Cat Poo and the Sweet Hereafter

On Friday we laid my wife’s sweet Mamaw to rest in Alabama and two days later I stepped in cat poo on the way to church. How’s that for coincidence? Of course, I took it as a sign.

It’s funny how some odd pairings stick with you. You don’t think they fit together at all, like random pieces from two different puzzles, and you push them aside in frustration or brush them off without another thought. But sometimes, if you’re particularly obsessed with the meaning of it all, you take another look at those disparate parts and you assign them meaning. And sometimes they just fit –like cornbread and mayonnaise.

 So, how do cat poo and the hereafter go together? I’m so glad you asked.

Maybe they do and maybe they don’t. (How’s that for armchair philosophy!!)

Here’s the truth: I’ve been scared to start this blog. Why? I’ve been scared for a number of reasons, some them reasonable (Who cares?) and some unreasonable (Will this blog haunt me should I ever run for President of the World after the nuclear apocalypse?). Here’s a reasonable top ten:

1. You may read it, frequently or infrequently. Equally scary.
2. You may love it or hate it. Or both. At the same time, like those guilty pleasure movies (looking at you     Roadhouse) that run late night on cable.
3. I’m of many minds and I want them to all get along and play nice. They don’t.
4. I don’t always play nice.
5. I hate squirrels and I don’t want to be judged for hating those miniature tree demons.
6. What if I have nothing to say?
7. What if I blurt it all out?
8. I wonder if real writers, with real careers and readers, write blogs.
9. Are blogs out of date? Like MySpace?
10. I don’t tweet…

But, here I am, finally. I can’t live in fear; not of failing, of being judged, or even of stepping in it. My wife’s grandmother was a sweet lady. She cared for her family and for strangers she met along the way. Her laugh was contagious and her work ethic was notable. She wasn’t afraid to start numerous business ventures or own several properties at the same time. Why should I be afraid to take a chance?  I don’t want to live my life with silly regrets. It seems disrespectful to Mamaw’s memory and to the people who have encouraged me along the way (Including the college student who enthusiastically approached me almost two years ago after a reading on our local university campus to ask if I had a website or blog where he could go and read more of my writing).

As for the cat poo, while I may occasionally blindly step in “it” with my opinions, I can only hope the smell lingers for a short time and you forgive my missteps.

Plus, I need a place to vent about squirrels and I’ve already been banned from three forums on the subject. (Really?!! – The name of your forum is I-HATE-SQUIRRELS, but I’m too harsh for your boards. Is full squirrel annihilation too much to ask?)

Anyway, here it is. For all the people who said go for it- family, friends, mentors and the guy who wanted to hear/read more.

Squirrels beware!