Lucky In Life

This is a post I put up on May 2nd, 2015 called Friends. It really has a lot more meaning to me now that I have gone through such turmoil with the passing of my wife. Back then, when I wrote this post, I wasn't using Social Media to advance my readership until a Literary Agent told me I needed to get a larger following before anyone would consider publishing one of my books. Since I have been on the different medias, I have reconnected to some of my good old friends from my young adult days. Thank you for helping me through this.

*****

I've been thinking about this 

Post

for a very long time.

In this lifetime,

if you can count one person as a true friend throughout your life,

you are a lucky human being.

I have been extremely fortunate because I have had so many,
who stood by me,
through thick
or thin.

Let me clarify something first.

Family
are not included in this category.

If you have been fortunate enough to be born in a loving family,

are taught chivalry while growing up,

married the right person,

and you bring your children up to be good human beings,

you have had a very special life already.

For most,

having one,

two,

or three out of four,

is all we can expect.

And the person who believe in the saying,

"Those who die with the most toys wins!",

is a fool.

True Happiness
is not how much money you make
or how many worldly possessions you can collect.

True Happiness
comes from being around the people you love
and the people who love you.

So,

with someone like me,

who is lucky enough to have all four of the virtues I mentioned above,

I feel very blessed indeed.

I known people for sixty years who are still good friends.

In 2012 I lost one of those friends due to his untimely death.

  One person,

who was my friend through the worst part of my
drug-addiction-alcoholic life,

I eventually pushed his friendship away.

I guess I have burned a few bridges a long the way,

as they say.

I miss my good friend
Jeff Keyes
dearly.

He was my sole supporter through some dark days after I became disable.

He was also disabled,

but never once did he ever say to me,

"Why me?"

He never complained once about what happened to him.

I love you man.

I miss the close friendship I had with
Bob Hanson.

The person who convinced me to move to
California
in the first place.

Need I say more.

I will.

If I hadn't moved to
California
I would never have had the seven wonderful children I have today.

Thanks Bob.

And I miss the special bond I once had with
Scott Strichko.

I barely have the chance to talk to him these days.

Maybe once
or twice a year if I am lucky.

He doesn't know this,

but if he hadn't shown me that if you are going to drink
and smoke pot,
letting your life fall apart is unacceptable.

I function in life,

throughout my life,

because I had to for my family.

And when smoking
and drinking got in the way,
I was strong enough to quit both so I could raise my family properly.

Scott taught me that by his actions,
  by not letting those things interfere with his life.

Thanks Buddy.

You three have been an inspiration to me
and I am a better person today for having known you all.

Thank you

Jeff, Bob, and Scott.

I haven't even mentioned my special bond I have with

Todd, Dave,

and everyone I have reconnected with.

There are too many to mention here today

and if I leave someone out,

I might hurt their feelings.

 

This is,
Thankful For Being So Lucky In Life,
James Hauenstein,

And,

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
- Elbert Hubbard -

 

 That is my story and I am sticking to it!

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Thanks for reading.

Be Kind To Everyone.

I'll Be Seeing You!