As life goes by quickly I find myself asking the question, “If I could, would I do it different”?
Looking at my life back when I was a little toddler and looking at the present, I wonder. When I was a little guy growing up in Miami life seemed so simple, and was a lot of fun. As you can see by the pictures life was cool when I was young. The little girl was my first love, her name was Maria, don’t remember the dogs name. (I don’t think he was important) Washing my dad’s 1952 Chevrolet was my job as you can see. Standing by my big brothers 1948 Mercury Club Coupe was just plain cool. That car had a spot light and white walls on it. It also had real loud mufflers and 27 coats of black lacquer.
High School Graduation present. (1st car)
Looking at my life back when I was a little toddler and looking at the present, I wonder. When I was a little guy growing up in Miami life seemed so simple, and was a lot of fun. As you can see by the pictures life was cool when I was young. The little girl was my first love, her name was Maria, don’t remember the dogs name. (I don’t think he was important) Washing my dad’s 1952 Chevrolet was my job as you can see. Standing by my big brothers 1948 Mercury Club Coupe was just plain cool. That car had a spot light and white walls on it. It also had real loud mufflers and 27 coats of black lacquer.
High School Graduation present. (1st car)
My Dad!
Then at age 15 my life was shaken by a move to Bradenton. When I arrived here I felt like I had to prove my manhood all over again. In Miami I grew up with the same kids and went to school for 9 years with the same. We all knew each other; we knew the short comings and strength’s of everyone. This picture was the last one taken of me while living in Miami. The next week I was entering Manatee HS to enroll in what I thought was a “Poe dunk school”. After all I was attending the great Miami Edison (Red Raider) High School. It did not take long for me to realize that Manatee HS was great. (especially after I met Shreve Huggins ,ha)
My first day at Manatee HS was the start of a new person, one who thought different and acted different. At 135 lbs wearing my brothers peg pants I was ready for anything and anybody, especially girls. It did not take me long to make all the bad decision in life that could possibly be made. The worst one was my bad attitude about school. I hated it and I did not apply myself what so ever. My dad who was a Graduate of Columbia University was so disappointed in me. I realize now how important a college education is and could have changed my life for the better.
I did see that both of my daughters attended and graduated from college. But now my example may be bad for my two grandsons, and would just hurt me to no end. I want to talked to each one at some time in my life and tell them how important education is. I am afraid that might look at me and say, why didn’t you go then?
I was so lucky to have met my wife Pat at the time of my life that I did. It was a critical time and timed just right by God. Talk about a real Blessing, man was she ever one! I still cannot figure out why she married me, I know why I married her! My brother once said to me, “you use to be a lot of fun before you got married”! Fun…..well if that kind of life was fun I am glad that I am not having fun anymore, Ha Ha. As you can see Pat and I had a motor cycle and we enjoyed riding it whenever we could.
Well I hope you enjoyed my blabbering….Have a Blessed Day. God will Bless you in ways that you will never know. Are we not Lucky to have him in our life?
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3
