I agonized as I looked over at the pile of dishes that I had to wash. Cher, who was my usual savior and, without question, the minted Goddess of doing dishes, went to spend the night at Nola’s house. Yes, the same Nola that said on numerous occasions that she was big enough to beat me up. I didn’t really want to test that hypothesis since she was a head taller than me and could at least sit on me until I gave up. But, I didn’t hold grudges . . I threw away my voodoo doll collection when I turned 10. Besides, it was just a hobby. Of course, that head-taller Nola doll was full of little prickly pins. So there!
The dishes were still staring me in the face. As I moaned aloud my dad came down the stairs and looked at his crest-fallen son and gave him some words of advice. He said to me:
Bill, whenever you have something you don’t like or want to do, make a game of it. How fast can I do this thing? 3 minutes, 5 minutes. Can you beat your last record? You make the rules.
It is your life and you can make of it what you want! Make it fun!
Of course, what he didn’t say was that life, despite all the events that look so difficult and grim, is, in reality, when all is said and done, fun. We should make a happy game of it and enjoy the opportunity to live and love every day.
I will never forget his advice on that day in Pearl City, overlooking Pearl Harbor, in a house on Hoohaku Street, before all the magical things of life started happening.
I have decided that beginning tomorrow I am going to describe every event in my life that is yet to happen. 😊
Remember, the rules are ours to make. We control our own lives. Whatever we choose, we can make it fun!