Some Inter-perspectives...

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.

In the clearing stands a
boxer, and a fighter by
his trade

And he carries the
reminders of every glove
that laid him down
or cut him ’til he cried
out in his anger and his
shame:
I am leaving, I am leaving!
but the fighter still remains~~~THE BOXER; Simon & Garfunkel

An essay of inter-perspectives:

"I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious." - Vince Lombardi

In 1970 the two expansion teams entering into the N H L, were~~~the Buffalo Sabres & the Vancouver Canucks. The two highly touted candidates in the Draft Lottery were: Dale Tallon & Gilbert Perreault. In the ensuing draft-lottery, Punch Imlach, Coach & GM of the Buffalo Sabres won the spin of the wheel, and picked Gilbert Perreault. In an era that was still devoid of sound-bites as 'franchise-player', the Buffalo Sabres thought they had the beginnings of what would be the first expansion-team Stanley Cup winner of that expansion-era. In the late 60's---through 1970, the NHL had now consisted of the California Golden Seals, the Los Angeles Kings, the St. Louis(Louie) Blues, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Minnesota North Stars, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Buffalo Sabres. As of this time period, none of these teams had won a Stanley Cup. With the acquisition of Gilbert, the Sabres thought they were on the road to achieving these hallowed heights.

Well, all these many many years later, 40 to be exact, it appears the Vancouver Canucks may have the last laugh regarding that 1970 DRAFT LOTTERY!! As many may already know, even with Gilbert Perreault as part of the Sabres very storied history, the Sabres have yet to win~~~THE STANLEY CUP. When the Vancouver Canucks acquired Dale Tallon, he was heralded as a future superstar. Although he felt most comfortable as a defenseman he played center as well. The expectations on him were tremendous. Vancouver thought that they had their franchise-player in Tallon, but he never became that Icon, for them. When the 1972-73 season saw another drop in his production, the Canucks lost their patience with him and traded him to Chicago for Jerry Korab and goalie Gary Smith. Tallon welcomed the trade, and made it known to the Canucks that he wanted out. By October 9, 1980, now with the Penguins, he hadn't been considered a franchise-player for a long time; instead, just another NHL player. After the 1979-80 season he retired, at only 29 years old. As Tallon struggled his way through his career, the Vancouver Canucks struggled as well, as a franchise. They were like the orb, PLUTO. Was it a planet---or wasn't it?? Were the Canucks an NHL calibre franchise, or weren't they?? The Canucks "got no respect", as Rodney Dangerfield would aptly punch-line, in his comic monologues. The Canucks had such an identity crisis that they adopted this gaudy dark chocolate-colored uniform with this technicolor yellow/red/black striping that, simply-put, was hideous. This uniform was the identity of the franchise from 1978-1997. Realizing that this wasn't winning any Stanley Cups, or fan approval, the Canucks decided to go back to their original color-scheme, navy-blue, and aqua-green striping, after 1997.

So here is what it has all come down to after forty years in the NHL. For the Buffalo Sabres, they are on the outside, still looking to win one. For the Vancouver Canucks, after the initiation ritual of having to settle on the second-best, they are on the cusp of winning one. It will be the NHL charter-member team, the Boston Bruins, against the 40th Anniversary Team, the Vancouver Canucks. While Tampa Bay's efforts against the Boston Bruins was 'Cinderella', Boston's involvement in the finals legitimizes the Quest for the Cup. The novelty of a 40th anniversary-team playing against a 20th-anniversary-team would have made for a great Hollywood script, but from a Gary-Bettman-NHL-Commissioner marketing standpoint, it would would have been a fizzle. With basketball play-offs in high gear, baseball cranking up, NASCAR in high-gear, nobody in America other than Tampa Bay residence, would have been watching the NHL Finals. With these two contestants, all of Canada will still stay-tuned, as will all of America's hockey-towns.

Approaching the end of the month of May is significant for me in two ways. It is the end of the month dedicated to recognizing The Blessed Mother, Mary, the Mother of God, and it is also the Memorial Day week-end where we set some quality-time aside to recognize those in the military that have made the ultimate sacrifice. We look at the Armed Forces, and the men & women both past & present whom have honorably served, and in particular, those whom have paid dearly with their lives. This holiday touches me in a very personal way. Because our son Philip served in the USMC, and was dispatched to three combat-zone deployments, I know all too well the anxiety that grips the loved-one who is trying to stay positive when fortunes can turn-on-a-dime. And even as Philip lived through all the deployments, and successfully secured an honorable discharge at the end of his 5-year tour-of-duty, many Marines that he knew---did not. My approach to Memorial Day this year was to identify these Marines in an up-close-and-personal way to recognize the humanity, and the youth, that was lost. In the process of posting these stories on the social-network-site FACEBOOK, I found myself getting emotionally attached to these stories.
In one instance in particular, I have come to know this one Marine in such a way that he is considered an adopted-son. As a Marine; as Corporal Jason Roland, he served alongside our Philip in two combat-zone deployments. There was Fallujah, and there was Ramadi, Iraq. While I will probably never know all the details, I do know this. In a threat-moment, Jason executed actions that saved our Philip's life. For this, of course, we are eternally grateful and because of this Philip's Mom & Dad consider Jason our adopted son. This is what I try to do during holidays as Memorial Day. The holiday has nothing to do with~~~buy-one-get-one-free. Although to many Americans, I get the impression that this is all they know of the holiday week-end.

And with the volatility the Middle East in general, and places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in particular, I think it is time to exit militarily. Let the diplomats do the rest of the fighting. I mean, we went into Afghanistan initially to get bin Ladin. And after a five year distraction with Iraq, and a new President, we put our energies back on the prime target. Lo-and-behold, on 1 May, 2011, WE kill bin Laden, the al-Quaida Movement's mastermind and driving-force. And think about this for a minute. We have an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, waiting for him. There are people on board this city-on-the-sea waiting to do due- diligence to his body as an Arabian, and then, as a body that is about to be disposed of as~~~Shark-feed. The US Navy SEAL Team 6---was given only one ORDER. When ENEMY is acquired; kill. Regardless of what side of the fence the reader may sit on, that was a gutsy 'call'. As I see it~~~Mission Accomplished. Let us start bringing our military home. Let the aged diplomats finish the fight.

On a final introspection, I thought that the Voyager I essay, whereby the inanimate cold-as-steel space probe, took on the persona of a living, breathing, sensitive being~~~was rather creative and thought-provoking. I had thought I would have gotten a bit more feedback than I did. I am passing the heliosphere, into deep space. So alone; so unnerving, so anxious. What will become of me?

This is a note to pay tribute to a man that was embraced as a dear friend by my mother-in-law. He was embraced by everybody in the family. Reggie passed away Saturday afternoon. He very recently converted to Catholicism; died with a rosary wrapped around his wrist. We pray that the heavenly host of Angels is taking you, Reggie, to your blessed place of everlasting life.

Reginald Keroack "Reggie"
March 12, 1920 ~ May 28,2011
Rest in Peace...Dearest Friend and Loving Companion to my Mother-in-Law.

Be at peace Reggie after your hard struggle. I am imagining you in the most beautiful garden with so much light and love ... I am grateful for all the love you have given my Mom and my family for so many years. Donna Marconi

It is one of those powerful dynamics of the cycle-of-life. When one life passes from this world, another is preciously added.

--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise