Good-bye Ron Jones

I'm crying as I try to write this post. Crying for a friend that passed away before I actually got to meet him. Ron Jones of Dauphin Island, AL passed away last night in his sleep. (A truly wonderful way to go.) Even though I never actually met him, I know what a wonderful man he was; I learned that from his writing. He used to post stories on the DIBBS about his fishing trips. They were so vivid that you could smell the salt air and hear the cry of the gulls. I know that we all loved to log on and see that he had posted a story. Ron was extremely encouraging to me when I first started this blog. Writing is therapeutic for me. I really started the blog to express my feelings about Brett. Then I wanted to talk about DI, and of course my kids. I felt like my original posts were too long, but I really just felt like they were for me, so I just kept typing and posting pics. Growing up I wanted to be a writer. I still have a novel in me, I just need the time to get it out. Time that suddenly seems much shorter after this news today. Reading Ron's stories and Becky's blog, they made me want to write again, reminded me how important it is to remember my stories, and made me want to make a difference.

As I mentioned Ron often posted stories about fishing. This is a sample (note the name of the post, it shows his sense of humor).

Brief fish report

---------------------------------------------------------------
I really was in my underwear. (Sorry just read Vinces' headlines).

From my bedroom you could still see the green flashing light on the piling that marks the wreck of an old Vietnamese pogy boat a few hundred yards offshore when the four legged alarm clock went off this morning. She was barking at a kayak moving slowly along in the pre-dawn darkness toward the blinking light. The surface of the Sound was mirror smooth reflecting the first hint of sunrise that had illuminated a towering cotton candy colored thunderstorm off to the west. Normally this is when I would roll over and go back to sleep but the conditions had all the makings for a fantastic appearance of the orange orb so I got the binocs and a cup of coffee and walked out on the deck. It was a blue and white kayak the color of mixed clouds and sky. I could see that he had one rod rigged with a popping cork and another with a topwater bait with a yellow and white bait bucket in the well. It was still pretty dark but I believe he made his first few casts with live shrimp under the cork. I could see vicious strikes hitting his red and white bobber instead of the shrimp offering so he soon switched to the topwater bait. The sun still had not risen but I could see him set the hook on the topwater, possibly a spook judging from his retrieve, and reel in several what looked to be large specks in quick succession. Putting them on a stringer pretty much confirmed that supposition. And right in front of my house, too. Damn, why don't I get up early and do that some time was my thought. Because I'm too lazy, answered my thought. As the sun first peeped over the horizon I could see schools of little minnows dappling the surface everywhere I looked and an occasional explosion where some predator blasted through the schools sending out concentric circles of ripples across the flat surface . The kayaker caught a few more but when the sun topped the bridge the topwater bite seemed to stop. He switched back to the cork and shrimp combo and made a short cast, letting the incoming tide carry his offering away from his little craft. In little time the cork disappeared and he reared back on another good one. After stringing several more the heat of the rising sun made itself evident and even that bite seemed to cease. By the time I left for work about 7 it was all over and he paddled off into the now blazing sun with at least 6 or 7 very good size fish.

Moral: Be there early if you want to catch trout this time of year.

I responded to his post with, "Lovely story. I've been trying to convince Vince for a long time that sunrise is soooooo worth it. It's my favorite time on the island. I hardly ever take the time to watch the sun rise at home, but I'm up and on the beach right away at DI." and thus our friendship began. At different times, he would post or private message me that he had gotten up and witnessed a beautiful sunrise. He even blamed me for missing sleep to get up and watch the sunrise.

Like I said before I started writing this blog just as a way to express myself and I received lots of encouragement from many people, Marina, DD, Yaya, Dale and Shannon. I felt like maybe it did mean something after July 30th, when I opened the DIBBS, I had this PM from Ron. (In response to my July 26th & 27th posts).

Hi!!

I read your blog for the first time a few minutes ago and big ole gruff me teared all up. Enjoyed it very much. There is much love and compassion in your writing and your work with youth. There has to be a special place in heaven for you. It also elevated my opinion of "mean old Bruce" too to do such a thoughtful thing. Thanks for sharing.

When I first moved to the Island the year before Ivan the blue house with the green shutters was my landmark to turn onto Sehoy and then to my little house on Bridgeview. I spent many days at the Gulf beach at the south end of Sehoy by that house. The sunsets that first winter seen from there are forever etched in my minds eye. Seeing it again in your pictures brought back a flood of memories from my first year there and made me realize that I need to be very careful not to take for granted the special and wonderful experience it is to live in such a place.

Now that the sun has moved farther south it doesn't come through my bedroom window and hit me in the eyes when it rises but I often still get up to watch sunrises because of your praises of them, and I thank you for that too.

ron

The day I received that PM, it put tears in my eyes. I immediately called Dale and read it to him. It was just so nice and meant so much. I also made Kimberly (here at work) read it, and we agreed that he was indeed a special guy. Although if you ever spend much time on the DIBBS you will quickly learn that it is full of very special people with BIG HEARTS!!!! After learning of Ron's death, I posted that PM on the board (I really didn't think he would mind). Reading his words, "made me realize that I need to be very careful not to take for granted the special and wonderful experience it is to live in such a place", really made me think today.

I take way too much for granted!!! While I was away this weekend with the girl's I realized that I take my son and husband for granted. They are both truly wonderful! They are my biggest blessings. I love you guys, and I don't tell you that enough.

I actually take for granted the freedom I have to write this blog, and write about the God of all creation. The One that creates the sunrises and sunsets that I enjoy so much. While I may not live on DI (yet), I do live in a beautiful place. One way or another tomorrow I will watch the sunrise in honor of Ron Jones. I'm reminded that I don't have to be on a mountain, at the lake, or the beach, the sun rises everyday. I'm sure it will be beautiful from the end of Maryland Avenue.

Ron overcame "painful shyness" (his words) to post a lot of things on the board. His wife, Linda, is battling cancer. Please remember her as well as their daughter, Allison in your prayers, they will need them.

I'll leave you with

Ecclesiastes 3 (The Message)

There's a Right Time for Everything

1 There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift.

14 I've also concluded that whatever God does, that's the way it's going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God's done it and that's it. That's so we'll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.
15 Whatever was, is.
Whatever will be, is.
That's how it always is with God.