Lots of Grandpa’s and Grandma’s around here

[f6john]

Given our age poll I’d say that’s an accurate assumption. I don’t think I’ve already shared this, apologies if I have, but Paul Harvey has always had so many words of wisdom and they usually bring a smile and or a tear to people of our generation.



PAUL HARVEY'S LETTER TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN
We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.
I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.. I really would.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy / girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

[John Schmidt]

John, I would agree re. the grandpas & mas amongst our group. My 17 grandkids have, in turn, produced an even greater number of great grandkids...many that are teenagers. A number of them are pretty little girls and very talented in a number of areas, obviously from my side of the tree.

I recall many years ago hearing Paul Harvey read that very piece over the radio, I tried to not miss his program. The letter itself is an education and full of hope for his grandchildren, something I wish upon my own brood. Often when I drop by my daughter's place nearby, her own daughter and granddaughter are there. That means for those few minutes there's four generations present in one room. When I watch the youngest bundle of energy let loose in the house, I can't help but wonder what our disturbed world has in store for her.

[old2soon]

     When I was still drivin big truck bout noon Where ever I was and what time zone started looking around the radio dial for Paul Harvey and in the evenings bout 1700  1800 hrs lokeed for Paul Harvey again for the Rest of the Story!  And in the many broadcasts of his I managed to catch I was NEVER dissapointed in what he had to say about Anything.  Might have heard this but at this particular moment can't recall that I have! Brain fart in progress!  Most of the things he mentioned I've done as I grew up in the 50s and 60s and in early 1964 I got my draft notice. RIDE SAFE.