Blog 1099 – 08.30.2018

In My Travels

I have been traveling through this world since James C. White and Alene D. White first took Baby David home from the hospital on a frosty November morning in 1950. To some of you younger folk that may seem like ancient history but time and space are both relative and I believe we are all related. What I have seen in my almost sixty-eight years this time around is a lot and grant you I would have learned a lot more by now if I had been paying closer attention but I am paying attention now.

When we are young we think that we have all the time in the world and that often makes us act cavalier and calloused toward the feelings of others. I have always considered myself a sensible and sensitive soul but I have not always done my best by myself nor by others, but then who among us has. When I began this blog over two and a half years ago, I picked http://www.theencouragingword.co as my Word Press domain because I wanted to share lots and lots of encouraging words. Heaven knows there are way too many discouraging words, distressing, and depressing ones circulating out there.

I try to always sign off with “Your friend and fellow traveler” because more than anything else I think that is what we are. We are on a journey, we often have little if any clue from where to where, and we are always tempted to think that we are own our own. But I assure you that we are not. I remember that someone once defined the word “fellowship” as, “Two or more fellows in the same boat.” You are not alone my friend nor am I am. We are in this boat together sink or swim. There are others growing, glowing, and rowing with us, and we are guided by the light of the countless ones who have made the journey before us and who want to see us arrive safely ashore.

We may not remember signing up for this cruise but we did and even selected some if not all of the special attractions and detours that we wanted to take in along the way. In my late teens before the lion share of my traveling life really began I heard and immediately identified with and loved a song by long time popular Hawaiian singer, Don Ho. And, no, it was not Tiny Bubbles though he is perhaps better known for that one. It is called Love’s Been Good To Me, and was recorded by Frank Sinatra and many others as well. Here are the lyrics:

Love’s Been Good To Me

I have been a rover

I have walked alone

Hiked a hundred highways

Never found a home

Still in all I’m happy

The reason is, you see

Once in a while along the way

Love’s been good to me

There was a girl in Denver

Before the summer storm

Oh, her eyes were tender

Oh, her arms were warm

And she could smile away the thunder

Kiss away the rain

Even though she’s gone away

You won’t hear me complain

I have been a rover

I have walked alone

Hiked a hundred highways

Never found a home

Still in all I’m happy

The reason is, you see

Once in a while along the way

Love’s been good to me

There was a girl in Portland

Before the winter chill

We used to go a-courtin’

Along October hill

And she could laugh away the dark clouds

Cry away the snow

It seems like only yesterday

As down the road I go

I’ve been a rover

I have walked alone

Hiked a hundred highways

Never found a home

Still in all I’m happy

The reason is, you see

Once in a while along the way

Love’s been good to me.

Songwriters: Rod Mckuen

Love’s Been Good to Me lyrics © Helene Blue Musique Ltd

Love has been good to me and to you too my friends. We are not even home yet so keep your eyes and heart open for love lights and signs up ahead. The best is indeed yet to be.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White