Saturday, February 23, 2019
Reflections on Another Trip Around the Sun
I turned 56 on February 11th. I'm still sure how I feel about it. I am trying to remain positive with such thoughts as, well, it's better than the alternative, or, that I am older now than my older brother, Marvin, was when he passed away. I know, that's kind of morbid. When he died 15 years ago, I wasn't only sad that he died (of course) but a little shocked that I had outlived him. From the age of around 17 until I was around 40, I didn't really take care of myself. Self-destructive habits. I smoked around 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day, drank to excess. Drugs were too expensive or otherwise unattainable, so I had that going for me.
After my brother was diagnosed with cancer, I endeavored to make a turnaround. I quit smoking, for starters, although I wasn't really able to do that until my first wife decided to call it quits. Suddenly, all the stress in my life seemed to disappear. I have been cigarette free, with only one relapse only about a month into quitting, for fifteen years. Now I can't tolerate even being around second hand smoke.
This isn't an anti-smoking rant.
It's not a rant at all. It's just a reflection, something that needed to get out.
I am not the same person I was 15 years ago. I'm not sure I would even recognize him. He was bitter, cynical, self-loathing, and as I said, self-destructive. Life was spiraling out of control. It was around that time I moved back to Madison from Milwaukee. I moved here because I definitely needed a change in scenery. Part of the reason of moving here was to help an old friend out of a difficult housemate situation. What she may not realize was that is was her that helped me by being a catalyst for change.
It was a good decision albeit a rocky start. I was still trying to get my head on straight and my finances in order (which was difficult). June of 2004 was the beginning of a new life, as dramatic as that sounds. And then in November, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, everything changed dramatically.
I met the love of my life, Valerie. Fourteen years later, we are still together, barely spending a day apart. I say to her all the time I would be lost without her. I'm pretty sure that's not hyperbole.
(as they say, to be continued...)
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