My wife Danielle and I had a large spa type bathtub. The tub was surrounded by bay windows that looked out on the pinyon pine and juniper that surrounded our 20 acres in New Mexico. We lived on a nature preserve and we could not see our nearest neighbors. As we bathed we could take in sunsets, moonlight, and a variety of wildlife that we shared our property with. Danielle and I had a tradition of taking baths together on Saturday nights as we looked out on God’s creation, enjoyed each others company and listened to stories we told each other.
Our conversations each week are much like a quilt. At first it was the opportunity to talk about the progress of a book Ray was writing. Other times we played the way two adults do when trying to recapture times past. But mostly we just enjoyed each others company in the quiet of the early evening. Watching stars come out or the sun go down, we are immersed in our own heaven on earth.
Our stories sometimes have us laughing so hard and long we hurt, other times it is like we are the essence of a poem. Tears have been shed but anger has no place during this sacred time together. It is about love and acceptance and nothing shared is unacceptable.
Some of the stories are about our joint experiences as well as stories from our individual pasts.
Everybody loves a good story and we are hopeful that you will find something in all of our stories that will stir an emotion within you.
Danielle passed away on Christmas Eve of 2022 and our stories are included here.
Ray Terhorst
LIVING LIFE LIGHTLY IN SOBRIETY
I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober since march 24, 1983.
When I was working for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, one of my assignments was to work with department members experiencing problems with alcohol. In 1994 I began writing a newsletter that eventually served an international audience of cops, firefighters, and others involved in emergency services work.
This 16 page newsletter was published monthly and always contained an editorial by me concerning living my life and how it equated to my sobriety.
I have included some of these editorials from the past as some from current day for those of you who might be interested.
Living and walking this path of sobriety for these many years has provided me with so many wonderful gifts. Peace and a closeness with a God that is of my understanding has allowed me to find a balance between the chaos I bring into my life and how to live life lightly by removing that same chaos.
Today I remember the words of a remarkable man, Jesus, when he said, “I am in this world but not of this world.” It is my hope that you might also find peace and comfort in these posts.
Ray Terhorst
Livelifelightly.com 