Lessons Learned in Childhood

In a series of recent conversations with friends and family, this subject kept coming up. It made me think about things I learned as a young child that stay with me today. Things I do that I never thought about why, until I took the time to reflect.

For example, I never leave my gas tank on empty, and it gets me super aggravated if someone else drives my car and does it. Why? I thought about it, and realized this is something I learned from my grandfather. He was religious about it. He always kept his gas tank full. He lived through a time when gas was rationed. My Aunt Mary told me there was an emergency situation when my grandpa didn’t have gas. He had to gather ration slips from friends and neighbors. I know he wanted to make sure this never happened again. Without my realizing it, he passed this little quirk down to me. So, if there’s an emergency, my tank is full, people!

Children are like little sponges. Whether we realize it or not, they absorb everything. It’s important we share our history with the younger generation. I’m saddened when I realize that so many of our youth can tell you all about the latest reality show, but have no idea what country we won our independence from or who fought in the Civil War. They don’t know what happened on the Beaches of Normandy or at Pearl Harbor. It’s a national tragedy that they don’t.

Make it your mission to educate the young minds in your life, especially on this Veteran’s Day. Remind them why we live in a free country and must be ever vigilant to keep it that way.

Sincere and heartfelt thanks to our veterans and active duty service members. May God bless and keep you safe. Happy Veteran’s Day!