Wednesday, July 18, 2007

recognizing my own rowboat

dawnie, left me a comment this morning about rick, "Oh, poo on Rick! Doesn't he know a good thing when he sees it? Grrrrr!!"

it's funny, because that's just what i was thinking this morning. he and i talked a while ago about his search for a love, and he mentioned his friends think he's nuts. some might think he's searching for someone perfect and unobtainable who just might not exist. rick swears she's out there - he just hasn't met her yet. it reminded me of this joke:

###

It had been raining for days and days, and a terrible flood had come over the land. The waters rose so high that one man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house.

As the waters rose higher and higher, a man in a rowboat appeared, and told him to get in. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the rowboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and suddenly a speedboat appeared. "Climb in!" shouted a man in the boat. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the speedboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters continued to rise. A helicopter appeared and over the loudspeaker, the pilot announced he would lower a rope to the man on the roof. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the helicopter went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and eventually they rose so high that the man on the roof was washed away, and alas, the poor man drowned.

Upon arriving in heaven, the man marched straight over to God. "Heavenly Father," he said, "I had faith in you, I prayed to you to save me, and yet you did nothing. Why?" God gave him a puzzled look, and replied "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you expect?"

###

when we first got together rick talked about God brining us together and exploring this opportunity. i'm sure rick has met many nice and wonderful women over the years, and he says he's actively looking. i pray he finds what he's looking for, and when he finds it, that he recognizes it.

me? in a few weeks when my church deacon returns from vacation i'll start exploring an annulment. i've spend the last five years going through the grieving process and now i feel this annulment will be my next journey. annulments are a bit painful - having to review and journal about the relationship and marriage, but i think this is what i need to do before i can fully commit to anyone or just be fully free.


it's my next rowboat.

23 comments:

blog prince said...

I like that joke, a lot. It's been awhile since I've heard it. Or is it really a joke? More like a lesson. but a goodie.

Paula said...

Hello from a fellow OC-er. (Found you via Michele.) Good luck with the rowboat. :)

Michael K. Althouse said...

I've heard and told that joke many times. All I know is that when everything is right, everyone involved will know it. It has to be that way.

Sam

Herr Krokodil said...

Coach,

This is some deep stuff. I think you need a good spankin.

jsdaughter said...

My favorite life story.. good luck with your rowboat..Michele sent me

BreadBox said...

The sad thing about the story is that it takes the voice from on high to point out the opportunities: to all those waiting for that voice on high to come along too late, keep your eyes open!!!

Good luck. Michele told me to tell you that.

N.

utenzi said...

Michele sent me over, McKay.

That's a lot of time for an annulment to cancel out. I hope that you're able to heal emotionally as well, McKay. That's a far harder hurdle to get over.

BlondeBlogger said...

I LOVE that story!

Another name for Rick is Dick..you know that, right? ;)

Michele said...

Hello McKay,

Funny, how truth can often be found in humour - I am quite fond of that joke.

About Rick: It is sad that he is looking for the prefect woman, no such person exists. Of course, certain people can be "perfect for us." However, do you really want a man if he doesn't think you are perfect for him? You deserve that!

Now to more important matters...

About You:

Annulments are indeed painful. My divorce (although mutual) was devastating to me, even though we have remain very good friends. However, you do need to move on, yes, you need to be free.

You will one day be ready to commit again, when you are ready, when that someone special enters your life and he is ready.

As Mike said, "when everything is right, everyone involved will know it."

Thought to self: Damn, why am I always agreeing with that man? I have to stop THAT!

There is someone "perfect for you" mckay - and then you will have someone ready to join you in your rowboat!

Bernie said...

I found the joke brilliant, first time I had heard it!!

Good luck with your upcoming journy, I know it will be confrontational, but when complete, you will fell re-newed...

Here from Michele's thos afternoon (just, it is 12.03pm Friday) in Sydney!

Shephard said...

Always thought that story was a very versatile one, applying to so many things. But most certainly to any situation we find ourselves in where we are being stubborn about the way we think something should happen. Good to open the mind, use it, and realize that flexibility and awareness are as important as faith.
Great post!
And I laughed at your back & forth comments at Michele's.
She says hi,
~S

Shephard said...

P.S. I'm a huge theatre geek!
I have a theatre blog (link on main blog) that keeps track of everything I see. And we're headed for NYC soon. Always nice to meet another theatre person. :)
~S

The Zombieslayer said...

I heard that joke before.

That's really sad. Don't really know what to say, except, I hope it works out for the best.

Stephanie said...

That joke is also featured in the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith...you would like it! I wish you nothing but the best of luck with the situation, and may you always have your paddles.

Michele sent me to row the boat ashore tonight

Herr Krokodil said...

mcKay,

I have ants in my bathroom, so stop complaining. They seem to be attracted to the Crest. It's weird.

Michele said...

Me again...

This past weekend I was with a group of friends and I repeated this joke (the best I could, I am horrid at telling jokes), but I prefaced it with, "Mckay reminded me of the joke about...."

After my bad re-telling one of my friends said, "Who is Mckay?"

Really, I wish my real-time friends would pay more attention to my virtual world, it would make it much easier for me.

Happy Monday. I hope you are doing well!

Dave Morris said...

Thanks for the chuckle!

I have friends who also had to "endure" the annulment. It's almost like reliving the whole thing over again... and just when you thought you were okay with life.

Good luck, Mc.

Jamie Dawn said...

Grab help wherever and whenever. I've heard that joke/lesson; it has a good moral to it.

Hop in and start rowing. Have on some water wings just in case there's a leak in the boat.

As President Truman once said, "Life is just one Goddamn thing after another."
He cursed, but his words are so very true.
My brother told me that quote while we were on our trip.

Ellen said...

Think BIG, McKay... not a rowboat but a yacht. Why not, don't you deserve the very best? Of course you do.

Good luck with navigating, that's the harder part of handling the river.

Anonymous said...

As you know, I was gone for a while. I read back some of your posts... and I'm here for you. You are very strong & you have a good head on your shoulders. You make it through & you'll be better for it. Thank you for your encouraging words while I was "out".... :)

BlondeBlogger said...

Hey Mckay!

Wanted to say thanks for the sweet words you left me regarding Copper. It really meant a lot to me.

((((HUGS)))

Jamie Dawn said...

Just stopped by to say hello.
I reread your post, except for the joke which I've heard before.
The post made me think of something important, well I think it's important...
A person can search and wait and hope forever and NEVER find the perfection they desire in another person. The problem may just be that THEY are not perfect enough to attract that ellusive, perfect person. If they DID find that perfect person, that person would look at them and say, "Are you KIDDING me??!!"
Rick should look for true love and true commitment, not some ideal woman. Unless by some chance, he's an ideal, perfect man. If he is, then by all means keep looking, Rick!

As for you... keep rowing, sweetie!

Michael K. Althouse said...

Hey, Mck,

Isn't it time you got to writing some new pearls of wisdom? I think so...

sam