Ole Pappy
It’s amazing how life can come to a sudden halt when a former president dies. The word came out at the beginning of the week that President Donald J. Trump has proclaimed Wednesday, December 5, 2018 as a National Day of Mourning in remembrance of former President George H. W. Bush.
Out of respect for the 41st President of the United States and to honor his vast contributions to our country during his lifetime, the special order was made.
Suddenly, the U. S. Post Office was to be closed on Wednesday. Several emails were rushed to my desk indicating various businesses wouldn’t be open and no communications would be sent.
It seemed as though everything came to a screeching halt. In some ways, the order by President Trump created a lot of confusion and hardship.
But when you consider the fact President Bush was one of those rare individuals who put his own life on hold to serve his country with his leadership, well, I guess it’s not so much ask for us to put our lives on hold for just a few moments and remember the man.
The 94-year-old Bush had one remarkable feat most of us don’t think about.
He was married to his wife Barbara for 73 years. Wow! She preceded him in death. In his 1989 inauguration speech, he said, “I see history as a book with many pages, and each day we fill a page with acts of hopefulness and meaning,”
On his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the Navy, becoming the youngest fighter pilot in World War II.
He flew 58 combat missions, including one that nearly ended his life. “He was on a bombing mission about 600 miles south of Japan,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, “when he was shot down and it went into the sea. And it’s a great moment for his life of heroism, [September 2, 1944].”
He returned from war with a Distinguished Flying Cross. One of his most famous statements was, “Read my lips … no new taxes,” He made this promise as he accepted the presidential nomination in 1988.
LAUGH A LITTLE: A Texan, a Russian and a New Yorker. A Texan, a Russian and a New Yorker go to a restaurant in London.
The waiter tells them, “Excuse me — if you were going to order the steak, I’m afraid there’s a shortage due to the mad cow disease.” The Texan says, “What’s a shortage?” The Russian says, “What’s a steak?” The New Yorker says, “What’s ‘excuse me’?”
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: As my Ole Pappy used to say, “I don’t want to tell you how to live. Just watch me and learn how I live.” Ahh, that was a wise saying. If your father is a wise man, he’ll show you by his actions how to live — not tell you! Thanks Ole Pappy!