Thanksgiving

I have more to be thankful for than anyone I know. First and foremost, I’m alive. I lived past the life expectancy for American males almost ten years ago. I survived years on the battlefield as a civilian undercover as military supporting U.S. and friendly forces with signals intelligence. And I work hard to stay healthy, with an ideal diet and weightlifting for a couple of hours every other day. The result is that I’m the healthiest man I know of my age.

Then there’s my family. Though long since a widower, I have four children and four grandchildren whom I adore. It looks like I’ll live long enough to be a great grandfather.

Thanks to my career as a spy on the battlefield, I was able to retire more than thirty years ago at the top of the government pay scale. So I have more than enough money. That allows me to be a fulltime author.

I now have six books and 17 short stories in print with two more books in train. I am regularly asked to do presentations on my time in combat and readings from my books and stories.

I own and live in a house that’s ideal for me—no lawn to mow and no yard work except for a twice annual trimming of bushes along my walkways. Across the back of the house is a deck that looks out over a small lake surrounded by mature trees. There are so many trees around my house that I can honestly say I live in a forest. And my home is in the most beautiful city I’ve ever come across, Columbia, Maryland.

Finally, I am blessed with good friends who enjoy my company as much as I enjoy theirs. We meet regularly.

It’s hard to imagine a better life. And I am proud of risks I faced during my career as a spy to achieve it. I am deeply grateful for my good fortune.