Uncle Wisdom: How My Late Uncle Taught Me to Live (and Eventually Be Alone)

-

In a world where self-help books are thicker than a triple-stacked burger and social media influencers preach the gospel of hustle 24/7, my late Uncle Terry—who passed away on March 22, 2024—remains the unsung philosopher of our times. 

While some people seek enlightenment from gurus and expensive retreats, Uncle Terry imparted his life lessons with the subtle grace of a knock-knock joke at Thanksgiving dinner.

First and foremost, Uncle Terry always said, “How can someone miss you if you don’t go away?” 

A puzzling line that, after countless rounds of debate at family gatherings, I’ve come to interpret as a call for the occasional retreat. 

“It’s like when you’re trying to win hide-and-seek—you gotta vanish for a bit so people actually notice your absence,” he’d chuckle, with that twinkle in his eye that suggested he knew more than he let on.

He also had a knack for debunking the modern obsession with wealth. “Not everything is about money,” he’d say, as he nibbled on a hot dog at the casino. 


In his eyes, life's true riches were measured not in dollars, but in the laughter you shared and the memories you made—even if those memories eventually fade faster than your smartphone battery.

And when it came to living in the moment, Uncle Terry was a one-man pep rally: “Enjoy it now because you can’t take it with you.” 

Wise words for a man who believed that every sunrise was a free sample of life’s buffet.

Perhaps his most profound—and somewhat unsettling—insight was his declaration that “we live as we dream… alone.” 

According to Uncle Terry, loneliness wasn’t something to fear, but a natural state of being. 

“In the end,” he’d say, “you’re eventually, inevitably alone. So, why not make the best of it?” 

This wasn’t a call to isolate oneself, but rather a reminder to cherish the fleeting moments of connection while accepting the existential truth that our final chapter might be a solo one.

 

Finally, he dropped the mic with his final lesson: “If you believe your purpose in life is to serve yourself… then you have no purpose in life.” 

A sentiment that resonates even more in today’s self-centered digital era, where the hustle for personal gain often leaves community and compassion by the wayside.

Uncle Terry’s words, delivered with a mix of humor, sincerity, and a dash of irreverence, continue to guide me through life’s ups and downs. 

In a society that often equates success with material wealth and constant connectivity, his timeless advice offers a refreshing reminder to take a step back, laugh a little, and remember that sometimes, the best way to be noticed is to disappear for a while!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uncle Terry is mentioned in the below article as well for his history with IHOP

IHOP & Applebee's Unite: The Ultimate Culinary Mashup Under One Roof 

 

 “No paywall. No puppets. Just local truth. Chip in $3 today” at https://buymeacoffee.com/doublejeopardynews

“Enjoy this content without corporate censorship? Help keep it that way.”

“Ad-Free. Algorithm-Free. 100% Independent. Support now.”

#UncleWisdom

#LiveLaughAlone
#GoAwayToBeMissed
#NotEverythingIsMoney
#EnjoyTheMoment
#SoloPhilosophy
#LifeLessons
#TerrySays
#ExistentialHumor
#AloneButHappy
#UnfilteredAdvice
#RetroSelfHelp
#WisdomOfTheAges
#EpicUncleQuotes
#PurposefulLiving

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Please Help Find These Forgotten Girls Held at Male Juvenile Prison for Over a Year!

-
Image
  MY MOST IMPORTANT STORY  Dozens of Forgotten Little Girls Held at Male Juvenile Prison for Over a Year! Welcome to the Sunshine State, where the palm trees sway, the alligators lurk, and the legislative process makes Kafka look like a life coach!  Florida House Bill HB21. Not just a compensation bill but possibly a 20 million dollar "Stay out of Jail Free" card for some folks. This is a bill that does some good—but also trips over its own shoelaces, falls down a staircase, and lands on a historical oversight so big, it might as well have its own zip code! An oversight that overlooks what I consider to be its most vulnerable victims! The Setup: Justice with a Catch HB21 was enacted on July 1, 2024 to compensate victims of abuse from two male juvenile detention facilities located in Florida, Dozier and Okeechobee.  It says, “Hey, survivors of abuse between 1940 and 1975, here’s some compensation for the horrific things you endured!” Sounds good, right? Like a le...
Read more

Here's A New HOA Rule Dictating What You Can Do Inside Your Home

-
Image
HOA Overreach: When Your Own Home Isn’t Really Your Own The joys of homeownership—the American dream!  That magical place where you can paint the walls any color you like, blast your music (within reason), and enjoy the simple pleasure of—wait, never mind..... Turns out, your HOA might have something to say about what you do inside your own four walls. Case in point: A longtime homeowner, who has peacefully lived in his residence for 25 years, was blindsided when his HOA suddenly banned smoking inside individual homes.  That’s right—after a quarter-century of no issues, he was informed that lighting up indoors was no longer an option.  The new rule, passed at the HOA’s annual meeting by a majority vote, now restricts smoking to a designated outdoor area. Now, while some might see this as a health-conscious decision, the homeowner—whose wife is a smoker—sees it as an unfair overreach.  In a letter to a local publication, he expressed frustration, writing, “I’ve live...
Read more

Postal Police Stuck Behind ‘Keep Out’ Signs While Mailmen Face Muggers: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up!!

-
Image
As crime against letter carriers surges, one would think that America’s armed, uniformed Postal Police might be hitting the streets to protect our mail.  Instead, they’re still glued to their post office entrances like sentries guarding Fort Frownmore.  Why?  Because since 2020, the Postmaster General decreed they must “protect postal property” only—meaning, they currently serve as glorified lobby bouncers rather than actual roaming guardians of the mailstream. “ They’re robbing letter carriers, they’re sticking a gun in a letter carrier’s face and they’re demanding arrow keys, ” laments Frank Albergo , president of the National Postal Police Union and a Postal Police Officer himself.  An "arrow key" in the context of the Post Office is a specialized, universal key that postal workers use to access various locked mail receptacles, including collection boxes, apartment mailboxes, and cluster boxes. Albergo isn’t exaggerating—research shows over 100 physical assaul...
Read more