I lay here, 95 years young, realizing that my life is coming to a close. The chapter that has been my greatest gift from our Lord is bounding towards an abrupt conclusion. With the end being so near, I am thankful that my mind has stayed clear and steady throughout the past weeks in hospice care. Some people, when near death, experience a vision in which their life flashes before their eyes. I would rather remember and evaluate the events that have occurred in my life, than have them flash by in an instant. The people we know and love, the past times we enjoy, and even the people that get on our nerves are part of life. I take this time, laying in this bed, to reflect upon my past and encompass the whole of my achievements in a short literary work.
I would first like to mention my gorgeous family. Who, in these times of trial, have displayed tremendous care and patience with this old man. My kids: Summer, Jessie, and Will have always been and will always be the crowning achievement of my life. My wife, Jennifer Anne Barrett, has proved to be an angel to me, a great mother to my 3 fine children, and the best cook from here to El Paso. I"d just like to point out, that her beef stew has always been my favorite. Every Friday for what seemed like an eternity, I took the family to a diner just outside our neighborhood. That scene, with all four of my most loved kin there with me, is my idea of heaven. I remember Will running up to me at the table with a handful of French fries saying "Want some daddy? They are real good with mustard." That memory always makes me smile. The year when Summer started junior high school, she was so frightened the first day; she refused to get off the bus. The school called me to come out and talk with her, but with her deep blue eyes, she even convinced me to go with her to her first class. I"ll never forget Jessie, loosing her first tooth and thinking that she had done something wrong.