Hats !!

At work today I happened to glance at myself in the mirror. Not something I do often, but enough to know I dont have stray hairs or perhaps things on my face that shouldn't otherwise be there. I saw the usual... the graying around the edges, the laugh lines around the haunted eyes, and the baseball hat. I wear a baseball hat to work daily. It not only keeps my very short and cropped hair out of my eyes, but it keeps the welders sparks from making me look like Michael Jackson after a gone-wrong Pepsi commercial. It made me think...hats...we all wear them. In one form or another. Not always baseball hats either.

In my lifetime I have worn baseball hats, cowboy hats, winter hats, and many many others. I have worn the hats of responsibility too. You know, the hats that say "manager" or "supervisor". I have worn other hats as well..Father,caregiver, friend, lover, partner (in crime or otherwise), handyman, advisor, amateur psychologist, artist, and of course...author.

I have worn many personal hats. As mentioned above, I at one time wore the hat labeled "father". I dont wear that hat anymore. I have worn hats labeled son, uncle and brother. The brother one came much later in my life. Not until my brother got married did we really, truly connect. At no fault of his.

In my personal or employed life I have worn hats labeled busboy (Po' Folks), dishwasher, stocker, cook, bartender, and many as flashy as "senior assistant manager" or perhaps "store manager" or my all time favorite "glorified babysitter". Recently I was wearing the hat labeled security...just another babysitter position..but one where you can beat the children when they get out of line. I have worn a lot of hats for sure.

Many of you wear hats daily. Some of you wear the hat labeled husband or wife. Some of you wear the hat labeled scholar (congrats Dr. Ramirez...job well done). Others perhaps wear the hat marked musician, or athlete. Some of you wear a hat that says "owner". And there are a few of us that even have a hat that says grandparent.

I will never be accused of wearing a hat that says politician or even religious fanatic...there are enough people in this world already wearing those hats. I dont know that I will ever wear the hat labeled husband either..that one scares the hell right out of me. But whatever hat I do choose to wear, I always try to wear it right. Even if at times it appears slightly crooked, it is still on my head for a reason.

So, as I end another blog, I tip my hat (the author one) to you all. Thank you so much for reading, and for all your wonderful comments. I am currently wearing the hat of romantic...it is after all almost Mother's Day. It doesnt hurt that she is the light in my dark world. I wish you all well, and remind you to take your hats off once in awhile...its good for you!