My Dad, Father's Day

I know it’s not Father’s Day yet, but I’ve been thinking about My Dad lately. I’ve come to realize I really didn’t know him that well. My brothers and sisters knew him better than I did, or at least, I think they did. My brothers and sisters remark I look like him the most out of everyone in our family. 

I my defense, I went to a boarding school for my four years of high school, spent that first summer in Madison working at a day care center. The summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school, I spent the summer in Canada working with a group called Project Christopher, which is like the Peace Corps for those who were under the age of eighteen.

Dad passed away at the age of 64 in December1978 while living in a nursing home. He had developed a Parkinson-like condition and, according to my sister, Mary, passed away peacefully. She was at his bedside. I was living and working in Wyoming and I had driven to my sister Betty’s house. She, her husband, Jim, and I were planning on visiting Dad the following morning, but while we ate dinner, we received a phone call that Dad had passed away. 

One day late. Didn’t have an opportunity to say goodbye. Still makes me sad.

I can tell you Dad was active in the church, and served as a member of the Knights of Columbus and was a high rank in a group for high school and college young men called the Squires. I don’t even know if that organization exists any longer. Dad was a handy guy, tinkering with cars, building a carport addition to our big house on the river, and dad and mom both helped with my cub scout pack.

Even though I didn’t know Dad as well as my older brothers or sisters, there are several memories that stick out so clearly I can picture each one today. 

In cub scouts, we had an annual pinewood derby. Each scout received a car kit, and our job was to create a car that would race against the other cars. I can tell you I won several races, but I don’t think I ever finished in the top ten or fifteen. However, they had a design competition as well as the race and I remember winning at least two Best Design awards. My dad helped. He’d show me how to sand the car, cut grooves into it to make it look like the Bat Mobile. Dad showed me how to paint- several coats, but not too many as to weigh it down too much.

When I won those two trophies, I think my dad was as happy as I was. Each car had his fingerprints all over it, and all I did was to listen to him and follow his directions. 

Another memory came after a family trip to Yellowstone. I was fascinated by the glaciers, and in particular, Old Faithful. It was in seventh or eight grade when my school, Holy Angels, had a science fair. My idea was to replicate as much as possible, Old Faithful. Dad helped. We used a coffee pot, but had to extend the metal piece that “percolated” the boiling water, making it into the geyser made of paper mâché and puddy. I painted it to make it look like the pictures in the book we purchased while on our trip. 

On the backboard, I posted a brief history of Yellowstone and Old Faithful, along with diagrams and charts. I ended up with a silver medal and an offer to enter it into the Marquette University science fair in the junior division. Even though I didn’t place in that fair, being invited was quite an honor. And again, Dad was as excited as I was. He had his fingerprints all over that exhibit. 

The most vivid memory I have of dad was singularly personal, and I carry the impact of that memory with me to this day. 

I was in third or fourth grade, and it was bedtime. I remember getting out of bed to get a drink of water. As I walked down the hall to the stairs, and I glanced into my parents’ bedroom. My dad was in his pajamas, kneeling by the side of the bed, head bowed, and hands folded. I don’t remember how long I stood there and watched him, but it was long enough that I forgot all about getting a drink of water. 

Our Catholic faith was infused in our family- by our parents, by the nuns who taught us at Holy Angels, and by the priests who guided us. There was no escaping it. Being that young, I understood little of it. First Communion, Penance, Confirmation, I knew “about” those, but didn’t understand them fully until much later in life.

I never asked by dad about that night, but it was him kneeling by the side of the bed that taught me the most and gave my faith the human touch, and “face” if you will, that still guides me today.

In reviewing what I wrote, I guess I knew quite a bit about my dad after all. His faith. His caring, his love for family- us. And as I reflect, this last memory of him was his greatest gift to me. I don’t know what I might have given him on that Father’s Day, but I know it came nowhere near what he gave me. His gift has lasted a lifetime. I’m hoping I was able to give my kids, Wil, Hannah, and Emily, a gift like that. Something to think about …

Live Your Life and Make A Positive Difference!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all ten books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

I was a guest on a podcast, Horizons Author Lounge, with Dr. Rhonda Lawson. In case you’d like to check out the 30 minute interview, you can view it here: https://youtu.be/R5q9LyeSLXM?si=Att4uB-0TM8smY55

My book, Black Yéʼii, received a 2025 Maxy Finalist Award for Thriller and Suspense. It previously won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award. It is available in Paperback and on Kindle and is currently being made into an Audible format. You can find Black Yéʼii here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. BestThrillers called it “One of the best Crime Fiction Books of 2018!” It was also a PenCraft Literary Award Winner! You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also found out that Fan Mail won a 2023 Maxy Finalist for Action and Adventure. It previously won a 2023 Reader’s Favorite Silver Book Award. It is available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions, and a pay link on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Photos of John Raymond Lewis, Sr. courtesy of Unknown

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

That's It, I'm Done

I already retired once in 2020 just as Covid began. I announced it on the day before Spring Break, and honestly, didn’t regret that decision at all. It was the last time I set foot in any building as a principal. That measured 23 years in administration, plus one as an associate principal. 

For the last four and a half years, I worked part time. First, I was a long-term substitute for a third grade class who didn’t have a teacher. It was as a favor to a principal friend of mine, and I have to say it was a genuinely refreshing and wonderful experience. When they hired a teacher, it was not even a week when I received a call from another principal friend who asked me to be their online learning facilitator. I served in that capacity for about one and a half years, and again, I loved it. 

For the past two years, I was able to use my counseling skills at the same school where my wife worked. That brought me full circle. I met Kim when we both landed at a high school in California. We dated, married, adopted a son, and gave birth to two girls. And it also brought me completely back to where I first did my student teaching as an undergrad in 1976, which was in a middle school. 

These past two years as a counselor also reminded me how much I loved counseling. In retrospect, if I had to do it all over again, knowing now what I didn’t know then, I would have never left counseling and would never have gone into administration. I believe I was a much, much better counselor than I was a principal. But all said and done through the many past years in education, I learned quite a bit about myself and about education from each position I held. I enjoyed the kids the most, the administrative teams I worked with and to whom I was responsible, and many of the teachers and parents who came across the entry doors. 

I am still in touch with many of the friends I met in these past 49 years. Kids at all levels, now young adults, some with families of their own, and even some who have retired, still call me a friend. Currently, I work in a school with several of my former students. At the beginning of the year, one of them- a newly hired English teacher, asked the principal what he should call me. He explained he had me as a principal, and he didn’t know if he should call me Mr. Lewis or Joe. It’s funny, he doesn’t call me by any title, so I think he’s still uncomfortable with all of it.

I have fond memories, some regrets, but I dwell mostly on what I was able to accomplish and the lives I touched along the way. And how my life was touched by all who entered it. 

As a coach, winning a state title with a super athletic group of hard-working kids was a highlight. Being asked to stand up in one young man’s wedding, and then a year later, being asked if I would be his son’s godfather is something I’ll never forget. Visiting a young man in a hospital after he got beaten out of a gang. For him, it was the lesser of two evils, the other being put to death. He ended up being the first male in his family to graduate from high school and go to college. As time passed, we lost track of each other, but I still think of him. 

Another young man as a middle schooler, Khalid, came home from school one day and found his grandmother dead on the kitchen floor after a heart attack. The summer before his freshman year in high school, he then moved into his father’s and stepmother’s home. Neither wanted him. Khalid had to sleep on a couch or on the floor in a cramped apartment. Even though I was his counselor for four years, I had no knowledge of this until years later, when he told the story while visiting my wife, and our two daughters, and me. He went to college on a football and academic scholarship, and has since become a counselor and is now a high school principal. 

As a counselor, I helped pick up the pieces after a troubled young man committed suicide while on the phone with his best friend. This young man thanked his friend for all he did, and then shot himself with his father’s rifle. It was a tough week or two for many, but especially for the friend who received the phone call and heard the gunshot. 

As a principal, I had to help plan a celebration of life ceremony for two popular senior students killed when a train struck their vehicle. For a small school whose students knew everyone, it was a tough spring. At a more recent school, we held a special graduation for a young man dying of brain cancer. Not a year later, he passed away peacefully.

But there were many more positive and heartwarming stories than sad ones, thankfully.

Keith, a quiet kid in the first school where I taught and coached in Wyoming, asked me one day if I liked duck. I told him I didn’t think I ever ate one. The next day, I came home to a crock pot on my porch with a handwritten note to return the crock pot when I was done with it. There was a family who took me as their own, knowing I was many miles away from my own family. Countless Sunday dinners, and a Christmas Eve, and they even hired me to work on their ranch during the summer months. I’ll save the story for how that turned out for a later post.

And it was through education where I met Kim and then got married and had three children. When our son, Wil, was shot and killed, I can’t possibly express the appreciation for how our schools embraced us, comforted us, and protected us. I still don’t know how I managed, and my girls and Kim and I still speak of how the school year of 2014-2015 was a blur. We really have little of memories of how we survived and made it through. For me, I had a wonderful administrative team, especially Harry Johnston and Wes Bergazzi, who checked in with me often, and a teaching staff who looked out for both our youngest, Emily, and me.

I sit at my desk as I pound these keys. I’m age 71 now, and reflecting on the 49 years I spent in education, I have to say, I don’t regret it. It has been a wonderful career, and more importantly, a good life … so far. June 12^th is the last day of my day to day work. I might substitute for administrators on leave or when there is a need. I might substitute as a counselor if a need arises. But I am done with the day to day life as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. 

A huge thank you to all who helped shape me, who took the time to correct me, guide me, encourage me, and mentor me. I know I never had all the answers and relied on so many who were and are smarter than I’ll ever be. Through it all, I have been blessed, and I continue to be blessed, and my life is full. I hope, at least in some small measure, I added something positive to the lives who came in contact with me.

Thanks for your service to kids, and thank you for being with me and, when needed, for propping me up on this journey. Without you, I would have been lost. Something to think about …

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all ten books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

This past Monday, I was a guest on a podcast, Horizons Author Lounge, with Dr. Rhonda Lawson. As soon as I receive a link to the recording of the 30 minute show, I will post it on my social media.

Saturday, May 24^th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM I will take part in a Local Authors Festival. It takes place at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Salem Church Branch, at 2607 Salem Church Road, Fredericksburg, Virginia. If you are in the area, I’d love for you to stop by. I’ll have all ten of my books for sale and signing.

A week or two ago, I discovered good news on two of my books. Black Yéʼii received a 2025 Maxy Finalist Award for Thriller and Suspense. It previously won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award. It is available in Paperback and on Kindle and is currently being made into an Audible format. You can find Black Yéʼii here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. BestThrillers called it “One of the best Crime Fiction Books of 2018!” It was also a PenCraft Literary Award Winner! You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also found out that Fan Mail won a 2023 Maxy Finalist for Action and Adventure. It previously won a 2023 Reader’s Favorite Silver Book Award. It is available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions, and a pay link on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Photo courtesy of Joseph Lewis

      

Protection

Protection 

I try to keep this blog and my posts free from politics, yet recent events cause me to set aside my unwritten rule. I cannot remain silent. With that in mind, read or not. Up to you. 

When Southern California had an earthquake recently, the elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park formed an “alert circle” to protect two calves. It was an instinctive response to danger. Pretty amazing, but not unexpected. This type of behavior is common in the animal kingdom. It occurs in the human kingdom, too. 

Ever watched an old western? As they trekked across the country, the wagon trains would circle at night to protect themselves from hungry critters and marauders. Forts are encircled in walls for protection. 

As a young couple with two children, William was seven and Hannah was an infant, Kim and I had a plan “just in case” something came up. I would get Wil and our dog, Sherlock, while Kim got Hannah. That was our plan. We never had to evacuate, but I remember we experienced an earthquake and when I got to Wil’s room, he was sitting up in bed, eyes wide, as the bed shook. It reminded me of the scene in the Exorcist minus the levitation. Levitation would have freaked both Wil and me out. 

It is human nature to protect our young, those most vulnerable. I wish the current administration and the GOP in particular would protect our young and our most vulnerable. The sense of caring, compassion, and empathy are noticeably absent these days. I guess the teachings of Jesus are too Woke for them and their followers. Sad. Instead, the rights of women vary from state to state, while men suffer no such thing. There is talk of the Ten Commandments being hung up on classroom walls, even as the state and federal legislatures violate them. A ten-year-old rape victim from Ohio had an abortion in Indiana, and the doctor who performed it was fined. A ten-year-old rape victim. Again, no caring, compassion, or empathy. The party of family values fails again miserably. The bible is cherry-picked to meet the needs of the callous, thoughtless, and heartless, with little reference or guidance from the teachings of Jesus. Worse than just sad. I dare say, sinful.

As a seventy-one-year-old, I worry about the loss of Medicare and Medicaid. I have two brothers and two sisters older than me. I have in-laws older than me, who care for a physically and intellectually challenged grandson, who is my wife’s nephew. While I don’t know the financial specifics of the aforementioned, I would think the loss of Medicare and Medicaid would hurt them, as well as hurt my wife and me and many of my loved ones. Losing either would place a burden on their families, and for Kim and me, place a burden on our children. Hopefully, it will remain intact and not be raided. But who knows? Maybe, hopefully, in four years it will change, but in four years, a lot can happen. 

Protection. 

Kim and I and many of our family members have been in or are in education, teaching and caring for kids of all ages. We have made friends with those who have worked with us, teaching and mentoring children. Some former students remain in touch with me even after all these years. There are nurses among our family members and extended family. They work tirelessly to make those with medical issues comfortable. I have a niece who works long hours at a 9-1-1 call center. 

Protection.

We have friends, colleagues and family members who do not agree with Kim or me or my daughters and their husbands. They genuinely believe that our current president is doing the right thing. They believe our country was headed in the wrong direction. I get that, even though I disagree with them.

There are many who agree with me and, like me, they are worried- more than worried- about the current direction of our country. We have one son-in-law who is African American (yes, a U.S. citizen) and I know he and my daughter worry. Kim and I adopted our son from Guatemala, and even though he has been deceased since July 2014, Kim and I have talked about what would happen if Wil was alive and I.C.E. showed up at his place of work, his home, or while he walked down the street. Others, just like Wil, have disappeared or have been held in detention. The home of the brave and the land of the free, right? Only for a specific color and specific gender, I think.

Matthew 20:40 says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Jesus’s words, not mine. Straight from the Bible. This part of the parable of the goats and sheep emphasizes that serving others, especially those in need, is equivalent to serving Christ Himself.

We must speak up for those who have no voice. We must protect those who need protection, those who are the most vulnerable. We have to care about those who need our help. Pain, suffering, worry, and anxiety blanket all age groups, all races, and all creeds. If not us, if not those who are able, who will protect those who need it the most? Do we conveniently disregard Matthew 20:40 or follow it? And last, who are we to judge who needs protection? Who are we to judge who doesn’t need care and compassion? Who has the right to judge? I don’t think any of us were given permission to judge. Something to think about …

Live Your Life, and Make A Positive Difference in the Lives of Others!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all ten books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

This past week, I discovered good news on two of my books. Black Yéʼii received a 2025 Maxy Finalist Award for Thriller and Suspense. It previously won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award. It is available in Paperback and on Kindle and is currently being made into an Audible format. You can find Black Yéʼii here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also found out that Fan Mail won a 2023 Maxy Finalist for Action and Adventure. It previously won a 2023 Reader’s Favorite Silver Book Award. It is available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Of course, you can find all my books, their descriptions, and a pay link on my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Photo courtesy of David Heiling and Unsplash

Friendship Fades

Scrolling through Reels on my phone as I took a break from working and writing, I came across an interesting interview between a host, whose name I didn’t catch, and actor, Kevin Bacon. They talked about acting, various roles, and such, but there was a question that seemed to not only strike me but also the actor.

The host asked, “You’ve developed friendships with the people you work with, but what happens when the project is completed? Do you remain friends after that?” 

Bacon contemplated that question, then shook his head and said, “That’s what’s so frustrating to me. Even depressing. On the set, whether it is a play or a movie, we become close. We’re family. And then when it’s over, everyone goes away. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to handle that. I mean, we were friends, I thought. But some, I’ve never heard from again, or if I did, it was at some event or show and we pass each other and say hello. I didn’t know how to handle that.” 

“But surely, you made friends in the business, right?” the host asked. 

“Well, yes. I met my wife while we worked together, but there are others who just left and I never hear from again.” 

“That must hurt.” 

“Hell, yes. Like I said, we spend weeks, even months, together. We develop a bond, a friendship. We’re like family. And then,” Bacon raised his hands and finished, “then nothing. I didn’t know how to handle that at first.” 

I made me think back to my forty-nine years in education, both full-time and part-time, the places I’ve been, and the people I worked with, laughed with, and hurt with. And many of them are gone, much like Bacon described. The set was finished, the project done, and they moved on. In my case, I changed jobs or cities and schools, and some people I thought were friends aren’t anymore. Never hear from them again. Gone. 

Now and then, I look them up on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, and I reach out and reintroduce myself with a wish to connect, but many times, it is ignored. Yeah, it hurts. 

The longest I’ve been in one place, here in Virginia, Kim and I hear from very few. Very few. I am in touch more now with friends from grade school and high school, which is fun. I enjoy that and I look forward to hearing from them or seeing their posts. Some were reacquainted from the books I’ve written or the blogs I write. That is satisfying. 

But what of those who are or were more recent friends? Not so much. Some is certainly my fault. I got caught up in my life, my work, and my family. Writing has kept me busy- thankfully so. Kim and I do a great deal together, and that’s always a good thing. We do quite a bit with my two daughters, their husbands, and our grandson. Even thinking of them brings a smile to my face. Yet, I miss the friends I’ve made over the years. 

This might be a guess, but I bet Bacon and I aren’t the only ones this has happened to. I think many of you reading this might have similar experiences. I wrote a post for this blog on February 13, 2023 titled, Like Boosters on a Rocket and as of this afternoon, there have been 372 views. It seems like it hit the heart with quite a few of you.

The essence of that post is that some folks aren’t meant to journey through life with you. Some come along and help you at different times over the years, while others remain friends seemingly forever. It’s just that I wish I had more of the latter. Perhaps you do too. I would love to hear from you on how this post hits you. Something to think about ... 

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

For My Readers:   

If you like what you’re reading and find a benefit from it, you can check out my other posts on my Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com under the Inspirational Blog tab. You can find all nine books, their descriptions, and links for purchase at the same site.  

Please Connect with Me on Social Media:  

Website https://www.jrlewisauthor.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557592103627

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorjosephlewis/

TikTok @josephlewis5566  

Substack https://tinyurl.com/2m5ckdvh  

BlueSky @jrlewisauthor.bsky.social

Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) is now available in paperback and Kindle. An Audible is currently being worked on. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://tinyurl.com/25w95xcn

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-y-700-ii-joseph-lewis/1146257565?ean=9781685135379 

If you want more of the backstory to Black Yéʼii (The Evil One) check out my previous book, Caught in a Web, which is available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible. You can find it here:

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GrU51T

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-a-web-joseph-lewis/1128250923?ean=9781684330249

I also want to remind you that Fan Mail is now available in Audible format, as well as Paperback and Kindle. You can find it here: 

Audible Link: https://audiobooksunleashed.com/product/fan-mail/ 

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3eNgSdS

Barnes & Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fan-mail-joseph-lewis/1142543281?ean=9781685131685

Photo courtesy of Chang Duong and Unsplash