{"id":6354,"date":"2013-02-27T08:23:29","date_gmt":"2013-02-27T13:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/?p=6354"},"modified":"2013-02-27T08:24:48","modified_gmt":"2013-02-27T13:24:48","slug":"a-small-pause-to-recall-john-steinbeck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/2013\/02\/a-small-pause-to-recall-john-steinbeck.html","title":{"rendered":"A Small Pause to Recall John Steinbeck"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

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\nMy childhood was not the most stable thing in the world. I like to \u201cjoke\u201d that I didn\u2019t know people moved during the day until I grew up. We were a small family, my brother and I, my mother and father, and closely aligned my maternal grandparents and auntie. Sometimes living as a unit, more often in close proximity. But, pretty much always on the move. Both the adult males in the family were given to trouble, and found it necessary to move on with considerable regularity\u2026<\/p>\n

As a result my education was spotty. <\/p>\n

The great exception was science fiction, which gave me my first peek out at a world of possibility.<\/p>\n

However in my late adolescence there were a handful of authors that helped to form my world-view, and to whom for good and for ill, I owe an amazing lot.<\/p>\n

I see that today in 1902 John Steinbeck<\/a> was born.<\/p>\n

He, more than most anyone else sits in that pantheon of thinkers who helped guide my forming views. I know I read most of what he wrote.<\/p>\n

Now, yes, I\u2019ve moved on in many ways. <\/p>\n

But, I\u2019ve never stopped being grateful\u2026<\/p>\n

Never.<\/p>\n

Happy birthday, John!<\/p>\n

And wishes for many more living in the hearts of people you\u2019ve touched\u2026<\/p>\n