und Wasser, doch nichts hat mehr Gewalt!” Translation: Nothing in the World is as soft as Wind and Water, certainly nothing has more Force!”

~~ Serenity Dave