There are precious few people and things we can count on in this life.
One is, the loyalty, and affection of dogs, cats, and other critters. Another thing I can bet my lunch money on... Each morning, when I check email, I'll have a message from Sean Dietrich.
More about Sean here... https://seandietrich.com/page_id13/
Sean has fourteen books he has written, available on his website. I look forward to getting started on them... https://seandietrich.com/2032-2/
Sean is a writer of stories, singer of songs, and cheerleader for the uncheered for. He encourages untold numbers of souls. Sean's writing is from the heart, straightforward, and delivered with a healthy dose of Southern sarcasatic humor.
His daily column in my inbox is one of life's small pleasures. Something to look forward to. It's right up there with Sunday afternoon naps, and the last bowl of cereal out of the box that has all the crunchies. There is an uplifting, dependable, sameness about it.
I thank Laura Stevenson Young, a dear friend from high school, for introducing me to Sean. Laura was one of the smart kids, and a friend to everyone, then and now. As I age, I'm getting better about trying to do what the smart people are doing. Within a few minutes of Laura's message, I followed the link she sent me, and signed up for Sean's daily mailing list. You can do that here... https://seandietrich.com/subscribe/
Laura's introducing me and others to Sean proves that opposites do attract. Sean goes into some detail that he was far from being one of the smart kids. At least in school. He actually dropped out of school. His path, and he will tell you all about it in his column, was different. Sometimes painfully different. Through all of that, his spirit of encouraging others comes through loud and clear. He can relate to and connect with most everyone.
So six days a week, about 8:30 or 8:45 AM, I have breakfast with Sean.
It's two Pop Tarts, Frosted Sugar Cinnamon, a second cup of coffee, and a few quiet minutes reading Sean's column.
By then, we have been here a couple of hours. The morning to do list has been checked off. We all slow down, in our own way, and catch our breath before busy happens again.
Read Sean's column, and you may find yourself belly laughing early in the story. Make the most of it. A few sentences later, Sean might bring you to a very somber place. At that instant, the happy tears on your cheek mingle with their sad cousins in a recipe that is, real life.
Sometimes, about supper time, I get my smart phone out and read Sean's column to my 82 year old mom. She is a retired school teacher, and is not able to read like she used to. We visit about our day at her kitchen table. Sean gives us a good laugh, and something worth talking about. We both enjoy that.
Hang in there with Sean, and you will feel what he feels, and get to know the guy. He tells his, and other people's stories. Sometimes, when I read his column, it takes me back to bus #42. The ride to school or back home has some real characters on it. Sometimes the character turns out to be me.
As Sean tells stories, he talks alot about dogs and cats, life's twists and turns, and Heaven.
At some point hopefully far into the future, Sean will sign off on his last column. Then, he will make his forever journey. I imagine Heaven, and the daily parade route inside the pearly gates that day. There will be smiling friends and family, and a bunch of smart kids Sean never met.
If I were a betting man, Id say there will be at least a thousand stray dogs and cats, and critters of every kind, tails wagging. There will also be a bunch of regular folks, like me, and even the, "Hey Ya'll watch this," folks that enjoyed Sean's writing. Among us all, forgotten souls that needed an encouraging word, and people that desperately needed someone to cheer for them.
If I get there before Sean, once he gets through the crowd I'll be there. I'll be the guy that offers him a fresh cup of coffee and a couple of frosted Pop Tarts. You can count on that.
Sean Deitrich. Photo Credit: Sean's website.