From a Fable -- A "Spark" -- Then Brass & Pewter!

Memoirs of a Geezer

  

Reflections and Observations -- A Bright Passage from the Fantasies of Youth to Illuminations of Advanced Maturity!

It may be an old story, an old fable, but it continues to resonate,

have meaning even in today's complex, often strange and 

frightening era!  

This Episode:           From a Fable --  A "Spark" -- Then Brass & Pewter!

 

Along an ocean's coastline, a young woman and her small daughter strolled leisurely, enjoying fine weather, large breaking waves and the beautiful vistas that lay on all sides, like gorgeous paintings of both land and seascapes.

As they continued, in the distance a figure seemed to be performing a dance, a kind of arabesque.  "What is that?  Is that a someone, a person?" the child asked, looking up at her mother.  

"I can't tell from this distance," the mother answered.  As they drew closer, the figure defined itself, a tall man wearing a slouch hat.  In regular intervals, he bent, picked something up and hurled it into the sea.

Eventually, the mother and daughter closed the distance, approached the man, and stood near him, watching in wonder, his odd actions, his "dance."  

"What are you doing?" the child asked

"Sweetheart," the woman admonished her child, "Perhaps the man wishes to be left alone."

"I don't mind," said the man.  As he looked down at the sand, mother and Child followed his gaze, staring in wide-eyed surprise at the enormous number of starfish lying on the beach, many quite obviously dead, sun-bleached and twisted.  Many had bent limbs, oddly curled as if attempting to move and find their way back to the surf.

As the two stared, suddenly recognizing the incredible number of starfish, the man once again bent, picked up an apparently still living starfish and tossed the creature as far as

he could back into the sea, doing his best to heave it beyond the rounded, about-to-be breaking waves.  Some of the waves were so large and so loud they startled the small child.

"Why are you doing that?" the mother asked, amazed and more than a bit surprised as she regarded once again in wonder the enormous number of beached starfish.  "It'll never make a difference!"

At that, the man bent and pickup up another, and in one swift motion hurled it back into the sea beyond the breaking waves, his body seeming to perform again the strange dance viewed from afar by the mother and child.  

"It made a difference to that one," the man said as his posture returned to a straight and upright position.  

And then he grinned at the mother and her child.  They, in turn, looked back at the man, smiles of understanding brightly curling the contours of their young faces.

****************************************************************************

Whether true or a sweet story or a fable conjured by a beach-combing poet or writer, doesn't really matter.  The moral, or the idea is clear...   MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 

Some years ago, as if having heard the fable, the story having penetrated, a spark entering and joining forces with a synapse, like a collision of creative energy, someone borrowed the idea, had to have it, to share it with a group of followers.

The concept then morphed into something tangible.  It had to, and starfish bloomed and multiplied into many incarnations of brass and pewter.   Whatever the event that it spawned, it succeeded admirably.    

To my aged, "geezerized" brain, the idea is a marvel that demands to be shared and re-planted into the heads and hearts of everyone, proselytizing annoyingly if necessary.  We can all MAKE A DIFFERENCE, meaning a positive one, an empathic one that helps others to find paths to do good things, to make a difference in their own lives and those of anyone with hearing or shouting or "throwing" distance.

If you happen to find yourself on an ocean beach, one dotted liberally with beached starfish, bend over, pick one up and toss it into the sea... 

Humbly Submitted -- 05-15-2026 by Joel K.  

       

 

  

  

Probing the Histories That Lie Beneath...

 

Memoirs of a Geezer

  

Reflections and Observations -- A Bright Passage from the Fantasies of Youth to Illuminations of Advanced Maturity!

This Episode:          Probing the Histories That Lie Beneath... 

I was thinking just the other day...   and, yes, I do think occasionally despite my standing as a geezer of an "historic" age (according to a brilliant contributor!)...     I should perhaps explain.   Many of us have reached an age that should, in the young, I think, prompt wonder, respect and a desire to ask questions, seek answers, probe for history, lest the opportunity is lost forever in the blurred mists of passing time!

I regret I did not ask my grandparents and parents more about their pasts, their own

We / They are not as old as
those fine features on 
the Acropolis in Athens!
Truly, We / they aren't!!  It's
merely symbolic...

histories....   Other relatives and friends too, parents' friends...  I'm guessing many of my contemporaries harbor the same regret.  Shucks, Alas and Drat!  Too late now for too many of us...

SweetHeart and I, some years ago, became "Chief Volunteers" (or Volunteer Coordinators) at a school for seniors, along with installations upon -- having been unanimously asked and appointed to -- its Board of Directors, a dual honor or sorts.  (Again, one of those profound distinctions after it having been determined that we were indeed still breathing!)  

As we've grown into our roles and the comfort levels that come with longevity, we've been privileged to meet a number of extraordinary and talented fellow members and volunteers of "historic" standing!  

Here's the revelation that materializes in the mind as realization dawns like a rising sun on a summer's day:   People in their 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and centenarian status as well, have histories, remarkable ones!  They were not born in the senior portions of their lives.  They have history, some if not most of it fascinating stuff!

One need merely probe a bit, ask questions, ask them about themselves....   Mind telling us your life story!  Start at the very beginning...!

Where they've been, what PATHS they've taken, where they come from, ancestral homes and homelands, what schools they attended and what professions or career paths they pursued prior to appearing somewhat different -- you know, grey or white-haired, faces and necks lined, hands and arms spotted and creased, road maps of achievement. 

 Like great, glorious and enduring symbols of antiquity.  Astounding!  It's true...    People have history, and they travel along interesting pathways throughout their lives...  Explore those pathways and discover...

In conversation with one of our school for seniors colleagues, those of us listening were delighted and fascinated to learn that he was a lawyer, in fact a patent attorney.  He spent time in the U.S. Army, in Berlin, Germany and other stations during his military service.  He's in his 90s.  And  he was a championship swimmer, having placed 7th in the entire U.S. collegiate swim team population!  He has a helluva history!

On the same board and among our friends, both new and of long standing, we have a past school principal and administrator, a former star reporter and editor, a professor emeritus of anthropology, a former and highly successful business founder and owner...

One of those historic personalities continues to play competitive tennis, another competitive softball.  A few of us played highly competitive volleyball for more than 40 years, well into the venerable 70s.  I mean, all of that background, that history, is quite amazing.  You'd be wrong, and maybe a bit addle-brained if you don't agree!!  Take the time to think and to inquire...  And, you'd make the objects of your inquiries very happy!  That alone is a gift, a significant and generous gift.     

One wonders how many young people would look at those individuals who have achieved "senior status" and register only their obvious ages, never bothering to look deeper or inquire about their lives, accomplishments and experiences.   Seek sit-down meetings and long conversations!  You know, "Tell me about your life...  Leave nothing out...  well, that is, almost nothing!"

And if there isn't enough self gratification in initiating a fine conversation with wonderful older adults, wouldn't it be a great way to "break ice."  An even greater means of making a friend, ingratiating oneself to a person with whom you might just build a friendship, a confidant, someone with whom you might start a valuable network!  

 THANK YOU!   Tune in again for fascinating reading, superb ideas and scintillating conversation, meaning of course sort of written conversation... 

However, I am available should readers wish to have an actual, verbal conversation.  Wouldn't that be swell!!??  

Humbly Submitted 05-09-2026, by Joel K.