This is a book of short stories about being raised as one of six kids in a poor family in South Georgia. As a young boy, my mother told me that I had a vocation to be a priest and I was sent off to the seminary at St. Bernard's Monastery in Cullman, Alabama. Some of my memories are full of adventure and others are about struggle and hardship in a large family. My stories tell of the obstacles I faced, how they affected me, and how I dealt with them. The happiest stories are about my friends and the monks at St. Bernard's who influenced my life and helped me to grow into a young man full of optimism and opportunity. My experiences in life, while growing up, helped me to form my identity. They are part of who I am.