june 13, 2016

“Never be ashamed of your tears. Be proud that you are still natural.
Be proud that you can express the inexpressible through your tears.” ~ Osho

When Angie and I visited with Rod and Diane Rickey a few weeks ago, Rod sent me out the door with a book he insisted I read; Jack London’s Call of the Wild. I’d heard of it of course, but knew nothing of the story. Diane quickly grabbed a copy of Viva Mexico, a short story Rod had written and she had published, and sent that out the door with me as well. Call of the Wild: It’s a story that will stick with me the rest of my life. Rod was right: it’s a must read. As soon as I set it down, I picked up Viva Mexico. It’s a short story about a real adventure Rod took with a friend when they were just teenagers to the Baja of Mexico in 1972. He didn’t write it to be published. He wrote it for his daughter, to give her a glimpse of what he was like as a young man daring to take a trip that today, in all likelihood, could not be taken because times have changed so much. I finished the story – a very well written story I might add – and thought what a lucky girl Rod’s daughter is to have a father who’s not only talented, but sensitive and caring enough to want to share his life and adventures with her. What woman wouldn’t want their father to put pen to paper for her? And what love Diane has for them both to go the extra mile and have that story so beautifully printed? What truly incredible people they both are, and how fortunate I am to have them in my life. They are gifts.

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