Ale for the Soul

 **Wrote this for a contest that I didn't win.  Figured it would be good to let my audience read it.**                 Pulling into the gas station at the appointed time, I notified the contact of my arrival.  Figuring time was on my side as I was twenty minutes early for the rendezvous, I quickly pulled next to the pump and stepped out for a quick fill-up.  Pressing the appropriate keys for the “Pay at the Pump” feature, I could finally hear the sound of liquid fuel coursing its way through the hose, then to the nozzle, and finally into the gas tank.  This trusty Buick must be thirsty after the almost four-hour drive to this central Texas metropolis.  “Ahh,” I can’t help but to sigh in relief as I began to lean against the vehicle, gaining some personal time to gather my thoughts.   Barely noticing the view from the corner of my eye, the first black and white law enforcement vehicle pulled up.  “What a...

I did it!  I finally finished watching all seven seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .  This was no small feat as there were technical issues and competing demands on my time along the way; however, I finally finished.  Woohoo!  The last few minutes of the final episode showed flashbacks of the different characters and key events in their lives during the series.  Seeing these events stirred something within me to recall certain milestones along the journey of my life.  For example: Spending my last night in Grandma's house in Austin with a faint realization that I would never set foot in there again.  As I dropped the keys in the mailbox I simply looked at the door, placed my hand upon it, and took a deep breath of air knowing this was it.  It is moments like that in which I feel an overwhelming peace and joy, not the fake happiness and contentment that the world gives, but the deeply rooted feeling of security knowing everything was okay in sp...