If William Shakespeare was correct when he penned “all the world is a stage, and we are all merely actors” than the play that depicts my life has taken on several different theatrical forms throughout the years. On the sunny Monday morning that I entered the world my story was full of all the warm fuzzy features that usually accommodate a CNN People in the News drama. My young parents (father-32 and mother-31) were already proud parents of five daughters and were overjoyed to finally have a son. While my family did not have a lot of money we never went without the necessities and the close knit blue-collar family made it through. When I was four year old, my parents began a new venture, which was unheard of in our part of New York State, and began home schooling. The nine-hundred square foot home, which was barely large enough to accommodate a family of 8 under normal circumstances, at that point also became our school house. Family outings soon took on educational benefits and even trips to the playground somehow included lessons that we all could learn. As the years passed and I entered high school I moved on from home school to private school and my life became more of a comedy. How else can one describe the years that followed but to look back with a smile and laughter? After I completed high school and began my college my story moved closer to the realms of satire and away from that of a comedy. Over the seven years (and seventy-thousand dollars) I spent completing my 5 years of college I did all I could to avoid my books and spent most of the time with others who were avoiding their studies as well. All the emphasis that my parents had place on a proper diet went out the window as my reliance on Ramen Noodles and caffeinated beverages soared (not to speak of the breakfast of Snickers bars and Coke that usually preceded exams). But much like the high school years, my college years were soon behind me and I moved from the satirical phase into the tragedy of my life. A tragedy brings about a meaningful ending by way of calamitous events and so far I have not found a more accurate way to sum up this stage of my life. A tragedy epitomizes the clichés “hindsight is 20/20,” “chalk one up for ignorance” and “you live, and you learn.” My only hope is that my life will not end as a tragedy but rather I desire for my life to move into the realms of a fairy tale where the unexpected becomes reality and my story ends with "he lived happily ever after.”
About Me
- RvL
- I’m from New York but my driver’s license lists that my address is Ohio. My passport has a number of stamps in it. I’m the youngest of six, yet oldest son. I have a number after my initials, but not my name. I like music. I like coffee, beer and bourbon. I am a follower of Jesus. I watch bonus features on DVD’s. For four months each year my wife and I are the same age. “I pledge allegiance to a country without borders, without politicians.” I am an ordained pastor, but don't currently have a church. I’ve eaten raw horse meat. I’m fifteen inches taller than my wife, but I look up to her. I still prefer buying CDs to downloading music. I’m a night owl, who doesn’t mind getting up early. I like to play games. I moved to another country nine days after my wedding. I sometimes quote random lyrics. I believe in miracles. I prefer desktops to laptops. I like listening to audio books. I watch Buffalo Bills and Sabres games. I have five sons. I'm living life mid sentence.
