A Few Thoughts (Long)

[Dpshans@AOL.COM]

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=A0 =A0=A0Several weeks ago, a tennis pal and I were talking about what era=20=
we'd=20
live in, given the choice. =A0I immediately chose the World War II era, with=
=20
all of the drama, uncertainty, patriotism, swing music, ships coming back=20
into port, epic battles, world travel, and ultimate victory. The images we=20
all woke up to Tuesday morning pounded into me how horribly foolish my choic=
e=20
would have been. =A0I had forgotten certain parts, such as women just a few=20
years older than my own daughter losing boyfriends, brothers, husbands and=20
fathers. =A0Somehow the old war movies seemed to leave out the aftermath, th=
e=20
clean-up, the counting, and the sorrow. =A0

=A0=A0=A0=A0My buddy called me this afternoon, and told me, "Well, looks lik=
e you got=20
your wish now." =A0I fear that there is truth in what he said.  War is about=
=20
killing people and breaking things, and after Tuesday, we all hoped we'd see=
n=20
enough. =A0I'm afraid that there is some ugly work ahead for America, but th=
is=20
country has yet to shrink from the principles upon which it was founded.=20=
=A0

=A0=A0=A0=A0I think about the generation that I thought I would have chosen,=
 what has=20
come to be known as "The Greatest Generation." You know them. =A0This was th=
e=20
generation of my parents, and Cliff and Sandy, and Dale and Brett's parents,=
=20
who didn't choose to live through World War II, they were thrown into it.=20
=A0I've wondered why I admire so many of them; their character, their moral=20
conviction, their quiet patriotism. =A0I once asked my old dentist how he co=
uld=20
hold his drill steady all day. =A0He chuckled, and told me, "After flying a=20
B-17 over Germany 25 times, this is really kinda easy." =A0They were baptize=
d=20
by fire, and made stronger for it. =A0They haven't been thanked enough. =A0I=
 know=20
that whatever lies ahead for this next "Greatest Generation," they will carr=
y=20
on with the courage, pride, and spirit that has made America a dream for=20
some, and a target for others. =A0I wish them Godspeed, but I also wish ther=
e=20
were some other way....

=A0=A0=A0=A0On Tuesday morning we had a big chunk of our humanity ripped out=
 from=20
under us. =A0We've been forced to watch shocking inhumanity followed by hero=
ism=20
beyond measure. =A0As we come to grips with these events, it might be=20
worthwhile to start working overtime to put the little pieces of humanity=20
back into our lives. =A0

=A0=A0=A0=A0Smile at people, talk to them. =A0If you're in line at Starbucks=
, buy a cup=20
for the guy behind you, and ask how he's doing. =A0Shake a lot of hands.=20=
=A0Some=20
people need to talk, listen to them. =A0If somebody cuts you off on the road=
,=20
give him the "Don't Worry About It" wave. Make the corny little jokes we all=
=20
make. =A0Write letters, pick up the phone. =A0And for God's sake, sit down w=
ith=20
your kids and tell them how special and loved they are. Let's work overtime=20
at the little things for a while.

Take care, all, and may God Bless

Dan Dannenfelser
PTG Associate
Sacramento, CA


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