Legacy Book

Best Day Ever: Stories of Faith, Family, and Finding Joy in the Everyday

What happens when your long-awaited retirement collides with a global pandemic? For Tom Rochester, it became an unexpected invitation to pause, reflect, and write. When the world slowed down, he picked up a pen and began to capture his memories — hundreds of them. Out of those came fifty stories, each a window into a life well lived: growing up in small-town South Carolina, lessons learned from his loving parents and brother, adventures from his college years, the risks and rewards of starting a business, and the joy of raising a family.

Told with humor, honesty, and heart, these stories celebrate the moments — big and small — that make up a life. You’ll laugh out loud at tales like the time his coach called him “the worst player on the team,” the airport mix-up that turned out to be far from an upgrade, and the dinner conversation that ended with Tom discovering that his daughter’s new “friend” Buddy was, in fact, a horse. You’ll also find moments of reflection, faith, and tenderness — reminders of how love, humility, and laughter can carry us through even the hardest days.

Each chapter ends with a “Nuts and Bolts” section — short reflections that distill the lessons Tom has gleaned from his experiences. Some are funny, some are hard-earned, and all of them invite you to pause, give thanks, and look at your own life with fresh eyes. Whether read as a daily devotional or devoured in one sitting, this collection will make you smile, think, and remember what truly matters.

At its heart, Best Day Ever is about nostalgia — that sentimental longing for times gone by, the smell of Mom’s cooking, the sound of Dad’s laughter, the simplicity of days when hard work, humor, and kindness guided life’s rhythm. It’s also about finding peace with imperfection and joy in the ordinary. Through stories of missteps, lessons learned, and grace received, Tom reminds us that happiness isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about paying attention to the beauty right in front of us.

Written in the spirit of a good conversation over morning coffee, Tom’s storytelling feels easy, cozy, and real. His hope is simple: that these stories inspire you to remember your own, to write them down, to reflect on the legacy you’re creating, and to make every day — no matter how ordinary it seems — your best day ever.

If even one story makes you smile, laugh, or recall your own moment of grace, then Tom will consider this book a success. Because in the end, Best Day Ever isn’t just about his journey — it’s an invitation to rediscover yours.