Published: June 20, 2008 10:15 pm            

DAY: Honoring those who do a lot for us

This week, instead of me getting on my soapbox or remembering the days of old, I am using my column to bring forth some honors that are not usually noted. We start out with those young people who graduated this year from High School or College. It takes many years of a young person’s life to complete the 12 years of education, having progressed through grade school, middle school, and finally high school.

To walk the walk to the podium to get that diploma as a reward is the first step, to one day moving into a position in business, sports, and government that will continue to open other doors to enter. Many will go on with more education and make the moves to being at the top of the mountain. Many will be ok with just that 12th year education, and many will want to further schooling later on when they can afford it.

I remember my graduation just like it was yesterday and I was proud to be recognized by the state of Indiana with a scholarship to Indiana University. I wanted to study law and I knew that one day I would reach the top of my mountain and live with the confidence that I had made the most important move of my life. But money back then, just like today, was hard to come by and my move at that time was to keep my mountain in view, and one day finish my education so that I had gotten the best out of life and that was OK.

Today, after having been retired for five years, I am happy with how my life has gone and life goes on. So to all the people who this year finished that first step in your lives, I ask you to make every move you can to further your education, so that you can stand on your mountain and feel content with what you have accomplished.

Don’t ever think that you can’t make a difference in yours and others’ lives. You are the ones who one day will lead us in this country as maybe president, representatives, mayor, governor, or heads of our large American companies. I salute you.

The next group to recognize is all those volunteers that you see in the hospitals, missions, miracle walks to raise money, homes for humanity, and also those who are there to help whenever there is need for them. I personally was a recipient many times of help from those hospital volunteers, who do a lot to help ease some of the load of those nurses and nurses’ aides who are very busy most of the 12 hours they work.

Nurses rank high with me as they have a job that many can’t or won’t do.

Our family has been the recipients of the wonderful care that is given by those angels in white. And when those volunteers take up a little slack that gives those nurses a chance to do more for the patients. Being a volunteer has to be a rewarding thing to do in life after retirement, when there is spare time available and someone wants to do something more in their life. It can keep you young in heart as well as in mind and physical being. And the time seems to go by a lot easier if you are doing good things. Just being available is doing a lot. I salute you.

Now I can’t forget about those wonderful people who seem to be there for someone as soon as there is a problem such as home damage, fires, or just checking in on someone who is ill. Where would we be without these wonderful people who do without being asked? And don’t forget those men and women of the police and fire departments who protect us each day. Their job sometimes is one that gets no praise but they still do their job. Whether it is night or day, they are there doing their jobs as only they can.

These groups are angels on earth, who wake up each day with their hearts of gold ready to serve us in any way they can.

        

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