Welcome
I am starting this page to tell my story and give myself a space to let out the thoughts that fill my mind. I hope that by sharing honestly, I can not only heal and reflect, but also help someone else who may be going through something similar.
Why
Life can be heavy, confusing, and full of moments that feel hard to carry alone. Writing has not been a constant in my life, but it has been a source of comfort and clarity. This space is meant to be a safe place for honesty, growth, and hope.
What
I will share my experiences, my reflections, and the things I am learning along the way. Some posts may be personal, some may be hopeful, and some may simply be thoughts I needed to put into words. If you find something here that resonates with you, I hope it brings you comfort or a sense of connection. I've learned that I'm not alone in my struggles and you aren't either.
How
For now, each post will be placed here on this page. Once I have too many posts for one page, I will create a way to orginize them so they are easier to navigate.
Post 1: In the Beginning, Father
Dated: 7/9/2026
I want to start this journey by sharing that I have had a wonderful life compared to many others. That does not mean it was an easy life. I have had my share of struggles and challenges, but I have also had many blessings and moments of joy.
My parents did the best they could. I start with that statement because I believe it to be true. I've learned in life, that parents are flawed and human, just like everyone else. They deserve our understanding and compassion.
Gene was my father. He was older than most fathers and twenty years older than my mother. Life was lived his way. We, as a family, worked out of our cars. Six days a week, we would drive to another city, over an hour away, to pickup products to sale. When I was very young, we sold everything from bed sheets, cigarettes, drinks, toys for christmas, and whatever else he thought we could sell.
It was not the life we wanted. The work was not hard, but it was long, embarrassing, and isolating. The four members of our family were all we had. We worked all summer and everyday after school. Eventually, we split up into two different cars. One kid would go with mom and one with dad. I think my sister hated that I would get to go with mom more than dad.
I say they did their best, because we never went hungry or without what we needed. We went without our wants, things were always used, and money was a daily concern. Business was cash or "credit". The credit was a stack of index card "tickets" my father would use to track who owed him.
He was known as the "Donut Man" to anyone who knew him. I got my drive to work hard from him. Unfortunately, that drive ended when I stepped into my home. I learned to work when at work and not at home. This later hurt me when I became a father myself. More on that later.
One thing that was always there was the radio. Dad listened to talk radio, christian programming, and random 8 tracks. Mom loved county music. Two song recommendations from back in the day that sum up my feelings from those days.
Take This Job and Shove It by Johnny Paycheck | On the Road Again by Willie Nelson