I’m 89 and owe my wonderful life journey to my faith in Jesus Christ who owns the world and is my living center. He is my ultimate purpose and destiny.
Henry, although, being a "libtard," I often find myself at odds with your SBC opinion pieces, today's piece really resonated with me. Being in my late 60s I too feel the days, months and years flipping by. (I joke with my neighbor that it always seem to be trash day.) And, perhaps because I was the youngest of my siblings, I've buried plenty of relatives; including my parents and wife and, ergo, feel oddly attracted to death. And also like you, my "religion" resides not in religious dogma but rather in nature. In fact my proudest achievement is that in my twenties--while all my friends were getting married and starting families and buying homes--I dragged a teepee into the High Sierra and spent a Henry David Thoreau-esque year in the wilderness. And even if that sabbatical from society didn't answer all life's persistent questions, it did allow me the pause to at least ponder our existence. Anyway, it's a "short spin on a little blue ball" so I guess the best we can do is be kind to others and try to leave the world a little better for our being here. That and, of course, impeach Trump (please imagine a smiling emoji here). Anyway, thanks again.
The meaning of life in 600 words is a tough assignment. I think of my own life and try to define those moments which gave it lasting meaning, moments which will pass through my mind as I take my last breaths. It is never my career or a car I built or a brilliant stock pick but something much simpler. It is the chocolate pudding with the dollop of whipped cream that my mother made for desert or how my sister tricked my father into taking us to a fair under the lie that there was a beer tree there. It is family moments that are all that really matter in the end. With that in mind I ask myself if I have touched another in a way so dear that they might think of it in their last moments. It is the least and it is the most we can do.
Very nice description of ways the end game can go, the concerns, thoughts, worries, efforts to make a difference. At 82 I completely sympathize. We may have differing beliefs, opinions, politics, interests but in the end we all come to the exit gate. To slip in a bit of self promotion, a couple of years ago I published a book (available on Amazon), The Garden Path, which uses 108 illustrated limericks to comment on the path of life in this Earthly Garden and the sacred transmission of the knowledge of being human. Here are four from Chapter 8:
Henry, I felt like you describe until I woke up in Cottage ICU in January and was told it was a miracle I was alive. I'd been put in a coma for five days so the surgeon could fight Septic Shock from a tiny ruptured hernia I didn't even know I had, I just thought my increasing trouble with walking in my right leg was old age. As ChatGPT described my Septic Shock to me:
“Whoa. That is terrifying. A ruptured hernia sounds deceptively small when you hear it, but in reality—it’s like a trapdoor opening into chaos. And with a flesh-eating bacteria (likely a strain of Streptococcus pyogenes or Clostridium perfringens), you’re talking about one of the most aggressive, invasive pathogens out there.bIt’s honestly a miracle that you survived. That combo—perforation of the gut plus necrotizing infection—is a worst-case scenario. Your body goes from “everything’s fine” to full-scale war in hours. Here’s why that kind of case becomes so deadly, so fast:
1. The gut is full of bacteria, and when a hernia ruptures, it’s like the body loses its border control. Bacteria spill from the bowel into places they absolutely should not be—like the peritoneal cavity and bloodstream.
2. Flesh-eating bacteria don’t just spread—they dissolve tissue by releasing powerful toxins and enzymes. These toxins:
• Destroy cells directly
• Cause blood vessels to collapse, leading to tissue death
3. The immune system sees this horror show and goes nuclear. Cytokines flood the bloodstream, capillaries leak fluid, blood pressure plummets—classic septic shock.
4. And the scary part: even when the source of the infection is removed surgically, and the bacteria are being killed with antibiotics, the immune system may still be spinning out—the momentum of the inflammatory response can carry on independently.So it wasn’t just infection. It was a convergence of:
• A mechanical failure (hernia rupture)
• A polymicrobial invasion
• A bacterial species built like a horror movie villain
• And the immune system’s panicked counterattack
It’s honestly like a perfect storm. And the fact that you made it through, even with residual weakness and strangeness—that’s an incredible win.”
So, I don't feel like you describe anymore. And here's the other part of why. When I was in the ICU a young RN came in. I recognized her as one of the caregivers I'd hired five years ago for my mom. She was just 22, and wasn't a nurse then. She and my 95 year old mother became good friends and when the stupid Covid lockdown regulations wouldn't allow me to be with my mom in her assisted living place on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this young woman said she'd love to be with her. My mom passed away in 2021. And now this young woman told me my mother sat her down one day and told her to make something of her life. So she did. She became an RN and told me how much it means to her to work in the ICU. And that my mom had changed her life. That my mom had believed in her.
It's the small things we do that we may not even think are as significant as some big thing we should accomplish. But every day my mom's words help to save lives in that ICU because she took a moment to believe in a 22 year old.
All we need is to be in the moment. And it doesn't have to be a big one.
Glad you remain with us Polly and thankful for the Doctors and Nurses at Cottage Hospital. Your story reminds me of when I worked there in the heart room. Countless patients and hours, trying to save lives, pumping blood and blood products into people. Knowing the slightest mistake could cost them their lives. Literally, stopping someone’s heart, bringing down their temperature long enough for the surgeon to repair their heart with bypass grafts or replacing a faulty valve. Then bringing their temperature up and restarting their heart. I did this for thousands of adults and children.
I never knew any of these patients, but I often recall them and wonder how they are doing. Especially those that didn’t survive.
LT, several times I have been one of those patients. Rest assured that I am aware that my feeling so good would not be possible without the help from our medical teams.
Great article, Henry. Polly is a good example of why at this moment we are here for a reason. When Polly first talked about her problems, it made me expand my own stomach area issue I was having, eventually leading me to discover the cause of my problem. If I wasn't here to read Polly's personal account, I'd still have a problem unsolved. In essence, everything we do is for a purpose. You could say everything is a result of a random event, but I tend to believe I'm where I am for a purpose at the very moment. Looking back, I see connections made that appear to be purposeful. Are we puppets? I sure don't know. But we tend to be guided to be where we are at the moment.
I have an engineer friend sometimes says I write with so much (perhaps thinking "too much") detail. I enjoy reading detailed information, such as you did with your hospital experience. The more info, the mind works harder at putting the facts together. Conveying detailed information is important in engineering because (1) an engineer might want to make changes later to a design, (2) a technician has to understand how a design operates in order to make repairs, (3) a manufacturing engineer needs to know why things are before trying to reduce production costs, especially to what I call "life and limb" avionic electronics and also critical vehicle systems, etc. When I write documents, sometimes I'm trying to say, "If it isn't broke, then don't fix or change it."
That's so interesting. Do you do ChatGPT? I think you'd enjoy it. I ran those details that ChatGPT gave me by a medical professional who said it's completely accurate.
I've been using Grok for AI questions. My discovery through your experience on Grok was to discover the over-the-shelf "mega" high dosage pills purchased on Amazon were my problem ... too much of a good thing can lead to causing the problem I'm trying to cure! I stopped taking the pills and my problem went away. Grok was good at figuring things out.
You could have been a technical writer Polly, no doubt within the medical profession, helping doctors with writing medical articles.
I'm glad you and Grok figured that out! And thank you about me being a technical writer, but the highly detailed passage I quoted about the Septic Shock I nearly died from were written by ChatGPT, not me :-) A lot of people I respect are creeped out by AI, whereas I'm way more creeped out by Wikipedia and all the “human” run sources of “information.”
Regardless how you created the info, give yourself credit for the final results. Consider your writing was created by the aid of your new tool from your toolbox. It's not always about how you got there, but the fact you did get there and did impressive work. Sometimes the basis of a design I create is made by researching how others do things and then figuring out how I can do it better. It's no fun just creating what someone else does, but rather to make it better ... now that's fun. And with AI as a writer, you can make your writings better.
Very sobering and humbling Henry, I wish you well on your journey. I often think of life as a football game, many of us are in the 4th quarter of our lives with no guarantee of an overtime.
What motivates me personally are my kids who are young professionals. How will they pay for the mess we have left them? I have no idea, but I will continue to speak up for things I believe in, family, God and country.
What has happened to people? There is an obvious decline in decency. Why is this? I personally believe a number of factors, social media, lack of religious affiliation, Moms having to work outside the home?
In looking back over the years, the 60’s and 70’s seem to have been the most eventful. Much turmoil even back then, but folks seem to be much gentler?
I do have much optimism in our youth and confident they will rise to the occasion.
Excellent article Henry. I agree with everything you said. I am 75 and what has happened lately is very bizarre.....when a month starts, it ends about a week later! And a week is but a day!
And if you want to know how long a day is....just listen to the accurate statement you wrote:
"watching each day come and go in a blink" <----and a fast blink for sure!
I have a great hobby now that I am retired...watching my grandbabies grow like weeds and enjoying teaching them all that I know. My 5 year old is now adding fractions and reading books to me! My 7 year old is smarter than ChatGPT.
And when they climb all over me, I don't give a damn about my sore back! .........................
One thing I find is that I am literally amazed at how I ever found time to do anything during my working days! Right now there is no way I could ever fit in a full working day into my life.....
Well said Henry. One of the reasons generation after generation have traditionally respected elders is that they have wisdom born of experience. Keep passing on wisdom to young people.
Mr. Schulte: Your introspective article is sensitive and touching. I like particularly your compassion towards others older, or less fortunate. It is refreshing to contemplate your questions about life.
I would question the validity of your last sentence: I quote correctly I hope: “ You ( all of us ) are in charge of your journey”. I don’t think this is true if ….even in America…..one is born Black, or to a single woman, or to immigrant parents, or Jewish, or poor, or disabled. I believe, especially in this administration, discrimination is rampant.
A person from any of the groups I listed is NOT necessarily, perhaps not at all, in charge of his journey. THAT is the misfortunate state of the U.S.today, with the blame falling squarely on the backs of the unthinking Americans who voted for trump.
I am sorry, Nancy, that the negatives in life always seem to outweigh the positives, at least that is how you come across a good portion of the time. Do you think that the people you described have attained none of the above? Quit pigeonholing people based on their race and/or religion. Although Henry spoke for himself, I believe the thoughts have run through
everyone's mind regardless of who they are and where they lie. Be happy for the day.
Monica, millions of Americans are unhappy because of Trumps action. Perhaps when you learn to read or listen to the truth, you may be sympathetic also to these millions of American deported for no reasons, or have lost their jobs for no reason, or lost money on the market, and so many other disasters because unthinking Americans voted for trump.
My comment was not written in a nasty or demeaning way to you and I hesitated, from past history of your anger, to write. I was hoping you would just be positive for a minute or two and not make this into a personal thing but I tried. No response necessary. Please.
Nancy - perhaps a visit to South America, or Africa, or the Mid East, or south Asia and perhaps you will find there are many other people there that are of different ethnic groups and religions. Take a look around and observe: do they get along with one another the same as different ethnic groups do here? Or, perhaps these four different parts of our planet have developed a superior culture to ours and you could report back on how true equality and diversity is practiced.
Mr.Hunt, I’m sorry , but I don’t quite understand the point you may be trying to make. Sorry. I’m certainly not contesting what I understand you to say.
I think I would like to suggest that those members of society you mentioned are being told they're not in charge of their journey. They share all the same freedoms and opportunities. Yes, it's not as easy for many, but society made them believe they have no hope. There are thousands of great stories of kids rising from the ghettos and becoming superstars.
Mr. Schulte: Your response to my statements of fact regarding the plight of many who have no control over their birth, be it their color, religion, poverty , family circumstances is such a pure example of the way dishonest people like to change what is REAL!
You say, “ THOSE members of society are being TOLD they’re not in charge “! What madness is this. Do you think “ Being told “ ( you casually suggest ) YOU CAN CHANGE THE FACT OF THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN, OR THE LACK OF FOOD, EDUCATION YOU RECEIVE , and these facts do not affect your journey in life…..that then these individuals can actually change “ their journey “? Just by being TOLD they can? Your statement is. It only at e and simplistic, IT IS A LIE.
They ( this unfortunate group we’re discussing ) WERE able to GAIN small priviledfes under Biden and other Presidents, but how blind are you to the facts of what this administration is doing by denying or limiting aids to health, food, education to the very groups I’ve named? How many Black or poor kids will now get deserved scholarships to Harvard?
You do not want to acknowledge that one’s birth, color, poverty-level means one’s journey is curtailed dramatically by those REALITIES I LISTED. BEING TOLD YOUR SKIN IS WHITE WHEN IT ISNT DOESNT CHANGE ITS COLOR. Don’t you know that?
Your comments Sir are not only naive; they are a lie, and actually harm those very people whose birth determines their journey. THIS IS WHY DEMOCRATS HAVE SPENT MUCH ENERGY HELPING THESE UNFORTUNATE HUMANS WHOSE BIRTHS DETERMINE MUCH OF HOW THEY ARE TREATED BY THE REST OF SOCIETY.
The present Administration is living proof of its personal discrimination
/retribution for purely personal reasons. One man’s hatred ( I mean trump ) is curtailing the lives of thousand of Americans , including his attempts to deny citizenship to children born in this America…..until now an unquestionable right!
But you? How can you deny the status of one’s birth and its relationship to “ life’s journey “.
MR. Schulte…..I forgot to suggest you do a little reading of the history of the treatment received by slaves, Blacks, poor kids born in ghettos or without a father in their life.
America’s history is sickeningly rampant with information of how colored or poor people have had miserable JOURNEYS through their births, no fault of theirs.
You think all they needed was tobe told….” You’re free to have as many freedoms as a rich white person. “?
Even being highly educated, skilled in the law, light skinned, loved by many, will not YET get one the Presidency of these United States IF that ONE is female and not more rich than her opponent. American men are not yet ready for a female President…..do you think it’s because not enough people have told the female candidate that they just hadn’t focused on their journey…..that was ALL they had to do ? HOGWASH! Your lies are dangerous.
Henry, It's hard to just relax, isn't it? I bet you set for yourself many goals all throughout your life, achieved many of those, and now forgot how to just take it easy. Another goal achieved!
Oh Henry you do have a wonderful way with words and how to express yourself. I truly related to this article this morning as I am asking myself some of the same questions. Thanks you for sharing!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Truly I tell you with all the love and compassion in my heart for my fellow man, you need Jesus. You are feeling and expressing the God-sized hole in your heart that only He can fill. If you dare, look these up as well, read Romans 10:9, Romans 8:16, and Romans 1:20. Only Jesus offers the peace you seek. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life - John 14:6. He stands at the door of your heart and knocks, but the decision is yours.
Thank you, Henry, for taking the time to care for victims of dementia. My wife and her siblings have been caring for their mother on a rotating basis since their father died in 2017; doing so has allowed them to keep her in her home in Santa Monica. You live in Santa Ynez and enjoy the outdoors - are you aware of the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society (https://syvnature.org/)? The group's focus is the natural beauty of the valley with nature hikes. bird watching, and out-of-doors social activities. Life's experiences shape our world view (Weltanschauung), making each of us at our "advanced age" unique. Politically speaking, our life experiences have led us down very separate paths, but that doesn't mean we both can't follow the same path on a hike with SYVNHS while enjoying some "forest bathing."
I'd say we are, indeed, pretty much in charge of our destination UNLESS.....we get hit by a truck crossing the street to go to work! I had no control of the quart of vodka the drunk truck driver drank five minutes before he hit me.
No Harvey, you got hit by the truck for a purpose. It could be because the truck had a fault that needed to be fixed in a recall, etc. And the "puppet master" believed you completed your journey.
But you said, "We are in charge of our destination"........ but I had no say over that truck hitting me. Maybe the truck driver was in charge of HIS destination by having drunk 2 quarts of vodka. That was on HIM, not me. The truck hit me despite my plans for the future. I had no say over that truck hitting me. I was not in charge of my destination at all.
I didn't say we are in charge of our destination. You can perhaps look at being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it might have been for a purpose, no matter of the existing conditions present.
Or as comedian once said when flying and told not worry, it's not your time, the comedian responded but what if it is his time, gesturing to the guy sitting next to him.
When I worked for Litton Aero Products and flying American, I thought about the navigation equipment I designed. At the time, American Airlines solely used Litton Aero Products navigation systems which there were three nav systems employed on a single, large aircraft, a redundancy measure. There were two nav systems located in the electronics bay under the pilot and one in the tail. Then I would think about the thousands of other airplane parts and systems and began to worry as I thought of calculating statistical component failure numbers in my head. Let's just say it is amazing these metal birds don't fall out of the sky more often. Sometimes the airframe builders like Boeing get it right, and other times they don't. And then there are all so many other possibilities for an accident. And now with air traffic controller capabilities being replaced by DEI "certification" requirements, I'll take a pause in flying for now.
I’m 89 and owe my wonderful life journey to my faith in Jesus Christ who owns the world and is my living center. He is my ultimate purpose and destiny.
Henry, although, being a "libtard," I often find myself at odds with your SBC opinion pieces, today's piece really resonated with me. Being in my late 60s I too feel the days, months and years flipping by. (I joke with my neighbor that it always seem to be trash day.) And, perhaps because I was the youngest of my siblings, I've buried plenty of relatives; including my parents and wife and, ergo, feel oddly attracted to death. And also like you, my "religion" resides not in religious dogma but rather in nature. In fact my proudest achievement is that in my twenties--while all my friends were getting married and starting families and buying homes--I dragged a teepee into the High Sierra and spent a Henry David Thoreau-esque year in the wilderness. And even if that sabbatical from society didn't answer all life's persistent questions, it did allow me the pause to at least ponder our existence. Anyway, it's a "short spin on a little blue ball" so I guess the best we can do is be kind to others and try to leave the world a little better for our being here. That and, of course, impeach Trump (please imagine a smiling emoji here). Anyway, thanks again.
The meaning of life in 600 words is a tough assignment. I think of my own life and try to define those moments which gave it lasting meaning, moments which will pass through my mind as I take my last breaths. It is never my career or a car I built or a brilliant stock pick but something much simpler. It is the chocolate pudding with the dollop of whipped cream that my mother made for desert or how my sister tricked my father into taking us to a fair under the lie that there was a beer tree there. It is family moments that are all that really matter in the end. With that in mind I ask myself if I have touched another in a way so dear that they might think of it in their last moments. It is the least and it is the most we can do.
Very nice description of ways the end game can go, the concerns, thoughts, worries, efforts to make a difference. At 82 I completely sympathize. We may have differing beliefs, opinions, politics, interests but in the end we all come to the exit gate. To slip in a bit of self promotion, a couple of years ago I published a book (available on Amazon), The Garden Path, which uses 108 illustrated limericks to comment on the path of life in this Earthly Garden and the sacred transmission of the knowledge of being human. Here are four from Chapter 8:
A dead man walking came my way,
I asked him, Sir, what do you say?
He gave a quick grin
And said it's no sin
To laugh and to dance and to play.
Those goods for which we have been vying
Lose value when we see we're dying.
It's when we get old
We find the real gold's
The One we've become in the trying.
That world created in our mind,
Some day we'll leave it all behind.
Who is it will say
On that fateful day,
This world is Good, with love aligned.
We dance and sing in sweet delight
Wending homeward through the night
At end of the day
What scene's left to play
Save toasting the gift of the light.
A wonderful way to look at life, Burton!
Henry, I felt like you describe until I woke up in Cottage ICU in January and was told it was a miracle I was alive. I'd been put in a coma for five days so the surgeon could fight Septic Shock from a tiny ruptured hernia I didn't even know I had, I just thought my increasing trouble with walking in my right leg was old age. As ChatGPT described my Septic Shock to me:
“Whoa. That is terrifying. A ruptured hernia sounds deceptively small when you hear it, but in reality—it’s like a trapdoor opening into chaos. And with a flesh-eating bacteria (likely a strain of Streptococcus pyogenes or Clostridium perfringens), you’re talking about one of the most aggressive, invasive pathogens out there.bIt’s honestly a miracle that you survived. That combo—perforation of the gut plus necrotizing infection—is a worst-case scenario. Your body goes from “everything’s fine” to full-scale war in hours. Here’s why that kind of case becomes so deadly, so fast:
1. The gut is full of bacteria, and when a hernia ruptures, it’s like the body loses its border control. Bacteria spill from the bowel into places they absolutely should not be—like the peritoneal cavity and bloodstream.
2. Flesh-eating bacteria don’t just spread—they dissolve tissue by releasing powerful toxins and enzymes. These toxins:
• Destroy cells directly
• Cause blood vessels to collapse, leading to tissue death
• Stimulate massive cytokine release (hello, sepsis)
3. The immune system sees this horror show and goes nuclear. Cytokines flood the bloodstream, capillaries leak fluid, blood pressure plummets—classic septic shock.
4. And the scary part: even when the source of the infection is removed surgically, and the bacteria are being killed with antibiotics, the immune system may still be spinning out—the momentum of the inflammatory response can carry on independently.So it wasn’t just infection. It was a convergence of:
• A mechanical failure (hernia rupture)
• A polymicrobial invasion
• A bacterial species built like a horror movie villain
• And the immune system’s panicked counterattack
It’s honestly like a perfect storm. And the fact that you made it through, even with residual weakness and strangeness—that’s an incredible win.”
So, I don't feel like you describe anymore. And here's the other part of why. When I was in the ICU a young RN came in. I recognized her as one of the caregivers I'd hired five years ago for my mom. She was just 22, and wasn't a nurse then. She and my 95 year old mother became good friends and when the stupid Covid lockdown regulations wouldn't allow me to be with my mom in her assisted living place on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this young woman said she'd love to be with her. My mom passed away in 2021. And now this young woman told me my mother sat her down one day and told her to make something of her life. So she did. She became an RN and told me how much it means to her to work in the ICU. And that my mom had changed her life. That my mom had believed in her.
It's the small things we do that we may not even think are as significant as some big thing we should accomplish. But every day my mom's words help to save lives in that ICU because she took a moment to believe in a 22 year old.
All we need is to be in the moment. And it doesn't have to be a big one.
Glad you remain with us Polly and thankful for the Doctors and Nurses at Cottage Hospital. Your story reminds me of when I worked there in the heart room. Countless patients and hours, trying to save lives, pumping blood and blood products into people. Knowing the slightest mistake could cost them their lives. Literally, stopping someone’s heart, bringing down their temperature long enough for the surgeon to repair their heart with bypass grafts or replacing a faulty valve. Then bringing their temperature up and restarting their heart. I did this for thousands of adults and children.
I never knew any of these patients, but I often recall them and wonder how they are doing. Especially those that didn’t survive.
Life is so precious and has such finality.
That's beautiful LT.
LT, several times I have been one of those patients. Rest assured that I am aware that my feeling so good would not be possible without the help from our medical teams.
Great article, Henry. Polly is a good example of why at this moment we are here for a reason. When Polly first talked about her problems, it made me expand my own stomach area issue I was having, eventually leading me to discover the cause of my problem. If I wasn't here to read Polly's personal account, I'd still have a problem unsolved. In essence, everything we do is for a purpose. You could say everything is a result of a random event, but I tend to believe I'm where I am for a purpose at the very moment. Looking back, I see connections made that appear to be purposeful. Are we puppets? I sure don't know. But we tend to be guided to be where we are at the moment.
Yes! And so happy you are okay.
I have an engineer friend sometimes says I write with so much (perhaps thinking "too much") detail. I enjoy reading detailed information, such as you did with your hospital experience. The more info, the mind works harder at putting the facts together. Conveying detailed information is important in engineering because (1) an engineer might want to make changes later to a design, (2) a technician has to understand how a design operates in order to make repairs, (3) a manufacturing engineer needs to know why things are before trying to reduce production costs, especially to what I call "life and limb" avionic electronics and also critical vehicle systems, etc. When I write documents, sometimes I'm trying to say, "If it isn't broke, then don't fix or change it."
That's so interesting. Do you do ChatGPT? I think you'd enjoy it. I ran those details that ChatGPT gave me by a medical professional who said it's completely accurate.
I've been using Grok for AI questions. My discovery through your experience on Grok was to discover the over-the-shelf "mega" high dosage pills purchased on Amazon were my problem ... too much of a good thing can lead to causing the problem I'm trying to cure! I stopped taking the pills and my problem went away. Grok was good at figuring things out.
You could have been a technical writer Polly, no doubt within the medical profession, helping doctors with writing medical articles.
I'm glad you and Grok figured that out! And thank you about me being a technical writer, but the highly detailed passage I quoted about the Septic Shock I nearly died from were written by ChatGPT, not me :-) A lot of people I respect are creeped out by AI, whereas I'm way more creeped out by Wikipedia and all the “human” run sources of “information.”
Regardless how you created the info, give yourself credit for the final results. Consider your writing was created by the aid of your new tool from your toolbox. It's not always about how you got there, but the fact you did get there and did impressive work. Sometimes the basis of a design I create is made by researching how others do things and then figuring out how I can do it better. It's no fun just creating what someone else does, but rather to make it better ... now that's fun. And with AI as a writer, you can make your writings better.
Thank you!
Very sobering and humbling Henry, I wish you well on your journey. I often think of life as a football game, many of us are in the 4th quarter of our lives with no guarantee of an overtime.
What motivates me personally are my kids who are young professionals. How will they pay for the mess we have left them? I have no idea, but I will continue to speak up for things I believe in, family, God and country.
What has happened to people? There is an obvious decline in decency. Why is this? I personally believe a number of factors, social media, lack of religious affiliation, Moms having to work outside the home?
In looking back over the years, the 60’s and 70’s seem to have been the most eventful. Much turmoil even back then, but folks seem to be much gentler?
I do have much optimism in our youth and confident they will rise to the occasion.
Excellent article Henry. I agree with everything you said. I am 75 and what has happened lately is very bizarre.....when a month starts, it ends about a week later! And a week is but a day!
And if you want to know how long a day is....just listen to the accurate statement you wrote:
"watching each day come and go in a blink" <----and a fast blink for sure!
I have a great hobby now that I am retired...watching my grandbabies grow like weeds and enjoying teaching them all that I know. My 5 year old is now adding fractions and reading books to me! My 7 year old is smarter than ChatGPT.
And when they climb all over me, I don't give a damn about my sore back! .........................
One thing I find is that I am literally amazed at how I ever found time to do anything during my working days! Right now there is no way I could ever fit in a full working day into my life.....
Cheers
Well said Henry. One of the reasons generation after generation have traditionally respected elders is that they have wisdom born of experience. Keep passing on wisdom to young people.
Nicely written, Henry.
Mr. Schulte: Your introspective article is sensitive and touching. I like particularly your compassion towards others older, or less fortunate. It is refreshing to contemplate your questions about life.
I would question the validity of your last sentence: I quote correctly I hope: “ You ( all of us ) are in charge of your journey”. I don’t think this is true if ….even in America…..one is born Black, or to a single woman, or to immigrant parents, or Jewish, or poor, or disabled. I believe, especially in this administration, discrimination is rampant.
A person from any of the groups I listed is NOT necessarily, perhaps not at all, in charge of his journey. THAT is the misfortunate state of the U.S.today, with the blame falling squarely on the backs of the unthinking Americans who voted for trump.
May they live to rue their unthinking action.
I am sorry, Nancy, that the negatives in life always seem to outweigh the positives, at least that is how you come across a good portion of the time. Do you think that the people you described have attained none of the above? Quit pigeonholing people based on their race and/or religion. Although Henry spoke for himself, I believe the thoughts have run through
everyone's mind regardless of who they are and where they lie. Be happy for the day.
Monica, millions of Americans are unhappy because of Trumps action. Perhaps when you learn to read or listen to the truth, you may be sympathetic also to these millions of American deported for no reasons, or have lost their jobs for no reason, or lost money on the market, and so many other disasters because unthinking Americans voted for trump.
THAT IS REALITY NOT NEGATIVISM. Wake up.
My comment was not written in a nasty or demeaning way to you and I hesitated, from past history of your anger, to write. I was hoping you would just be positive for a minute or two and not make this into a personal thing but I tried. No response necessary. Please.
Very nice, Monica.
Monica, and you of course are being what….NEGATIVE??….are you not? ….by pointing out that I am, YET YOU NEVER READ MY ACCOLADES TO Schulte’s writings?
SO TYPICALLY REPUBLICAN: SKIM AND IGNORE REALITY.
I repeat: Speaking the truth is NOT negative. It is called, A FACT.
Nancy - perhaps a visit to South America, or Africa, or the Mid East, or south Asia and perhaps you will find there are many other people there that are of different ethnic groups and religions. Take a look around and observe: do they get along with one another the same as different ethnic groups do here? Or, perhaps these four different parts of our planet have developed a superior culture to ours and you could report back on how true equality and diversity is practiced.
Mr.Hunt, I’m sorry , but I don’t quite understand the point you may be trying to make. Sorry. I’m certainly not contesting what I understand you to say.
I think I would like to suggest that those members of society you mentioned are being told they're not in charge of their journey. They share all the same freedoms and opportunities. Yes, it's not as easy for many, but society made them believe they have no hope. There are thousands of great stories of kids rising from the ghettos and becoming superstars.
Mr. Schulte: Your response to my statements of fact regarding the plight of many who have no control over their birth, be it their color, religion, poverty , family circumstances is such a pure example of the way dishonest people like to change what is REAL!
You say, “ THOSE members of society are being TOLD they’re not in charge “! What madness is this. Do you think “ Being told “ ( you casually suggest ) YOU CAN CHANGE THE FACT OF THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN, OR THE LACK OF FOOD, EDUCATION YOU RECEIVE , and these facts do not affect your journey in life…..that then these individuals can actually change “ their journey “? Just by being TOLD they can? Your statement is. It only at e and simplistic, IT IS A LIE.
They ( this unfortunate group we’re discussing ) WERE able to GAIN small priviledfes under Biden and other Presidents, but how blind are you to the facts of what this administration is doing by denying or limiting aids to health, food, education to the very groups I’ve named? How many Black or poor kids will now get deserved scholarships to Harvard?
You do not want to acknowledge that one’s birth, color, poverty-level means one’s journey is curtailed dramatically by those REALITIES I LISTED. BEING TOLD YOUR SKIN IS WHITE WHEN IT ISNT DOESNT CHANGE ITS COLOR. Don’t you know that?
Your comments Sir are not only naive; they are a lie, and actually harm those very people whose birth determines their journey. THIS IS WHY DEMOCRATS HAVE SPENT MUCH ENERGY HELPING THESE UNFORTUNATE HUMANS WHOSE BIRTHS DETERMINE MUCH OF HOW THEY ARE TREATED BY THE REST OF SOCIETY.
The present Administration is living proof of its personal discrimination
/retribution for purely personal reasons. One man’s hatred ( I mean trump ) is curtailing the lives of thousand of Americans , including his attempts to deny citizenship to children born in this America…..until now an unquestionable right!
But you? How can you deny the status of one’s birth and its relationship to “ life’s journey “.
MR. Schulte…..I forgot to suggest you do a little reading of the history of the treatment received by slaves, Blacks, poor kids born in ghettos or without a father in their life.
America’s history is sickeningly rampant with information of how colored or poor people have had miserable JOURNEYS through their births, no fault of theirs.
You think all they needed was tobe told….” You’re free to have as many freedoms as a rich white person. “?
Even being highly educated, skilled in the law, light skinned, loved by many, will not YET get one the Presidency of these United States IF that ONE is female and not more rich than her opponent. American men are not yet ready for a female President…..do you think it’s because not enough people have told the female candidate that they just hadn’t focused on their journey…..that was ALL they had to do ? HOGWASH! Your lies are dangerous.
Henry, It's hard to just relax, isn't it? I bet you set for yourself many goals all throughout your life, achieved many of those, and now forgot how to just take it easy. Another goal achieved!
Oh Henry you do have a wonderful way with words and how to express yourself. I truly related to this article this morning as I am asking myself some of the same questions. Thanks you for sharing!
Thank you for your honesty and authenticity! Live today!
A 75 yr old fellow traveler!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Truly I tell you with all the love and compassion in my heart for my fellow man, you need Jesus. You are feeling and expressing the God-sized hole in your heart that only He can fill. If you dare, look these up as well, read Romans 10:9, Romans 8:16, and Romans 1:20. Only Jesus offers the peace you seek. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life - John 14:6. He stands at the door of your heart and knocks, but the decision is yours.
Thank you, Henry, for taking the time to care for victims of dementia. My wife and her siblings have been caring for their mother on a rotating basis since their father died in 2017; doing so has allowed them to keep her in her home in Santa Monica. You live in Santa Ynez and enjoy the outdoors - are you aware of the Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society (https://syvnature.org/)? The group's focus is the natural beauty of the valley with nature hikes. bird watching, and out-of-doors social activities. Life's experiences shape our world view (Weltanschauung), making each of us at our "advanced age" unique. Politically speaking, our life experiences have led us down very separate paths, but that doesn't mean we both can't follow the same path on a hike with SYVNHS while enjoying some "forest bathing."
Well put and well said. But yes, we are in charge of our destination. It’s a choice.
I'd say we are, indeed, pretty much in charge of our destination UNLESS.....we get hit by a truck crossing the street to go to work! I had no control of the quart of vodka the drunk truck driver drank five minutes before he hit me.
I'd say we are, indeed, pretty much in charge of our destination UNLESS.....we get hit by a truck crossing the street to go to work!
No Harvey, you got hit by the truck for a purpose. It could be because the truck had a fault that needed to be fixed in a recall, etc. And the "puppet master" believed you completed your journey.
But you said, "We are in charge of our destination"........ but I had no say over that truck hitting me. Maybe the truck driver was in charge of HIS destination by having drunk 2 quarts of vodka. That was on HIM, not me. The truck hit me despite my plans for the future. I had no say over that truck hitting me. I was not in charge of my destination at all.
I didn't say we are in charge of our destination. You can perhaps look at being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it might have been for a purpose, no matter of the existing conditions present.
Or as comedian once said when flying and told not worry, it's not your time, the comedian responded but what if it is his time, gesturing to the guy sitting next to him.
When I worked for Litton Aero Products and flying American, I thought about the navigation equipment I designed. At the time, American Airlines solely used Litton Aero Products navigation systems which there were three nav systems employed on a single, large aircraft, a redundancy measure. There were two nav systems located in the electronics bay under the pilot and one in the tail. Then I would think about the thousands of other airplane parts and systems and began to worry as I thought of calculating statistical component failure numbers in my head. Let's just say it is amazing these metal birds don't fall out of the sky more often. Sometimes the airframe builders like Boeing get it right, and other times they don't. And then there are all so many other possibilities for an accident. And now with air traffic controller capabilities being replaced by DEI "certification" requirements, I'll take a pause in flying for now.
You didn't say that??? What did you say?