Over winter break I met a well-site geologist and have started working with him, shadowing him and trying to learn the trade. A couple of weeks ago I had a very enlightening experience. I was sitting a well up by St. Peter and had seen all three towers of that rig several days in a row. I had met all the hands, the tool pusher and a few other people that were involved with that well. I met a gentleman and he asked me if my father was John Lawler. I told him it was and he had nothing good to say about my dad. I remember hearing a few stories about some of my dad's oilfield days but when Larry spoke it made me very proud to be his son. He told me how my dad always wanted his hands to not get stagnant on a drilling rig, to aim higher and achieve more. Larry told me he had even ran a few floor hands off just due to the simple fact that he was not going to let them just be a floorhand, he was going to push them to succeed, and if they choose not to he was going to run them off, hoping they would get the point to try harder, try to attain more out of life. I thought for a second and realized this was how he fathered too. It was hard to understand at first, but after hearing someone else explain the way he was at work, it gave me some clarity I guess. It was kinda like a light switch went off in my head.

I had met several people on that well that have had some connection to my family. The tool pusher had worked a couple years with my Great Uncle Ross and another gentleman had met my Grandfather a couple of times.

There is one thing I learned about the oil-patch. It's a small, small world. You never know who you may run into and where. It was enjoyable to hear stories of the older guys that had been in working in the oil-patch for 20 - 30 years. The fun times they had, the interesting things that happened and just to sit and learn from those guys.

I can remember my father telling me to stay out of the oil field, it'll make an old man out of a young boy, he'd tell me. I think he would approve of me doing it this way though. I think he'd be happy I'm trying to finish my degree so I can work with my mind and not my back.

Life's lessons....

With this thing they call 'growing', whether that be up or just personal growth there has been one thing I have learned. With each person I come in contact with, I have the desire to learn something from them. To see, understand, comprehend how they are. Whether that be there life experiences, morals, ethics, perspective, technical skill, academia, or whatever, it is different in some portion from my own. We each have our own identity in this world and each one has its own quirks that make it worth seeing. Whether it be a child teaching an adult, an adult teaching a child or whatever the case may be.

Two weeks ago the Geoscience Club helped with the Boy Scouts Klondike Derby in Osborne. There are times in my life that the meaning of why I was directed into a situation comes completely clear instantly. Other times the meaning may take a bit longer to appear and then there are times that the meaning doesn't appear for some time. No matter when the meaning appears, it's always worth the lesson. There are times I wish I didn't have to experience a situation to learn the lesson, but I'm sure that's because I can be bullheaded and don't want to see some things at times.

The very instant the festivities started at the Klondike Derby started I realized why I was there. I was not there to lead, I was there to follow. Our objective was to lead the troops around to their different stations with GPS units. What happened was those boys showed me something that needed to be re cemented into my mind. Those boys taught me that I needed to be giving more...

I had a blast that day. I was simply amazed at how well those young men worked together. Now granted, they ranged from 9 to 13 and they were pulling a hand-built sled through 2-3 inches of mud. They varied in size, structurally speaking, but not in heart. Even the littlest one in the group had heart.

It was not the most ideal weather for the event. For starters there was all the mud, the weather was cold and windy, and they had less people in their group than any other troop. But those young men overcame the adverse conditions and simple amazed me. They were well prepared! Logistically, mentally, and they knew their skills forwards and backwards!!

In a nutshell, what they taught me that day is how simple life really is. They were very polite and respectful. They taught me that when we think we are going to teach some one something, in all reality we end up learning from them.

My point being that when we go into a situation thinking that we are dominant in any means to the other, we are actually the lessor of the two. When we presumptively go in with that dominant mindset we are going to loose sight of what can really be learned. We as humans can learn so much. We can learn from our surroundings in so many ways. From the ecology to the people that surround us.

So my piece of advice is never let your mind close. Never forget that we can all teach those that are willing to learn, yet never let yourself not be willing to learn from others. We all have so much to offer one another, let us share our wisdom and be willing to accept the wisdom of others. Age does not mean you are always smarter than those younger than you. Age in fact, hinders our ability to open our minds to relearning the important lessons in life. We get caught up in thoughts that can be very petty in nature. Keep your thoughts simple, your heart as pure as possible and your mind clear.

May peace fill all of your hearts, and clarity fill your mind......

Hope you're all smiling when the Sun shines.

FOR MY MOTHER

TO DWELL IN THE PAST IS TO DWELL IN DESPAIR
TO DWELL IN THE FUTURE IS TO DWELL IN OBSESSION
TO DWELL IN THE PRESENT IS TO DWELL IN THE GIFT OF LIFE

CM

Mom, after your comment on my last post it got me thinking....you were right. I needed to step out of the box and dig a little deeper than I had been. Thank you!! You always have been my #1 fan!!

So here it is....


I was on my way to class this morning and a refreshing thought passed through my mind. The Sun rising every morning means it's a new day. With that new day comes a new breath, new opportunities, new thoughts, new hopes and new visions. It's refreshing to know we get a chance to make the most of our lives with every new day. So let's make the most the most of our days, thoughts, hopes and visions.

I also have a thought to be pondered.

If you had to live without one of your senses (smell, touch, hearing, taste, or vision):

1. Which one could you not live without and why?
2. Which one would you want to give up and why?

I hope with the new rising Sun we all take/make the opportunity to expose the humanitairian that is ingrained in all of us. Take the time to give back to one another, whether it be your child, your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors, or even a complete stranger. We never know how much it can mean to another human to shed some light on their day, to show them that we care and that together we can make this a better world, together!!

Have a wonderful day and may the light of the rising Sun touch you and warm your heart!!
God Bless...