220109 Sentinel, Influence

There are a lot of people who have influenced my life.
These below are just a few of them. They are in no specific order and there are more than what I am writing about today. They are just one’s that came to mind this morning.
Joyce, she of course was the one that had the most influence on me. She is most responsible for the way I am today. She taught me love, kindness and how to save money for the rainy day which is now. Without Joyce, we would have been destitute when we retired. She was the practical, pragmatic and the brain that guided our lives together.

My grandfather taught me how to drive, how to be a good man, how to be in love with a woman no matter how bad things beyond our control could get. He gave me a love for reading.

My father taught me to love family and at the same time, how not to live my life the way he did. Unfortunately I became him in many ways from the time when I was 18 and left home and for the next 58 years and I am still fighting it today. When I am down in spirit, he comes creeping back into my life. It’s a daily battle between dad on one shoulder and grandpa on the other.

Jesus and the Buddha taught me the correct way to live my life as a good man. Do I always follow their teachings? Sadly I do not, but I am still a work in progress.

Kevin DeBord has been my friend for 43 years now. He has been my mentor all of that time and he still is. I am thankful we met and continue to be friends. We have had some great times together along with Kathleen (his wife) and Joyce and a few times that neither Kathleen nor Joyce approved of, but we and the guys in the old days working at Burroughs had more than a few adventures while plied with alcohol. Nothing illegal, just things good ole boys will do.

Me and mom in the sixties.

Grandma Mickey in 2021

Mom and grandma Mickey had a major influence in my life. Mom always encouraged me to do my best and told me how smart I was, at least in her mind. Grandma Mickey and I were polar opposites in our thinking from 1964 until 2001, but in that year she came to live with us and I discovered how wonderful she was. I loved her so much. She passed away on December 6, 2006, leaving a void in my life to this day. When I dwell on her or Joyce for very long, I still have to dry back the tears, as I am doing right now as I finish this post.