Dennis Merlo

To My Boys Dennis Merlo

You can acquire a new friend, a new home, a new passion in life. Only once are you born into a family, and if you're fortunate enough to find a lasting spouse and bring children into this world, just once are they born into your family. That is special. God is always putting us to the test. Not always do we pass that test; this certainly is true of me. Oftentimes it's not what you do in life, but what's more important is what you've learned from it. From the onset of my childhood, this book reflects that theme and offers my own personal insights into life's valuable lessons. My thoughts include reactions to historic events in my lifetime including JFK's assassination, the cultural revolution, Muhammed Ali, the rock & roll music world, 9/11 and much more. As a parent, you'll find yourself nodding your head yes as you read through this story. This books' second half especially pivots to a more emotional tone after my marriage to Sandy and bringing our two boys, Mark and Bradley, into this world. This story details the strong love for my own parents and Sandy, and certainly I share many fun moments with my sons. But perhaps more than anything, I begin to internalize and agonize over the obstacles and challenges that confront my own two boys. Ultimately, it reveals a much-greater awareness of myself, my own purpose in life, and the profound meaning that Mark and Bradley hold for me.