I Am Thankful For That One Conversation That Changed My Life

Today I am retired (which interestingly enough I still have a hard time conceptualizing) and I am writing full-time. To me, each day is still a work day, but it's a different kind of work day for me. I work at home, my hours are completely my own, and I feel complete, happy and satisfied with my life.

I would have never taken a leap into this field if it hadn't been for my grandfather. He has always been my inspiration in life, someone I looked up to...my hero.

In May 2007, my grandfather turned 90 years old. Just a few weeks before his 90th birthday, he was diagnosed with skin cancer. It was a dormant cancer that the doctor said may have been there for 10 or so years and had just recently started attacking his body.

After being diagnosed, he went in for surgery to have the cancer removed. A couple of weeks later, he turned 90 years old. I called him to wish him a happy birthday, and it was then that I realized that he wouldn't be with us too much longer.

You know someone's life is coming to an end when you have that talk about life. He said to me, "I don't care how much money you make in that job of yours. That's not who you are. You need to get on your path in life. You were once on your path before, but something happened and you got off. You need to get back on your path in life and become successful, and then, only then will you meet the person you will spend the rest of your life with. That is when your family will come.