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April 14, 2021
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
We never really escape having to do the things that are required which keep us away from what we would rather be doing. Responsibility is a burden we carry throughout life and most country folks are taught the importance of it early on. Young, old and in between, we all have to endure things that are deemed priorities. I guess you could compare it to eating your vegetables so you will get to enjoy a dessert.
As a kid living so close to the river I was blessed with adventures that city kids could only dream about. The education I received on the subject of nature could never be taught in a classroom. Swimming, tubing, rafting, fishing and how to smoke grape vines were all firsthand learning experiences.
School and church attendance along with my mothers endless list of chores were a never ending obstacle to my need for freedom. Our home was just a short couple of blocks from St. Stanislaus Catholic Church next to St. Joseph's Catholic School which we attended. Because of the close proximity brother Eddie and I were altar boys who did more time in service than anyone else other than maybe the Martinez brothers, Angel and Joey, who lived within spittin' distance of the church. The Good Lord must have given me some extra credits for all that time because he has been giving me plenty of blessings here in my later years in spite of my many failings.
Choosing to live in my hometown as I entered the crazy world of earning a living for my family was one of the better choices I made in my life. The one hour drive to San Antonio was wakeup time and the drive home was a chance to unwind. Due to low fuel prices at the time I could fill up my car for around four bucks.
Can you think of a better way to refresh yourself after a long hot day at work than taking a dive into the cool waters of the Medina River? Even some skinny dippin' was possible back in the day but due to the population explosion in the area I wouldn't advise it today. If you must get naked during your pursuit of water sports this summer I would suggest doing it at home with your spouse while running around throwing ice water.
Evidently the Growing Up In Bandera has gotten easier for the youngsters of today. I've never seen so many landscape companies operating around town mowing and trimming. How do kids earn their allowance if they aren't doing chores at home? Selling magazines and seeds door to door have gone the way of the shoeshine days too.
#277 2021
The Bandera Prophet
We never really escape having to do the things that are required which keep us away from what we would rather be doing. Responsibility is a burden we carry throughout life and most country folks are taught the importance of it early on. Young, old and in between, we all have to endure things that are deemed priorities. I guess you could compare it to eating your vegetables so you will get to enjoy a dessert.
As a kid living so close to the river I was blessed with adventures that city kids could only dream about. The education I received on the subject of nature could never be taught in a classroom. Swimming, tubing, rafting, fishing and how to smoke grape vines were all firsthand learning experiences.
School and church attendance along with my mothers endless list of chores were a never ending obstacle to my need for freedom. Our home was just a short couple of blocks from St. Stanislaus Catholic Church next to St. Joseph's Catholic School which we attended. Because of the close proximity brother Eddie and I were altar boys who did more time in service than anyone else other than maybe the Martinez brothers, Angel and Joey, who lived within spittin' distance of the church. The Good Lord must have given me some extra credits for all that time because he has been giving me plenty of blessings here in my later years in spite of my many failings.
Choosing to live in my hometown as I entered the crazy world of earning a living for my family was one of the better choices I made in my life. The one hour drive to San Antonio was wakeup time and the drive home was a chance to unwind. Due to low fuel prices at the time I could fill up my car for around four bucks.
Can you think of a better way to refresh yourself after a long hot day at work than taking a dive into the cool waters of the Medina River? Even some skinny dippin' was possible back in the day but due to the population explosion in the area I wouldn't advise it today. If you must get naked during your pursuit of water sports this summer I would suggest doing it at home with your spouse while running around throwing ice water.
Evidently the Growing Up In Bandera has gotten easier for the youngsters of today. I've never seen so many landscape companies operating around town mowing and trimming. How do kids earn their allowance if they aren't doing chores at home? Selling magazines and seeds door to door have gone the way of the shoeshine days too.
#277 2021