Swing Harder! Or just believe in yourself, it's easier.

From Jim:
Neil was very talkative tonight. He sat up about 45 minutes while having dinner. Right before dinner, they had to change the pouch. He drank cranberry juice and a carton of milk, ate a few French fries. He tried the chicken but it was so dry he couldn't swallow it. I asked him if he had given up and he said definitely no and that he is moving more and more all the time in bed. I thought he looked very good compared to last week.

Kay, when you feel like having lunch out someday, let me know. Your friends from card group would love to see you.- only when you are ready.

Love you, Trish
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I was very encouraged to read Jim/Trishs's email tonight. That is Dad. Jim asked if he has given up or ready to quit and he said definitely not. Dad will never give up or quit. His body may fail, as all of ours will eventually. But he will never lose willingly. He doesn't know how. There is nothing in him that allows defeat or surrender. It may come. But not willingly. I have never been in a game, sport or competition where he did not feel he or we could win. Never. And he loved competition. It is not within his being to allow defeat. He may lose in this or that. But it will come as a surprise to him- no matter the odds. Anyone that has ever been in competition (or likely business or any other venture, no matter what it is) on his side knows this. You could have a much worse team. Much worse. (We often did, BUT WON- despite the odds- in no small measure to Neil Gilmer.) Though with Neil on your side you would always feel, always, somehow, ridiculously perhaps, there was a good chance of winning. Not because you were better. But mainly because he believed in you! And he was rarely wrong. And thus you believed in yourself. He instills this in you. If you have ever competed against him- especially if you were up a few runs or strokes- you know what I am talking about. He could likely talk you out of a few strokes or runs very easily. "Swing harder!" But, if you were on his team you would hear things like "We are just as good as them" or "2 runs and we win" or "They can't beat us today. It's our time", or "Do you know how good it will feel when we win?" (My favorites are "Lay it up close to the pin" and "Strike him out") If he was on your team- as we all are now- now, he believes in you! We believe in him! It's just a seven iron pitch and run tight to the flag or maybe a sandwich (unbelievably), now, to victory. "Can you taste it?"

Love you Dad. Dean