Good Jeans

I, admittedly, have had some extraordinarily intelligent people in my family.

This, in itself, doesn't qualify me as an experienced analyst of human affairs...and in fact the achievements of my forebears are far more commendable than anything I have done.

But one trait these people all share in common is that they didn't give up.

Certain people believe that there are genetic predispositions that tend to produce robust people, but in MY family, the rule has always been success through OVERCOMING ADVERSITY.

Maybe there are genetic predispositions that foment this trait...maybe not. But honestly, it occurs to me that ANYONE willing to put forth the effort can rise above the adversity of life if they have the right encouragement.

And by right I mean right for their individual personality.

For example, my great-great- grandfather was a mill-worker who lost his arm in a primitive seed-processor at the end of the Industrial Age.

Yet with the help of my great-great-grandmother, he still managed to earn enough to send his grandson and granddaughter to college, where they learned enough to eventually become renown builders and protectors of American society in the 20th century.

These were not wealthy people by any means. They were merely ordinary people with strong convictions.

Anything good that I write is ultimately a result of their humble determination.

So I honor them here. I only wish I had a photo.