Too many people find themselves caught up in countless “coulda, woulda, shoulda’s.” They lament what they might have been rather than celebrate who they are. Their lives might be a series of regrets over personal choices or decisions. They wallow in a deep quagmire of self pity, remorse and sorrow over what they perceive they lost or what they never pursued in the first place. I sympathize for such people. They are stuck in a past that never was, yet they fantasize about what might have been if only they “woulda” chased their elusive dreams or made better choices.
We all have dreams. Some are sleep induced. Others are conscious. The difference between the two is that the former is mere fantasy; the latter offers hope and promise provided one acts on his dreams.
How many times have we heard athletes who achieved greatness and stardom say that since they were children they have dreamed of throwing the winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl or that they dreamed of hitting a 3 – 2 pitch for the game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the World Series? Their dreams were conscious dreams and played a role in shaping who and what these athletes became. Dreams led to goals and goals required plans and plans demanded commitment. What distinguishes those who accomplish from those who don’t is not necessarily the lack of dreams by those who don’t achieve but rather the lack of plans and commitments. I can dream all I want about running a marathon but if I don’t establish a training plan and commit to it then I will likely end up on the couch watching television as someone else achieves my dream. Such dreams are no less fantasy than the dreams one experiences during sleep. They may entertain and amuse but they will likely remain in the realm of make believe.
A life not yet lived does not necessarily have to be delusional. Regardless of one’s age or status in life, he can pursue the life not yet lived provided he is willing to plan, commit and sacrifice. Make no mistake, most dreams and pursuits in life require personal sacrifice. Sacrifice can be as simple as setting aside a specific amount of time each day or week to read and learn. Or, it can be as physically challenging as training daily for a marathon. Golfers like me marvel at the short game skills of professionals. The pro golfer is adept at pitching, chipping and putting. Most pros can chip to within inches of the hole leaving nothing more challenging than a tap in putt. But golfers like me fail to take into consideration the pro’s dedication to the short game. Professionals practice and practice and practice still more to achieve the success they seek in their short game. Practice demands commitment and vice versa.
If one truly commits to living a life not yet lived then he will do those things that will draw him closer to his goals. Even if he should fall short of his actual goal at least he will know that he gave it his all or, as so many athletes claim, “they left it all – meaning their efforts – on the field.” If that were to be the case then there is no shame in failing. There is only shame in the failure to plan and commit.
Dreams without plans and commitment are nothing more than pipe dreams.
©December 2011
W. J. Charles
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Mirror, Mirror ....
Mirrors lie. They only reflect what we desire them to. My reflected image isn’t bad at all. After shaving and grooming my hair, I believe I look pretty good. In fact, I might even argue that I’m handsome. I know. That sounds vain and narcissistic, but, my body looks pretty good too as it stares back at me. My waist certainly doesn’t appear to be 36”, which means, that the tape measure probably lies also. My biceps and triceps are huge, at least, according to my bathroom mirror. The love handles that border my waist are hardly noticeable. At least, no one has mentioned them to me. So, I certainly won’t take notice either. Nor will I mention them. The bottom line is I like the guy who looks back at me from the mirror.
Photographs are another matter. Somehow, photos capture what the mirror doesn’t. I can’t figure out why my hair and my mustache appear so gray in photos? They don’t look gray in the mirror. Why does the sixty-four year old skin below my chin and on my neck sag so much in pictures? Where in the hell did those wrinkles come from and how did they suddenly emerge? My skin is near perfect in my mirror reflection. And, this is a pet peeve: my face is not nearly as thin in photographs as it is in the mirror.
After viewing digital reproductions from our 40th wedding anniversary surprise dinner, I’m perplexed. Which device tells the truth? Is it the mirror or the camera? I’d like to believe the mirror is honest. But, after considerable thought and reflection, I have come to the conclusion that I am, after all, sixty-four years old. In fact, I have aged since I began writing this article and will continue to age with each heartbeat. My hair isn’t as brown as it once was. My skin isn’t as taut as that of a 30 year old. Although I exercise regularly, my body is showing the unmistakable signs of aging. I may be getting better with age but I’m not sure what I’m getting better at.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I must slow down the aging process. Normally, that’s not easily accomplished without substances such as Human Growth Hormones. However, I choose not to use HGH or similar substances. Instead, I will choose a simpler approach. Effective immediately, I will permit no photographs of myself. At least in that way, my physical age will be frozen in time at the age of sixty-four.
© March 2008
William Charles
Photographs are another matter. Somehow, photos capture what the mirror doesn’t. I can’t figure out why my hair and my mustache appear so gray in photos? They don’t look gray in the mirror. Why does the sixty-four year old skin below my chin and on my neck sag so much in pictures? Where in the hell did those wrinkles come from and how did they suddenly emerge? My skin is near perfect in my mirror reflection. And, this is a pet peeve: my face is not nearly as thin in photographs as it is in the mirror.
After viewing digital reproductions from our 40th wedding anniversary surprise dinner, I’m perplexed. Which device tells the truth? Is it the mirror or the camera? I’d like to believe the mirror is honest. But, after considerable thought and reflection, I have come to the conclusion that I am, after all, sixty-four years old. In fact, I have aged since I began writing this article and will continue to age with each heartbeat. My hair isn’t as brown as it once was. My skin isn’t as taut as that of a 30 year old. Although I exercise regularly, my body is showing the unmistakable signs of aging. I may be getting better with age but I’m not sure what I’m getting better at.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I must slow down the aging process. Normally, that’s not easily accomplished without substances such as Human Growth Hormones. However, I choose not to use HGH or similar substances. Instead, I will choose a simpler approach. Effective immediately, I will permit no photographs of myself. At least in that way, my physical age will be frozen in time at the age of sixty-four.
© March 2008
William Charles
Friday, January 1, 2010
No Gimmes
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There are no "gimmes" in real life. There are no concessions for those who seek success. Just as the successful golfer doesn't pick up his ball before putting out, so too a person striving for success doesn't seek any concessions regardless of the challenge. No matter if one is pursuing physical, mental, spiritual or financial goals, the road to success is void of gratuitous gimmes.
Someone who is serious about losing weight or becoming better conditioned, will not find success in a pill or a bottle or an exercise that doesn't stress the body. The overweight and out-of-conditioned person must face the fact that pain is the result of sacrifice and sacrifice leads to success. It isn't easy to change one's diet from the typical American fare to a diet, lower in calories and fat. Cheeseburgers taste better than soy burgers, malts better than no-fat milk. But, the woman whose goal is to shed ten, twenty or thirty pounds, needs to realize that sacrifice will be necessary.
Few athletes expect to reach the pinnacle of success by sitting in front of a television most of the day. To become the best they can be, the runner must train, the golfer must practice and the football lineman must increase his strength. In all cases, they must sacrifice. What goal would be worth reaching if just anyone could attain it? Even the social runner trains, if not for speed or endurance, at least for health. As one who has trained for and completed three marathons, I know from experience the sacrifice required to complete a marathon in the less-than-world class time of four hours. Yet, I also know that the typical couch potato can not do what I and many others have done, unless of course, they arise from the couch and run.
Running is not without discomfort. Discomfort can be caused by weather - too hot, too cold - or it can be caused by pain and soreness, especially in the lower legs. People run through their discomfort just as a golfer accepts the discomfort of hitting thousands of golf balls on the practice range. No pain, no gain. How true it is. Had I not been able to run through the pain of fifteen and twenty mile training runs, I would never had been able to complete a twenty-six mile race. My success would not have been worth it had I not experienced the pain of training.
People who succeed in business or in other financial matters usually do so after giving of themselves to their jobs or careers. The higher one rises in a company is normally a reflection of the sacrifice he endures.
Sacrifice is required in nearly every endeavor worth the effort. There are few spiritual goals that result from an epiphany. St. Paul
If I am to lose weight, I will have to sacrifice. If I am to become better conditioned, I will have to sacrifice. I will have to push away from the table when I become sated. I will have to jog or run or walk even when I'd rather lie on the couch or engage in some other inert activity. I will not lose weight or become better conditioned by continuing to do what I am doing now. I will not receive any "gimmes" in my goal to improve my health.
I must develop a new attitude towards life. As I grow older, my natural inclination is to seek the easier life. If I look back over my life and if I am honest with myself I will acknowledge that the successes I've enjoyed, regardless if physical, spiritual or mental in nature or regardless if they involve my career, they have usually been the result of my personal sacrifices. Anyone who has enjoyed some degree of success in life will admit the same thing: success without sacrifice is worthless. Therefore, I must realize that age, alone, will not mean I will not have to sacrifice. I certainly will. Perhaps the difference is in the goals I seek compared to the goals I sought when I was younger. My goals are not as lofty as they once were but, considering that I do not have the physical skills I once had, my goals are still challenging and worthy.
I do not expect gimmes. If I desire a goal bad enough, I must be willing to sacrifice. I must be willing to sink the putt before I pick up.
© March 2001
William Charles
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Christmas of Poverty
The birth of Jesus provides an insight into God’s ways. His only son was born into this world in poverty, to a laborer and a young virgin. Though Jesus was the “king of kings”, neither his birth nor his life bore any semblance of an earthly king. His kingship can best be realized in the Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are the poor in spirit …”
The annual celebration of his birth does not resemble in any way the sparse nature of his birth. Christmas has evolved into a frenetic, consumer driven shopping season, especially in the western world. While developed countries in Europe and in North America continue a secular effort to remove the spiritual meaning from Christmas, the insatiable drive for more and more consumption soars. Skilled companies create a buying frenzy by introducing the latest, greatest device or toy. They announce the availability of the new device, providing the date and often the time it will be sold in stores. Crowds gather outside Wal Mart, Target, etc., hours before the stores open, in an effort to be among the first in line to buy the gift for their children. There have been instances of fights breaking out among the crowds because someone tried to sneak into line. What’s happened to Christmas?
Christmas has been hi-jacked by large corporations who rely upon the season to shore up the bottom lines. Christmas is a money making event. Often, Christmas season sales can make or break a company for a given year.
I don’t deny anyone the pleasure of buying gifts for their loved ones or friends. However, it bothers me that for so many, the focus is on buying rather than praising. Somewhere between the many-colored decorations and the buying frenzy, we seem to have forgotten him whom we should be honoring. I believe it is time we make Christmas the solemn, yet joyful event it should be. We should celebrate Christmas by honoring Jesus. The path to such reality is in the spirit of poverty. Those who are fortunate to have should be among those who give and share the most with those in need. If we were to do so, then our examples would reflect our faith. Our children would benefit by being shown what it really means to consider oneself a Christian.
© December 2006
William Charles
The annual celebration of his birth does not resemble in any way the sparse nature of his birth. Christmas has evolved into a frenetic, consumer driven shopping season, especially in the western world. While developed countries in Europe and in North America continue a secular effort to remove the spiritual meaning from Christmas, the insatiable drive for more and more consumption soars. Skilled companies create a buying frenzy by introducing the latest, greatest device or toy. They announce the availability of the new device, providing the date and often the time it will be sold in stores. Crowds gather outside Wal Mart, Target, etc., hours before the stores open, in an effort to be among the first in line to buy the gift for their children. There have been instances of fights breaking out among the crowds because someone tried to sneak into line. What’s happened to Christmas?
Christmas has been hi-jacked by large corporations who rely upon the season to shore up the bottom lines. Christmas is a money making event. Often, Christmas season sales can make or break a company for a given year.
I don’t deny anyone the pleasure of buying gifts for their loved ones or friends. However, it bothers me that for so many, the focus is on buying rather than praising. Somewhere between the many-colored decorations and the buying frenzy, we seem to have forgotten him whom we should be honoring. I believe it is time we make Christmas the solemn, yet joyful event it should be. We should celebrate Christmas by honoring Jesus. The path to such reality is in the spirit of poverty. Those who are fortunate to have should be among those who give and share the most with those in need. If we were to do so, then our examples would reflect our faith. Our children would benefit by being shown what it really means to consider oneself a Christian.
© December 2006
William Charles
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
My Brother The Eagle
We buried an eagle yesterday. He had no pinions with which to loft his body and soar above the earth. He had no talons with which to pluck a meal from a clear, sparkling lake or river below. His beak was toothless. How many great birds wear dentures? This eagle wasn't feathered and had no wings. He walked on legs and feet and used his hands to guide food into his mouth. He couldn't even fly until a few days ago when his spirit was released from his frail and worn body.
The eagle was my brother.
It's funny but I never thought of Jim as an eagle until recently. My younger sister told me only last week that Jim had an affinity for eagles. Perhaps his love of country and his 20 year career in the United States Navy nurtured his affection for the eagle. This magnificent and proud bird was his favorite symbol. Eagles adorn the living room of his warm and humble home in northern Wisconsin. Some of the porcelain and metal figures are small, almost unnoticeable. Others are much more obvious. His funeral announcement featured an eagle soaring with a vague, opaque image of the American flag in the background. It was a fitting touch for such a sad event.
Make no mistake. Jim was a mere mortal in body. But, he was undeniably an eagle in spirit. The bald eagle has been the national bird since the inception of our nation. This magnificent bird symbolizes the fierce pride of our free republic. But, the eagle is more than just a national symbol and source of patriotic pride. The eagle is also a symbol found throughout the bible.
The Old Testament features the eagle in several books, most notably Psalms and Proverbs. It is a symbol of strength, courage and a nurturing parent.
In the past year my brother was the epitome of strength, courage and nurturing in his battle against a formidable foe: cancer.
After the shock of his illness wore off, he dug his talons into the edge of the cliff of fate, courageously thrust out his breast and faced a superior enemy head on. He was strong in the face of adversity and pain. He was courageous enough to hope against all odds. And, despite the pain and discomfort of radiation and chemotherapy, he tended his nest and his flock like a protective eagle.
Despite the debilitating effects of this insidious illness, he maintained his wonderful and childlike sense of humor till the end. No doubt to comfort his loved ones. No doubt, also, because that is the nature of an eagle. He was defeated but he never gave in. He refused to surrender.
When I was just ten years old, Jim left home. He was seventeen. He enlisted in the navy and began a career that would take him to Italy, Spain, Africa and other ports of call and military bases. He married a woman from Wisconsin and returned home to New Orleans only a handful of times.
I learned more about this man in two days than I learned about him in a lifetime. He was loving. He was generous, as generous as a man of his modest means could possibly be. His family, friends, and co-workers loved him. So did I. I simply didn't know him very well.
I've known only a few eagles in my life: a friend who died bravely and with dignity in his late twenties, a mother who suffered silently with excruciating pain before dying in the home of her sole remaining sibling. And now, a brother, who fought valiantly until the end. All died eagles, proud and courageous, struck down by an illness named cancer. (August 1996)
© August 1996
William Charles
The eagle was my brother.
It's funny but I never thought of Jim as an eagle until recently. My younger sister told me only last week that Jim had an affinity for eagles. Perhaps his love of country and his 20 year career in the United States Navy nurtured his affection for the eagle. This magnificent and proud bird was his favorite symbol. Eagles adorn the living room of his warm and humble home in northern Wisconsin. Some of the porcelain and metal figures are small, almost unnoticeable. Others are much more obvious. His funeral announcement featured an eagle soaring with a vague, opaque image of the American flag in the background. It was a fitting touch for such a sad event.
Make no mistake. Jim was a mere mortal in body. But, he was undeniably an eagle in spirit. The bald eagle has been the national bird since the inception of our nation. This magnificent bird symbolizes the fierce pride of our free republic. But, the eagle is more than just a national symbol and source of patriotic pride. The eagle is also a symbol found throughout the bible.
The Old Testament features the eagle in several books, most notably Psalms and Proverbs. It is a symbol of strength, courage and a nurturing parent.
In the past year my brother was the epitome of strength, courage and nurturing in his battle against a formidable foe: cancer.
After the shock of his illness wore off, he dug his talons into the edge of the cliff of fate, courageously thrust out his breast and faced a superior enemy head on. He was strong in the face of adversity and pain. He was courageous enough to hope against all odds. And, despite the pain and discomfort of radiation and chemotherapy, he tended his nest and his flock like a protective eagle.
Despite the debilitating effects of this insidious illness, he maintained his wonderful and childlike sense of humor till the end. No doubt to comfort his loved ones. No doubt, also, because that is the nature of an eagle. He was defeated but he never gave in. He refused to surrender.
When I was just ten years old, Jim left home. He was seventeen. He enlisted in the navy and began a career that would take him to Italy, Spain, Africa and other ports of call and military bases. He married a woman from Wisconsin and returned home to New Orleans only a handful of times.
I learned more about this man in two days than I learned about him in a lifetime. He was loving. He was generous, as generous as a man of his modest means could possibly be. His family, friends, and co-workers loved him. So did I. I simply didn't know him very well.
I've known only a few eagles in my life: a friend who died bravely and with dignity in his late twenties, a mother who suffered silently with excruciating pain before dying in the home of her sole remaining sibling. And now, a brother, who fought valiantly until the end. All died eagles, proud and courageous, struck down by an illness named cancer. (August 1996)
© August 1996
William Charles
Friday, November 9, 2007
A Case Against Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has been a topic of discussion and disagreement for many years. Many people insist that the state has a right to execute those guilty of heinous crimes. They argue that capital punishment protects society and provides closure for those whose loves ones have been murdered. Others argue that the state should not be in the business of executing those on death row. There are good people on both sides of the argument and it would be too easy to dismiss either side without considering the one major fallacy of the way capital punishment is administered in the United States.
The argument for capital punishment assumes guilt on the part of the condemned. That sounds logical but is such an assumption correct? For example, what if there were one person on death row who is actually innocent of the crime for which he was judged guilty? This is not as ludicrous as one might think. In the past several years, over 200 condemned criminals on death row were determined to be innocent due to DNA testing. Since DNA testing is relatively new in the history of criminal justice, one can make a case that, based upon this evidence, many innocent people in this country have been executed in the past. If the state executes an innocent person, is the state guilty of the same crime for which a guilty murderer is executed? I would argue that the state does indeed commit murder in this case. Of course, prior to DNA testing the state would maintain that it acted with good intentions. If that is the case and if DNA testing is now widely available, then it would seem that each state would, in an effort to eliminate the execution of innocent people, ensure that all inmates on death row be given the benefit of the doubt and be allowed DNA testing. I wish that were the case. The governor of my state recently refused to stay an execution so that DNA tests could be performed. The person could be guilty or he could be innocent. We'll never know.
I am not one who is easy on criminals nor am I one to sympathize with those who commit heinous crimes. I become angry when innocent life is taken by a thug and my first reaction is usually that the offender deserves death. However, my anger is not and should not be the determining factor in whether someone should be executed. Anger is a temporary and normal emotional response to such crimes. But, it should not factor in the case for capital punishment. Rather, I have to ask myself if the state should indeed be in the business of taking a person's life. I admit that many years ago I was an advocate of the death penalty. However, over the years I have developed a different position on the matter. Scripture helped me come to my current position.
In chapter 18 of the book of Genesis, God confronts Abraham and tells him that he will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asks God, "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?" God, relents. He would spare the city if there were fifty innocent people. Abraham pushes him, what if there are five less than fifty? God relents again. Abraham continues until he's down to ten and God says he will not destroy the city for those ten.
There's a lesson in the above. What place more than death row could be better compared metaphorically to Sodom and Gomorrah? Death row houses some of the most pernicious criminals in the land. Yet, DNA testing has proven that there are innocent people on death row. Would society be better off sparing the guilty on death row for the few who might be innocent? I would argue for the elimination of the death penalty. Society must protect the innocent even at the expense of the guilty.
© November 2006
William Charles
The argument for capital punishment assumes guilt on the part of the condemned. That sounds logical but is such an assumption correct? For example, what if there were one person on death row who is actually innocent of the crime for which he was judged guilty? This is not as ludicrous as one might think. In the past several years, over 200 condemned criminals on death row were determined to be innocent due to DNA testing. Since DNA testing is relatively new in the history of criminal justice, one can make a case that, based upon this evidence, many innocent people in this country have been executed in the past. If the state executes an innocent person, is the state guilty of the same crime for which a guilty murderer is executed? I would argue that the state does indeed commit murder in this case. Of course, prior to DNA testing the state would maintain that it acted with good intentions. If that is the case and if DNA testing is now widely available, then it would seem that each state would, in an effort to eliminate the execution of innocent people, ensure that all inmates on death row be given the benefit of the doubt and be allowed DNA testing. I wish that were the case. The governor of my state recently refused to stay an execution so that DNA tests could be performed. The person could be guilty or he could be innocent. We'll never know.
I am not one who is easy on criminals nor am I one to sympathize with those who commit heinous crimes. I become angry when innocent life is taken by a thug and my first reaction is usually that the offender deserves death. However, my anger is not and should not be the determining factor in whether someone should be executed. Anger is a temporary and normal emotional response to such crimes. But, it should not factor in the case for capital punishment. Rather, I have to ask myself if the state should indeed be in the business of taking a person's life. I admit that many years ago I was an advocate of the death penalty. However, over the years I have developed a different position on the matter. Scripture helped me come to my current position.
In chapter 18 of the book of Genesis, God confronts Abraham and tells him that he will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asks God, "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?" God, relents. He would spare the city if there were fifty innocent people. Abraham pushes him, what if there are five less than fifty? God relents again. Abraham continues until he's down to ten and God says he will not destroy the city for those ten.
There's a lesson in the above. What place more than death row could be better compared metaphorically to Sodom and Gomorrah? Death row houses some of the most pernicious criminals in the land. Yet, DNA testing has proven that there are innocent people on death row. Would society be better off sparing the guilty on death row for the few who might be innocent? I would argue for the elimination of the death penalty. Society must protect the innocent even at the expense of the guilty.
© November 2006
William Charles
Monday, November 5, 2007
Dominican Republic
My wife and I are avid golfers. We started playing golf late in our lives. I took up the game when I was 47 years old and my wife took it up at the ripe age of 50. We play several time a week at our local club and enjoy our time together. Over the past eight years, we have taken several vacations, most of which included playing at least one round of golf, if not more.
We recently returned from an eight day vacation in the Dominican Republic. This is the second consecutive year we participated in a three day golf tournament at Playa Grande Golf Club, located just west of the town of Cabrera. Cabrera is on the north coast of the Dominican Republic and is about sixty miles east of the Puerto Plata airport. The airport is small by American standards but its size allows for easy access and egress. Unlike Atlanta's Hartsfield or Miami International airports, the traveler doesn't experience unusually long delays in the Puerto Plata airport.
The flight to the Dominican Republic is just the beginning of an adventurous journey to Hotel La Catalina. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel is unforgettable. The blacktop highway is fraught with numerous potholes which the bus drivers, from experience, know by heart. Throughout the ride, the bus driver slows to a near crawl as he maneuvers the vehicle through the cratered road.
Most Dominican taxis are simply Mopeds or small motorcycles. There are hundreds of taxi drivers, if that's their proper title. They carry as many as four pasengers on their small vehicles and, when not transporting people, they carry unusual cargo. From a daily load of bread for the numerous small stores to large propane tanks, few items are considered unsuitable for the independent taxi drivers. I've seen a Moped driver with an outboard motor strapped to the back seat of a vehicle! The taxis pose a particular obstacle to the bus driver. As the bus approaches a Moped or scooter, the driver toots the horn and without so much as slowing down, passes to the left of the two-wheeled vehicles. As a bus passenger, it's unnerving to watch a Dominican family squeezed onto the back seat of a Moped as our larger vehicle passes. Worse still is to watch as an oncoming tanker truck or other large vehicle passes the motorcycles. The tanker pulls into our lane and swerves back into the other lane just in time to avoid a head on collision with the bus.
There are other obstacles along the trip such as herdsmen guiding a herd of cattle along the road from one meadow to the next. For safety purposes, one of the herdsmen waves a red rag to alert the driver to expect a delay around the next curve. It's an amazing sight for an American to see: 30 - 40 large cattle commanding a main, if not, rural highway. The closest thing to such an event I've experienced is having to slow down on a highway in north Mississippi as a farmer drove his tractor from one cotton field to the next. But the Dominican Republic is a third world country. It shouldn't come as a surprise to the traveler to expect what would be considered an inconvenience in his own country.
One cannot help but notice the poverty along the way. During our first trip to the Dominican Republic in 2006, I was taken aback by the impoverished areas along the highway. Many of the homes were nothing more than shacks compared to what we are accustomed to. Many roofs were topped with what amounted to sandbags. There did not appear to be running water in many. I tried to picture how a family of three or four can live in such structures, many of which couldn't be more than 400 - 500 square feet. How can a people languish in such poverty, I thought. How can we allow this to exist in the 21st century? My wife and I struggled with our feelings last year. We were torn by guilt and felt as if we were intruding on these wonderful but poor people. We didn't think we belonged there. However, after a couple of days, it occurred to us that by vacationing in the Dominican Republic we were actually helping the people, at least those with whom we came in contact. They benefited directly from our presence. In addition, the local commerce benefited when the hotel staff, caddies, etc., earned money to spend locally. Our guilt was finally assuaged. We were foreigners and although we weren't necessarily wealthy, we had so much material wealth compared to many of the Dominicans.
Despite widespread poverty, we respected the Dominican people. They are warm and courteous. Those with whom we came in contact were hard workers, trying their best earn a living and to support their families. In that respect, they are not unlike us. They awake in the morning as most of us do. They go to work as we do. In the evening or whenever their day's work is over they return home to spouse and children. You can't help but admire them.
© December 2007
William Charles
We recently returned from an eight day vacation in the Dominican Republic. This is the second consecutive year we participated in a three day golf tournament at Playa Grande Golf Club, located just west of the town of Cabrera. Cabrera is on the north coast of the Dominican Republic and is about sixty miles east of the Puerto Plata airport. The airport is small by American standards but its size allows for easy access and egress. Unlike Atlanta's Hartsfield or Miami International airports, the traveler doesn't experience unusually long delays in the Puerto Plata airport.
The flight to the Dominican Republic is just the beginning of an adventurous journey to Hotel La Catalina. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel is unforgettable. The blacktop highway is fraught with numerous potholes which the bus drivers, from experience, know by heart. Throughout the ride, the bus driver slows to a near crawl as he maneuvers the vehicle through the cratered road.
Most Dominican taxis are simply Mopeds or small motorcycles. There are hundreds of taxi drivers, if that's their proper title. They carry as many as four pasengers on their small vehicles and, when not transporting people, they carry unusual cargo. From a daily load of bread for the numerous small stores to large propane tanks, few items are considered unsuitable for the independent taxi drivers. I've seen a Moped driver with an outboard motor strapped to the back seat of a vehicle! The taxis pose a particular obstacle to the bus driver. As the bus approaches a Moped or scooter, the driver toots the horn and without so much as slowing down, passes to the left of the two-wheeled vehicles. As a bus passenger, it's unnerving to watch a Dominican family squeezed onto the back seat of a Moped as our larger vehicle passes. Worse still is to watch as an oncoming tanker truck or other large vehicle passes the motorcycles. The tanker pulls into our lane and swerves back into the other lane just in time to avoid a head on collision with the bus.
There are other obstacles along the trip such as herdsmen guiding a herd of cattle along the road from one meadow to the next. For safety purposes, one of the herdsmen waves a red rag to alert the driver to expect a delay around the next curve. It's an amazing sight for an American to see: 30 - 40 large cattle commanding a main, if not, rural highway. The closest thing to such an event I've experienced is having to slow down on a highway in north Mississippi as a farmer drove his tractor from one cotton field to the next. But the Dominican Republic is a third world country. It shouldn't come as a surprise to the traveler to expect what would be considered an inconvenience in his own country.
One cannot help but notice the poverty along the way. During our first trip to the Dominican Republic in 2006, I was taken aback by the impoverished areas along the highway. Many of the homes were nothing more than shacks compared to what we are accustomed to. Many roofs were topped with what amounted to sandbags. There did not appear to be running water in many. I tried to picture how a family of three or four can live in such structures, many of which couldn't be more than 400 - 500 square feet. How can a people languish in such poverty, I thought. How can we allow this to exist in the 21st century? My wife and I struggled with our feelings last year. We were torn by guilt and felt as if we were intruding on these wonderful but poor people. We didn't think we belonged there. However, after a couple of days, it occurred to us that by vacationing in the Dominican Republic we were actually helping the people, at least those with whom we came in contact. They benefited directly from our presence. In addition, the local commerce benefited when the hotel staff, caddies, etc., earned money to spend locally. Our guilt was finally assuaged. We were foreigners and although we weren't necessarily wealthy, we had so much material wealth compared to many of the Dominicans.
Despite widespread poverty, we respected the Dominican people. They are warm and courteous. Those with whom we came in contact were hard workers, trying their best earn a living and to support their families. In that respect, they are not unlike us. They awake in the morning as most of us do. They go to work as we do. In the evening or whenever their day's work is over they return home to spouse and children. You can't help but admire them.
© December 2007
William Charles
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