I've been tasting freedom for about 3 1/2 months and oh how sweet it is.
It's hard to express, but I wake each morning excited about the magic of the day ahead. Tom Hanks in "Castaway" would look out at the endless ocean and say "you never know what the tide might bring in." That's kinda’ how I feel. It might sound corny yet every day I find unexpected reasons to celebrate my life; ... a bunny nibbling at grass just before the sun breaks over the morning horizon ... my wife's smile when she sees a child dancing as tho' no one is watching ... neighbors unexpectedly dropping by with a homemade sugary treat ... being aware that the sun is warming my shoulders as I walk to the store ... the soft pitter-pat of Spring rain on my Tilly hat. These things and more I am grateful for, or as Yoda would say "grateful for I am these things and more." Work? When I was discharged in March, I figured I would take a few months to settle into a new life with my wife. We talked about work and put a moving target of late summer or early autumn for me to find a job. I have cast my net to test the waters and find that being 70 with a record is a barrier. For 40 years, I was a tax accountant and investment adviser. The day I stepped into “the Joint,” my accounting and investment licenses were revoked. So now what? Whatever I do, it will have meaning to me and value to my community. An eBook? This blog goes back to the first week I entered the King County jail, more than 45 months ago. It was the best way for me to communicate with those that I love and those who love me. It was also a life preserver, a way to hang onto my sanity. I can't express strongly enough how easy it is to lose a grasp on what we call reality while locked up with men who have such huge anger and anti-social habits. These men didn't treat each other with any respect! Even the guards didn't seem to care about the forgotten mass of humanity they are charged with protecting. When a fight would break out they would stand around and watch and laugh. I imagine this is what Dante was expressing in The Inferno. Jail is a place of men who have rejected decency values and give in to violence against their fellowmen. Writing was a way for me to keep my head above the waterline, a way to hang on to civility. So, I'm thinking that maybe I'll turn it into an eBook for others who are just entering our (in)justice system as well as those unfortunates already incarcerated. So what have I been doing with my new found freedom-time? I feel like the next part of this blog might read like a Christmas letter; I've been learning how to make music, playing the blues harmonica. No joke! I was in a rock 'n roll band more than 50 years ago, a drummer. As much as I wanted to take up the skins again, I figured my apartment neighbors might object. I didn't realize how much I missed making music until I picked up the mouth harp and blew out a tune. When I get good enough, I will post a short recording here on the blog for you all to hear. I continue to walk every day; about 25 miles a week. My acupuncture practitioner tells me that walking is an excellent exercise, so I won't stop until it's time to 'check out,' hopefully many decades to come. Recently my wife and I started taking a stroll around the neighborhood after dinner. This practice reminds me of my time in Germany when I wore the Army uniform. I was billeted with a German family for several months. After the evening meal, we would all go for a walk around the village, saying "hi" to this neighbor and "hello" to that one. It's good exercise for the body and a salve for the soul. In 20 days we binge-watched all 7-seasons of Game of Thrones. I'm hooked. Can't wait for the final season. And I'm all caught up on Star Wars. We circumnavigated the Olympic peninsula for KK's birthday ... ferry to Kingston ... coffee in Port Angeles ... snack at Kalaloch and dinner in ocean shores. It had been at least 10 years since I'd been immersed in all the grandeur and beauty of the Olympics. The majesty of the evergreens always reminds me of a cathedral. The beaches and ocean were mesmerizing. As I got closer to the sea that familiar salty smell filled my senses and reminded me of a little boy fishing with his dad so many decades ago. We found a tree that the locals call "The Tree of Life" because most of it's roots out out of the soil and yet it continues to grow. All in all, it was a delightful 400 mile memory-filled adventure. Well, that's it for now. Hope you find time each day to appreciate life.
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AuthorPatrick Michael Leonard Archives
August 2020
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