I went and saw "Star Wars, The Rise of Skywalker" today. I'd been kinda putting it off for a couple days. Lorri and I sat there until the end of the closing credits. It was an attempt to hide the fact that I was crying. Some of it was that this storyline that I've been following for 40 years came to an end. That wasn't the real reason I was fighting off the tears though.
If you've been following me for any amount of time, you're already familiar with the story of my heart surgery in March of 2017. If not, there's a blog about it all on here somewhere, go find it, it's a good story. For the past several years before that I'd lived life not caring if I lived or died. That day though, I was riding in an ambulance on my way to have open heart surgery that I was told I likely wouldn't survive. As I laid there, I came up with two reasons that I wanted to live. I thought the Georgia Bulldogs would have a decent football team, and I'd like to see it. (They went on to play for the National Championship.) The other reason was that I'd like to see the end of the Star Wars movies. Today as I sat there in the dark watching those rolling credits, I thought of that ambulance ride. I thought about how thankful I was that God let me stay here on this Earth. I thought about how one of the only two reasons I could come up with for wanting to live for, was to see this movie.
Then my mind shifted to this decade ending in a few days. Seeing this movie today, in a sense, was kind of like the end of that era of my life. I've accomplished the things that I wanted to live for. The 2010's were a decade full of emotions and ups and downs. I think of the loved ones that passed away over the past 10 years. I really miss my Pop a lot. Friends like Wayne Storey, Craig Hicks, Brandon Rogers, and many others, I still think of often. I left Pike County after living there my whole life and moved 2 1/2 hours away on my own to chase a crazy dream. So many wonderful people have entered my life in the past 10 years. Some are still friends, while others were only meant to pass through.
That's enough about the past. That era has now ended. It is time to start anew. I can think of a lot more reasons to live for now. There are some beautiful, amazing people, in my life right now. This crazy dream of mine is starting to come true. I still have Perfect Hair for Television, (so if anybody is needing someone to be a movie star or host a gameshow or something... just holler!) I could go on and on about all the reasons, but I am definitely happy to be living.
Goals for the coming decade:
1. Show love and encouragement to as many people as I can.
2. Right the wrongs I've done, and forgive those who wrong me.
3. Have fun every single day.
4. Keep doing things the way I want to do them.
2019 was a great year to be SamG. I'm lucky that I get to be that full-time. Thanks to all of you that have purchased my work, visited SamG Land, been a friend, prayed for me, or said a kind word. I love you all. May the coming decade be full of love, creativity, friendships, experiences and even more love!!!
Always remember, if you ever need a friend... you have one right here!!!
I mean that.
SamG
