National Military Appreciation Month: The Citizen Soldier
The following story is shared by Fred Craigie, author of the award-winning book, Weekly Soul: Fifty-two Meditations on Meaningful, Joyful, and Peaceful Living . When my wife and I came into each other’s lives over 50 years ago, she had four living and age-appropriately healthy grandparents. They lived locally when she was growing up and she was blessed to have known them well. For several years until they began passing away, I was blessed to spend time with them and come to know them, as well. Among them was her paternal grandfather, Charles. Charles had spent much of his adult life around motor vehicles, running a small bus line that failed after the stock market crash, selling trucks in upstate New York during the Depression (often, we understand, to bootleggers, the only people who had money to buy trucks) and selling cars after that. Befitting his professional life, he had an engaging interest in people and a ready smile, coming naturally with total sincerity a...