Be Kind, Be Wise, Be Safe, and Keep Smiling!
A Personal History of Eric Reed Moosman from Birth to Level 50
1 – Abound in Good Works – Crosby, North Dakota
A major life impacting story from 2012, level 42 in life
2 – Table of Contents and Introduction
3 – The Basics, Family, and a Bit of History
4 – Birth to Level 10…1969 to 1980
5 – Level 10 to 20…1980 to 1990
6 – I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Full-time missionary service, church callings, testimony, etc.
7 – Level 20 to 30…1990 to 2000
8 – Level 30 to 40…2000 to 2010
9 – Level 40 to 50…2010 to 2020
10 – Favorites. Books, movies, foods, etc.
11 – Some Summaries
12 – The First Kiss
Introduction
Dear Family, Friends, and Curious or Interested Individuals,
Think buffet! When a person goes to an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, they get to pick and choose what dishes they want to taste. The wise take small portions of several items, and then might have enough room in the stomach to go back for seconds of those dishes they really enjoyed. Even then, there is a danger of exiting the restaurant feeling bloated due to consuming too much. With that vision in mind, I have tried to create this personal history so that it is a buffet where you can sample the flavors of my life as you wish. You can taste lightly in areas, but go back for seconds and dive deeper in areas you choose.
I have attempted to make this personal history fun to read, have enough facts to set a context, and include enough feelings to gain an understanding of my character, and select photos that compliment the narrative. My thoughts in creating this personal history was to include enough information so you gain some understanding of who I am, and yet not overwhelm you with so many details that could lead to boredom. It is a delicate balance, and all readers will be unique. Let me say up front to those who lived the same time I did, I apologize if I neglected to put something in this history you feel should be here, or if I include something that may seem trivial, or if something is shared inadvertently, inaccurately, or with a different perspective than your memory recalls, or maybe I haven’t included the best photos of a person or event. But, the truth of the matter is this, the whole process is very personal and subjective, and limited by space and memory. Regardless of the potential mistakes or perceived flaws, I hope you discover some measure of enjoyment in your experiences within these pages, whether you just casually flip through them, or if you read every detail and study all the pictures. As mentioned above in the buffet analogy, I am trying to appeal to the quick-glancer AND the interested historian.
Why publish my personal history when I am fifty? Well, this is my line of thinking. Many people do not record their personal history because they feel overwhelmed by the process. In aging years, it is also possible that mental and physical capacities could be diminished, making it difficult to complete. I figured if I completed the first fifty years now, then I will not feel quite as overwhelmed in my later years. Doing it this way will also allow me to add some addendums to other volumes if I wish. I don’t know for sure if I will follow through exactly as planned, but at the moment I am thinking of doing additional books every ten years. So, there may be three to five volumes of my life history. Another thought in doing it this way is this: If I should die unexpectedly, those I leave behind will have at least something to remember my life. That might be satisfying enough for them. But, if they wish to complete a volume covering my last few years they will have a pattern to follow.
Be Kind, Be Wise, Be Safe, and Keep Smiling! is the title of this volume. As my children were growing up, often when they left the house I would say this phrase to them. The idea being, that if we can act kindly to others, make wise choices on the truths we know, and keep ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually safe we will have a great deal to smile about.
P.S. Years ago, I read this humorous thought somewhere: Wouldn’t it be better if we refer to age in terms of “levels” instead of “years old”? It sounds better to say, “I have reached level 50 in life,” rather than saying, “I am 50 years old.” Hence, I decided to use that idea in my chapter headings.
