Hello, I am <strong>Terrence Tuthill. The Bend has and is a labor of love for me. ( Surfing Culture ) Yes, I always heard folks say things like, “One day I may write a book” but hearing this I figured that would not ever happen for me. Well, I was wrong. As a young boy growing up on the beaches of West LA, specifically Hermosa Beach surfing culture,</a> California in the 1950’s I had no clue as to what another family could be going through or dealing with just 20 miles from my home at the beach. Flatlanders in Watts or East LA were nobodies to me. Oh, how I was so wrong! Yes, these families and their kids were different, but not really. They had fears and hopes and dreams too and had to deal with dads and moms just as I did. This Blog will attempt to provide you as the reader or anyone who may be interested in these bygone years of freedom now passed, an insight into how these families dealt with their lot in life. Posts will be involved with news of those days which I hope provides insight and understanding for that world now over 60 years gone, my youth and the view through the eyes of a kid in those days, as well as a view of how our world has changed as I grew up, and for the better and not so much so. The theme is that skin color should not mean a damn thing and that hard work and honor and honesty will be the central themes written about here.
I hope you all enjoy my posts on this Blog for The Bend, and I hope it not only entertains but gets you to think as well and to realize for us all, The Bend is Not the End of the Road….
Heroes-Labor Day today. Conjures up a number of things in my mind. who have done their duty as Fathers raising a family is what is on my mind on this day. Yes, heroes abound all around us. Police on duty each day protecting you and me, firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect our homes and property, and from time to time our pets, who have managed to get trapped in a hole in the ground or up a tree. Nurses and Doctors who show disdain for their own safety often, as they tend to the sick. Yes, many heroes are out there.
But today I want to focus on those who have chosen to stay with their spouse through thick and thin. Now, things happen in this life that impact how a couple handles the things Life tosses at them. Living each day in this life as we do our level best is not for the faint of heart.
Some marriages make it, and some do not. Things just don’t work out between two people for a number of reasons. A sad statistic is that half of all marriages end in divorce. But those who stay the course and raise their kids with pride and a sense of duty, now are real heroes for me this Labor Day. Even if divorced, maintaining the focus that your kids do need you, and you who choose to stay close to be a part of their lives are ones to honor as well. Divorce or separation may come into a person’s life, but those who understand the importance of family remain close. They get it.
We see too often celebrities and so-called stars being raised by their moms and no word of where Dad may be. They have children without the commitment of being married. Some get married later, and many do not. They are celebrated and admired by many. But no real commitment. No wonder the kids are confused, and too often grow up without the moral anchor or compass they need to be successful and happy adults. This happens all too often in many families, regardless of skin color. I am no sociologist nor do I have a silver bullet answer on how to fix this problem. But, in The Bend, the story is told of how Jesse, Hector, and Pete somehow keep it all together, and as time goes by each honor their family and its heritage. Not easy to do, but they do it.
So yes, hard labor for many, but labor worth the effort.
So, on this Labor Day, as we honor those in our labor force, let us honor those Fathers and Mothers too who stay true to their vows and oaths taken and remain close to their family, regardless.