How Did I Get Here?

OK. A little bit about me. Where do I start? I guess the title is a hint. I am almost forty-five years old and I have basically started a new life. It is definitely refreshing, to say the least.

I grew up in a country town in Central California. https://cityofclovis.com/

I had a normal upbringing, fun, and mostly uneventful. In high school, I earned good grades and graduated. But like every other kid, I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Yeah, I had passions and interests, but how was I going to get to where I wanted to be.

I did the right thing at the time and went to college and did what was expected of me. Several times I changed my major, like many, but eventually graduated. I really still did not have a clue. “I know! I’ll join the military!” I did have a passion for aviation and figured I could learn to fly for free, right? Well, took the flight test twice and missed it both times by one stinking point. OK. So now what? My family is in law enforcement, I had a somewhat useless degree in Criminology, so Military Police?! Did my training and served my time. The Military definitely has its benefits.

Now it’s time for real life, back in the civilian world as “they” call it.

I followed the path I was heading down and ended up working for a local police department as a police officer. Ten years in and ended up having my back go out on me. I mean to the point I could not walk for a couple of days without excruciating pain. These episodes went on for several years until I filed for the ever-loving and easy-going Workers Compensation. After four and half years of numerous doctor appointments and jumping through hoops with the department and City I worked for, I ended up resigning.

At the time, it was devastating. The years that I was in limbo, not knowing what direction my career, my livelihood, was going in, took its toll on me and my family in a way I would not wish on my worst enemy. But as the title of my blog reads, it was definitely a blessing in disguise. A gift from God I would say.