Hello Again.

Hello again.

Remember me? I used to write about several different topics like pipe smoking, fishing and life in general. Then, I stopped.

Life started getting in the way. Sometimes I just got busy. Occasionall I would start to write but stopped because I felt that I had nothing to say.

Sometimes, I would have ideas but not the words to express them.

For someone who has spent most of his adult life on writing, I was unable to consistently put thoughts on paper. I found that I lost that ability. Then, I lost something more important.

My wife passed away last June (June 16, 2024). We met in April 1975 and married four months later. While many people marry their high school sweethearts and find themselves divorced, I proposed to Sharon three months after meeting her and were just two months from our 49^th anniversary when she passed. It may not have been love at first sight, but it was close.

Oh, it wasn’t always easy. I was still on my first enlistment in the Coast Guard, and it took an additional 18 years for me to finally retired. There were many times my duty took me away from home. There were times I found myself in dangerous situations. These were times that were hard on my wife – as they are on all military spouses. But we always worked through the problems created by my service. She always found the strength to support me.

Grief Can Be Disabling

To lose someone who has been a part of you for 49 hard. It grabs you by your soul and rips your metaphysical being in half then lets it float away. For me, it created a void that will never be filled again.

That was 10 months ago at this writing. Now I fill my days with finding ways to cope. At first, I started walking at least one mile a day, then two miles. In September, I decided to try riding a bicycle – something I hadn’t done if about 40 years. I bought a used bike, fell a few times as I regained my bike riding balance, and two weeks later decided to buy a new bike.

From June through November, I walked 115 miles and rode 226 miles for a total of 341 miles. So far in 2025, I have ridden 191.34 miles and walked 2.18 miles. (I skipped recording anything in the month of December because Santa Joe was busy.)

So, where does that leave me?

I am going to attempt to start writing again. As I was advised to start walking/riding as a coping mechanism, it has recently been suggested to start writing again. At first, it may all be about me and navigating through my grief. My intention is to let this lead me into documenting my pipe smoking journey as well.

Coming soon: Riding and Walking to Better Health.

© J. Gibson Creative Services. April 27, 2025