I'm writing this for my grandkids and for anybody else who's interested in a story about how a member of the first class of baby-boomers is doing with life as a senior citizen. I've been looking over my shoulder at my past and have tried to share what I've learned. I'm a firm believer that we can learn from each other.
I've written approximately 20,000 words of notes and now is the time for me to start stringing them together in one place and leave them for my grandchildren. I have only one, but I assume I'll have more. And I hope to validate others who have had experiences similar to mine. I hope that I can shed some light and hope.
Why should you be interested in my story and what I've learned and which I'll start sharing in this blog soon?
Are you the child of a parent who has been derelict in his or her duties? Are you a single-mom left with kids who are suffering because of an errant father? Are you a retired baby-boomer looking at all the time that has passed and how litte is left? Are you the sibling of somebody who is suffering horribly from a broken relationship?
During the past sixty-years I've let my primary identity be determined by my father who abandoned me and my mom in 1948. He simply vanished. There was no word from him period. Then I found him when I was in my twenties. He completely disowned me. I was left with a ton of anger and no place to put it.
I had a single-mom who raised me and she was a saint who loved me unconditionally. I saw her struggles from close-up.
I grew-up and became a newspaper reporter working a both large and small newspapers. I had a chance to witness and write about life from a daily perspective.
Then I graduated to being a legislative staffer where I served many years as the conduit between state government and the State Capitol Press Corps and I then went on to work for individual lawmakers. Next was retirement.
During thise time I got married a couple of times. I've been married to my current wife for more than 30 years and have two great children.
It's bucket-list making time where I carefully look at what I want to do and discard the things that are not important.
I have found some answers and it's time to share.
As I weave the pieces together into a coherent whole,I will share on this blog.
I hope that dads who are struggling with their position and their identity are reading and I hope they respond.
It has taken me a while to get back to "remembering who I am.
Just a note: The picture was taken over Thanksgiving weekend of my son Justin and me. I will talk more about the picture later.
