Yesterday, today and tomorrow

I was lying in bed several weeks ago and got to thinking about the past, today and tomorrow. It's weird, but all three kind of go together or are tied together in time. All three are connected. Some would claim they aren't, but they are.

I grew up on a cattle ranch in Arthur County, Nebraska, which is one of the least populated counties in the United States. Someone posted on Facebook that a relay team from Arthur County High School had 4 guys on the relay team. And since the Arthur County 2020 census listed Arthur County having four hundred and some residents 1% of the entire population of Arthur County was in that one race. Not many people up there. Do a search of Arthur, Nebraska. Check it out. A few people up there are extroverts, but I'm betting there are more introverts by a huge majority. I know I am. I'd pick a day alone over a day with a bunch of people every time. And I mean every time. So I'd have to say my past shaped my present and also shaped my future. I don't believe I've ever went after anything that put me in front of a crowd.

Most everyone where I grew up was conservative. Most everyone believed in going to Church, families, getting an education, obeying the law, respect for our leaders, etc. Some rebelled and went haywire but not many. Many joined one of the branches of the military and served this great country. Most every event started with a Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. Parents were important, but so were grandparents. Most of my friends had grandparents living close enough to spend time with them. My upbringing when young has had a great influence on how I've lived these past 70-plus years. My youth greatly affects who I am today.

But it also influences how I live today. We attend church most every Sunday. We pretty much vote when that special Tuesday rolls around regardless of how important the election. We strive to vote for the candidate rather than a party. We have breakfast in the morning, dinner at noon and supper in the evening. Marge doesn't like coffee, but I do, so I have coffee every day and not a frappe or whatever. The sun has seen my legs a few times but not enough for my skin doctor to even be concerned about them. Most everyone knew how to butcher a chicken or a beef or a hog or a deer. Most knew how to grow a garden. Most of the guys grew up learning how to cook, with some learning how to sew.

Marge and I've planned for the future as far as our retirement is concerned. Since both of us are retired, we are living out our retirement plans. We don't have a clue as to how many more years we have here on this earth, so we aren't out splurging with our retirement. We'd like to be broke or close to it when we both pass away, maybe leave a little to our kids, but then very little. I guess if we go broke before we pass we'll have to move in with one of our boys. Our plans are to keep attending church as long as we physically are able, and then I guess we'll have to watch it live-streamed.

Our days of a big garden are coming to an end. Marge commented the other day wondering if we need to cut back on our garden. "Probably need to" was my comment, but I also said we need to figure out how to garden an easier way. Figure out how to do it with less physical work and let a garden tractor or small tractor do the work. So now we look for a garden tractor.

Marge and I have also registered our names in the heavenly Book of Life when we leave this world. Who knows it could be today or tomorrow or years from now. But we have our names written down just in case.