Books I Never Needed to Read

Tom Brokaw recently wrote a book called "The Greatest Generation". I never read it. Tim Russert wrote two books, one about his father, (Big Russ) and another about Fathers. Never read those either. In fact, I was loaned these books and told that they were good reads. I never cracked the covers.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm sure they're fine books by fine authors. Yet, I never felt the need to read them. Primarily because what they were offering was what I didn't need to know. I already knew it. The Brokaw book highlighted the WWII generation and hailed their sacrifices, courage, and values. Certainly this generation embodied all of those and more and subsequent generations fell short all too often. I didn't need to read that book because I already knew that this generation was great because my father and mother were a part of that golden generation and they not only embodied the characteristics of their time, but passed on their tales and tributes of the fine members through stories and friendships.

For example, my father was in college, attending, Ivy League, Cornell University, when he received his call of service. Without complaint he went and served in the Navy as a Medic. He was in San Diego preparing to go to war when the good news of the war's end came. He finished his enlistment and eventually returned to his calling and became a medical doctor. His country called, he answered, no questions asked. Movie stars, sports stars, people from all walks of life also answered their country's call without hesitation or complaint.

I suppose I could go on and on about my father and his generation's values. They weren't the perfect generation, but they sure seemed to have a good idea of the balance between family, country, religion, and just down right consideration for their fellow man.

I thought I could write a great essay on how we should go back to the ways of the Greatest Generation, but I know those days are gone. Yet, as we salute more and more of these great men and women, we should not merely salute. We should do as the books written about them aim to do. Reflect on their sacrifice and more important their many virtues. And perhaps once again carry the mantle of what they stood for.