A Little Bit Of Free Association
My oldest son was in high school when he made me this dolphin. It's basically jumping out of the ocean over a wave that acts as its pedestal.
At the time, he was disappointed that it had not turned out better. He apologized to me for it. I told him he shouldn't be sorry. It was great. I didn't see the flaws. I saw a son who loved me and who was willing to make something he wasn't perfect at because he thought I might like it.
The dolphin and wave was created 12 years ago. It is one among a handful of gifts that I cherish from either of my two boys. It wasn't because of the cost, or the reason he made it (I liked the Miami Dolphins), it was because he put hours and effort into creating something with his own two hands. Sure, it was a project for school, but he could have chosen to make anything. He chose this instead.
The dolphin has two of my most favorite colors—aqua blue and orange. I really like the combination. They remind me of the sun hanging low in the sky over a sparkling ocean. There was a little too much cloud cover when this was image was taken, but this is more or less what I think of when I see these colors. Okay, maybe not so much the ancient beach front property, but I think you get what I mean. Sun, ocean, beach, tropical vegetation, nice breeze.
Paradise.
Like this. I'm sure no one would mind if I just built a small bungalow up that hill a ways and lived out the rest of my days in peaceful bliss.
Sigh.
The problem, I've found, with living in paradise (aside from the fact that it's not completely idyllic all the time) is it costs way too much. To live comfortably, you practically need a million dollar income. You can do it for less, but you're constantly working just to maintain, and that takes away from being able to enjoy your natural surroundings and just relax from all troubles and cares, which is why you're there in the first place.
Regardless, I like to dream. It keeps me sane. It keeps the boredom from getting too bad when things get too routine. I like structure, but I also I like variety. I also like the idea of having the freedom to go or do what I want, when I want. Is that wrong of me? I don't think so. I think that's the kind of life we all should be striving for. One where working to survive turns into just plain living.
Your Turn
What's your favorite gift a loved one or a good friend has given you? Why? What does it remind you of?
What's your favorite color(s)? Why? What do you think of when you see them? What do you feel?
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? What would you need to do to get there?
Is it wrong to want things you don't have that might be pretty expensive to acquire? Why or why not?
I'd really enjoy hearing from you, so please leave a comment. Or if you feel so inspired, write a post about any of these themes and leave a link.
About This Post
I keep the dolphin on a shelf in my office for safe keeping, so it's not really a garden ornament.
My wife and I went to Cancun in 2011. We visited the archaeological site in Tulum, where the middle image was taken.
My wife and I have also been to the island of Oahu three times. The final image was taken on our last trip in April of 2017.
All images courtesy of Glen Anthony Albrethsen