My early background was rather chaotic. I grew up in a nontraditional dysfunctional household. I never knew my mother, and my father died when I was 12. My sister, brother and I were raised by my father's older sister. Looking back I realized she did the best she could. After all, she was in her mid seventies when she was forced to become our guardian. I do not know if I could have done it if I was in her shoes. Needless to say, she lived to the ripe old age of 99 years. In some way we must have helped her stay young. Recently I got this paper that listed patterns of co-dependent behaviors, and I discovered that my behaviors often correlated that of a co-dependent person. I did not realize that about me. Statements like "minimize, alter, or deny true feelings," or "suppress feelings or needs to avoid feeling vulnerable" accurately describe some of my behavioral patterns. Unfortunately, these behaviors were only a tip of the iceberg. There is a whole hunk of ice below the surface that I may not realize. So I am embarking on a journey of self-discovery and recovery. I have on my side a great, loving God who has blessed me all of my life, many times without me realizing He was doing it. So perhaps I should write about my journey using this venue. We'll see.

I retired from the USAF in 2012 after 22 years of service.