Thoughts from My Favorite Uncle
To Feel and to See the World Through His Eyes is Exciting!
Hoping you all had a spectacular 4th of July holiday like we did!
Arriving at the campground, my uncle Rodney proclaims to me one last, 20 times later, “ya buddy, camping time!!” “Just wait, just wait,” he says as we pull into our communal family camp area.
“Rodney has arrived!” he announces with sheer joy, arms up in the air as we approach our family. We were warmly greeted by everyone, “thank you, thank you,” Rodney said gleefully like Elvis Presley.
Being among a lot of his family is plenty for him, filling his cup plump full. Being a 58-year-old man with more energy than most of us, he couldn’t wait to find out what we had planned for the afternoon.
We had rented a pontoon for the holiday weekend and couldn’t wait to get on it for the afternoon on the strikingly beautiful day. We chatted with our uncle about our plans to pull a tube behind the boat for fun.
The thought of tubing behind the pontoon made him feel very cautious. After all, it was something that he’d never tried before.
He was happy and contented to cruise on the boat with us adults and watch the kids on the tube. They enjoyed themselves for a long time.
Not surprisingly, my uncle grew bored with watching the fun that was being had and started spouting off to everyone that he would be going on the tube next!
My family and I knew that it would be safe enough for him to ride on the tube, called Super Mable- it is a couch lounger-style and is very stable.
After a little heave-ho off of the pontoon, we got him safely onto the tube. The look on his face showed us that he was he was pumped up!
My lovely sister and dad, Rodney’s brother, joined him for a ride. I’m not sure who was more nervous, my dad or Rodney.
It was a pleasure watching the 3 of them on the tube, it was also a bit chaotic. Thumbs up meant perfect- maintain the current speed and pull the tube over the wakes. Thumbs down meant to slow down with less wake action, and a fist in the air meant Go Faster, Whoo Hoo!
We amusingly gazed at the smiles on their faces with the occasional looks of “Whoa!”
They were having a phenomenal time and Uncle Rodney could not get enough of the action for 30 minutes straight. He bravely put both thumbs up and yelled “Ya Buddy!!! All right!!”
After safely climbing back onto the boat, he asked everyone “Did you see me? Did you see that?”
“OH YAAAA, I Did It!” “Go Rodney!!” he proclaimed.
For the rest of the day and throughout the next 2, this was Rodney’s primary topic of conversation. He was thoroughly amused over the ride and his bravery to no end.
This will certainly remain a hot topic for him for weeks and months to come. The amount of elation he experienced during the 30-minute time frame will indeed last him a lifetime.
With Uncle Rodney there is never a dull moment. He approaches everything with delight and hope. Granted, he is not always happy and excitable, but he sure tries to be!
Rodney is always eager for the next adventure, whether big or small. He sees things as glorious and makes the best of everything. He wears hope on his sleeve. To me, he is an inspiration and brings so much joy to others.
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