It's Tuesday morning and I'm sitting at the "Beast" struggling with my assignment for my 10:30 class.. Frankly it's easy to do nothing in this beautiful place on the side of Mt. Soledad. Trees, flowers, trails. good meals delightful stimulating friends.

Frankly I'm tired and could just sleep.

However I know after nearly 90 years of living; that life is a gift which we did not choose but are loaned. We are given talent, Time and opportunities for developing and investing ourselves. The Gift has in it moral obligations. We are more than high-grade animals. We Think, Will, Choose ,Create, occupy space and there is an obligation of paying the rent; making the world better not worse. I believe we fail if we just try to take all the' freebies" and just vegetate. Life is laced with cultural disciplines and societal demands. For me every day I choose to do some things I don’t want to do but Know I ought to do.

So here goes.,. Carol tells me I have lived my life by cliches. " True" I have clichés for nearly every experience that has come in life. I am a "White -Anglo- Midwestern Protestant". I thank God,The Unbegun Beginning and Constant Sustainer: 'Energy' of all things ;who gave us life and a number of years for "growing our souls"' The Creator will not look us over for our medals degrees or diplomas but for our scars".

Carol's thirty-seven days in Scripp's Memorial Hospital was a testing for all of us. We came through. All of you were wonderful in attentiveness and responsiveness. If I were to measure this month on a Life-Timeline I would put it down as a tough signal that life is limited. We are not in complete control of our destinies. Carol's choices were very narrow. Submit to radical poisons or die. I like her choice. Both of us keep trying to be faithful to Christ, our ‘Third Partner" for nearly 65 years. Both of us are important to each of you, our friends and the society of caring we have been a part of since University of Redlands days.(l933)

As you all know we are now in two small rooms on the 4th floor of our Wonderful Retirement Home. Here, now, every day is a challenge in a new way. Many values have been altered. Little things aren't where you think they are. Patience and the resolve to keep trying are the basic resolves of every day. Carol's back, legs, and breathing are more troublesome than ever before in her nearly 86 years of unselfish living.

Many years ago I made up my mind I would never leave my four children very much of this world's goods. However I did determine I would leave them as much moral money stemming from a good name which was in my power to convey. I made this decision when I read Robert Louis Stevenson's words defining "Success".

"That man is a success who has lived well laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and loves children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task' who leaves the world better than he found it ,whether by improving a poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it. who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.

I believe a man lives well when he recognizes that beyond the bare necessities of life there is no correlation for happiness. To live simply is to live effectively and well. A man loves much when he keeps the growing edge of his life smooth and tender, sensitive to the touch of others and does not become calloused or indifferent. A man has the respect of intelligent men when he is honorable and can look every man straight in the eye knowing that God honors his sincerity and honesty... To know the love of children and to feel that little ones are walking in the shadow of his influence; in his footsteps and will not be betrayed.”

I close with this cliche:

"To thine own self be true, and it shall follow as the day

the nite ,we shalt then not be false to any man."

Lovingly and prayerfully.

Thanks again for scrolling.

-Caleb Elroy