When he was a young man…

He could hit a softball further and harder than anyone on the block, or so he said.

He used to dress like a movie star and walk the streets like he owned them.

He used to talk loud and laugh louder. Singing with the boys on the side of the old school, flirting with the girls on Ocean Parkway.

He used to smile and light up every room he walked into.

He would fight for people to be treated the right way and fight for other people to be treated in the way they deserved.

Boisterous and proud, he would stand up to anyone who would put down anything he believed in.

He accepted differences in each being, and rejected the judgmental people who would condemn another human being.

Being Jewish, and a Mets fan, he may have seemed like an underdog, but always considered himself the winner.

These days, he walks slowly, still flashes that moonlight smile, but time is running short.
He never did a lot of things he wanted to, but he also did so many things he never thought possible.

He never experienced life as he had hoped to, but experienced so much he couldn’t have dreamed of.

“Take a good look at yourself and figure out how to improve the person you are. No one is perfect, but you should always try your best to be the best you can be.


“Love is the key to each door in life and having faith in God is paramount, even if you have questions. Trust me, as someone who’s been through some wild stuff, there’s a Higher Power out there watching over us. 

Always, always, be yourself, no matter what.”

When she was a young lady. She could hit a softball further than any boy could, or so she’d say.

She looked like Jessica Lange and walked like Mae West, stopping people in their tracks wherever she went.

She could be diminutive and shy, or fiercely proud and protective. Protective of anyone who seemed to be judged, labeled or bullied.

She was a prankster who loved to make others laugh and would cry when she watched movies with happy or sad endings.

She’s older now, yet she still has that strut about her, Mae West be damned. She stands upright and sometimes betrays herself with a limp or a hidden grimace. But she can still compete with that sun for the brightest light.

“We must improve ourselves and always believe in our abilities. Especially as women, we must work harder and aim higher. But we must never forget we are always supported by our faith and our knowledge in a higher power. Live, love and laugh, no matter what life or people thrust towards you. Love is the key to your next breath.”