Neighbors

I have a great neighbor. His name is Frank Barrett (family name is really Barrettino but the judge shortened it when his father emigrated from Italy. Maybe figured the family would fare better with a Waspy name?). He is 84 years old (more or less). Frank is a retired baker. Owned his owned bakeries since he was 22. Grew up in Pittsburgh. Served his country in WWII; definitely part of the greatest generation. Hard working. Honest. Street wise. Comes over so I can review various types of paper work he doesn't understand, but mostly comes over to shoot the breeze. If I don't see him in a couple of weeks I make it a point to give him a special invite. He waters my lawn twice a week (early bird gets up at 4:30 to walk) and keeps me informed of the neighborhood gossip.

Frank Barrett (Largo, FL) is one of many reasons that I love this country. His story is an American story. Smart, but undereducated, he managed to live the American dream. But this is not the end of the story. Frank continues to live the dream. Besides walking 40 minutes a day, he does daily aerobic exercise for another twenty. He loves to watch baseball and play the lotto. Goes out every day for 2-3 hours to have lunch, buy his lotto tickets and drink a few beers. Hasn't missed a day out in the four years that I have known him. Now Frank, as you might imagine, doesn't have a blog; I am sure he has never touched a computer in his entire life, but he is now on the Internet(s).

I was listening to Don Henley's CD "Inside Job" and specifically to "My Thanksgiving" when I thought of Frank. A couple of verses follow:

Now the trouble with you and me, my friend
Is the trouble with this nation
Too many blessings, too little appreciation
And I know that kind of notion well, it just ain't cool
So send me back to Sunday school
Because I'm tired of waiting for reason to arrive Its too long we've been living
These unexamined lives

Ive got great expectations
Ive got family and friends
Ive got satisfying work
Ive got a back that bends
For every breath, for every day of living This is my thanksgiving

Yeah it has been too long that we have been living these "unexamined lives." I don't have many friends like Frank Barrett, but I have a few. Some are not close enough to invite over for coffee, but because of the Internet they are not as far away as they use to be. I can email them. I can see them on live video. I  can talk to them for next to nothing using VOIP. I can go online and hangout where they hangout. I can do all of these things, but I don't do them enough. But that will change. Why? Because the wife and I have been blessed with grandchildren and these kids were born digital. They don't live close but we can still be part of their lives. So I think that my grandchildren are inspiring me to become more connected just like Frank Barrett inspires me to be more connected.

For every breath, for every day of living This is my thanksgiving

Like Walt, I too hear America singing, our best days lie ahead. The dream remains alive in the 21 Century. The Internet will play a role. Sure it is great for commerce, but I am confident it will drive the American Renaissance. I wrote about that in What Comes After What Comes Next? many moon ago.

You heard it hear first.