So with hands under my armpits, I breathe in the crisp autumn air. Listening to the leaves rustling in the wind. And of course the roaring of the diesel engines rolling down the highway. It’s been a while since I’ve had to put in a good 12 hour shift guarding a construction site. I remember working one site off the interstate near Macon. Just me and a trailer, a flashlight, a cellphone, and a golf cart. I was there to keep looters from vandalizing and stealing construction supplies. That was a cold winter even by my 300+ lbs standards. But the work as easy as long as I made my rounds and stayed awake.
Now I’m sitting here in the sun about to freeze my ass off. Thinking about the diagnostic codes I was looking at I wondered. How easy I would have been to just to ignore all the signals of my failing health. And how cold I’d be right now six feet under. I broke a family cause and lived past the age of 59, so now what? It’s a thought that’s crossed my mind on more than one occasion, believe me. But at this moment, I’ll just sit here and absorb all that I hear, all that I see, and everything I breathe. And be grateful for the extra time I’ve been given.