cc: file, Sara and Des, Diane Cluff, Tony Hafen, Darrell and Nancy Krueger, Eric and Annette Krueger, Eric and Renee Miner, Claude and Katherine Warner, Forest and Amy Warner, and Ivan and Chell Warner.
"Several weeks ago Brent Weber mentioned the BYU alumni association was selling tickets to the BYU-Rice Football game last night. I asked Rob if he was interested in going. He was and wanted to take Zac with us, and so I bought three tickets. Well we went to the 27 to 14 trounce, and sat in the rain for the first two-thirds of the game. As you think back to your growing up, I am sure each of you will be amazed I was able to sit through a whole football game. (I did go to a couple of Taylor High School Football games when Melanie was cheerleading. They were fun. Mostly because Melanie was having fun.)
However, the last time I remember sitting through an entire football game and not being bored out of my skull was when the Greenbay Packers won the Superbowl and Darrell and a lot of my other cousins were down at Grandma Nelson's house to watch it. This would have been in the early 1960's. That was a great game because we were all cheering together and having a great time as family. I am sorry I never learned how to play like that with you kids. In a very real sense am reaping the fruit of not knowing how to play now. It is bitter, and I hope you all learn from my mistakes.
There were several members of our ward at the Game. Zac couldn't go, and so Larry Law used the third ticket. The rain was a real bummer. The umbralla worked pretty good, and only my pants were soaked. My accountant, Merril Littlewood, was there, and frankly talking to him during the half- time break was the highlight for me. We havn't seen each other since your Mom and I met with him to talk about the big tax problem earlier this year. He told me two of my colleagues have recently gone through divorces, which as their accountants, he was involved in. It is so sad, especially since it is so obvious to me how living the gospel principles could have saved both of these families so much grief and pain. Then I thought about Melanie's comment to me a few weeks ago: `Well Dad, maybe you just tried too hard to live the letter of the law.' I guess there is a lot to learn about life from watching grown men run back and forth, from the good side to the evil side of their world.
Seems like this undulation thing, this being up and then being down, being ahead and then being behind, is one of the real important lessons of life. As I grow older, it seems that what is important is to enjoy the minute, gaining all of the experience and joy possible from the heartaches and happiness of everyday living. This is sort of like football players doing their best in their five minutes of glory on their stage of life, the football field. They have an `eternity' after the game to look at the game videos and evaluate their performance. Sort of like we will have an eternity to look at how well we played our game of life. In the meantime, life is about getting involved and making the best decisions we can with the knowledge and experiences we have, and trusting others are doing the same.
Consistancy is one way to get involved in life. I hope you come to see Thoughtlets as an expression of consistency. My sister sent me an e-mail this week and mentioned you kids might not have Grandma Nelson's address. It is:
and I share it with you because Grandma Nelson would really like to hear from each of you. Just like I enjoy hearing from you. And hopefully like you enjoy hearing from me. Communication is bi-directional. This means that if Thoughtlets are to work as a communication mechanism I need to know what you are up to, about your successes and failures, and how I can be of service to you. Similiarly you need to know what you can do for me. Write my Mom! Write me! Tell me what you are up to! Help me become involved in your life as much as is possible, giving the limitations of time and space and current circumstances.
Even though grown men get pretty badly bruised, and sometimes even seriously hurt playing football, they enjoy it. I have found some peace with the changes of this last year by becoming very involved in my work. However, I want to tell each of you the distraction of work is only temporary. I may not smile as much as others. However, I am a relatively happy person. I can look at myself in the mirror each morning as I shave and say `I have made my best effort,' and know these words are true! I keep the commandments. I love my family and my fellowmen as I love myself. I am striving with all my faculties to make a positive difference in the world. All that I have or will have is consecrated to the Lord and to His church, for I know that without Him I am nothing. I also know He loves me, and forgives me of my mistakes as I grow and recognize what has been mistakes and do not repeat these mistakes. Sin is an unrepentant mistake. That's why J. Golden Kimball could never be excommunicated (quote: `I repent too damn fast!). I strive to not sin. As you each play your version of the game of life I hope you strive to follow the example I am attempting to set."