1¡¢Dadlovedtoplaythemandolinforhisfamilyheknewweenjoyedsinging,andhearinghimplay.Hewaslikethat.Ifhecouldgivepleasuretoothers,hewould,especiallyhisfamily.Hewasalwaysthere,sacrificinghistimeandeffortstoseethathisfamilyhadenoughintheirlife.IhadtomatureintoamanandhavechildrenofmyownbeforeIrealizedhowmuchhehadsacrificed.
2¡¢Ihaveoftenthoughtitwouldbeablessingifeachhumanbeingwerestrickenblindanddeafforafewdaysatsometimeduringhisearlyadultlife.Darknesswouldmakehimmoreappreciativeofsightsilencewouldtechhimthejoysofsound.
3¡¢IjoinedtheUnitedStatesAirForceinJanuaryof1962.WheneverIwouldcomehomeonleave,IwouldaskDadtoplaythemandolin.Nobodyplayedthemandolinlikemyfather.Hecouldtouchyoursoulwiththetonesthatcameoutofthatoldmandolin.Heseemedtoshinewhenhewasplaying.Youcouldseehisprideinhisabilitytoplaysowellforhisfamily.
4¡¢Instoriesthedoomedheroisusuallysavedatthelastminutebysomestrokeoffortune,butalmostalwayshissenseofvaluesischanged.hebecomesmoreappreciativeofthemeaningoflifeanditspermanentspiritualvalues.Ithasoftenbeennotedthatthosewholive,orhavelived,intheshadowofdeathbringamellowsweetnesstoeverythingtheydo.
5¡¢Loveandknowledge,sofarastheywerepossible,ledupwardtowardtheheavens.Butalwayspitybroughtmebacktoearth.Echoesofcriesofpainreverberateinmyheart.Childreninfamine,victimstorturedbyoppressors,helplessoldpeopleaburdentotheirsons,andthewholeworldofloneliness,poverty,andpainmakeamockeryofwhathumanlifeshouldbe.Ilongtoalleviatethisevil,butIcannot,andItoosuffer.
6¡¢Mostofus,however,takelifeforgranted.Weknowthatonedaywemustdie,butusuallywepicturethatdayasfarinthefuture.Whenweareinbuoyanthealth,deathisallbutunimaginable.Weseldomthinkofit.Thedaysstretchoutinanendlessvista.Sowegoaboutourpettytasks,hardlyawareofourlistlessattitudetowardlife.
7¡¢Nomanorwomanisworthyourtears,andtheonewhois,won#39tmakeyoucry.
8¡¢NowandthemIhavetestedmyseeingfriendstodiscoverwhattheysee.RecentlyIwasvisitedbyaverygoodfriendswhohadjustreturnedfromalongwalkinthewoods,andIaskedherwhatshehadobservedNothinginparticular,shereplied.ImighthavebeenincreduloushadInotbeenaccustomedtosuchreposes,forlongagoIbecameconvincedthattheseeingseelittle.
9¡¢Oncetheysettledin,myfatherlookedbackoverhisshoulderandaskedthechildrenifSantahadfoundthemyet.Threeglumfacesmutelygavehimhisanswer.
10¡¢Oncewegothome,therewasbarelytimetoenjoyourpresents.WehadtogoofftoourgrandparentsrsquohouseforourannualChristmasdinner.Aswedrovedownthehighwaythroughtown,Inoticedthatthefamilywasstillthere,standingoutsidetheclosedgasstation.
11¡¢Themanthoughtaboutitforamoment,andthenhebeckonedtohisfamily.Theyclimbedintothecar.Theyhadnoluggage,onlytheclothestheywerewearing.
12¡¢Theworstwaytomisssomeoneistobesittingrightbesidethemknowingyoucan#39thavethem.
13¡¢Tointerestmyheartandsoulinmywork,andaspiretothehighestefficiencyintheachievementofresults.Tobepatientlyreceptiveofjustcriticismandprofitfromitsteaching.Totreatequalsandsuperiorswithrespect,and5)subordinateswithkindlyencouragement.
14¡¢Tomakeastudyofmybusinessdutiestoknowmyworkfromthegroundup.TomixbrainswithmyeffortsandusesystemandmethodinallIundertake.Tofindtimetodoeverythingneedfulbyneverlettingtimefindmeormysubordinatesdoingnothing.To6)hoarddaysasa7)miserdoesdollars,tomakeeveryhourbringme8)dividendsinspecificresultsaccomplished.To9)steerclearof10)dissipationandguardmyhealthofbodyandpeaceofmindasmymostprecious11)stockintrade.
15¡¢Torememberthatsuccesslieswithinmyselfinmyownbrain,myownambition,myowncourageanddetermination.Toexpectdifficultiesandforcemywaythroughthem,toturnhardexperiencesintocapitalforfuturestruggles.
16¡¢WeleftthemthereatthebusstopinWinborn.Aswedroveaway,IwatchedoutthewindowaslongasIcould,lookingbackatthelittlegihugginghernewdoll.
17¡¢WithequalpassionIhavesoughtknowledge.Ihavewishedtounderstandtheheartsofmen.Ihavewishedtoknowwhythestarsshine.AndIhavetriedtoapprehendthePythagoreanpowerbywhichnumberholdsswayabovetheflux.Alittleofthis,butnotmuch,Ihaveachieved.
