Clear water ripples down the local stream creating the sound of a magic fountain. Bubbling from the golden river-bed, water reflects the day’s rays of sunshine.
Writing this story along the greenery and water-washed river stones is where I share a recent regret in my writings.
Many times I have procrastinated in life and I still have open items I will get to later. Unfortunately I learned later may never come.
My best friend Gary always wanted to pan for gold along this East Coast stream I sit at today and he wanted me to join him. A silly idea I know, gold-nuggets don’t take up residency in these parts of the country.
So silly is the idea..our search for gold never happened. Time is too valuable and earning actual dollars makes more sense instead of trying to get enriched from one of the natural elements deposited here on this planet but most unlikely in the great Northeast.
Gary passed away this time last year. I am thinking how much fun it would it be to go on a silly adventure and tip my toes in this fresh running water and shake a pan in a hunt for precious metal.
Just for a day we could share the dream the Californians had in 1849. After all, what is 168 years among friends?
Chances of success are virtually null. We would have a better chance of seeing a black bear fishing these trout-filled waters and we would not find the sought-out shiny gold stuff and that is OK with me.
I know we would’ve made a great memory like so many other memories and fun times he and I made together.
Sometimes when we put things off because they seem like a waste of time, we may regret it later. I would be thrilled to take the day off from work today on this summer day and spend time panning for gold in the cool waters. I would even settle for finding fools gold.
The moral of this story is…if one of your friends has been asking to do an adventure with you…run with it. Do it now before it is too late. I am sorry Gary.
Too my readers, don’t be sorry. Do it now. Pan for gold. The silly search is where the fun is.
Perhaps gold would have been found. The gold nuggets would be the memories planted in my brain of a crazy idea of panning for gold in Riverdale, NJ and the laughs that would have been left in the air while doing so.
In the spirit of saying “go for it”! I would say “pan it!” Now is the time. Go pan for gold. “Pan it.”
Just a guy on a Journey! 
This is so true. Life has shown me several times that you could see someone one day and the next they are gone. This is why my last words to everyone when I get off the phone or say bye no matter what is I love you. Even if I’m fighting with someone I will end with those three words.
It’s very sad and hard to look back on the what could have been. Such as a day looking for gold together. I have to think though Gary is in heaven not thinking twice about looking for gold. As a Christian death is a weird thing. We grieve a lot but ultimately it’s because we will miss that person. Knowing they are somewhere far better than down here makes it seem silly to be sad and it should be comforting that we will one day be reunited. But still sadness overcomes all of those things and my heart breaks for you dad.
Thanks for your wise and true words Lindsey. I love you.
I love how you put emotions into words. Very nice