Epilogue

It is my sincere hope that you have enjoyed these travels back in time with me, for I have had a most enjoyable opportunity to relive a good part of my life in doing so. The book has taken almost four years to write, however, since I have told—and retold—many of these stories over the past fifty-some years, I have found it easy to recall most of them.

As I sat down to write about them, something surreal happened—the stories took me back in time and each story suddenly became alive to me again.  I felt as though I was actually there—re-living the events taking place.  I could see and hear the conversations as though they were happening right then.

Someone once asked me if I had it to do all over again, would I change anything or do anything differently.  Having been given the opportunity while writing this book—to look back at the first half century of my life—I can honestly say I have enjoyed the journey including the challenges and rewards I faced during my three decades of military service. 
And there is absolutely nothing I would change or do differently. I have truly enjoyed the journey my God has allowed me to choose to travel.

When I finally retired from the U.S. Army I thought to myself, “What will I do in Enid, Oklahoma? What could possibly interest me there? What was there that could challenge the experiences and excitement I had already encountered?”

And then I started teaching! 

There are few words to describe the challenge, excitement, and pleasure I received from the more than one thousand young men and women who have directly affected my life since I entered the classroom. Most of my former students have heard one or more of these stories and hopefully, what they remember from what I had told them, matches what has been recorded here.