This is volume 1 of the autobiography of Joseph Haynie. It covers the period from my birth to our marriage.

It's impossible, and undesirable, to chronicle every event and thought of a person's life. Any biography is, necessarily, an exercise in framing and focus. In the case of an autobiography, the subject of the story gets to do the framing and focusing. While the construct is chronological to some degree, my focus is on the formative experiences of my life.

I tell this story from the vantage point of a somewhat seasoned human being. I'm now retired from two careers. Our seven living children are raised, married, and independent. As of this writing we have 21 grandchildren with another on the way.

While I have told the truth, as I understand it, I reserve the right to be factually wrong. This is, after all, a set of reminiscences of events that occurred 50-60 years ago. Precision is less important to me than the life impact events, as I remember them, have had on me.

I also acknowledge that any attempt at autobiography will, to at least some degree, impinge upon the privacy of others. I apologize in advance if that causes anyone distress. You have been a critical and beautiful part of my life. I hope I've done you justice in my nostalgia.