Tag Archives: Stan Snyder

Shifting for Life

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“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.”

— Alan Lakein

Today’s story is from Stan Snyder.

My father taught me to drive a stick shift

Stan driving an ambulance

A typical day in the life of a teenage me. Dad and I doing battle. His goal? Make me miserable.

“You will learn to drive a stick,” Dad emphatically said. “You’ll learn, or you won’t drive at all.”

“What’s the point?” I protested. “I’m buying an automatic.”

(I’d saved up for years. A few blocks away sat a perfectly decent automatic sedan. My aunt had promised it to me once I’d saved up the money. Dad knew that.)

But my father wouldn’t let up… READ MORE 

Life on My Terms

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“There is only one you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself.”

—Anthony Prapp

Today’s story is from Stan Snyder.

Life on my terms. It didn’t feel right to hide who I was. I dreaded the day, but it had to be done.

Life on My Terms

Stan at the beach

It wasn’t as hard as I thought — “coming out” in a small Tennessee town. I was an athlete, on the swim team. I made great grades. I was president of my class.

Maybe because people respected me, it was OK. Not a word to my face. I expected a beating from other “jocks” in my school. I was surprised. It never came. I felt “whole” for the first time.

And because it was easy, I decided to make the next step. Mom was long gone — she died when I was six. I decided to tell my family, starting with Dad. READ MORE