Fish on Fridays

From heartbreaking moments to gut-busting humor, Fish on Fridays is the story of a life lived fully—through good times, hard times, unexpected turns, and everything in between.

From growing up in a military family to more than twenty years in the U.S. Army, from leadership and travel to family, faith, illness, recovery, and some of life's unexpected detours, Greg P. Smith has collected a lifetime of stories—and the lessons that came with them.

Some will make you laugh. Some may bring a tear. And some may make you stop and think.

Fish on Fridays is not simply a story about cancer or adversity. It is the story of a life filled with humor, military adventures, family memories, hard-earned leadership lessons, faith, setbacks, and unexpected strength.

Greg shares the highs and lows with honesty, humility, and a healthy sense of humor. He takes readers from childhood memories and Army experiences to the personal challenges that tested his strength and changed his perspective on what matters most.

Along the way, he discovers that the hardest chapters can teach the most important lessons—and that sometimes the people who stand beside us are more important than the challenges standing in front of us. As early reader Terry Little described it, the book moves from “heartbreaking sadness to gut-busting humor.” Steve Mallin called it “both inspiring and entertaining,” while Maria Lewytzkyj-Milligan said it will “make you laugh, move you to tears, and leave you inspired.”

Whether you've served in the military, faced a serious illness, experienced loss, raised a family, changed careers, or simply wondered what life is trying to teach you, you'll find something familiar in these pages.

This is a story about the whole journey—not just the hard parts.

It's about the people we love, the lessons we learn, the mistakes we survive, the moments that make us laugh, and the strength we discover when we have no choice but to keep moving forward.

Fish on Fridays is a memoir about bad breaks, hard lessons, and unexpected strength—but also about humor, family, faith, service, and hope.

If you've ever had life take an unexpected turn, this story is for you.