I received some awesome pears and other treats from a college buddy. This is a good healthy start for 2015.

This may be my last journal entry on CaringBridge.com. If my cancer returns, I will most likely restart this online journal again.

So, what's next, you may ask?

There is a stirring in my heart to put in writing about a social issue that is very important to me:

The negative effects that an abusive and absentee father has on a young boy.

Through a survivor's personal account, along with literature reviews and research (Viktor Frankl's theory on Logotherapy), I hope to skillfully write a book that addresses how abusive and absentee fathers in our country adversely impacts the relational, vocational and emotional development of young boys. And I even built a blog to compile my research and citations on, along with some of my writing excerpts: http://www.ishmaelscry.com/.

There you have it. The beginning of my next fight. 

Hopefully...prayerfully...the cancer does not return and prevent me from finishing this book.

With warmest regards,

Alex J. Harrington

PS: I would like to thank the following individuals who strongly encouraged me to go down this literary path:

• Karen Leniart, former speech writer at Customs and Border Protection.
• Kris Maypole, a kindred spirit who works for the U.S. Border Patrol.
• Ralph Hardy, my fellow Brother-in-Christ and mentor.
• Harriet Scripps, my mother who endearingly loves her son.
• And my beautiful wife, Teresa, who has been prodding me to write this book for the past 10 years.

ajh