75 Years of being lucky…
It sounds like a very large number when you say it out loud… 75! Really? 27,375 days, starting in the year that Soichiro Honda organized Honda Motor Corp. Somehow, that connection lead me to become known as MrHonda to a worldwide community of enthusiasts. At least, that is how it seems. Counting your blessings, in a life lived this long, would take another year, I guess. But, here are some highlights that come to mind this day...
Lucky, to have been born and raised in America’s Finest City. A place of nearly year-round motorcycle riding weather, where tornados, hurricanes, and sub-zero temperatures do not exist.
Lucky, to have been raised by loving parents and sharing a life with my sister, Carole, and brother Jim.
Lucky, to have had some “mechanical genes” that lead me to 3 years of auto-shop in high school and eventually learning something valuable from over 400 cars and motorcycles (mostly Hondas) that I could share with so many others.
Lucky, to have avoided the Vietnam War experience, when I was guided to join the USAF and wound up learning about electronics and winding up in Puerto Rico for my overseas assignment with the Hurricane Hunters. I had signed up to be an aircraft mechanic, only to find out that they were all going to be sent to Vietnam. Divine intervention opened up a new opportunity for training and a whole different life experience, free of death, destruction, and war trauma.
Lucky, to have inherited the “writer gene” from my Grandmother, which spurred me on to learn to type and create books, blogs, and emails: and even take over the VJMC newsletter for a few years.
Lucky, to have my daughter Sara, who with her loving husband Alex, has been raising energetic and creative children who will take my DNA into the future.
Lucky, to have survived three major motorcycle accidents, suffering road rash and some broken bones, rather than paralysis or death. Ironically, my father crashed small private planes three times and survived.
Lucky, to have the presence of my 95-year-old mother, Shirley, who still drives, cooks, knits, and laughs at my humor over the dinner table.
Lucky, to be able to keep working on vintage Honda bikes which the local populace keeps dragging up the driveway for rehabilitation.
Lucky, to have the VA health system to care for my aging bones and keep me healthy and well.
Lucky, to be able to ride out on my 1991 Honda Hawk GT650 with my Jamuligan friends every Sunday for breakfast rides and discussions about bikes and life in general.
Lucky, to have experienced two marriages and the adventures that came with those relationships.
Lucky, to have so many friends, near and far, who feel comfortable asking for help or giving it to me in times of need.
Lucky, to have technology to be able to share this story with a whole LOT of people all at once.
Lucky, to have followed my instincts and interest in holistic healing to learn of the EFT tapping method of healing PTSD and neutralizing unhelpful memories. To share this kind of transformation work with others fills me with joy with each client experience.
I have a little framed poem that I wrote for my dear step-father, Ray Yahnke, who nurtured our family for over 50 years. It hangs on my bedroom wall. It was called “Three-quarter Years,” and was written in 1997. I read it and think that it was a pretty good poem for him and for the times we shared.
And now, here I am at the three-quarter years mark, filled with gratitude for the life lived in safety, love, and support from family, friends and enthusiastic Honda owners all over the world.
Thanks to all who have shared the journey with me.
Bill Silver
aka MrHonda
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