Effort: I was better than most, but …

The Ethical Will of Donald Armstrong, Part 8

For an explanation of what an ‘Ethical Will’ is, please see my previous post, ‘I Leave to You … Whatever Wisdom I May Have Gained.’

I have been truly fortunate. I have reached midlife (okay, seventy may be pushing the midlife category a bit) with no serious illnesses. I still have all of my hair and a relatively rapid metabolism (which means I have never had to struggle to maintain a healthy weight). All five of my senses are intact, although perhaps not quite as keen as they once were.

I had a profession that I enjoyed and I feel that I made a real difference in the lives of people. I have been politically active and have been elected to local office. I am proud of my son and my grandchildren, as well as their spouses, and I am surrounded by people who I care about — and who care about me. One of those is the love of my life and he has enriched that life for more than twenty years. And finally, I live in the one place on earth that I cherish above all others — the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Yes, I have worked hard to accomplish what I have. But … to be honest, not always that hard … and sometimes I’ve hardly worked at all. While I have always been goal-oriented, I have not always been goal-driven. I can easily be…