I’m grateful for my wife who is steadfast by my side and starts her next journey around the sun today. My life would be smaller without her.

I’m grateful for my son who teaches me patience and understanding, though I am sometimes a slow learner. While there may be tough times between us, he also brings me great joy and makes me proud.

I am grateful for my extended family, including my mother, my brother and his wife, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and my nieces and nephew, as well as those who have gone before us. Family makes the world smaller and brings comfort even when things aren’t always perfect.

I am grateful for my health and my sobriety, it wasn’t long ago that my time on this earth appeared short because I wasn’t taking care of myself. Today, I can honestly say that I expect to live a longer life than I did five years ago. Each day is a gift.