The Chips of Life 2004

As I look back upon the year 2004 I can’t help to be impressed with the importance and value of family. Whether everything is going well or the chips toppling over there seems to be one constant, family. Gratefully my personal life has been a restacking of chips this past year. This has not always been so for me.

I don’t have a large family, but I do have one that is always there. As the year progressed I come to realize, that in this world that may not be so forever… in the physical sense. There have been a couple of times where I felt what it could be like to lose a family member. When this did happen I did not revert to some old ways of dealing with these types of feelings, which has been a destructive pattern for me. I just piled on another chip and glued it to my soul.

Whenever or whatever happens in my life there can also be another constant. Life’s experiences can be used in a productive manner. When the chips are down, family rally’s around to gather up those chips for good use. I am grateful that instead of throwing them back that I piled them into my heart and became the person I have become. At this time of the holidays this is the greatest gift that I could ever give. A good friend that I almost lost this year told me that, and I listened.

Spiritually I had been removed for many years. Although I am not a religious practitioner, I do carry a profound sense of serenity that I relentlessly nurture.

The gift of life bestowed upon me by my parents, the gift that keeps on giving. These two remarkable people have passed on their life’s experiences and their wisdom to those they love. As the world spins longer this just becomes more valuable with each spin.

The gift of friendship and love that my children, and their mother Lauren have held for me over the years has been a lesson in unyielding faith that all can be right in the world.
When Lauren became ill this past year I came to recognize just how important this vibrant soul was to the order in life. Now those of us who know Lauren may have me “checked in” on the order thing, but it really is true. No really. This is a person who gives and gives and then gives again. Not unlike both her parents and mine.

My brothers, one of whom has been very ill are a continuous reminder of the role that as men we must play. They have always been good friends and good brothers. There have been times when we may not have had contact for a while. When that time ends they are right there as they always are. My brothers are all gifted with various talents and different styles of life. They are all very special and they are all part of the chips that I glue to my character daily.

My brother Randy, who has been ill, is an exceptional person. I will never forget the time he got my golf clubs cleaned up, a new bag, shoes and gloves just because he wanted to. Randy is the type of soul who knows what life is all about. Family, integrity and love. His wonderful and adoring wife Gina and their girls are a testament to the values they grew up with and what people can endure through times of hardship.

I have very few but excellent friends, besides family, one who is my neighbor that have been a constant reminder of what role I will play to those around me. This is a role taught by the many lessons in life that I am lucky enough to have been through. Although I have had many self-induced hardships, this has only given me strength to carry on in life in a manner, which is acceptable to me and most around me.


All these people have made the year of 2004 a year that will be remembered as one of growth, honesty and love.

I want to thank all that have been a part of it.

You have all been instrumental in gluing those chips to my core.

Something must be going right because my dog Nikki really loves me…