Shameless Wallet Flipping

In the years before computers, people kept their photos in large albums. If the photos were of the type to be shown off frequently, several of them were chosen to reside in the wallet. They might show off a big fish or a multi-pronged buck.



But when grandparenthood arrived, the wallet was adjusted to hold a much longer plastic piece with many more slots for holding pictures of grandchildren. It was always easy to spot two oldsters with strings of photos hanging almost to the floor, chatting away merrily without hearing much of what each other were saying.



These days, the blog, Facebook, and email have rendered such shameless bragging even easier. Allow me to demonstrate.

Molly

When I posted this picture I discovered that the computer put it above all the print and I had to roust out my poor, tired wife in order to garner enough expertise to drive the picture down to its present position. To spare her further interruption, I choose not to download (or is it upload?) any further pictures. Tonight. But a day will soon come when all the other moppets will be presented for your viewing pleasure. I have them from LA to Rexburg, even further if you count those into whom I've married. And they're all cute as buttons. I say so and we all know how humble I am.

Relative Prosperity

We are poorer than we've been for a very long time. Yet we live in relative prosperity. When I consider the Untouchables of India, the common peasants of Mexico, and those who wander the garbage heaps of the Philippines in search of food, I know that I'm in pretty good shape. In good enough shape to get out of shape.

As a newlywed I experienced difficult times for several years. Indeed, the only period of real prosperity I've ever experienced was from 1992 to 2004. Those dozen years were the time when I lived in ease. I couldn't buy a NEW car, but I could afford to keep an old one running. If I wanted a new book, CD, rifle, or pound of powder, I didn't have to wait long. Often, I could buy these things with what I had on hand.

Since losing my profession, I have learned to live small again. But I know how much worse off we could be. My country could be living under the thumb of the cartels as do our neighbors to the south. My health could be a lot worse. Our inelegant home could be even smaller and a lot more shabby. We could be hungry but never are. As a briefly alive character from the movie Shenandoah said to a youngster, "You're walkin' in tall cotton, boy!" And I am.

My children and grandchildren are all alive and well. I have recently been blessed with two new granddaughters. While I have three sons and a grandson whom I hardly ever see, I am comforted to know that they are well. I do not say that all is well in Zion. But I do say that much is right with us. We are blessed.