An email and a card from Maureen got me thinking and sparked the idea for this post.
I’ve known a large number of people in my years. I’ve forgotten names of many of them, but I do remember their faces. I can go back as far as grade school and more so with high school. I remember every girlfriend I had before Joyce came into my life and changed my life forever. I still see her occasionally in a dream at night. All of what I learned in grade and high school have not done much for my education. My education began after graduation; it began on the day I raised my right hand and swore an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and officially enlisted in the United States Navy on September 4, 1963.
Suddenly I was away from family, friends and the girl I loved. In the next 24 hours I thought, what have I done? This was a big mistake. I was struggling in deep water and there was no relief in sight. I was not keeping up the pace with the others there and along came one fellow named Charlie Rose. He was also from Saint Louis, he took me under his wing and showed me how to keep up with the rest of the crew. Without his help I would never have made it through boot camp. Charlie was the first of the hundreds of sailors I met during my 11 years in the navy. My education had begun with Charlie and continued with all the other sailors I met and served with. In my navy time I only met 2 dregs of society and that was on my last cruise on the USS Enterprise. The rest of the crew were great men.
After the navy I attained civilian employment. First at Burroughs computer corporation in San Diego and later at Litton ACD in Springfield. My experience and knowledge broadened at both of those places. I met many more people while working at both places. Everywhere I went I made more friends and they were good friends. My life was enriched by them and I can only hope I made their lives a little better.
This time of the year one thinks about family and I have had an abundance of love for the Webers, the Pearsons, the McMahons, the Stoepplers, the Rohlmans, the Smiths, the Phillips, the Williams, the Gunters, the McSparrens and the DeBords. All of them enriched my life. Sadly, many of them have passed away. I pray every night for those family members who have died and my other friends who have passed away. The list keeps getting longer as the years go by. I am thankful for the love of those who have passed and for those who are still with me today.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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