I’ve been fortunate throughout my life to have worked for some really great people and companies. I spent thirteen happy years at Petroleum Helicopters, flying in support of the oil industry. After that I worked for nearly five years at the FH1100 factory, where I got to know and became good friends with the owner, Georges Van Nevel. It was through that job that I met Bill Pullum. The opportunity to go fly an FH1100 in Honduras for him was one of those “offers you can’t refuse.” And although the experience ultimately turned sour, it was made palatable by the fact that Bill and his wife Martha are two of the best people in the world, as I’ve written before. My new boss is just as awesome, and I keep having to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming about this situation I’ve fallen into, which is simply unreal.
If you have to work for a living, then you should always be able to work for people such as these, people you like and respect. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll always be someone who’ll work for someone else – that I’ll never be really wealthy. Whatever it is that these guys have – the drive, determination or just raw talent to be extremely successful, I don’t have.
Or maybe I don’t want it. And that’s cool. I’m good at what I do, which is flying these crazy contraptions. The last three guys I’ve worked for are self-made men, for sure. But they never take a day off. They’re always either working or thinking about work. They’re typical “Type A” personalities who never stop. Me, I like to stop. I like to be able to turn it off sometimes and not think about work. For me, my wealth is measured not in dollars, but other, less-tangible things.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Unspoiled by crass commercialism, its purity remains. It’s simply a day on which we can sit back and reflect on all of the blessings in our lives. And blessings, I have many! In the words of baseball great Lou Gehrig, today-ay-ay, I consider myself-elf-elf, the luckiest man-an-an on the face of this earth-earth-earth. And that’s no joke.
I wish for you that same good fortune I’ve enjoyed. I wish that today you would take a moment to look at your own life and see and appreciate all the good things – never mind the bad! I wish for you a (belated) happy Thanksgiving.
Who Am I?
- Bob Barbanes:
- A nobody; a nitwit; a pilot; a motorcyclist; a raconteur; a lover...of life - who loves to laugh, who tries to not take myself (or anything) too seriously...just a normal guy who knows his place in the universe by being in touch with my spiritual side. What more is there?
4 comments:
Amen!
With all due respect, Bob... I wish you wouldn't assume we don't already consider ourselves, like you, the luckiest people,ple,ple on the face of the earth, earth, earth?
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too...
kman
kman sez: I wish you wouldn't assume we don't already consider ourselves, like you, the luckiest people,ple,ple on the face of the earth, earth, earth.
I don't! It's just that, for those who do, I wish that they would acknowledge and reflect on it more often. I wish I did.
Bob - I agree with you 100%. Thanksgiving Day is one day that hasn't fallen into the "commercial" trap. I mean, it is meant to be with family and friends and to be thankful. Love and friendship! Oh, they can push decorations for the table, but when all is said and done the turkey takes it front and center! We had a lovely Thanksgiving on the island and throughly enjoyed ourselves with friends. Since some were from a foreign country they wanted to now about Thanksgiving and we explained. They were surprised to hear that it was not a "government" declared holiday!
Happy beltated Thanksgiving to you.
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