KEEPING IT IN PERSPECTIVE
Idon't know what it is with kids these days. When I was a kid, my mother used to beat us over the head to write our thank-you notes for gifts we'd received. She'd inevitably give us some lecture about nice boys doing things such-and-such a way. And since we were nothing if not nice boys, we would most certainly be writing thankyou notes. And what's more, the woman didn't actually trust us to write the things. Nope, she wasn't taking us at our word. She required that she be allowed to read them prior to our sealing the envelope.

So given that upbringing, as emotionally scarring as it was, you can imagine my feelings when some kid - and yes, he's a kid, basically half my age, so therefore a kid - didn't reply to a string of letters I sent him. I even went so far as to send a care package. Weekly letters and a care package, and nothing in reply. Not even an acknowledgement that he'd gotten it. No email, no phone call. Nada.

And you might think I'd be a little perturbed by the fact that he hasn't taken the time to jot a few lines down on a piece of paper and send it to me. But you'd be wrong, actually. You see, I'm willing to cut this kid a little slack. After all, he's got bigger problems than worrying about upsetting my fragile emotional state. He's got bigger worries than writing me a thank-you note.

He's over in Iraq.

Truth be told, I've never even met the guy I'm writing letters to, but more on that in a minute. The long and the short of the deal is that his wish list includes things like sand scarves to keep the sand out of his mouth. He really isn't interested in the fact that I've got issues with people who ride their bikes as if they've got a death wish. And I can assure you that he doesn't care that the fishing, of late, hasn't been all that good around Nantucket.

I know, I know. It's kind of a nonfishing segue. But bear with me.

Friends and neighbors, with Memorial Day upon us, it seems like a good time for me to take a minute out of what has turned into a pretty hectic early-summer schedule of writing to remind everyone about what really is important. I know I'm probably not the poster child for acceptance, and I guess I've been known to get on a soap box every so often to complain about some grievance. But today, I'm putting all that aside. Because there are truly people out there with bigger issues on their plates than whether or not some knucklehead doesn't understand the finer points of operating a motor vehicle.

And what's more, the latest fishing reports aren't filled with stories of fish jumping into boats unsolicited. I even heard a couple of guys uttering what sounded eerily like whines when asked about their latest forays into the harbor. It's been windy. It's been cold. It's been raining. It sucks in general. But there's always somebody out there that's got it just a little worse, no matter how much I might like to complain about my current situation. I know that the fishing is going to pick up soon. There will probably be bluefish being caught by the time this column makes it to the press, in fact. So it's all going to get better. You've just got to be a little bit patient.

And while you're waiting for the fish to show up, you might consider joining a little group called Soldiers' Angels. It's the brainchild of a mother with two sons stationed in Iraq. These folks take ordinary people like you and me and pair them with soldiers who are deployed overseas who don't have people to write them. When you volunteer, you're assigned a specific soldier as your "adoptee." You commit to writing your soldier one letter a week - or more, if you're so inclined - and at least one care package a month. The postage is the same as a regular letter, and for care packages, you can choose to send pre-made ones from the Soldiers' Angels headquarters or send one of your own making. It's a great way to show your support for kids - and again, most of them are kids - who are risking their lives daily. No matter your feelings about the war, you have to remember that these folks are not exactly in a place they're excited about being, and a letter that takes you twenty minutes to write might just be the boost they need to get them through a rough day. And as of the day I wrote this, 834 of these kids are waiting for somebody to take the time to write. It's really not that hard, especially when you think about their day. For more information, go to www.soldiersangels. com.

So to all the veterans out there, past, present and future, thanks for all you do.

And with any luck, the fishing will get a lot better pretty soon. But if not, I've decided it's not that big a deal. I can wait it out, I think.

Tight lines. I