The Man I Measure Men By

Things my Grandpa Rogers taught me. Since I mention my Grandpa quite often, I thought I’d tell you a bit about him...He was very tall, about 6' or just over....He had that native look about him...very muscular and still lanky. Handsome as the devil in blue jeans. He was a wonderful person who didn’t always obey the law. He was flashy and drove a pink Cadillac convertible with white fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror and tan leather interior. He gave all our friends candy money when he gave it to us...sometimes $3-5 a piece...that was a lot of money in the early 70's especially when you were swarmed by 10 or 15 kids at a time. Once he kidnapped (actually kidnapped) my brother, 3 sisters and me because he felt we were eating too much chicken and not enough steak. He was an over the road truck driver for a freight company here until he died in 1973. Before that he hauled dynamite on the wrong side of the law. The things he taught me include: It doesn't matter who else is there, at the end of the day, you still have to sleep with yourself. Make sure you like your own company. Great rewards come only through great labors. One can never have too much candy, it makes you sweet. In a dark forest, when no one is around, a tree still makes a huge sound when it falls. Sin committed in secret is still sin. You have exactly 3 choices when faced with fear or danger. A. You can freeze and let it overtake you. B. You can run and let it chase you. Or C. You can fight and stand a chance at beating it. (My Grandpa was a golden gloves boxer for a while.) First: know your own Value. Last: Don’t accept less. Every person who has succeeded has failed miserably and been completely humiliated at some point in his/her life. His favorite rags to riches story was Mays Dept. Store...I can’t remember all the details but I do know that people fail before they get it right. Every action has an equal reaction. What goes around comes around. People will generally believe exactly what you tell them to believe about yourself. It's a good idea to be generally honest, but don’t broadcast the bad stuff, let them like you first. Always work as if you have to put your name on it. Your name is on it. If you are kind to others and true to yourself, people will remember you long after you are gone. Sometimes you have to break rules before people see why they should be broken. Respect the ground you walk on. It's better to choose than to be chosen. Do your own thinking. God gave you your own mind....use it or lose it. Failure to do your own thinking is like saying to God...Yeah thanks for the gift...but I am just gonna use Joe Blow’s thoughts....its too much work to do it myself. Its like spitting in God’s face. If we see that an action should be taken and we don't take it. We fail. There is no "other guy"...why wait for him? Grandpa was the wisest man I ever knew.