Counting My Blessings

I'm aging and lucky to be living. I decided to write some of the reasons I have enjoyed my life. I was born healthy to caring, loving parents who taught me good morals and to be fair and free of prejudices. I was given free schooling through high school, Hospital Corps School, in the United States Navy and at Orange County General Hospital School of Nursing.

In the schools I was given the opportunity to participate in the competitive sports including football, basketball, track, and springboard diving. As a boy I was taught to fish in lakes and in the ocean by my father. My father taught me to work. I learned how to use gardening tools, how to sweep his floors, how to repair electrical appliances, sewing machines, and washing machines. He taught me to drive his car and to fight with my fists to protect myself when necessary. My mother taught me to sing and dance at home, and she sent me to tap dancing school when I was nine. She encouraged me, and I learned to play the trumpet and to understand a little about the piano.

In high school, college, and in later years I was allowed to sing, dance, and to act in plays. I learned to perform in Barbershop Quartets and won several trophies and performed in many auditoriums all over California and in Los Vegas. I learned to train and ride horses in competition and won some trophies. I learned to train my own dogs. I learned to write interesting stories, music, and lyrics to songs. I learned to paint good portraits and paintings of animals and seascapes. I enjoyed many adventures as a skin diver. I learned to feel comfortable in waves close to where they were crashing against rocks and piers, and to feel safe using an aqua lung at depths of a hundred feet. I enjoyed hunting sea life for food and learned to make my own spears. I learned to drive a speed boat and to water ski on a single ski.

I developed close friendships and enjoy friendships with very interesting people. I married Barbara when we were in our twenties and we have had the most successful marriage anyone could hope for. We still love each other after almost forty years. We raised four wonderful children who have given us fourteen beautiful, intelligent grandchildren. I am thankful that my kids became professionals. Julie is a superior college math teacher who is planning to publish a math book. Barry is an organ transplant surgeon. Dan is a physical therapist with a masters degree in business, and Jennifer is a dental surgeon with a successful practice. I was able to help each of my children reach their goals and all of them treat me with respect. None of my children have been in jail and they are not addicted to any drugs. Each has married an educated mate with similar ideals and beliefs.

Besides being the love of my life and my best friend, Barbara is well educated as a nurse. She is the driving force that makes our Home Health Agency one of the finest in America. Huge corporations have attempted to buy us out because of our good reputation in serving the people of San Diego County. At least fifty people depend on our agency for a pay check. We also own and operate the Twin Peaks Retirement Homes. These homes provide jobs for good people who care for elderly clients. The clients are fed good meals in lovely clean homes where all of their personal needs are provided for. The homes are not crowded and are located on acreage located in San Diego County on a hill with beautiful views.

I have had the excitement of facing dangers in life. I lived after the car I was riding in as a passenger crashed into a concrete bridge causing me to be thrown out onto the pavement as the car bounced away rolling over twice. Several times my tank ran out of air while I was diving more that sixty feet under water and I allowed it to happen because I was having raptures of the deep. Deep diving sometimes causes one to think foolishly. I surfaced too fast causing symptoms of the bends like headache and vomiting. I have been so thirsty walking on the desert without water that I had delusions and passed out several times. I have been chased out of the water while skin diving by sea lions and once by three killer whales. I remember having a heart attack and welcoming the surgeon's knife as he saved my life with emergency open heart surgery after I had a cardiac arrest.

My life has been filled with blessings and it makes me feel better when I recall some of them. I have had so many blessings that I cannot remember most of them.