“She effortlessly touches my heart everyday.”
Best Friend
To Be A Friend
You make me smile
when I’m feeling down,
You chase away my problems,
make it hard for me to frown
Your wise advice,
though they maybe small
These are the ones
that help most of all
A watchful eye,
that’s alert and aware
of how I really feel,
whether good, bad, or fair
Thank you so much
for always being there
You give of your time
to show that you care
You give so much
to help me in life,
of the good things to expect
along with the stress and strife.
Happy Father’s Day
Father’s Day is once upon us again and I for one always look forward to this day. Why you may ask? It’s because I cherish the homemade cards that my children give to me. Their words of appreciation and love are truly priceless and beats any material gifts that I receive. 
Being a father is by far one of the “BEST” jobs that I have. When I’m not disciplining my children for something bad they may have done, I’m their adult buddy.
That’s my excuse for going to the toy store and perusing shelves of toys to my heart’s content. It’s my chance to purchase awesome “action figures” (I call them that because calling them “boy” dolls are totally not cool at all).
I also am afforded the opportunities to do things like hip hop dancing, playing video games, being up on the most current social media app, learning how to navigate my phone, all the stuff that kids nowadays do.
Don’t let my “over the hill” appearance fool you; inside this battle-worn body is a goofy kid that’s willing to make a fool of himself as well. There are even times when my kids join in my tomfoolery; more often than not, my kids are slightly embarrassed at some of the mischievous things I tend to do in public just for a laugh. My wife often says that she has not two but three kids and the “oldest” one is the most immature.
Aside from all the fun things that I get to do with my kids as a dad, I’m also there to provide guidance and strength in crucial moments in their life. I’m a father first and my family is my world…my everything.
I try my best to be the best father I can be and I can honestly say that it’s not that hard to do. I had a good role model in my father; he took a vested interest in my well-being, gave sound advice and made me into the person I am today. 
My father’s quiet strength, extensive knowledge, vast experiences, quirky sense of humor, gentle kindness and champion against all forms of danger belied his gruff, stern exterior. No amount of thanks will ever be enough for what he’s done in my life.
Yeah moms are given all the honor and glory that they rightfully deserve but give dads the same as well. So this Father’s Day, if you’re fortunate enough to still have your father around, spend time with him and cherish it with all of your heart. If you’re a father, be with your kids and love them for all their worth. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there!!!
Tigger
With 2016 winding down, I ,like many others reflect on what took place in our lives and put things into perspective. As I was doing my year end house cleaning, I stumbled upon a picture of my beloved dog “Tigger”several years removed from our lives; attached was a note that I had penned soon after his passing.
I read through it and reflected on how important he was to me and my family and wanted to share how I felt at that time with you.
“Today a part of me died,
you left a void within my heart that can never be replaced
You touched my life in ways that you could never imagine
I sit here trying to think of a word to best describe you
But no words can describe what you truly meant to me
You were my best friend for the past 18 years
and you did everything in your heart for me
You made me laugh and smile
and comforted me when I was scared
You protected me when I was asleep
and kept me company when I was alone
In your little funny ways,
you made me see what life was about
I will miss you with all my heart;
your perky ears, your jovial bark, and your gentle lick
It will be hard to face life without you by my side
Your support and love made me feel invincible
Your gift of love
was the best gift I ever received from you
For that I am most grateful
I’m so lucky and honored that you came into my life
For the rest of my life, I am in debt to you
Tigger…you taught me what love really is,
to give it and to receive it
you will never be forgotten
because you have a special place within my heart forever
Whenever I think of love or share it,
you will come to mind
you will live on in the love I give to others
Thank you Tigger,
thank you for choosing me,
thank you for being there for me
and caring with your heart.”
A Tribute to Harold
Although my friend has long passed, for some reason I was thinking about him today and wished that my children could’ve met him. I wrote a poem about him that best describes what he meant to me.
We were young and so new
when we started work at the store,
learning the business fast
was really a chore
We were clumsy, awkward,
and a little bit naive,
but you put your faith in us
and made us believe
In time we grew smart
with each passing day,
you lent us your wisdom
through the stories you say
In you we saw a role model
with all the qualities of the heart,
you were generous, kind, humorous, helpful
to all of us from the start
Though you left us way too early
your traits in us were sown
Let one message come to mind
and let it be known
We wish you the best in Heaven
in whatever you do,
We give you our love
and will surely miss you
So here is our gift,
so special, so true,
It symbolizes our love
to a friend we found in you.
Goodbye To A Dear Friend
My Friend…
Today you’ve left a space in my heart
a void that not anyone can make
To do this one has to unselfishly give of one’s self
You did just that and more
You gave yourself freely,
shown your love openly and unbiased,
gave your ear for someone to bend
and comforted a cold and lonely body
with your warmth and tenderness
Your companionship is unmatched
and your heart is forever captured
right here in my private treasure chest
where your love is kept safe
until it is ready to be freely shared
to the one who’s worthy and unselfish,
the one who will learn as well as accept
the gift of unconditional love
But until that time comes
my heart will not be whole,
for the space that was left
will be a most tremendous task to fill
Because the love that I’ve received
is but one of a kind
that is unique only to you,
…My Friend.
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 