Happiness in My Book

Memories of the desert south west in the setting sun.
Memories of climbing the Grand Canyon.
Memories of the Sandia Mountains.
Memories of trampling down my own trails in the Appalachian Hills and swinging off of a rope swing into the Susquehanna River.
Memories of BB Gun fights.
Memories of the wonderful people I knew in the Church of my youth.
Memories of camping with my Dad.
Memories of partying, joking and fighting with my cousins.
Memories of my garage band.
Memories of my artwork.
Memories of my kids in their formative years, Football, T-Ball, Soccer, Wrestling, Basketball, Baseball.
Memories of my adopted sister singing John Denver songs, and listening to her as she played her instruments, serenading me to sleep during those hot Mississippi nights.
Memories of all my brothers, one half brother I have never known but I think of all the time, one that is my blood "crazy out of control and always, always good for a laugh," and three step brothers that are all musical and beautiful.
Memories of my youth and all my first times, the first kiss, the first home run (on the diamond and the other) and all the other firsts many of us share.
Memories of when my sons were born, and the feelings of, "I'm not ready for this," "I'll die for them," and "They'll have what I did not."
Memories of a hard working Mom and what she tried to do for us kids.
Memories of my Dad's second wife and the structure she provided.
Memories of my Dad's third wife, her tough exterior and her soft heart.

The Present

My wife and I at the intimate times.
Coming home to my Ohio country home in the early morning light.
Looking at the stars and hearing the obvious lack of noise in the middle of the night, right out side of my back door.
Being here to witness all my sons firsts.
Pride in my half sisters accomplishments and beauty.
My desire to fight for the voiceless, the down trodden, the picked on, and the working man.
The acceptance of others beliefs, and conversely standing up for what I believe in.
My love of music.
Watching deer from my hunting spot.
Acting and feeling like a free riding' rebel while cruising on my bike (even though I know I'm not).
Money in the bank.
Owning my house, quads, cars, truck, motorcycle.
Pride in my father, even with all his faults, I still learn from him to this day, the lessons he meant to teach and those he didn't, stay with me always.
Forgiveness and release, oh how valuable these things are.
Pride in a strong work ethic.
My dear wife, all her faults, and her unconditional acceptance of mine, I am her rock and she is mine.
Trying to raise my boys to be men in a messed up world.
Seeing more shades of Grey.
Coming to grips with getting older but not ready to give up the fight just yet.

The Future

My dreams of what my children could become.
Looking forward to travel and time with my wife.
Looking forward to spoiling the crap out of the grand Kids.
Hoping my boys have two just like them.
Looking forward to growing old with my wife and hoping I go first.
Knowing my sons will carry on my name and remember me when I'm dead and gone.
The belief that the best is yet to come, whether it is, is debatable but it still drives me.
Hope that I made some kind of deference for the better in this crazy, beautiful, messed up world.
The hope of an afterlife.

Here is to what makes you happy and brings you some inner peace.