Welcome to into the night. I'm Nari, your guide on today's excursion down
a twisted path. Be careful not to get lost. Be it dark or
light, It's easy to lose your way. Are you ready, then let's
begin a full and happy life. I'm not one to brag, but I've
had a great life. Have I faced adversities? Of course I have.
What kind of life would it be if everything was roses? No, I'm
happy to say I've experienced it all. I've been joyful and in the deepest
pits of depression, but that's what life is all about. A boring life,
one without the ability to really feel, would be a waste. My
life wasn't wasted. I've made memories, and with each one I look back
on, I relived the ecstasy and the pain. It's wonderful to have seen
and felt at all. As life as I know it draws to a close,
I'm loving each and every opportunity I've had to truly experience the ups and
downs that are meant to add meaning and depth to life. For a time,
I had an ideal childhood days spent playing amongst my mother's flowers and taking
walks down our lane with Missy, our family border colleague gave me a sense
of security that lasted until I was old enough to understand what actually happened in
our household. Perspective that came with age told me why that care free time
came to an end. For a while, I took it personally. Then
I realized that none of it was about me. My father's angry outbursts and
his fall into alcoholism were his tragedy to bear, not mine. His life
was tortured, and the man simply couldn't hope. Was I traumatized at times?
Yes, However, I was determined to make my life amount to more
than a lame excuse that my father ruined my life. He didn't he ruined
his life. I still had the one I was given, one with the
ability to make my own choices and to chart my own path. And that's
exactly what I did. Even the worst of those times growing up are treasured
by me as I look back. They made me grow, They made me
more human and more understanding. Compassion never blooms in a safe and steady field.
That's a lesson. Some aren't fortunate enough to learn. Easy lives with
few obstacles make a person cold and shallow. What's the point of living if
you don't learn how to empathize with others. I believe it would be impossible
to value or cherish the experiences of others if I hadn't lived through my own
hard knots. No, I haven't gone through the exact same victories and failures
that others have, but I understand pain, I understand fear. I know
what it's like to be all alone. Our experiences are different, but I
learned over time that we don't have to walk in the same shoes as another
person to appreciate the burdens they carry along their path. And authentic life requires
being able to put others before yourself. I've tried to find that authentic life,
and at my age, I think I've been successful. I haven't lived
a perfect life, but that's the beauty of it. After I went through
my rebellious stage as a teenager, I put away most of my foolishness and
focused on getting a degree so I could earn a living. I dabbled in
one major after another until I settled on engineering. I learned all that I
could in each class, even if it didn't directly apply to my major.
I made friends, some of whom I had for years until I experienced the
grief of watching good friends die when we were young. However, we had
a grand time along with my friends. I went to parties, sampled a
few things I probably shouldn't, and dated some pretty girls. None of those
young ladies compared to my Clara. She had a contagious laugh, bright blue
eyes, and a sense of adventure. Mary and her was the best decision
I ever made. We built a life together, traveled the world, raised
a family, and saw each other through sickness and health. If I have
any regrets in life, I didn't get more time with my sweet wife.
Thinking of her makes me smile and cry at the same time. But I
know I must take the good with the bad in life. And Clara brought
so much good to this world. Our three children, two boys and a
girl, brought us joy and more than our fair share of gray hands.
Each of them were bright, happy, boisterous children, and what a blessing
it was to have raised them. I made sure I provided for them and
gave them a great foundation for their lives. They in turn made us proud
and gave us eight beautiful grandchildren. Till enough We had stresses throughout the years,
like the time I lost my job due to the economy crashing, or
the time we fled wildfires in the night with nothing but the clothes on our
backs. I guess you could say we had some excitement here and there.
In the end, every crisis worked out for the best. As long as
I had Clara by my side, no problem seemed insurmountable. Yes, it's
been wonderful living this life. Not everyone has been as fortunate. As we
grew older, Clara and I faced health problems, but we continued to live
life to its fullest. After she became ill, we couldn't travel the way
we had before, but I didn't need to go anywhere exotic or flashy to
find contentment. Knowing the person you love feels the same way about you is
the sweetest destination to have. Holding her hand gave me more satisfaction than any
European or Central American vacation could have. My heart still aches to know my
Clara passed away five years ago. I've been only without her. Our children
check in on me and make sure they visit as often as they can.
Nothing feels the void left when my soulmate went to the afterlife. I've never
been a church pew on Sunday kind of guy, but I am a believer.
I know I will see my Clara again. I think the nurse is
about to come back and check my vitals. Our visit may need to end
so he can run some tests. From what I overheard earlier, I don't
think my vitals are looking so well. I may not have much time left,
but I appreciate you listening to me prattle on about this life I've lived.
You've made this old man think about some wonderful times. A young man
in a crisp white lab coat walked through the door. Yes, it looks
like it's time to remove these wires. Time to recalibrate and run this again.
Simulation complete flashed on the computer screen. The technician flipped the power switch
off and unplugged the robot from the wires measuring responses to stimuli. He scanned
the data on the digital clipboard he held in his hand. Doctor Paulson will
be pleased to see our new AI subject is almost ready for our real world
spirits. This one seems to really have the hang of emotions. He reeled
that he activated robot through the door, turning off the light as he left.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of the Into the Night Anthology
podcast. Written by Caroline Giamanco, narrated by Nari Kwak, Theme music by
Nico Rodriguez, all other original music, sound design and editing by Omenhawk Studios.
You can find our links in the show notes. Into the Night is
on your favorite podcatcher, so make sure to like, subscribe and leave a
five star review to help other excursionists to join us. I'll see you next
time, and remember, whether in the shadows or in the daylight, all
twisted paths lead you into the night. Into the Night Anthology is a creative
typo entertainment production