The Small Bang Theory
Spoiler alert! This blog post has absolutely nothing to do with either the scientific "Big Bang Theory" or the popular television sit-com of the same title. It has to do with life itself.
Like almost everyone else, while growing up, I had hopes, thoughts and dreams of experiencing an extremely enjoyable, very successful and noteworthy life. Now, at 70 years of age, I look back upon my life and evaluate what I have learned and how it all turned out.
I was born into and raised a relatively poor family. We never owned a home or car, never ate in a restaurant or went on a vacation. However, we always had a place to live, enough food to eat and clothes to wear. Since everyone else in the neighborhood was in the same financial shape, it didn't bother me. I had good and loving parents. That was enough.
I left home at 14 to attend a Roman Catholic seminary located 200 miles from home. I left four years later. It was 1965. The United States' involvement in Vietnam had evolved into a full-scale war. Seven boyhood friends and I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and we all served a 13-month combat tour in Vietnam. Upon being discharged, I got a job with the H.J. Heinz Company and retired 33 years later as the manager of the company's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania facility. In 1970 I married my late wife. We were together for 35 1/2 wonderful years and had 5 children. I now have 4 wonderful adult children and 4 fantastic grandchildren. I have visited 43 of the United States and 5 foreign countries. Life is good.
Looking back, I realize that my life did not consist of any extraordinary accomplishments, exciting adventures or outstanding achievements. It is made up of a thousand little things, few of which would be considered exceptional or extraordinary by any standard. So, when it comes time to exit this life, I will do so realizing that dying is no big thing. It is nothing compared to the wonderful little things that led up to the grand finale.
Like almost everyone else, while growing up, I had hopes, thoughts and dreams of experiencing an extremely enjoyable, very successful and noteworthy life. Now, at 70 years of age, I look back upon my life and evaluate what I have learned and how it all turned out.
I was born into and raised a relatively poor family. We never owned a home or car, never ate in a restaurant or went on a vacation. However, we always had a place to live, enough food to eat and clothes to wear. Since everyone else in the neighborhood was in the same financial shape, it didn't bother me. I had good and loving parents. That was enough.
I left home at 14 to attend a Roman Catholic seminary located 200 miles from home. I left four years later. It was 1965. The United States' involvement in Vietnam had evolved into a full-scale war. Seven boyhood friends and I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and we all served a 13-month combat tour in Vietnam. Upon being discharged, I got a job with the H.J. Heinz Company and retired 33 years later as the manager of the company's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania facility. In 1970 I married my late wife. We were together for 35 1/2 wonderful years and had 5 children. I now have 4 wonderful adult children and 4 fantastic grandchildren. I have visited 43 of the United States and 5 foreign countries. Life is good.
Looking back, I realize that my life did not consist of any extraordinary accomplishments, exciting adventures or outstanding achievements. It is made up of a thousand little things, few of which would be considered exceptional or extraordinary by any standard. So, when it comes time to exit this life, I will do so realizing that dying is no big thing. It is nothing compared to the wonderful little things that led up to the grand finale.
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Christine wrote: "You've had a wonderful life and should be proud of your successes and accomplishments. Just before my father's 50th birthday, he was told he had only 3 to 6 months to live. We celebrated his birt..."
Christine,
As always, your comments are a welcome addition to my blog posts and are very much appreciated.
As for the future, I plan to keep doing what I have been: enjoying my retirement, traveling and spending time with the children and grandchildren.
By the way, what is the status regarding the efforts to have your latest work published? I look forward to reading it and someday boasting to my acquaintances that I knew Christine Hayton before she became a best-selling author.
Jim Vuksic
So glad you are enjoying yourself. Thank you for the kind words. The book is coming along - just polishing the synopsis and query. It's been a slow go - the neuropathy in my hands has made typing difficult but I'm almost there. I greatly underestimated the editing time. Won't make that mistake again. I thought a month would do it LOL.
Just before my father's 50th birthday, he was told he had only 3 to 6 months to live. We celebrated his birthday and someone asked him what he decided to do since he was dying. He said he was making plans for his next 50 years - he didn't want one moment of this life going to waste. Despite the odds - he lived to be 67 yrs old and he never wasted a single moment.
My question: What do you plan to do with your next 70 years?