This one I've never understood, EVER!
Prologue: I was a very odd kid, late into my 20s.
I was probably all of 7, my best friend, John Mendoza and I hiked a few miles out into the countryside (yeah, we were actually allowed to do that, all alone) many of you remember these days.
Anyway, I climbed an old Eucalyptus tree, up about 25', I fell. I do remember clipping a limb and started to spin, though that was the last thing I remember.
The next thing I remember is Johnnie shaking me to get my attention, he said don't move, I'll get help.
I stopped him and said what's wrong? He said you're hurt badly. I am...where?
He said I just fell from the 'third limb' (kind of a goal for us kids to reach, kind of the furthermost point we could climb because beyond that was a huge limb 12' up).
Anyway, I said I feel fine, looked myself over and not even the tiniest scratch, though I don't remember dying, I know something more powerful than life itself had intervened on my behalf, this was truly my first experience where I acknowledged, for lack of a better description, God.
But after this event I kept my connection with "God". See, I was a bit of an odd kid, I would hike out in the country by myself, (years later with my first dog), beautiful farmland and sit and watch the animals as they'd come right up to me, hawks, rabbits, birds of all kinds, even an occasional coyote, and yes, I'd pet them. I highly doubt I was the only one who experienced this, but, I was innocent and naive as Hell.
They, nor I had any fear, it was a very strange connection, something I wish I had never lost, but we all grow up and discover girls.
I can finally tell these stories because my time is running out, I'm dying.
I was just diagnosed with leukemia, and no, they have no idea how much time I have left.
A year? Or as much as 3 or more?
As a kid of 7 years, I had told God I only wanted to live to 76, and yes, I meant it, because my life was to be about quality, not quantity. Yes, even then I had a pretty good idea what was in store for me as a hyper red head, I attacked everyday as if I owned the world.
Grab it by the tail and hang on, because what you plan, matters not, Life has other ideas, I'm certain the older folk know what I'm talking about. Oh, and I'm good with it, I've lived the equivalent of 5 lifetimes, according to those I grew up with.
