Actually, there are more than three reasons why I am taking a sabbatical from writing more stories, but I won’t bore you with all the details.

So, I will keep it short and reduce the chances of ‘putting you to sleep.’

However, it might take me a few days to finish this story because I am experiencing some ongoing health issues that have my head and heart filled with thoughts of doom and gloom, preventing me from writing about anything positive.

And those of you who know me know how I always try to avoid negative thoughts or people.

Aside from a few short outings to attend medical appointments, I’ve been confined to my bed for several days.

But the last thing I want is pity or concern from my global family of reader friends.

So, I’ll put my thoughts together and hope you forgive me if I sound like a crybaby or whiner.

That’s all for now.

UPDATE: Friday the 13th – Noon

I want to explain why I wrote stories about my loves, fears, cancer, and tears, paid for a website and the additional publishing costs without a revenue stream in return.

I also avoided having advertisements on my site because I was not interested in generating revenue.

The idea for writing came shortly after my stage three throat/tongue cancer treatments ended in 2009.

I had not told my family about my cancer because my dear mom was very ill then, and the added worry would have been too much for her ailing heart to endure.

I confided in my condition only to close friends, many of whom are actors and people behind the camera.

In September 2010, I had recovered enough to plan a trip to Toronto, Ontario, to visit my mom, who was recovering from her second stroke in the hospital.

Six hours after calling Mom to tell her I was coming to Toronto to visit her, my sister called me to tell me that Mom had died.

It had been over a year since I last saw Mom because I had difficulty recovering from the chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments.

I couldn’t swallow and had a stomach tube for eating and hydrating.

When I flew to her funeral in Oshawa, my family was shocked to learn why I had lost so much weight.

Some of them were probably hurt that I hadn’t told them about my cancer, but I couldn’t take the chance of anybody leaking the news to Mom.

I returned to Vancouver a day after the funeral, and it was while on the plane that I decided to alter my thinking and lifestyle.

However, it wasn’t like making a promise that if I survived cancer, I would make some sacrifice or offering to a Deity. (I am not religious, but I am very spiritual.)

It was simple: I would love life and everyone I knew or met from that day forward, without exception.

I planned to love everyone – man, woman, and child I knew or met for life unless they disrespected me by lying or doing/saying something about me behind my back.

As the famous quote warns…

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

~ Maya Angelou

I also made a promise to completely forgive the person immediately. Otherwise, the anger and hurt in my heart would become toxic, like poison.

So, I would no longer have a relationship with that person.

Why would I have you as a friend if I cannot trust you?

I am sure some of my friends – male, female, and trans – who I don’t know very well are surprised by my signing my comments with Hugs, Danny, or Love, Danny.

I also prefer to hug a friend whenever we meet or say goodbye.

As I often write

The opposite of Love is not Hate – it’s Fear!

~ Danny

Next, I decided to write stories about my cancer and being a volunteer at the cancer center where I was treated.

However, I would never write about politics or religion, because some readers can be very sensitive and easily offended.

Besides, I have no reason to sway anyone’s opinion on anything.

Religion is the first of the three reasons for taking a sabbatical from writing.

Religion

Last Saturday, Hamas unleashed a string of atrocities against Israel that sickened almost everyone with a caring heart.

I witnessed the images on network television and in the Washington Post newspaper, which I read daily. I cried when I saw photos and video clips of the mayhem.

How could a human being inflict such violence and terror on innocent men, women, and children?

My heart hasn’t stopped crying because I cannot get the images out of my heart and mind.

Hamas terrorists are using their own families as shelter and threaten to kill the hostages, one by one, if Israel retaliates.

Although I am not an expert, I predict Israel and her allies will not easily win this war.

But I am encouraged by the powerful speech given by President Biden.

If you missed it, here’s a copy of his speech.

Some of the most important quotes from the speech were:

“Deadliest day since the Holocaust.” – “One of the worst days in human history.” – “Silence is Complicity.” – “I refuse to be silent.”

~ President Biden

Not writing about this bloody massacre would be shameful, and I don’t want to be on record for never writing about it because “Silence is Complicity!”

This leads me to my second reason for taking a sabbatical from writing: Politics.

Politics

I can’t be silent about politics, too. I can no longer conceal my disgust at the former president of the USA and the right-wing fringe lunatics of the Trumplican (GOP) MAGA Party.

He is a racist who has been impeached twice and indicted four times on 91 counts, yet he remains the most popular GOP contender for running for president in the 2024 elections.

Yes, I know – it’s none of your business, Danny.

But remaining silent would be complicity, and I love President Biden – and always have!

I have always been a left-of-center moderate and have close friends from the left and the right.

I have many American friends, and I love each of them. However, I doubt any of them support Trump or the MAGA movement.

Aid to Israel and Ukraine is being delayed because the GOP fired their Speaker of the House and cannot decide on a replacement.

Where is their morality? How do they look at themselves in the mirror without feeling shame?

How will history record their cowardice?

I have also shed tears over what is happening in the States – reversing Roe vs Wade is at the top of the list. Separating immigrant children from their parents was despicable during the Trump reign.

I apologize to my friends across the line; I can no longer conceal my feelings. I do not dislike the USA – I want to see it return to its former greatness.

Lastly, my third reason for taking a sabbatical from writing is Holly Golightly.

But that will have to wait for another day because I cannot handle any more heartbreak for today.

UPDATE: Sunday, October 15th – 1:00 p.m.

Although I broke my promise never to write about religion or politics when I began writing this public journal of my loves, fears, cancer, and tears, I feel it was the appropriate decision.

I don’t know how people can live with themselves if they merely shrug their shoulders and be thankful they are not living in the Middle East.

Everyone should be outraged by the massacre of innocent victims.

Last night, while watching the news coverage of the war, there was a clip of Israeli soldiers sheltered beside the wall of a building, and they were under heavy fire.

One of the soldiers, who appeared to be a twenty-thirties-something man, had a small white dog cradled in one arm against his chest while his other arm held his rifle.

The dog, who appears slightly smaller than my Holly Golightly, must have been terrified.

The image brought tears and joy to my eyes because of the young man’s love for an animal – someone’s pet.

It didn’t seem to matter to him what nationality the pet’s owner was (or were).

This image will be in my heart and soul forever.

He is my hero!

It reminded me of the compassion of four of my best friends, who have two adopted rescued dogs.

Denise and Al – My Best Friends Forever

Al and Denise are Vancouver Venturers Walking Club members and have adopted two dogs in the past several years.

Colby is a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, the disastrous floods in New Orleans in 2017.

Tessa, their second and most recent adoption, is a survivor from Mexico. She is very nervous and fears people and other animals.

She had almost starved to death but was saved due to the kindness of a nearby person.

And that good Samaritan will always be in Tessa’s heart.

By the way, Nancy’s husband, Doug, stands in the middle of the photo with his trademark smile.

Doug is the president of the Vancouver Venturers.

He and Nancy have tirelessly devoted much of their time to growing the club’s membership from 36 members to over 500 in just a few years!

I have adopted Doug and Nancy as members of my family.

Bill and Bonnie – My adopted older brother and sister

Bill and Bonnie have been my best friends forever. I met Billy in 1989 when my employer, General Motors of Canada Limited, transferred me to Atlantic Canada.

I consider them family, and we’ve remained in touch since my return to Vancouver in 1997.

A book could be written about my experiences and other friends in Atlantic Canada, especially those in Nova Scotia, affectionately known as the NS Squad (Garth & Donna; Dale & Diane, and Peggy), Marj and the late Bill F., Junior, Jenn, and Shawn in Cape Breton, and those in New Brunswick, including Carole R., Bonnie’s twin sister, Andy F., Bobby B., the late Scotty Wheaton, and Mike B. aka General.

And from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Randy Furlong and Randy Dwyer.

If and when I resume writing stories, I plan to include these friends and our unforgettable times together.

Danny, you’re rambling on and on – I’ll probably have two birthdays by the time you finish writing this story!

~ Spanky

For once, you’re right, Spanky.

A few years ago, while vacationing in Florida, Bill and Bonnie rescued this dog from a shelter that would be put to sleep the following day.

They named him Cooper.

If Cooper’s photo does not excite your eyes and warm your heart, you must have a hole in your soul!

Holly Golightly

It is 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, and I need to take a break because this chapter will be the most difficult to write.

So, I will continue the story on Monday.

However, I will leave you with a card I received in the mail on the day Holly Golightly was put to sleep at the All Creatures Animal Hospital in Surrey/White Rock.

I could not open it until a few days ago, because the return address was Heaven, and my heart has been unable to take any more stress and grief.

I am going to pour myself a glass of Merlot and leave you with this famous poem:

To be continued.

UPDATE: Tuesday, October 17th – 4:00 a.m.

Last night, I fell asleep watching the baseball game I had taped earlier in the day.

I seldom watch anything live anymore because of a few commercials that make me sad, angry, or depressed.

For instance, the insurance commercials featuring a man and his ostrich companion, the fruit and veggie pill that will improve your health and productivity, a magical pill that will correct your curved-shaped carrot (penis), or a Botox injection that will remove the wrinkles (and expression) from your face.

But the three most difficult commercials on television to watch are the following:

• Charities featuring photos of starving, disabled, sick, and or disfigured children
• Dogs with the saddest-looking faces in caged shelters, with broken spirits and pleading eyes
• Immigrants at the USA-Mexico border, children in cages, separated from their parents

My heart breaks each time those commercials appear on my television screen, but I am seldom quick enough to change the channel.

However, as much as I promised myself to stop watching network television (live or taped), I can only watch so much Netflix, Disney, HBO, or similar programming.

Holly Golightly’s recent passing led me to search for something to calm my grieving spirit, but the door to my soul was like opening Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard and finding the shelves bare.

Music is one of the two ways I have found comfort in dealing with her loss.

My other source of comfort has been you, my reader friends.

Writing has helped me overcome my fears and tears.

Reader-friends like you are my family, regardless of whether we have ever met or where you live.

I remember a saying Little Danny learned from Mom’s brother.

It went something like this:

You can take the boy from the country, but you can’t take the country from the boy.

~ Uncle Ron

The opposite saying could be, “You can take the boy from the city, but you can’t remove the city from the boy.”

A friend may go away, but you can’t take a friend from your heart, because friends and love are forever.

The first thing I do when I awaken each morning is glance at the floor beside my bed to check on Holly Golightly, but her bed is now gone, and so is she.

When I come home, I still expect to see her waiting at the door, her tail wagging nonstop.

And while I used to quietly get out of bed each morning – not to awaken Holly – I still expect to hear the pitter-patter of her feet racing down the hallway to find me.

However, the one thing that is a continuous struggle for my head and heart to accept is that I can no longer have a pet.

I know my life’s journey is nearing its end, and it wouldn’t be fair to expect Annette to care for it after I’m gone.

We both agree that it wouldn’t be fair to the pet we leave behind.

Because every living thing has a heart and a soul.

In closing, this isn’t a goodbye.

I need some time for my wounded heart and body to heal.

So, goodbye for now.

And please do one last thing for me while I’m away:

Never give up on your dreams (or me)!

Dedicated to Holly Golightly and you.

I hope my stories are a gift to your head and heart.

Hugs,

Danny

Today’s tune from Danny’s library (purchased):

Was it wonderful for you
Was it holy as it was for me
Did you feel the hand of destiny
That was guiding us together

You were young enough to dream.
And I was old enough to learn something new
I’m so glad I got to dance with you
For a moment of forever

Sometimes, when you’re crying, you’re happy.
And sometimes you’re just crying; I know, I know
And come, whatever happens now
Ain’t it nice to know that dreams still come true
I’m so glad that I was close to you
For a moment of forever

[Instrumental]

Sometimes, when you’re crying, you’re happy.
Sometimes you’re just crying; I know, I know
Come, whatever happens now
Ain’t it nice to know that dreams still come true
I’m so glad that I was close to you
For a moment of forever.

Songwriters: Danny Timms & Kris Kristofferson

Here are other songs I’m listening to: These Songs Will Make You Smile Today.