50

Well the day has finally arrived. I have said goodbye to many decades of my life but this one is different. I have lived half a century on this earth. I have seen good and bad. I have seen some of the greatest life changing inventions ever created. I have seen history made. Some were great moments in history and some have rocked our country to its very core.
    Now is the time in life where you reflect back on your life. Some moments of my life bring a smile to my face while others make me sad. Choices that I made some good some not so great also come to mind. How could my life turned out differently with a few different choices. A little more thought could have saved me some heartache along the way. Patience is what I lack and looking back, with a little patience my choices might have been different. My life looking back is a winding road that led me to where I am today. The good choices made far outweigh the bad I will say.
    Then I look back at all of the people who have had an impact on my life. The influences that have stayed with me all my life. First and foremost God and my Lord Jesus Christ. There is always that small little voice inside me to tell me what I should do in life if I choose to listen. There is my mom whose voice I can still hear every day and I try to live a life that will not disrespect her memory.  My grandparents, though I only had them for a short time in my life left a tremendous impact. My older brother who showed me what a great man looks like and gave me a measuring stick. There were pastors to lean on along the way who always had an open ear and heart. They did not judge but offered Godly council. There was my best friend Gary Flood who showed me time and again what a real friend is. There is my dad who by all accounts is the first super hero I ever knew. He was tough as nails but knew how to be a father. He taught me about real love and how to give. There were cousins whom I shared my childhood with and now we share our adulthood good and bad. There were aunts and uncles who taught me life lessons and what it meant to work. Billy Burks I thank you for teaching me about hard work. That has stayed with me my whole life and I love you for it.
   I have faced loss and came out on the other side. I have learned how to move on and learn a new normal without those loved ones. I have seen one marriage dissolve into misery and learn to start over with my best friend. 
   In my short 50 years I have seen a lot and good Lord willing I will get to see more. I know that life is a continuous battle and all the lessons learned will be used to face future challenges. I also know the next 50 will pose different challenges. God Bless
Kenney Big Skinny Pope