Originally I intended to write a piece on my first turkey hunt of the year (by the way I didn’t get my bird). That was until I found out that my wife had left to spend three days taking care of my granddaughters, one of whom was sick, that live about two hours away. This got me to thinking about what I do and those people who work so hard to allow me to do it; namely my wife.
Being a writer is a tough gig. It is not as glamorous as many people think. There are long hours gathering info and putting it all together. You have to make sure you get the perfect photos and then there are those deadlines. All too often we writers forget those people “who brought us to the dance”. Whether it is our mothers or our wives, they are always behind us thick or thin; whether we get paid for our articles or not or dropping everything to care for a sick grandchild. These people support our hunting and fishing trips, holding down the fort while we are gone. They listen to us complain when we are under a deadline and get writer’s block and they do so without saying a word. They make sure that we have everything that we need and never ask for anything in return and because they never ask we tend to forget. It is not because we are cold or callous. It is because we are wrapped up in our own little world.
Yes, I’m making excuses. Let’s face it, we tend to be selfish. Without even realizing it we tend to take full advantage of the help that our wives give us. I don’t mean for it to be this way, but it is true. For those kids out there, this goes for you too.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and though my daughter and I intend to take my wife out, I figured there was something I needed to do. I needed to say “Thank you”. Thank you for supporting me through the mental blocks; thank you for putting up with the early mornings and late evenings of trying to meet those deadlines; thank you for the un-mowed lawn, the dirty bathroom, the pile of dirty clothes and the un-made bed. Above all, thank you for being you and putting up with me.