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MAJOR MILESTONE – In order to have today’s column make its way into print, I had to employ a bit of legerdemain. (You like that word?)

So, if you are now reading this, I was successful. If you aren’t, well, I wasn’t. How’s that for a bit of the obvious?

Now to the point. That is, in just a very few days my Incomparable First Wife will mark a significant milestone. Two, actually.

The first one, October 15, is her birthday. A really special one. Of course, one doesn’t tell a lady’s age. That’s a no-no.

I will, however, tell you her arrival date was 1944. See. I didn’t divulge her actual age. Am I smart, or am I smart?

Then, the very next day, the 16th, is her wedding anniversary. Her 59th. Which means that together, we’ve been enjoying matrimonial bliss for 118 years. Is she lucky, or what? ( A touch of humor.)

TRULY BLESSED – For many, many years, I was fortunate to be involved in endeavors I really enjoyed. That, friends, was as a coach of young people. The sport I probably most enjoyed was track and field.

Now, that isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy coaching other sports also, which included high school basketball, girls and boys, and football.

My coaching with the AYA ( American Youth Activities ) while I was stationed in Germany is definitely what set me on my eventual vocational path as a teacher and coach. No question.

Oh, I had a few side trips, but always came back to my first “calling,” and for that I am grateful. My hope is that along the way I made a meaningful difference in the lives of those young people. That is my hope.

ALL WERE SPECIAL – While it may seem a bit maudlin, to say I cared for almost every single young person with whom I worked (it rarely really seemed like work), to single out two or three might be unseemly. There are three, however, who I will name: Leo, Kevin, and Freddy.

Leo was small, quite small. He was on my Washington High School track teams in the 60’s. Leo was fast, and especially valuable on our sprint relay teams.

He passed away some years ago. Much too soon.

Kevin (Spider) and Freddy were on my Manteo High track and cross country teams. I haven’t seen either since we moved back to Washington in ’91. They were special to me.

Please let me thank you for reading about some of the blessings I’ve been given during my journey. It goes without saying that no blessings have been greater than our two daughters and three grandchildren. Beyond question.

Hope to see you next weekend.