Once Upon a Time in My Life

As a child, I wanted to be like my Dad and be a letter carrier or like my Uncle Art and be a fireman.

In my teens I wanted to be a singer / songwriter. And beyond that, I wanted to be a rock star.

In my early 20s, I wanted to be a published author and write that great novel that would make me rich and famous.

As life passed me by, life got in the way and those dreams, along with many others, just seemed to pass me by as well.

Now in my 60s, my hopes and dreams have changed dramatically.

Gone are the dreams of that child and young man and they have been replaced with more realistic and attainable goals.

Other goals are not always in my power and I have to rely on my heath and other factors to reach them.

Goals like living as many more years as I can, with my beautiful and wonderful wife of 18 years.

Like seeing my 4 grandchildren graduate high school and if fate be willing, maybe even see them get married.

Like working, as long as I can, so that the life style I have attained and love, will still be within my reach.

Like being happy and being a source of happiness for those who surround me.

I don't have a lot of friends and I don't need them anymore.

I have two beautiful daughters and two wonderful son-in-laws. And of course my two granddaughters and two grandsons.

I have come to realize that family is everything and they bring me the joy I need.

I will never be that rock star or see my name on the New York Times best sellers list.

My poems will not be read years from now and remembered as classics.

If I have a legacy, I have no idea what it is.

My life was nothing special.

But I did have moments and there are stories, which I have related and which have been related to me, over the years.

They will not make you gasp, or go, "wow", but maybe they will bring a smile to your face.

That is why I want to share them with you.

They are in no chronological order.

They are simply written, as I remember them.

They are snapshots of my life.

So I present ...

once upon a time in my life