Characters

That's Susan. Master gardener, adoring wife, sarcastic wit, cat lover, straight-talker and friend. She's well-informed, inquisitive, opinionated, loyal and stubborn. Words matter to her — she uses them artfully, intelligently and on purpose. People matter to her. Kindness matters. And Bruce mattered. A lot. I wish I could bring him back and see her smile like that again.

Here he is. The man who inspired me to live today and tell the people I love how much they mean to me. He's accomplished more in his lifetime than you and I could dream of... so far. He doesn't do anything quietly or cautiously. He does it in CAPS. There has to be more for him. There has to be more for me, and for all of us. Get busy folks. Do a few card tricks. Amaze the people who know you best. Catch some crazy fish in Russia or South Africa. Collect fine wines. Cherish some singular, inspired artistic pieces. Love the second love of your life with all your might. Savor memories and dream a new dream. That's what Bill is doing. If he can do it, I can.

Google the definition of “character” and you’ll find his bio and mug shot. A Viet Nam vet who’s fought tooth and nail on the battlefield and in life, Woody has taught me more about faith, honesty, friendship and survival than he’ll ever know. He may dress up like a responsible adult, but the earring, ponytail, ink and jeans tell the true story. This guy's a little bit hippy, little bit biker, lotta bit dad, with a more than a few tightly-muzzled military ghosts circling his head. A perplexing blend of contradiction, this salty, surly, cussing, encouraging, witty, wise old dog can prompt a belly laugh and bring me to tears all in the same breath. The mischievous twinkle in his eye tells you he’s got something up his sleeve, but the slump of his shoulders reveals a lifetime of struggle and hard labor. Rightly so. He outlasted Viet Nam. And along with his forever-ravishing wife, he raised a beautiful family, built a wonderful home, and earned a solid living. Oh. And he also s...