Dear Bobby,
I remind myself that every day that I am still here is a good day. And then, every day I am not in a hospital is an even better day. Yeah, maybe I set my stakes low, but sometimes, the best thing I can do is get through the day.

My BIL had a difficult childhood in that he grew up in desperate poverty -- had to catch fish in order to eat for example -- but he coped and managed. . . . And maybe, as you say, his family had different dynamics.

My father does think that he is exempt from hurricanes. He never helped my Mom with the storms. If a storm approached, the Navy asked him to fly a plane out of town so it would be safe. My mom would deal with us and the hurricane prep by herself. And she didn't deal with us very well.

Mari