I Am...

I am a man.

I am an only child to a mother I cherish, a step father I will forever be conflicted over and a father I    never knew, and never cared to.

I am a father myself.

I am a husband to the only woman I ever knew I wanted to marry the moment I laid eyes on her.

I am lazy at times.

I am not a "know-it-all," contrary to what some may believe.

I am sporadically ambitious.

I am confident in myself, yet full of personal doubts.

I am happy being alone, but miss my family when thus.

I am a really good writer and I know it.

I am always looking to improve and learn something new.

I am not proud of certain parts of my past.

I am still seeking my one do-over in life.

I am a fool for ruining my dream thanks to heaping doses of indolence, immaturity and obstinacy.

I am happy that I achieved this dream, though.

I am still annoyed that I wasted those six and a half years between 1991-1997.

I am a dog person and love all of my pups.

I am not getting any younger.

I am happy and content living in southern New Jersey.

I am a proud Thoreauvian.

I am a fighter, who stands up for those around me, trapped in a peaceful man's shell.

I am convinced I will return in my next life as a hawk.

I am a man that loves the night, but is afraid of the dark.

I am entirely sure that god does not exist.

I am convinced that religion is responsible for 99% of the world's animosities, but is a necessary evil to keep civilization from spiraling into chaos.

I am a believer that humans are a fragile species that needs to believe in something bigger than themselves (a god), more pure and infallible.

I am pretty sure that humans are incapable of ever fully understanding the mysteries of life, the universe and our planet due to our limited range of knowledge, yet we do our best, are then are convinced            that we know the answers, when in fact, we aren't even close.

I am tired of being held hostage by my past love of hockey.

I am convinced it's time to move on.

I am terrified of flying and airplanes.

I am guilty of thinking of others first too many times.

I am loyal.

I am sometimes very outspoken.

I am aware of my mistakes and not afraid to acknowledge them and apologize.

I am tired of summer heat and humidity.

I am happiest with weather that is cloudy and cold.

I am in awe of nature's majesty.

I am one who loves walking alone when it's snowing.

I am an admirer of squirrels.

I am going to live to 100.

I am scared for humanity's future.

I am sure Mother Nature and our planet will shake us off like a dog with stubborn fleas.

I am going to buy a hybrid vehicle next.

I am going to read, study and learn all there is to know about Thoreau before I die.

I am going to walk where he walked, and briefly lived, during the brisk winter seasons to enjoy the        solitude and silence of nature.

I am lucky to be alive.

I am missing my closest relatives, such as my grandparents and uncles Frank, who have long since        passed, every day now that we have kids.

I am happy when walking trails, kayaking rivers and lakes, and revisiting the places of my youth.

I am seeking simplicity.

I am accepting of my mortality and increasing years.

I am comforted whenever I witness my winged friend sailing and swooping high above me.

I am apt to change my mind frequently, not because I am undecided or unsure, but because I like to        bend like the winds and follow my instincts and take them wherever they may guide me.

I am not a "piney," but I love our region's lush pine forests that are, thankfully, preserved from most        forms of development.

I am fine not spending time with old friends.

I am desperate for more time with family, though.

I am a work in progress.

I am an environmental advocate for the continued conservation, preservation and reclamation of our    natural lands from the scourge of development, clear cutting and poisoning in the name of avarice        and profit.

I am inspired when reading Jim Harrison's poetry.

I am a connoisseur of sophisticated language, impeccable spelling and meticulous grammar,                    punctuation and enunciation.

I am jealous of the universe, its infinite darkness, its gleaming stars and planets, and its apparent            boundless silence and solitude.

I am always wishing I grew up in an age full of dirt roads, horse and carriages, telegraph lines, no        televisions, no internet, no cars, no airplanes and no industrial pollution.

I am missing the song birds that used to frequent our front yard feeder and bath.

I am more than happy with my decision to abandon all forms of social media for they are responsible    for much that ails of our society today.

I am convinced that our government no longer functions properly for it is replete with greedy                politicians that only follow their party's partisan platform at the expense of the greater good.

I am in favor of the Indian's motto of burning, or just simply throwing away or recycling, all                    possessions, at the end of the year, that no longer serve any practical purpose.

I am convinced, that as the years go by and I grow older, that this poem will know of no ending until    the day I die, but until then...