Bill’s Way

Frank Sinatra is remembered for his song, ‘My Way’, the lyrics of which express his attitude to life. Without a doubt he exercised his willpower towards doing things the way he thought best. He admits that occasionally he took on more than he could chew, but he boasts of continuing through to the end, and he felt proud about it. In the last verse he likens himself to a boxer, a tough guy who would not give in when under attack; instead he worked through the rounds his way. If defeated, there was no one to blame except himself, and if victorious he could stand tall because he did it his way.

Here are the lyrics:

“And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final curtain.
My friends, I'll say it clear;
I'll state my case of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full -
I've travelled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets? I've had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course -
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew,
When I bit off more than I could chew,
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried,
I've had my fill - my share of losing.
But now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that,
And may I say, not in a shy way -
Oh no. Oh no, not me.
I did it my way.

For what is a man? What has he got?
If not himself - Then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.

Yes, it was my way.”

Well, I felt a bit like ‘Ol’Blue Eyes’ today, because I took on the job of cutting down a rotten tree that had roots lodged under the foundations of my garage. The only tool I had that could make any impression on the very hard Laburnham was a small chopper, but by exercising my will to achieve the end, I did it my way. I can’t say I could stand tall at the end, or be proud of my achievement. If I had done it the way my wife suggested, i.e., hire a chainsaw, I would have done it in a fraction of the time and I would have been able to stand up afterwards!