The View from 85

Sunset over Mobile Bay

This past Saturday, May 14th, was my 85th birthday. I have lived a privileged life.

But maybe not in a way some people would think of as privileged.

I was privileged to be born to poor, but Godly and intelligent parents who taught us to be readers.

When I was eight, my parents bought an old farmhouse in southern Indiana with 170 acres of woods and worn-out land. They paid $1300 for it. We had a few cows, goats, chickens, and a horse, and a mule. In summertime, my brothers and I could go fishing and swimming every day in a creek about a mile away.

I was privileged to attend a one-room school with about 25 children in six grades. We were given a thorough grounding in the basics. For junior high, as we called it then, I attended a school with eight grades in four rooms. I was privileged to move on to a small high school with only about 125 students. I could never have made the basketball team in a larger school, but there I could, and became proficient enough to play four years of small-college ball.

I was privileged, while in college, to meet and marry Barbara Hedgepeth, of Sarasota. When she passed away three years later, she left me with our son Rob.  Two years later I was privileged to marry Louise Devlin, of Miami. She loved us both and took my son as her own. Later, our son Don, was born.

These two women, along with my mother, are the three finest women I've ever known. And our sons are really good men who married fine women and have raised fine families. It's a privilege to be their father, grandfather,and now, great-grandfather.

In my career as a photographer and writer I was privileged to work with some great clients. They sent me to 26 countries on five continents and around much of these United States. Louise and I have also been privileged to travel extensively.

Louise and I were privileged to buy a small farm in McLemore Cove in the northwest Georgia mountains, where for more than 30 years we built a life and a home for our children and grandchildren to come to. Along the way we were privileged to adopt a third son, Shawn, who continues to be a blessing to us.

More recently, as we sold our house and land, we were privileged to begin a life of full-time RV living and travel.

Above all, we have been privileged to know the God of the Universe through his son Jesus Christ.

I'm privileged. And grateful. And ready for the next adventure.

Photograph and text copyright 2022, David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo

For the glory of God alone

My most recent book, Backroads and Byways of Georgia, is a 304-page soft-cover with more than 200 color photographs. Published by Countryman Press, it is priced at $22.95. Signed and inscribed copies are available directly from me at (423) 240-2324 or djphoto@vol.com.