December 13, 2015
50 years ago yesterday (December 12th, 1964) I entered this big blue marble . 50 [pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vLQzcoSXl7g/VK8szQ7l1pI/AAAAAAAAGDM/zsqKl06ULc4/s144-c-o/baby.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102145279340172946″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”baby.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_large_limit=”false” pe2_img_align=”right” ] years of experiencing Life. What a ride its been. My earliest memories include playing in the back yard with my sister making mud pies. I recall we got hosed off by our Mom as we were such a mess. I remember our Station Wagon and family trips. Cub Scouts, Baseball and Foot Ball practice. I recall the arguments between me and my siblings, my parents and some friends. I remember the first time I was in Love or rather Puppy Love as it was called then and rather quickly after that, having my heart broke. I remember the day I lost my Grand Mother, the day my father found a stray dog and brought her home. My first mini bike, dirt bike and all the vehicles that followed.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ULDkDf2yhF4/VK8yXdXVPrI/AAAAAAAAGEg/g-F0fc0tXL4/s144-c-o/larry%252520and%252520dawn.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102151398711180978″ caption=”larry and dawn.jpg” type=”image” alt=”larry and dawn.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_large_limit=”false” ]Life, it is truly amazing. 50 years of memories. No, they were not all good and they were not all bad, but you know what, I would not change a single one, because each of those steps lead me to who I am today and I love who I am today.
Nope, I am not rich like I wanted to be when I was younger, I do not own a big [pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pJxOEiQ2ngM/VK8sz6dIaQI/AAAAAAAAGDY/mDl5HpnLG4w/s144-c-o/me%252520and%252520glen.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102145290486704386″ caption=”me and glen.jpg” type=”image” alt=”me and glen.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_img_align=”right” ] house, fancy cars, take lavish trips in my private jet. In fact, I do not do anything that I thought I would be doing , but I do remember one specific day that if only for a moment, hinted at who’d I soon become. I was in my fathers office, we worked together and I was having an argument with him over something trivial. I blurted out, if I am not rich by 30, I’ll be selling hot dogs on the beach in Daytona, though I actually meant Ormand Beach, FL, a place we had visited a number of times when I was a child. See, there was this hot dog cart on the beach and I recall it quite well, I always thought to myself, what an awesome job. Working on the beach. Yeah, I love the beach, but anyway, the point is that for a moment, I actually had the thought that it is OK to be happy at what you do rather than being rich and unhappy. Little did I know who I’d become.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fhZk74fGMnA/VK8szcvgCLI/AAAAAAAAGDU/jqnAN5RkT6I/s144-c-o/20s.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102145282510686386″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”20s.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ ] So here it is, 1 day after my 50th Birthday and I am in a room full of friends and loved ones celebrating. Little do they know what I had planned for this night. See, for the last 3 years and 7 months I have been growing out my hair. I started to grow it out for Locks of Love and soon I began to love my long hair. The longer my hair got, the more removed from my old materialistic life I became. I began to be me. The No Holds Barred Larry. I allowed my true colors to be seen, well OK OK, I allowed a lot more to be seen than that. I put it all out there. No longer hiding behind clothes or the morals of others instilled upon me by society. For the first time in my life, I was truly free. And with every inch my hair grew longer, my freedom grew deeper. I discovered who I truly am and what I enjoy doing most and that is helping people be the best and happiest they can be.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tck7i6KldNc/VK8vakX5F5I/AAAAAAAAGD8/Q7Zf9W3WQW4/s144-c-o/Locks%252520of%252520love.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102148153597302674″ caption=”Locks of love.jpg” type=”image” alt=”Locks of love.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_img_align=”right” ]But on this night, a promise I made almost 4 years ago was about to be upheld. My hair, the very symbol of my freedom was going to get cut off and sent down to Locks of Love. I know there are a few places that make wigs for cancer patients and I know people get upset because not everyone gets a free Locks of Love wig, but when I researched the charity I was quite happy with them.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MB1xWcn3QPA/VK8vaki9vmI/AAAAAAAAGEA/YvHezGKnmek/s144-c-o/pony%252520tail.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102148153643744866″ caption=”pony tail.jpg” type=”image” alt=”pony tail.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ ]First, they only work with children.Second, if the family can afford a wig, they charge and if they can’t they don’t. This type of charitable giving fits directly in line with me beliefs.So Locks of Love was going to get my hair. All 13″ of it. 13 inches of hair that had been all over the country on the motorcycle, the bus, hair that had swam in the North East Atlantic Ocean on New Years Day numerous times, hair that had felt the Pacific Coast Sea Breeze blow through it, hair that had been pulled back in a Pony Tail as I kayaked the Salish Sea and Finger Lakes. It was time for me to say good bye to my hair and allow it to go onto help those less fortunate than I .
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vNcByCtk9zY/VK89b2T8IHI/AAAAAAAAGFo/0Gj6Sbfvtd8/s144-c-o/Dad.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102163568755220594″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”Dad.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_img_align=”right” ]And that bring me to who I am today. 50 years ago or at whatever point I began to recognize me a a person, I could never have imagined myself where I am today. I am single, never married, no children, but have my dog Lexie by my side. A familiar theme throughout my life has been a 4 legged companion by my side. Yes I am single, but I am not alone. I am so loved and full of love. I have so many wonderful people in my life and so many wonderful people that I have met along my journey. I truly am, where I need to be.
One thing I forgot to do at my party was to honor those that did not make the journey this far so that is what I will do now. I have lost a number of friends and classmates along the way. With each passing, I find the need to live that much more purposefully. This is a gift I have been granted that they have not. I can not squander this gift away, I must accept this gift with gratitude and honor their lives by living every day as full as I possibly can.
As I look back on those 50 years I can not help but wonder, what is in store for the future, the past has been awesome.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ntbsoP8Px04/VK87pFE6MJI/AAAAAAAAGFE/FjPoRvpMbNI/s144-c-o/mom.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108131301217387227436/Birthday#6102161597033754770″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”mom.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w200″ pe2_img_align=”right” ]Thank You Mom and Dad, to my family and my friends. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you to those I have hurt. I never meant to cause you pain, but we can not learn without mistakes. I am truly grateful for your presence in my life and I hope you have been able to find forgiveness in your hearts as I have been able to find forgiveness in mine for those that hurt me.
Here’s to another 50 years if I am so fortunate.
