Forty-Four Years

In the grand scheme of things that does not seem like a long time. Somehow I like the sound of that number. It rolls off the tongue in a pleasant and natural way. Of course it is an easy number to factor .... of course into prime numbers. Eleven and two (twice).

On days like this I often ponder where I am in life and compare where others who are close to me were at when they were forty-four. Most of the time naturally I compare to the men in my family since I am usually wondering how I am doing as on this man/dad trip.

When Granddad (my dad's dad) was forty-four years old Dad graduated from high school and had gone to Kilgore to try a year of Junior College football on scholarship. I gather that did not last too long due to homesickness as the story was told to me. Back in the mid 50's Kilgore was a long way from home. Granddad owned and ran an Humble gas station and had two kids left at home with the youngest being about twelve and not going to be grown until about the time I showed up on the scene in the early 60's.

Dad turned forty-four in the early 80's and I turned twenty that same year and was in college at ASU. Dad worked at GTE as a computer programmer and I worked that year in a cabinet shop and went to UK/Europe on a summer trip with a group from my former high school. Sadly within the month after my 20th BD Granddad died at seventy years old. In a few more years I would finish ASU with an applied physics degree. Talk about a surprise even to myself.

So where am I at now at forty-four in comparison. Well I started my family a good bit later so my girls will not be ready for college until 8 and 15 years from now. I find it hard to imagine life at forty-four where my girls were grown and off to school. I just shake my head. When I was twenty I never imagined that my Dad would get sick and pass on before I ever reached the age of forty-four. I do miss him sorely.

The Lord has blessed me with a great wife who is so wonderful with our girls. The girls are so precious in my eyes that I could not have asked for more. I really appreciate the gifts I have been given. The fact that my mom and sister are still here for me and that I can be here for them. That my kids get to see and be with three of the four of their grandparents. I value seeing and being with Gwen's parents often. I love my extended family and miss them often.

So things are good and "alright" at forty-four. Who could ask for anything more.