Safe Harbor

Today's post is earlier than usual, and probably shorter.  I'm getting ready to head up to Charlottesville on this beautiful spring-like day to explore around my alma mater, and then catch a baseball game - my first full game.  This is the first "fun" event I have been actually looking forward to in the last almost six weeks.  I am reminded of a quote that is often attributed to Mark Twain, but I believe it actually belongs to H. Jackson Brown, Jr.:  "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover."

I don't want to be disappointed with myself twenty years from now.  I don't want Ellison to be disappointed in me.  So I'm going to sail away from the safe harbor today and actually start experiencing the new things I've talked about before in my blogs.  I'll be starting with a simple baseball game and the further exploration of one of my favorite spots.  Start small, and work my way up, right? 

And though I know I'll be a little sad today as I carry Ellison along for the ride with us in my heart, I'll try to enjoy all of the experiences as much as possible.  For this, I'll follow Hellen Keller's advice, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow."  A few shadows, or reminders of our loss, are sure to creep in, but if we focus on exploring, dreaming, and discovering, at least we won't be disappointed with ourselves down the road and I'm sure this would make Ellison happy...