Writers

"Going home"
by Bob Perks

I was invited to go home.

It was a Facebook page about people
who grew up in my hometown, Kingston Pa.

I was excited to note references to places
and people I remember from my childhood.
The little stores, the great pizza and the
Firehouse Dances.

That was particularly exciting for me because
my band played there for years. The music
we played was from our time and kids my age
came there to dance, meet friends and yes,
fall in love even at an age when you couldn't
really define love.

I picked up on the places referenced but I
didn't recognize too many names. Younger
people? Older? A mix.

But my section of town wasn't represented.

I jumped in on a few conversations. No one
responded. I went back a few times to
visit again. Then I began reading negative
remarks about the town. I began defending
them. I live in this area. What they were
portraying was wrong.

One person went as far as researching current
stats on population decline and business downsizing
to defend the attacks.

"Ah, there's no place like home!"

We were once called "The Valley with a Heart," after
the Agnes Flood of 1972.

Still is. Really always was. It's the people.

The group was now "People who once lived in Kingston,
moved away and want to prove they were right
in doing so."

They left home and from their new perspective
this old Kingston was a dump. "Houses
deteriorating", "businesses boarded up."

I now live just outside Kingston. I drive through
my hometown several times a week. I eat there
I shop there and I love it.

I know there are problems like every other town.
I know there are sections that changed and faded
from the glory of the past. But it's a great town
and a great area to work, play and raise a family in.

No, it's not the "Mayberry" they remembered.
Few places are.

I decided to defend my hometown. I got slammed
by the very people who claimed it as their own, too.

The difference is they moved away. Note they still
come home once in awhile. Why, if it's so bad?
They really just ride around looking for ways to
justify leaving the area.

But they still call it home. How could they? They
put it down, criticize it and in doing so insult us.

I just look around and see beautiful homes, wonderful
people, thriving businesses, growth, opportunity and
yes, some old friends who are also still here.

It's home.

I decided to leave the group. I really don't belong to any
groups. This was the first one I joined.

I went home and saw ungratefulness, arrogance, and
some people I never really would have liked anyway.

That wasn't my Kingston.

Maybe that saying is right..."You can never go home
again." Hopefully they won't.

I'm old fashioned. I believe in my hometown. It was the
foundation of who I am today and who I will become in
all my tomorrows. I look for the good and find it in all
things.

But don't bash my hometown!
Tell me about your hometown. I'd loved to visit with you.


"I wish you enough!"
J
Bob

I encourage you to share my stories but
I do ask that you keep my name and contact
information with my work.

If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational
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"Sounds just like you"

By Bob Perks

I've been shopping for Spring for months now.
I usually can't stand seeing the stores switch from
one season to another so early. Like Christmas in
July. Or Valentines Day in December.

Spring, however, is always welcome.

It was while shopping recently that I met two
wonderful people. They were "Spring People," too.

I love wind chimes. In particular the deeper tones.
They seem to resonate well with me. Like the bass
sounds on my stereo. I like to feel the sounds of
music.

It may also be because I have high pitch sound loss
from years of being in a band. When I am cooking
my wife needs to tell me when the timer beeps. I
simply can't hear it.

Such sound loss comes in handy, too. I can pretend
not to hear Marianne when it's convenient.

There was a large display of wind chimes of all shapes
and sizes. I happened upon them as I was looking for
new things to place in our yard this year.

"Well, I think this one is more like Amber and this one
more like Bill," I heard the woman say.

"Well, this one is definitely me," the man replied.

"Are you giving them as gifts?" I asked.

"Oh, no. We are buying them for our yard. We
surround ourselves with wind chimes that remind
us of the people in our lives," the man answered.

I paused for a moment because I just didn't
understand the connection.

"So, every wind chime reminds you of someone?"
I asked.

"Yes. Well, that and life itself," she added.

"Forgive me, but I don't understand."

They looked at each other and collectively took
a deep breath.

"We've explained this many times and most people
think we are just foolish. You see, life is often times
related to music. Like creating a symphony and God
the conductor. When I hear a wind chime the sound
it makes reminds me of someone I know. So, we
buy it and place it somewhere in our yard," he told me.

"When there is a slight wind and we are outside
working in the garden, It's our symphony of life," she
added.

I ran my hands across a few and all together they
sounded like heaven to me or a magical moment
in a movie.

"It must be nice but I can't imagine the neighbors
are too crazy about it in a storm," I said.

"Well, fortunately we have very few neighbors close by,"
he said. "Although Fred down the road told me the
other day he could hear them," he said to the lady.

They laughed. They sounded happy. They sounded
like Spring.

"Now that you have shared that with me I can see
people I know just in this single chime."

I held onto the wooden block in the center of the chime
and then gently let it go.

"Everyone has their own sound. Like in life each of
the chimes gathered here ring separately, some deep
and mature, others high and child-like," I said. "Now
I understand."

"Together," he said as he rang all of them," they are
music.

The deeper ones are longer. The longer you live the
deeper the sound of your music, your experience in
life.

The shorter ones are high pitched and fresh sounding
like a newborn baby's cry.

"This isn't foolish at all," I told them. "I wish I would have
thought of this. It makes perfect sense to me."

They laughed and said, "Uh oh!"

"What?"

"That's how we started. We bought one, heard all the
tonal qualities as people, then we began seeing
people as more complex. We all have our highs and
lows, so the overall sound began to represent each
person in our lives."

"Well, I have neighbors very close by. I'm not sure they
want an orchestra in my yard. The next time I'm here
with my wife, we will decide together which one to buy.
It will represent everyone in our lives. I can't wait to
hear the sound they make," I said.

I thanked them and they moved on.

I stayed there and listened for my friends.

May the sound of the wind be music to your ears.
"I wish you enough!"
J
Bob

I encourage you to share my stories but
I do ask that you keep my name and contact
information with my work.

If you would like to receive Bob's Inspirational
stories, please visit http://www.IWishYouEnough.com
and submit your email address.

Links You'll Like...

If this was shared with you by
a friend, you can sign up to receive these
messages or to learn more...

Visit my website to read more of my stories:
http://bobperks.com


My personal Mission:
"To touch the world one person at a time"
I can only do that with your help...here's how:
Please make a donation!
http://bobperks.com/donations.htm

How We All Travel to Grave Poetically - Revisions Needed Until Final Outcome

While writing this poem and making videos of it, I had to revise it so many times. The blip.tv helped a lot to put all works into a wonderful video works. After finishing the final and conclusive part of second part of the poem with 3 parts in the series, I had to write at the source: MakeADifference

Well, it final version and final of the part 2 of the poetical video How We All Travel to Grave Poetically. As we discussed poetically in the first part that the Grave is where we all travel, the living process of life for the rest of our life. Yes, the Grave is this place of Eternal Rest.

We will find it as we pay all our love, affection and care, the homage for the departed souls. The memories always remain alive as life is forever. It is a series of poems to inspire for living happy and healthy life as all of us want it for our families and friends, the humanly desire and so genuine as well. Thanks for reading series of my poems! It is really great to be at blip.tv for the first time. Thanks for your time!

Some of my other videos are also available at blip.tv: http://makadifference.blip.tv

Thanks for your time reading it.

Life Dynamix - My Natural Lifestyle in Natural World - A Video

I created a slideshow - video about Life Dynamix - My Natural Lifestyle in Natural World. Its introduction says: Our natural world makes a difference in our life if we know how to live naturally. It is frugal living that is most natural. The nature is most frugal and wants us to know how to use its resources in best possible way so that it helps us, is not it. It is my personal story as an Indian naturalist.

The link to the video is: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/6133846/life_dynamix...

It is thanksgiving to Life Dynamix and thus Life Dynamix - My Natural Lifestyle in Natural World - A Video


Thanks!