Great memories are without a doubt one of our most cherished assets in life. All you have to do is call them up.

Go to that marvelous filing cabinet in the recesses of your mind and retrieve them when you want them. Your memories will be there to make a gray day bright or take you on the bounding main.

They can take you to a romantic tryst. Memories can recall a soothing rain, and they can do almost anything to make your life complete.

They are free. All you have to do is call upon them and tell them where to meet you.

Over the years, my fabulous wife Judy has encouraged me to write a book about my eventful life. I really didn't want to do that.

I don't consider myself to be an author. That said, I have written beaucoups of love letters, love notes, poems, and stories to Judy, telling her how much I love her and how much she means to me.

I do this almost every day of my life with her. One day, Corinne Owen, my second oldest granddaughter, called me and said, "BoBo, I need to talk to you about something very important.

" Of course, I obliged her. I quickly learned the reason for her call.

She wanted me to write about my incredible life's journey. How could I ignore those requests from my granddaughter and my wonderful wife? I couldn't.

Consequently, I am now trying to become a storyteller using the written word rather than oral conveyance. Actually, I believe that I have evolved to become pretty good at this game.

I now realize that I enjoy writing about my life because it brings back so many fond memories and emotions. I'm going to try not to be a one and done writer, but at my age I realize that my runway isn't quite as long as it used to be.

I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them. This once dreaded project has now become an endeavor of love.

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