I know, I know. Two blogs in a week. I can’t believe it either. Having just returned from vacation, I thought it would be a great chance to express a few of the many things I noticed around me while in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Like the name of this blog post? It’s due in part to me actually seeing my very first $500 pocketbook. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS! Do you know how many book sales that is?
What goes into making a $500 pocketbook, exactly? Because after holding it in my hands while flagging the wife down, it seemed like any regular handbag. Thank God she’s not materialistic by any means. We actually laughed it over together, while surrounded by a mob of women who nearly fought for the opportunity to buy one. Of course, in a few cases, the women hit the “clearance” table and only shelled out a measly $400.
It was one of those “what’s wrong with society” moments that I seem to have now and again. As if I’m watching the events around me on television. Yelling ‘don’t buy it, you’re just paying for the name’ to the lead character of a movie. What really began to bother me after leaving was the sight of homeless people. And I know we all have mixed opinions on that subject. But I just can’t understand a world where we waste so much money on things that really aren’t important, while allowing those around us to do without the basics.
Honestly, I felt shame. And, because my mind strays so quickly, I began to think things over with detail. We now live in a country that values cell phones and pocketbooks above those around us. Often times, the homeless are veterans who have fought to keep us all safe. Now they are nothing more than an afterthought to most. Our elderly, children and veterans should come first. Always(at least in my opinion). But if I realized one thing this week, it’s that they don’t. We’ve become a world obsessed with celebrity outings, while so many of the above mentioned do without things we all take for granted.
The vacation wasn’t all gloom and doom, however. The wife and I stopped in a local place to grab a drink, quickly discovering it was a biker bar of sorts. Fine with me, as I’ve been looking into getting an older Harley anyway. And what seemed like a very bad hangout quickly became our favorite spot in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The same group of people that have been cast-off so many times because of body tattoos or biker shirts, turned out to be the absolute nicest people we had ever met. So much, in fact, that the wife and I returned the following night. And after a night of good music and magnetism between the wife and I, we left. Not before leaving the largest tip that I have ever left personally, nearly bringing our waitress to tears. It was money well-spent, having left with unforgettable memories.
So, to close this blog out, I wanted to say that upon returning home, I realized how truly blessed I am. First off, I have a home to return to. Not to mention a truck full of the greatest family ever and memories that will never fade away!
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