26/06/2024
Warning: Thought Ricochets Ahead - Proceed With Caution.
My friend Rob Bundy msgd a few days ago wondering if I could pop over and help him “Phil” some time (He said it, don’t blame me) on his cable show “Local One” at The Staysh. Of course I said yes!
We’ve been friends for 50 years now. We used to call each others' moms “mom” so it was a nice opportunity to take my mama with us for lunch afterwards. Sadly, we lost dear, sweet Lou 14 years ago, which is hard to believe. Mom shared the story of how the two of them used to go to “Weight Watchers” together and then sneak back to one of their places for a glass of wine. No doubt they needed each other’s support and at least an occasional glass of wine to get through the challenges of raising the two of us.
I quote great American poet Steve Miller a lot too often these days when I say, “Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’ slippin’ … "
We talked about how time has vaporized in all our lives … mom’s 84 this fall. We enjoyed our time together, reminiscing, laughing and loving the patio at The Park House. And yes, mom had a glass of wine 😉 It was good for my soul.
And now, today’s message you didn’t ask for … 😉
Sometimes I think the Universe lines things up, or God does, or some kind of dumb luck does.
On the way home I put on an 'age appropriate' playlist I made and Olivia Newton-John started singing. I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone under the age of 40 even knows who she is anymore?
That triggered a thought of a phone conversation I had last week with the incomparable Bill Brady who called to say a lot of really kind things about the podcast I’d done with his old friend and my first ever radio hero Peter Garland. In that pod episode, Peter shared that at one time, Bill owned 80% of the London morning radio market. He was HUGE! I say all that to say that during our conversation, Bill told me that at age 92 “Not many people remember who I am anymore.” First of all, I do and I think lots of people do, but the lesson here came from his palpable affection and admiration for his friend, and his gratitude for a career he loved. Not the "numbers" success, just the doing.
Then … (is this getting too long winded?) I thought of the song that at least partially, inspired the title of our podcast, "A Life That's Good" and the lyrics: “I don’t need fame, no one to know my name, at the end of the day, Lord I pray, I have a life that’s good.”
So is there a point to all these thoughts bouncing off of each other? I think there is and it’s this: Life is fast ... really, really fast and what really matters is ... If you get a chance to go out for lunch with your mom and an old friend, do it!
