NOT MY OWN OF LIFE

Filling it in

2009-07-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

Papa was never one to rush a conversation. He would savor each slow pause and have the hope that he had captivated his audience long enough to build up some suspense or relish a thought on how things were set on teh mental state of drama and storytelling.

We eventaully caught onto the whole idea of what he was going to say (because we had so often heard it before), and would just fill in the blank for him and beat him to the thought so we could rush along his idea nad get on to more conversation or have more of us fill in the story with our own little twist or side note.

Now, even when we are not quite sure exactly what he is going to say we think we are so smart and start filling in the converstation for him. He takes it rather in good stride, but things have started to change now. My brother Christians joke when ever papa was about to say a little joke of his own:
"There once was this man-"
Ha hah ah ha hahahahaha!- that is soooo funny! would interupt Christian.

It would happen on many anothe various sentance.

Papa: " I have got to go-"

Chrsitian: "really?"

Well now Papa is better at speeding thinsg along and we are hopefully a little more polite and patient. Good language skills can often fall apart when we are in the casual circle of family alone for too long.

John Ray (former Graig Thompson)

2009-07-04T21:36:00.001-07:00

While My fathers older brother has now reverted his name to the original John Ray he was named as a boy, I have known him by 'Uncle Craig' for such a long time, it is going to have to take me some getting used to his real name again.

My Uncle John and I had one of the best times in my life when I visited Grandma and him up in Portland last summer. When we were there we got to visit a few of Grandmothers many prestegious friends and we had a good time at fabulous food you rarely ever get to see in life.

We went to visit the national Aero-Space Museum there in Oregon and saw the worlds largest airplane- the Spruce Goose.

Another day there we went just with Grandmaother to see Seaside and Cannon Beach along the lovely Pacific Coast. I remember that I bought a lot of fabulously great fudge that i didn't finish for the rest of vacation with out Uncle Craig's help- to which I invited him to assist.

We were with Grandmother a lot, but her ankle has in bad shape at the time and was not able to attend with us on a hike up Montenoma Falls there on the east side of Portland. I have to say that as far as waterfalls go, that is the most beautiful hike I have been on in all my life. While there walking along with Uncle John on the trail (at the time I called him Uncle Craig), it was all excitement to me because he actually took a lot of time to ask about myself and the things I study at school. It was a perfect place for me to give fresh examples right off teh trail of various edible vegetation and berries, point out the different between shade talerant and intolerant trees, fungi, water and sun conditions, humidity and climate, etc. etc. to which I love and study with passion. He in turn listened a lot to me and I got a chance to learn a fes things local to the area that he knew more about as well- especially the geography. W egot to talk about all the peace that comes in being able to walk with nature and listen and to pray. It was there that Uncle Craig told me if there was ever a way to help people, he would love to have a place, a little cottage, in the woods- like where we were walking, where people could just live a while and leave urbania behind for a while and regroup with their families and with God. He said he didn't knnow how or when- if ever- he would do it, but that he knew that being out in touch with all of Gods creations, and have a time to pray, listen, eat wholesome food, and read thr scriptures and other uplifting books is what people almost never have these days- but they dream about doing "some time" in life- and must have it some where or they let teh best of it slip by entirely.

Uncle Craig, I will always note has become one of those that is still and quite, but awakes with a passion when it comes to the word of God. I think there are few these days that will ever find the thing that he call "his greatest blessing, acheivement, and Joy" in life. He reads to Scriptures. He makes it a daily habit to read them- carefully. He studies them in various searches for a particular thought, or word, or passage and had make a remarkable lexicon of sorts of his own that he has said has awakened his very soul to what he had been missing for so long. He said it was like he was dead all his life until he understood that the scriptures were like the very answers to him for nearly every thing he ever wanted to know. He said he had been reborn by them, and I could tell it from within his heart I knew he had. I had felt that same thing- and let him know my own experiences to this as well. He said that it was wonderful, but made it a point over and over again that we must get into the habit to read them like food we eat. He said it was his daily feast to live off the word of God, and was more important to our being than food by itself ever wold be. Every day- often was what he was telling me. "You will find out that God will be with you more than you ever thought if you only will. You will not want to let go once you feel the power and strength God gives you from reading his Words. They very much are a part of life itself to us if we will listen and pay attention to them."

"And the Word was God" (Genesis), "And the iron rod was the word of God, which lead unto the tree of life" (Nephi I).

While Uncle Craig has many things in his life that impair him from getting some other rather important things done in life, he told me he feels much of lis earlier life may have been a much better one if he had found this grand teasure and understood it much earlier. He still can't do much now in his physical condition, but I know he glows inside with a spirit of Comfort in God that I know very feel have found- or knew it for a moment and lost it again. He seems to know something vital that may others take so lite.

Uncle John, live at lest a little longer with us- I hope to see you again in this life!
God bless you.

Rhonda Pickering

2009-06-22T17:57:00.001-07:00

While Aunt Rhond and her husband Farrel Pickering are now living and working in Hawaii- last I knew. (Should I be jealous? I hear few actually get to go out and explore the other islands all that much), I still think back to when she was our semenary and algebra teacher when they lived down in Cedar City. Aunt Rhoda was the most important reason and joy for me ever wanting to go down there to that desert place (except to look for pretty rocks and explore the place for native american dwellings and such). What I liked about Aunt Rhonda the most was her increadible zeal to make things fun and exciting. It was never a dull moment and there was always a new and excitign lesson to be learned. She was a first taste of what I have ever even since to be what good home schooling could be. Her words were always kind and gentle, yet were put in a way tha we never disregard. She had a gift of heaven around her, and you could feel it. Her greanhouse garden there in Cedar City would be enourmously full of sweek cherry tomatoes that grew all the way up to the ceilings and dropped over again. The tomatoes hung like grapes and she would make sure we picked as much as we could possibly eat. Aunt Rhoda always seem to be able to talk down to our level as if we were not really so little but able to take on everthing we could handle in our minds. She constantly presented to us options, and if it ever felt like we were stuck, she was quick to catch on and return us to hwere we last left off. She was that way in math, and that way in family circles. She has ever since earned my respect and my love, and I feel as if I would have reach some of the best that life can hold if I had but a part of her character.

Alden Covington

2009-06-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Alden, I felt when I first met you that i had met something like the closest thing I could acquaint to a man that had a "Joseph Smith disposition." I try and not worship Joseph as he alone was a mortal like us all, however, when I think of how I know Alden- I find a common tie about the two: it is the spirit from within the emanates a type of love and understanding that is the essence of their being. It is a love of God, and with that love is a desire to look at every human being as sacred and precious above all.

Alden, you were the one that I could tell held a greater reverance and respect for life than I have been able to tie to but so very few. You are gentle, gentle as a feather, and yet when I shake your hand, I could tell that you could hurl railraod ties and raise your own house wall by wall on your own- so it felt, and so I seems to notice by your constant labors. I saw you hold your children close and with words that few fathers convery to their children of so mild a nature, would touch their souls with excitement and willingness. You would show them how to respect the small and the great things of God's handiwork, and I knew that they were paying eager attention. You had the gift of genuine intent and the willingness to hear more than to just be heard. Your voice is gentle, but firm and strengthening. Your conviction and testimony of the works and influence of God and Chrsit in your life as been one that makes me wish that the audiences were always larger- just to hear it. I hope that there are yet many good things in your life to come and that God has many more good things for you to do as that is my feeling if I were one to have say on the matter.

Holding Information

2009-06-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

I often wonder if others may find it an act of violation of privacy if I go on telling the world about my friends and a bit about them. For the record as this goes for everyones perview who stambles upon my writings, I will do my utmost to hold in confidence general personal information such as emails, phone numbers, ages, adressess, and etc. as well as limited association , business, family names, etc. There are but few general points here that I wish to make concerning my friends and family, and that is the goodness of the character, qualities, gifts, and attributes, and a bit of their own uniqueness in how they have touch my life and seen them touch the lives of others where I may have had the chance to notice.

Spring Jessop

2009-06-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

So Spring, we have a sister named Spring too! Its a good name and I think it is a great thing to be named after the coming of life of all nature again after the winter season.

You were like that more though as we hung out trying to get the Youth site back into manageable hands. You stuck to things, and more than anyone else that seemed to be out there doing this thing or the other, you were still around being persistent that something had to keep going. You would be the first to step up to bring out a question that needed attention and the first to point out what was most important to keep our focus upon. You would be there to directly comment and care about what anothe felt or said in there joy or sorrow. You always would be serious and try to keep the theme of all upon God the things of the Spirit. ou were slow to jusge and quick to empathize. I saw as you would be there for your sister Safari and stay there like her shadow to be there when she needed help to communicate. I am amazed by such a love that you carry for others, and it is seen my few. I am grateful for your faithfulness. Far from naive belief or mere religion, you live what you feel in your heart and it is felt by everyone you touch.

Keep up the Taekwando and martial arts there, you don't have that much further to go for your black-belts! It will be amazing to have an instructor that can teach more of us the respect and descipline that goes along with those developed arts and skills.

Shemrulon Allred

2009-06-20T17:41:00.000-07:00

My Cousin, and the one I could relate most with out of all of Uncle Marvin D. Allreds family.

Shem, I remeber that you had a theme in life that was built upon a reliance in God, and to serve mankind continually. There was a time you came to visit me and I wqas ever eager to show you my rock collection which had several unique specimens of pyrite and crystals. We got ono the subject of searching in mine tailings and the rockhounding or "gold fever" that goes along with that all. Most of all though, I recall that you brought the story back into perspective with a moral behind it. What if were were just as eager to be of service to others as we are to get things like this? What if we were as excited to pray and seek for the spirit of God as we were for earthly treasure?

Later in life, I would watch as you had one thing continually upon your mind- and that was to serve. You did it with joy and you did it all day long. You would sing praises to God in the Morning and the evening and you would fast and pray often with a joy in your heart. To this day you have not lost your brightness or zeal for goodness.

On a trip down to Cedar City and St. George, I also remember you hearing my latest of the scary shows that I had seen that I felt were quite convincing of the forces of evil at work in some people across the world. While you had an appreciation to hear my point of a witness to what was evil out there, you mentioned that one does not necessarily need to continually watch or observe evil things out there to understand that it exists. The darkness only reveals one side of the story and that is the black, but teh light shows both sides of the story and makes a fine contrast to where teh lines of various things are down and understandable. I am glad to have lived many years to prove this point for myself, and find it to be infaliable and true.

God bless you my cousin Shem! I am glad to know of your faithfulness and unconditional love- and I have many a friendship found more deep and meaningful than I could have ever understood unless I knew you and why and what true friendship was really all about- our mutual understanding of what is really most lasting and eternally satisfactory.

Clarence Gold

2009-06-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Some times it might not matter that some things were ever said or felt about you. There may be a good chance that you never read this, but that won't matter. I will read this from time to time at least.

You have been one of the closest friends I may ever have in this life. It was you that I could talk about my conversion to Christ and the redeeming love of God. I could talk to you about everything I know about science, progressive creation, biology, evolution, ecology, physics, math. geology, etc. and never have a criticizing attitude that I was out to be an antagonist or say that the universe would decide between Science and God. We knew that they are instead inseperable and go hand in hand.
You carried the spirit of gentleness and of a love I feel only among those that have had an understand of howq increadible the value of each and every human soul and for what God has in mind for his Children if them will keep His commandments. You always said you could do better and related to me the deep remorse and sorrow you felt. You related to me the temptation it is to reject all you have ever known and go out to live a care-free life with no commitments or devotions. You related the hardness it is to watch others you know close in your own family break apart and leave behind what was most eternaly precious- and then you could sympathize and empathize with me with our own family heart breaks. Then you would day, "Shall I do the same? I can't do that! I know what these principles are about, and I just have to repent in places and get the Spirit of God in my life." I know you have felt down and out with things as I have, but also know that your road is not too far different. We were there to encourage eachother to search out for the strength and support of God. I know you have felt as I have felt on how important this is because it makes all the difference in the universe about all intellect and all importance.

Your dear wife Sarah Lumus was on all the same track and carried the same spirit. She graduated from SUU with a music degree but also understood where you and I were talking about and had much of the same background in both family, culture and education. Her gift of music and extra insights have only proven to make my joy more full and am ever grateful that the two of you have found eachother. Thankyou God for giving me such good friends. I am sometime overwhelmed to know I have you as such a blessing and support even though you now live in Montana. You help with getting the Boy Scouts of America back in hand down south here has been a blessing, and I am glad to say that it is still a success and doing well.

IN IOWA

2009-06-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

My Sister has taken a long trip the geography is the only wall. Thanks to her continuous reminders that she is here keeping a faithful accounting on her blog, I am able to get back on top and in touch with her. When My brother James took a long trip to Whyoming and then latter a 2-year mission for the LDS church, I has so anxiety driven that I may never be able to be in touch with him again. Today, I don't need to fear that with you Katherine! I know you think about us often and I don't expect you will forget us very easily. You are now in a place to have many possible friends tht you may be able to relate with on the academic score. I hope you can make some that can last and last without the expectation that you will one day have them drop over the horizon and never see eachother again. I am sorry we are no longer around to give you much help with Roman and Blaise. It may have been an inconvenience, but it was our joy to hoave you, Keith and those boys down with us. Family can never be a burnen too greate to say it wasn't what we really wanted most anyway!

An Older Sister

2009-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

Every time I reflect about what it takes to be a person who makes difference, and plows through walls of thick-set ice.- it is Katherine. I get to walk in her wake here on Earth- and it feels so easy and so simple. Little can I take it, what it would really take to live a devoted life, If I were first to go. I know definitions and small parallels, but she knows going where no one else wished to step- but had to. Read and read and read- is all she would do from age 4 to high school, college, medical school, and motherhood. She has covered more books than most ever will do in 20 lifetimes.

She will not hold an unjust bias- for anything if she can help knowing at least three times more than the more well read already do. One may not initially always agree with the conclusion she gives, but that is only because she's already been around the block five times- and know where the potholes and snapping dogs lurk. You cared for spirit first, and principle far more than all the word said to say that they are there- like words would some how make them stand up.

Family. She NEVER forgets. There for every birthday, every family picnic, every holiday she can possibly be too, and feels like she is lost to hell for a time if she can't possibly be there for us.

Katherine- It is to you, in your own gentle but powerful presence and insight that helped me see the joys of Biology, Sciences, and the Earth, and there helped me chart my own course of so many a career and long-term life choice.

I rejoice to watch her love toward us only become more and more Gentle and she sees us graduate from one life lesson to another. She wishes to always be there for her children, and cried half of the time I would see her for just feeling down in going to medical school and being mother at the same time.

She has found the most amazing husband. (Keith yes, that means you!) Equally gentle, more reserved in some areas and more animated to others, but always in life together- a match more perfect for the two? Yeh right.

She teaches love, reads to us and her children the books of love and God. She has the brighter outlook to all life. She sees the beauty of all nature and its eternal path of evolutions and creations strung like pearls upon the threads of time- All the handiwork of God in His Kingdom. She shows by example how to live the Gospel far more than all words alone can ever do.

Katherine, thank you for being my sister! An Eternity of gratitude for you being there- where I needed you most.

Iron and velvet

2009-01-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Papa,

You taught me to live the Gospel- by expectation, by deed.
Always the Giant, I would ride piggy-back on top
of your shoulders and feel so high. You feed my mind
with skill and insight, and ever made each smile and word of praise worth doing
ever chore over three times without asking.

You insisted on education, as you had been and said that I would find,
one day
that knowledge is a grand facet of the soul, and the gift God gives to all
On Earth, who will seek after and employ it.
That it was a part to progress in principle and gave your own three P's:

Principle, Precept, Policy.

The First of God, the second between God and Man, and the last mans own, implemented to his own abidance, and used most where he can not remember the first.

Reverently, A Plan, A Song

2009-01-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

You found a name that I am ever greatful for, to live to.

In the woods- you would show me,

that there was nothing under the hand of God,

that was not sacred to be listened for.

That life in all things is the essence and part

of the handiwork and spheres of God and eternity.

Be one with. Be your own. Be like unto.

You would sing to us the tunes of Heaven.

Only angels could sing them and have it come

to mean the world to me. lullabies. The symphony,

The hymns of ages refined for the purpose of the soul

To Salvation, to Christ, to find the plan of God.

The songs found harmony in our home. And

I learned to sing,

Cary them in my heart. My soul. And Now

How can I keep from singing?

Bonnie Lee Allred Thompson

2009-01-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

My mother,

You gave me breath, gave me body, nurture, love. Oh, but so much more to say!

Where can I begin? my own memories.

I remember birth.

The heart beat- not my own.

Intense, heavy, gentle.

The beginning of a new pain.

Red,white light. A breath, and all I felt

there inside began to be my own.

my heart took course,

and mind and spirits asked to be itself.

To this day, Mother- how

can I forget?

You have kept me near

and held my heart and body

in your arms. Year after year.

You cried with me. soothed me,

fed me and wrapped me in warmth.

Chastened me when far, gone,

smiled when I came to,

and always told me

'You are loved, my son

look up.'

Mary Jean Thompson

2009-01-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

I have been blessed to live all my life and still have an honest to goodness incredible Grandmother at my side in life: Grandmother Mary Jean ThompsonGrandmother has been committed to Oregon Territory and the land of Salem and Portland for most as long as I remember except for some number of years in Reno, Nevada. Grandmother had the great futune of being one to weigh heavily upon my very own name, and I am ever glad that she had. Between Book of Mormon and Biblical characters and meanings, I may have been named Moroni ---[Something]--- Thompson. Mary Jean had the foresight to comprehend what so many others in todays world view would only find the name as something too easily to make fun of or confuse with othe sounds. Living in Salem, the Capital of Oregon, she told my mother Bonnie to fix the name some, so when Bonnie came up with Salem Moroni Thompson, Mary Jean said "yes- that is perfect." My many thanks to your influence here Grandmother as I have never regreted the name and feel it to give me something as a meaning to live for in life.

Naming, however, has only been the beginning of a long string of influence and development for me and my family under her son, and my father, Brooks Thompson. For a long part of life, Newt Thompson and Mary Jean were parent to Brooks. Brooks and his older brother Craig (formerly names James and john Ray) become adopted to Newt Thompson and kept them as his sons for many many years. Under Newt and Mary Jeans's circles of care, they gave a high rise for some of the best of experience.

Skiing was one of those. Newt was an Olympic Champions training coach and made sure that 'Papa' was good enough to win national downhill ski competions with speads arround 80 mph! Grandma had actually met Newt Thompson on a ski run that they made a day ski-date out of. Much later in life Newt and Mary Jean were separated, but Mary still made sure that we as her son and grandchildren got plenty of skiing experience. One of the most memorable events ever was that of the resort near Tahoe Lake [reseort name?] where she and all of Brooks and Bonnies family went skiing for the day. it was there she paid for real beginners training and of which took most of the day for me to learn. I gain a great deal of confidence because of that. Late on, with ski trips with Papa, he helped me refine the art and sport so I could do mogules, steep swooping carves, and jumping- to some extent.to be continued...

James Ray 3

2009-01-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

James and I have spent the larger side of life together in the best of Camping experienes.

-Kings Peak, High Uinta--- 3 day camp hike
-Lone peak- long oneday-night hike
-Americna Fork, sliver lake- 3 days
-Wheeler Peak- Nevada- 1 day hike, 3 day trip
-Topaz Mountain- 2 day
-Grand DaddyLake- Uintas-3 day
-Oquire Mountains- many day hikes
-West Canyon- south Oquires
-Red Pine lakes- Little Conttonwood canyon - 3 day,

For me and James alone, I especially remember the time American Fork trip. James and I were dropped off high up the dirt road above the ligher lake about Granite Flat campground by a few miles. We were about as remote as we could get and found good camping near several beaver ponds. There we were perched on the back side ofthe Lone-peak mountain tops. The night was pleasant with a good fire and marshmellows. In the morning, we decided to go exploring some of the old mine talings in the area. WE didn't find anything of much interest except a few pieces of pyrite and quartz. We then decided to have a good time fishing and managed to catch a few nice brown trout. We tried the lake far below for fishing, but to no success. It was lunch time so we cooked the three fish we caught, but it wasn't very filling, so we decided to have the watermellon we had saved up. it must have weight about 25 pounds. We split it in half. I handed a spoon to each of us and said "enjoy!" It was so good that we just ate out the bowl of each half without stopping till we were done. We were so full though tha tour stomachs were swollen with tight-skin bellies. We would sway and wobble when we got up. from ther we realy just spent about an hour or two just lying around trying to get over being so full. It was enough that there was no need for much of a dinner. We slept well. In the morning next day we went back dow nto the lake and built a fine large log raft. we thought we could do some better fishing with a raft for sure. We swam around in the lake with the raft for a while but were too cold to get up much and want to do any fishing in the end. We did head back up though and prepared to pack up and leave. We ony left out the big juicy stakes that we kept cool over the past days earlier (food compliments we brought from my loving mom!). Any way, we each had our own way of dressing out stakes for a camp-fire roast. I put mine on a spit in small little pieces at a time and ate the pieces one by one that way. James wanted the steaks more complete. he saw that not all my piecees we the best "well done" on all sides, so he went for a long-lasting deep roast of his bigger pieces. Truly 'well done' for James meant light brown all the way too the center of the steak, so The steaks unfortunately suffered sever charcoal damage before the midde was right. James had to admit though that it was some of the best steak he had ever cooked over the fire----MMMM was all he could say for what was left of it.

From there, we packed on down and found the road where we were brought up by. We just walked on down until my mother was able to come on up the way and take us home.

Some of my best memories- were these.

James Ray 2

2009-01-07T14:53:00.001-08:00

James always had a mind for physics and engineering. He lived and breathed the concepts of little wire motors. One day he showed me an illustration of an idea he had for impoved motor efficiency using magents and coils. In theroy I am quite sure that it might have worked- if he got around to making it. To this day James is still inclined to much of the sciences of physics and hopes to take some classes on applied physics of sorts- though not so certain on specifics.

In the back yard of his old home in Lehi, when there still existed a groveof elm trees in the back lot beyond, James found a grat place to build ladders and bridges high up into the trees. He created a zip-line that many of us all got to try out. It went very fast and far... about 40 feet or so and was teh highlight of the place there for quite some time. James also built a hammock made entirely out of bailing twine from a giant pile from the near-by rodeo arena. It was so well built and woven together that it would hard give for a while till it was well worn in. He would often sleep in it at night with his sleeping bag.

Once James moved to the other side of town in Lehi, he never quit making things of impressive sight and accomplishment. He and brother Levi would make explosions within PVC pipe- and with great success- using fireworks to discharge the launch of various things high up into the air.
James latter on built a large deep hole in the ground that he was intending to use as a sweat lodge of sorts, but latter had to evolve to a really large sub-ground level rire pit rink. Whe nthe rink was complete it was well funished with stone and wood and could seat over twenty people inside, with comfortable distance from a well-blazed fire. Latter on, the rink was requested to go away, so James moved the large round trampoline inside of the rink and made it a ground-level trampoline.

IN addition, James found some place to do some excellent pioneering in the front of the yard there. He acquired a large bunch of log poles about 3 to 5 inches in diameter. He got some really long 25-foot long poles and triangled them with tethers near the top to make a teepee-like shape. From theer he did more tethering of othe smaller pieces and made a large first floor and smaller, but even higher second floor near the top. It was sturdilly built and again was used for sleeping out on for many a fun night. The look-out neighborhood tower stayed up for a few months as I seem to recall.

James Ray 1

2009-01-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

James is my closest brother in age and understanding. He was born to Mary Katherine about a year later from me. We grew up together in so many ways, though we were often far apart. many consider he and I as twins and I often to this day get many a student and unknown face a "hi James" to me though they never knew he had another brother. Foreve ifeel we were born and came close together in brotherhood so that we may work together for greater accomplishment and meaning in life for which only God may foresee.

The most memorable of times James and I ever spent were those where we would go camping together, of which there were many. In future accounting I hope to go into these in greater detail. James had the inclination for skill and leadership to which never fails or evades him to this day. He started fresh into Boyscouts of America and climbed rapidly to the very top of leadership to the Order of the Arrow in only a few years. He knows nearly every trick of the trade in wilderness survival, patrol management for boys, knots, craft, silver smithing, etc. The most remined art he had down to date is the Native American Dances- with emphasis in multi-whoop and fire ring dancing with real hot flaming fire! James is very devote to the LDS Church and has an increadible bright, gentle, but valiant spirit with an enthusiams that never grows dull.

NOT MY OWN OF LIFE

2009-01-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

DEDICATED TO FRIENDS, LOVED ONES, AND PERSONS OF INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE, as I can comprehend them. It is to these I owe so much the shapping of who I have become. Without out them, I can not justly say I would be all me. Little may one that, that if the aim is to God, and God holds the harmony of all nature and science, that they and all beings are a tool and a force in His hands. We all make eachother more whole and a part of who we need to be, the closer we seek to find Him and emulate the laws of love, progress, and development. There in we may comprehend us all as sons and daughters of God.

I say, "NOT MY OWN OF LIFE" because my life has been shared by some many others. No man is an island unto himself - so it is said- and so much I have come to agree.