140/90

Do the math! Yep we are a lot of time governed by numbers. Waking up in the morning to a number, running around all day to a number, looking at a number on a Phone screen and crying, snarling or laughing. Going to a cash register, opening mail and getting a shock at the number, looking at the numbers of candles on a cake and wondering where they all came from, yep it’s a numbers game in a way this life of ours.

Numbers to make you run around like a crazy person, and then one day you can get a number that makes you stop and really look at the numbers and in my case the numbers were 140/90.

The number 50 didn’t do it but 140/90 made me realize that this bloke who thought he was truly invincible did. what did it do? It made me see more clearly.

What’s so special about 140/90? Its high blood pressure and its nasty.

Flashing lights, Head Pressure, Hot Flushes wow am I pregnant, maybe going through menopause what is this I say as I’m walking through the supermarket looking at numbers on the shelf which by the minute are getting even more Blurry.  Then bang it hit me, I was for the first time stopped, yep a quick glance to my love and a comment of “Mahal, I don’t feel so good”

I was lucky, it didn’t stop me permanently and I was close to a clinic so the 140/90 number was given quickly as was the number of medicines I am now take and thank god my number wasn’t up!

Ok, I made the statement the number made me see more clearly, how can a number do that? Well it’s a number that if you don’t wake up or change? The next numbers will be 911 or 1800casket. So it has meant some major changes to the number of drinks I have, the number of Calories I intake and the number of appointments I make. It made me realize I’m getting older, but it has done more than that, it made me realize I have a very serious responsibility, and my wonderful friend Paul Boynton sums it up beautifully on his FB page Being Gay Becoming Gray – With Passion, Beauty and a Sense of Adventure

Paul wrote, “And finally, knowing we will never change the current reality by simply resisting it; we must each actively create the change. We do this by living passionate and an adventurous life that realistically and optimistically embraces each stage of the journey and recognizes that growing older is a gift and that being beautiful is not about age or looks but about substance and love.”

Paul’s wonderful page and life does offer wonderful encouragement and support to the gay community but with his words, “Growing older is a gift and that being beautiful is not about age or looks but about substance and love” He sends a message to all of us “Gray Hairs” a message of an awesome responsibility we all share and must take hold with Passion, Beauty and a sense of Adventure.

Made me think, the message is to live, share and demonstrate a life of substance and love to others as we, The Gray Hairs? Also have the wrinkles of experience to do so.

We have seen what inequality does, we have seen what hatred does, we have witnessed what bullying does and we have the “responsibility” to make sure our lives with all this substance all this experience mirrors and gives faith to others that to quote MLK, “With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood”.

Yes a Symphony that plays songs of Substance and Love not of hatred and bitterness.

Yes I have the responsibility to lower 140/90 to make sure I’m around to keep playing those songs, but all of us have the responsibility and ability to speak up, to demonstrate, to make sure that all Gods Children, Black and White, Straight and Gay, Rich and Poor, Young and Elderly, Abled and Disabled all join hands together and sing, “Free at Last, Free at Last, thank god almighty we are free at last. I think MLK might have sung the same.

So my fellow Gray Hairs, Do that Math, enjoy the responsibility, love all with passion and without prejudice, appreciate the beauty and have no fear of the adventure.

These are Hodgies Words.

Big Hugs and Love to Ya

 

 

Come out of the Closet

Now before you go and get all excited, no this is not a moment to announce to the world that finally I’m coming-out and saying I’m gay, main reason is I’m not. Yes I did kiss my mate back in the day when we were drunk as a bet and I did wear a really nice frock to a party once but I am 100% heterosexual.

Now we have settled that, let’s move on.

The Closet? Well it is a term associated with people who finally decide not to live two lives and be proud of their sexuality; it’s been a big thing for many people to finally “Come out” publicly rather than staying behind a closed door. Today though I thought about the closet in a different way.

I was walking around the local mall, not looking for anything in particular just having time out form stuff and I love the action of malls in Asia. Lots of people, lots of sales, lots of noise and lots of sale people willing and able to demonstrate the latest and greatest to you personally rather than you send out a search party for help or read the label.

Yep, the guys and gals working at these stores are experts at a particular product and they can give you all the data, show you all the buttons they could even tell you the name of the robot that made it in Korea no doubt. Minutes needed on Microwaves, watts of hairdryers, Gigs of Ram, Megapixels you name it they know and one of the best products they demonstrate? Karaoke Machines.

In the sound department of any store on any given day some young kid will be given the task to load up the tunes take a big deep breath and sing out aloud for the entire crowd to hear. You know what though? It’s better than American Idol, and on this day the presenter was something special.

My ears picked it up from the other side of the store, a voice that was so good I thought somebody famous must have taken the stand, but no it was just a regular store worker. Yep for many hours of the day this little guy gets to answer questions, move boxes but for twenty minutes each day? He gets to be a star.

I clapped and cheered and then I started to think, why is this kid still working in a store, why is he not on TV, You Tube or a top seller on ITunes? So I asked him why he is not out there giving that voice a shot at the title, and his reply.

I would love to do that Sir, but I couldn’t take the risk, I need to earn money to look after my family.

This kid had a talent that would overshadow so many of what is on our IPods today, but he hasn’t had the chance, he chooses to support to provide rather than taking the risk of Living a dream

Makes you wonder how many like him or her in the world. Singers, Actors, Writers, Painters maybe even Golfers, Chefs, Designers, Entrepreneurs how many are stuck in the closet. How many are out as Doorman, Salesman, Waiters, Maintenance Men even Mums or Dads. How many live a dual life, not living and being what they truly want to be and just wishing they could finally “Come Out of that Closet”

The reasons could be just like the guy in the store, it could be security, commitments or it could be just as simple as being just a little afraid of what people might say, or fear at taking a risk or even failure.

Yes it could be many reasons but I do know one thing? You never know, unless you have a go!

These are Hodgies Words.

Big Hugs and Love to Ya