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Today is the eve of the 3rd anniversary for a new father’s scary promise to leave a trail for his young Son. A 100-day challenge to write everyday, about life’s big choices.
Dear God, thank you for showing a narrow path.
Insight: There are no guarantees in life except taxes and death. Go!
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When we were done with his lesson, the learning could have stopped. But Walt Disney taught me to always try to give a little more than anyone expects. So in a brief story (Walt Disney’s teaching tool of choice) I explained to our son I wished I had been taught earlier in life how to use my own words – to not doubt that my explanation would be as good as anyone else’s.
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Two weeks ago in Nova Scotia, our son’s initials on a Canadian license plate.
Cheryl picked Chapin’s first name. I picked his middle name. Shortly after this trip, while walking down a country road for ice cream, I told him the story of his middle name.
If something bad ever happened to me, eventually he would ask, “Why is my middle name Shepard?”
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Trusting you know Skip Gaskill by now. But not trusting you follow all the blog comments here, I’m reposting Skip’s comment from yesterday as today’s message:
“Jeff, believe it or not we prefer not to have to go to war.
Yesterday was the Marine Corps’ 235th birthday. Jamie and I will attend the Commandant’s Birthday Ball in DC Saturday night. This will be my 31st Ball. This was also mine and Jamie’s first date in 1979. Can you believe how fast it has gone?
This week Marines around the world (including the farthest reaches of Afghanistan) will share a birthday cake. The oldest Marine present gets the first bite and then he passes it to the youngest Marine present. This symbolizes passing on the knowledge and traditions of the Corps. It is also a day where we reflect on and honor those who are no longer with us.
Yesterday a friend of mine (LtGen in the Corps) found out his son (2nd Lt) was killed in Afghanistan while leading his Marines against the Taliban.
Freedom isn’t Free”
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“What should a young male of 21 know, and what should he be able to do?
There are no conclusive answers to those questions, but they are certainly worth asking.
A young man should know how this country is run and how it got that way.
He should know the Federalist Papers and de Tocqueville, and he should know recent world history. If he does not know what has been tried in the past, he cannot very well avoid those pitfalls as they come up in the future.
A young man should be computer literate and, moreover, should know Hemingway from James Joyce. He should know how to drive a car well–such as is not covered in Driver’s Ed.
He should know how to fly a light airplane. He should know how to shoot well. He should know elementary geography, both worldwide and local. He should have a cursory knowledge of both zoology and botany. He should know the fundamentals of agriculture and corporate economy.
He should be well qualified in armed combat, boxing, wrestling and judo, or its equivalent.
He should know how to manage a motorcycle.
He should be comfortable in at least one foreign language, more if appropriate to his background. He should be familiar with remedial medicine.
These things should be accomplished before a son leaves his father’s household.” — Col. Jeff Cooper