The other day I was talking with some friends and I was asked about the times that have passed that I was talking about and I was ask a question that I’ve been pondering ever since. The one gentleman ask me if I really did enjoy all the times as well as I speak about them.

I know I do like to talk and am sure that comes as no surprise to anyone. But did I really like the times that have past as much as I carry on about them? Now there is only one answer to that question and that is absolutely.

My life has been a good one as far as I’ve lived it so far. Please remember I am not near ready to look back and say I’m done because I am not. I will begin as I have begun many of my stories. I was born on a farm down on Fruit Ridge Road just three miles north of Moscow, Ohio. Along with my mom and dad I had an older sister named Peg and an older brother named Ben. For the times when I was growing up we farmed nearly 200 acres and that was in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and was considered a farm that was big enough to support a family of our size and it did.

Our farm was at about the midway point between Moscow and the small town of Felicity. So we were located smack dab in the middle of nowhere. There was plenty of farmland and what neighbors we had were every bit the definition of the word neighbor. I failed to mention that I was the youngest in our family and by 8 and 12 years. So I had what I’ve always referred to as a second set of parents. I don’t feel I was spoiled but it could be safe to say I was darn near it.

I guess why I enjoyed the times so much was that every day my dad and mom and siblings or all of them together created a day that was full of what I saw a good thing to be doing. We all got up for breakfast at 6 a.m. and when the breakfast was over my dad would reach for his hat and head toward the back door to start the day, Just as he began to move so did Peg and Ben and at certain times so did mom. So there was no reason to just sit there and watch the house empty. No I figured if they were going someplace then it must be important enough that I should want to go also and so I did.

I quickly learned that where they were heading wasn’t near as much fun to me as them all being together and even though most events weren’t too great for them all but working together and talking to each other and joking and teasing were to me what seemed to be a situation where they were having a good time. I wasn’t long in learning that most tasks were not nearly as much fun as I at first assumed they were. What I did learn was that being with my family at those times were what was the fun part.

Of course the years passed and as each sibling came of age and went out into the world to confront adulthood and try their part at making a place in it. Eventually I too married and in time we moved out into the world also. One thing though never really changed and that was we frequently would gather and eat and visit and enjoyed more time to be together. I know I am no exception to this but as I lost each one of my members of my family that I just couldn’t be with enough I couldn’t help but feel a void enter into me. It was the same with each member of a happy hardworking and loving family until as of this writing there is only me. So if there has been any counting going on you know that one just doesn’t fill much of that void at all. If I have carried out my one fifth then I have done better than I thought.

A couple of things have transpired since this time to help. First is I am married and we have a daughter and a son and we also have five grandchildren. Although they weren’t raised on a farm they were raised with a family that I hope has been here to become attached to. I hope attached to in as much of the way as I was to my family. My wife and I have always been interested in what our kids do and now we are watching our grandchildren beginning their turn to take on the world. I think I heard it said that with grandchildren you will never grow old. I can see why as they have so much energy you haven’t time to age.

The other part is that even though my family is not at the breakfast table and we don’t wait for dad to put on his hat, they are here. I have been blessed to have a strong memory and a fond memory to go with it. I’m sure not every thought I have from my early years was great but the majority of them were good ones. Maybe I have so much good to recall is that I don’t want to recall the bad things that might have happened. I mean just why should I strain myself to recall bad times? I feel it is safe that no matter how careful we are we will still have some bad times. So let them go for crying out loud and recall when you and loved ones were together and you can see in your mind’s eye of a time and place when you all are together and smiling or better still you all are laughing.

My place to be raised was a common place. I grew up what I feel was average. Things in my families world were for the most part common and my surroundings were mostly average. Yes my life has bas been a good one but nothing in it that was super. One thing however has always been super to me though and that has been my family. Those who raised me were special. But those who my wife and I raised are super to me also. I might be wrong but I will always feel it is always the people who make t it special. So here I am one more time at the end of a good thing I was involved in.

Rick Houser grew up on a farm near Moscow in Clermont County and loves to share stories about his youth and other topics. If you would want to read more of his writing he has two books,“There are Places to remember” And “Memories ARE From the Heart.” Reach him at [email protected]. Or mail him at P.O. Box 213 Bethel, Ohio 45106.

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Rick Houser