“During the Vietnam war, I was a crew chief on a reconnaissance aircraft, and life was on the line every day. When I got back here to the States, things just seemed kinda off, you know? I looked at life differently. The emphasis on ‘things’ seemed so unimportant and petty. And I didn’t have as much patience. That was my biggest issue. I started doing art therapy at the VA, which helped me relax and gave me peace of mind. It also brought out my creativity, which is something I didn’t know I had. Vietnam changed my priorities. Before, I always thought about making money, but the experience of being in the war taught me that life is important and to just enjoy what I have.”