Most of us do not realize, as we move through life, that each step we take can influence our lives in an extraordinary way, positively or negatively, until after we have taken the steps. Then it is often too late to alter course and we must live with the consequences of our actions. I didn't realize how the multitude of changes I experienced in my life affected my life until I was well into my 50's and I started to look back. Only then did I realize how events and decisions that were made since I was a little boy made me the person I am today. They gave me the strength to survive disappointment and the ability to achieve success. I see the beauty in all living things and all people. I can face any problem, think positively, and hopefully solve it. If I can't, I'm willing to put a bandage on the wound and move on. This resiliency that I think I have is probably a result of having lived through some difficult times in my life but also having experienced some very positive moments and events as well. But mostly, it is due to the positive and loving nature of my wife of 50 years. She has shown me the way of love - how to express it and how to keep it strong. I would be no one without her. I wrote the following summary of my life for a couple of reasons. First, having to recall it brought some tears to my eyes but, mostly, it made me happy that it led me to the life and family I have now. Second, I wanted to let people young and old know that negative experiences should never be allowed to darken their lives. Just turn the page, like I did, and move on. Do something positive, again and again, and it will bury the negativity forever. Walk with me through the rapid changes and unexpected challenges I have faced since I was a very young boy. See what I did right, what I did wrong and how I fought through the adversity. About the Author My youth was spent opening door after door and not knowing what was behind each door until it was opened. I was not prepared for the challenges that were laid out before me but, looking back, I feel confident that the results were usually positive and inspiring. One brief interaction became the greatest event in my life and the most powerful force in my life. And for this I am eternally grateful. It was a miracle that took more than twenty years to come to fruition and has lasted for more than fifty years.