Now in my fifties, which I view as both a blessing and a curse, I can look back upon my life and the years that have flown by too soon. It seems like only yesterday that I was playing with my friends in Springfield, riding horses at Bit & Spur Saddle Club, singing to the radio with my feet on the dash headed to the North Jetty's, and driving my first car, holding my Son for the first time, so many cherished memories.Yet here I am, and all those years, and cherished memories, friends and family are so far away it almost feels like a different lifetime. Today as I look back upon my life I must admit that I have truly been blessed.
Born in the South and brought up in steep Southern Traditions, I was taught at an early age the value of friendship and family. However, sadly like many of you have experienced I am sure, life moves forward, the demands upon you are increased, you become transplanted to another City another State, and some how some way the things and people that we cherished the most in our lives seem to slip away along with the years.
As I reminisce I remember a song that was recorded by John Prine called "Souvenirs", my favorite verse of the song is "I hate graveyards and old pawn shops for they always bring me tears, I can't forgive the way they robbed me of my childhood souvenirs". The verse holds so much truth for me for I have lost so much to pawn shops and graveyards through the years. Yet I have been so blessed and I cherish each and every memory.
Enter the age of the Intranet Highway and I find that I am thankful for Facebook for it has brought me back in touch with so many of my friends from my childhood, JR High School and SR High School. It is wonderful to sit and spend the day or evening conversing for hours over the Intranet with friends that I have not seen or spoken to in over 30 or 40 years, and yes these are my friends my cherished friends through my lifetime. To reconnect to the people that was once such a part of my life growing up, to learn about their life today and their families, as they learn about mine. To connect to family members that for one reason or another had been left behind but never forgotten. Yes, I am blessed with friends and family that loves me and accepts me with open arms just as they did so many years ago.
To my cherished loved ones I extend my sincere gratitude and my apologies. If I was ever cruel in my childhood ignorance, if I left you behind in my haste to become an adult, if as an adult I have not simply taken the time to just sit and spend time with you for all these things I am truly sorry. It was never my intention to be cruel, to hurt or harm you in any way, for each of you have made an impact upon my life. You are all apart of my life, you are etched permanently within my memories and kept within my heart and I love each of you.
It is good to be back home, even if I only get there through the Intranet Highway.
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