Unhappy person compares life to a shirt button, because it so often hangs by a thread. Or There is no fence that does not allow wind through. Or We comb our hair every morning( I know some might ? This) why not our hearts. The above are old Chinese proverbs: Where were all of these enlighten gems, while I was growing up? Why did I not listen, while older ones, sitting around the table, after a meal swapping stories about work, canning, neighbors? The aged owls just chewing the fat of life, sharing the little snippets, that got then through. The generation that belongs to our parents had the benefit (some might question these benefits) of their parents who were coming out of the Great Depression, WW II and the Dust Bowl. Our grandparents worked extra hard to tuck away money, went more often to doctors, (whose progression of new Mircle Drugs were getting stronger) and sending their children to great buildings of knowledge. I cannot change the past, of my neglect to listen, but my boys might not. When Ellen was pregnant with Nicholas, a question was placed before me, 'what steps are you going to take to improve the lot of your children?' I remember my answer was 'that I will not complicate their lives for it well be so easy.' What was I thinking? I was given only twenty years to share what I had. I cannot believe that my two sons are already in the mid-twenties. How did it get away from me so quickly? Being plagued with a disease, has forced me to slowed down. So what am I going to do with this time? Am I going to loiter, procrastinate, become slothful? It I am so grateful for this opportunity. I want to appreciate this time. I also have learned, I have more then just twenty years to raise my sons. I hope with this life lesson it will be passed on to the boys, just as it was passed down to me. It has been passed, automatically to us, by DNA, stout genes and by our solid ancestrial blood line. A privilege to all. Until another time HeWal