Closing in on my seventy-sixth birthday, I think about how I got to where I am.

I know the simple answer: A moving truck helped move my family from Danville, Illinois to Green Bay in June of 1990. We’ve lived in four different locations. The kids have grown, gone to college, and done well in their careers. We down sized and live in a rented duplex near Preble High School. Our three children attended and graduated from Preble.

The truth is that I have learned by reading books, studying, and mostly by doing. My mother taught kindergarten and inspired me to read anything and everything. I have studied World War Two, America’s Civil War, the Vietnam conflict, and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. I have read Frank Herbert’s Dune and the ensuing volumes by Frank, his son Brian and co-writer Kevin J. Anderson. Dune opened my mind to the possibilities existing in this world…and in fictitious but realistic worlds beyond our own. I am a fan of science fiction writing. Mom also taught me how to write in cursive.

Sure, I have a college degree, but what I learned most during those four years was about people. I played chess with a black friend. Tossed snowballs with a classmate from Hawaii. Played different roles in two college plays. But I did gain experience in broadcasting, which was the emphasis of my major in Mass Communication. The most beneficial outcome was learning photography. That education helped get a job with a major corporation, then land a photojournalist position with my hometown newspaper, and that lead to becoming managing editor and editor of Future magazine, the official publication of The United States Jaycees in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I travelled extensively as staff officer for the Jaycees, visiting forty-seven of our American states and two countries: Canada and Japan. That travel itinerary while my children were young quite likely inspired their wanderlust. Our oldest daughter raised the money she needed to visit four European countries during the summer before her freshman year of high school. Our youngest daughter spent a semester studying abroad in South Africa.

Life is about enjoying it…what you do…who you meet…and having faith in God. Few people realize it is that faith in God that gives meaning and purpose to life. Native Americans, whose cultures I have also studied, believed in a Supreme Being and lived simple lives dependent on what Mother Nature provided for their survival. I worked at a Native American casino and learned about reservation Life. That was also an educational experience.

Speaking of books, when I was young the Internet was far from anyone’s list of viable possibilities. If I wanted to learn something, an encyclopedia or a dictionary or thesaurus offered answers. On reflecton, the listings and information was mostly true but could have been biased. Times have changed. Getting information today is as easy as typing in your question on a smart phone.

 I remember our family’s land line phone being on a party line. When it rang, everyone on the string of phones answered. Once the caller announced who they wanted to speak with, everyone else was supposed to hang up…but some stayed on the line. Now everyone has their own phone, a mobile one that works anywhere without cords…except to charge its battery. They’re called smart phones because they tell you the weather, feed you E-mails, text messages, and news…plus serve as a camera, video recorder, and source of games.

They do not, however, replace hugs, smiles, or face-to-face communication. I have found the younger generations are dependent on their phones and struggle with interpersonal relationships. Their perspective is skewed. That brings up another thing I have learned: Families are susceptible to challenges from smart phones.

My parents were strict about dinner being family time. We sat down to eat our meal at five and you either set the table, washed or dried the dishes afterwards. No dishwasher. The key take-away was family is the most important personal relationship we have, other than with God. Today’s families have lost that togetherness. They rarely eat together. That has the potential for long-term negative consequences. Family is everything.

Family members need each other…for comfort, solace, support, and many other reasons.

I admit I was a “husky” lad when younger. Coupled with flat feet and other maladies, my obesity made me a target for bullies. That meant fighting and broken glasses; yup, I was called “four eyes” among other things…like the nickname that stuck based on the heavier police officer in a black-and-white television comedy of the 1950s. I learned, through all that, to be my own best friend. Instead of hating my nickname, I embraced it and wore it proudly to let the bullies know their words only stung but didn’t hurt.

In time, I also learned that to be the best at what you do, study what professionals in your career path have done to make it where they are. Then adapt to your personality and grow.