Memories of My Father

My father entered Heaven on November 29, 2011 at the age of 89 and 7 months.  He was a remarkably successful man, both in his personal and business environments.  He sold life insurance for 57 years until age 82 and also assisted clients as a Chartered Financial Planner.  Big Lou was a highly motivated, gifted, and positive individual, who compassionately cared for and helped people in all areas of their lives.  He strongly believed in the benefits of life insurance, which proved a lifeline of financial support to his clients’ families over and over again.  The example of Dad’s service to the community was the foundation from which I was able to witness.  And it set the tone and foundation for my desire to serve people in my own area of legal public protection.  One of the great things that he instilled in me was his indomitable spirit to be the best person I could be.  And that so obviously reverberated through his recitals of his favorite poem - “Be the Best of Whatever You Are,” by Douglas Malloch.  It reads:

If you can’t be a Pine at the top of the hill;

Be a shrub in the valley --- 

But be the best little shrub by the side of the rill.

Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a bush, be a bit of the grass,

And some highway some happier make.

If you can be a Muskie, then just be a Bass,

But the liveliest Bass in the lake!

We can’t all be captains; we’ve got to be crew…

There’s something for all of us here.

There’s big work to do and there’s lesser to do,

And the task we must do is the near!

If you can’t be a highway, then just be a trail;

If you can’t be the sun, be a star.

It isn’t by size that you win or you fail;

Be the BEST of whatever you are!