Notes to Grandchildren – April 3, 2024 (Henry “Box” Brown)

Dear Grandchildren,

Imagine being born into slavery in 1815 Virginia.

At the age of 34, with the assistance of James Caesar Anthony Brown and a white abolitionist, Samuel Smith, you arranged to be boarded up in a three foot by two foot wooden crate. The crate has an air hole and is lined with cloth. Samuel Smith ships you from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You’re imprisoned in this three foot by two foot box for the entire transportation time — 27 hours.

Would you have the courage to escape slavery in this fashion? Henry “Box” Brown did. Check out his biography.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – April 2, 2024 (An Old Story)

Dear Grandchildren,

It’s an old story.

A parent comes home from a hard day at work. The parent yells at their spouse about anything and everything. Although whatever prompted the yelling was something trivial.

The spouse then becomes angry with the children about toys or video games or clothes or some minor thing. The spouse yells at the children.

Now the children are upset. The children take out their frustration on each other or their pets.

Now the entire household is in an uproar simply because one parent had a bad day at work.

I’m ashamed to say that I’m guilty of bring work home and upsetting the household.

Learn to leave work’s frustrations outside the home. Life become so much better when you do.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – April 1, 2024 (Jesus)

Dear Grandchildren,

My neighbor put this picture up outside the apartment.

I recognize him.

I’ve seen him many times throughout many communities.

Sadly, I’ve never seen him in church.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 31, 2024 (Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Bells”)

Dear Grandchildren,

I remember my high school English teacher (Was it Marjorie Shott?) explaining Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Bells.” I understood what was said, but I couldn’t hear the bells in the poem. I guess that was the point of the poem, i.e., to recognize the words of the poem made the sounds of each bell. (The technical word is onomatopoeia.)

Perhaps it would have aided my education had the teacher mentioned that poetry is designed to be heard, not read silently.

Listen to a presentation of “The Bells.”

Can you hear the bells? It’s taken me a long time, but I can.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 30, 2024 (Educated and God)

Dear Grandchildren,

I don’t understand the sign on this church.

Since reasoned choice is the greatest gift our Creator has bestowed on us, our Creator would admire our use of reasoned choice to question and know more.

I suspect this sign is the product of a weak and shallow religious leader who wants a weak and docile congregation that obeys every pronouncement from the pulpit and follows every command without question.

Avoid churches and religious leaders that preach this dogma. They are charlatans.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 29, 2024 (Measuring Cup)

Dear Grandchildren,

Mother baked. No Sunday dinner, Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas feast was complete without Mother’s rolls.

I watched her carefully but cannot replicate her endeavors.

I can, however, answer the question about the difference between a cup of flour and a cup of brown sugar.

I fell into the trap that a cup is a cup is a cup. Wrong!

Mother would remind me that to accurately measure flour, it must be light and airy. Don’t pack it in the cup.

On the other hand, Mother said that brown sugar must be packed into the cup. Fill it. Push it down. Add more brown sugar. Push it down. Repeat

The measure may be the same, but what is being measured is treated entirely different.

I often think of Mother’s instruction whenever I read Luke 6:38. I imagine giving a cup of flour while receiving a cup of brown sugar.

Thank you mother for the lesson.

Love,

Grandfather

P.S. Here’s Mother’s recipe for the rolls.

Notes to Grandchildren – March 28, 2024 (Attitude)

Dear Grandchildren,

Your attitude sets the course for every day. If you think today is going to be the worst day ever, it will be. Contrariwise, believe today will be the best, and it shall be.

You receive what you expect.

Don’t neglect this power.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 27, 2024 (Findlay and Hancock County)

Dear Grandchildren,

I asked an emergency medical technician (EMT) for three words that describe Findlay and Hancock County. The EMT said

• picturesque
• conservative
• church-going

Do those words describe Findlay and Hancock County?

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 26, 2024 (Solar Eclipse)

Dear Grandchildren,

NASA advises that we should view the solar eclipse on April 8 through protective glasses. Those glasses should meet the requirements prescribed in ISO 12312-2.

I have been to numerous presentations that demonstrate the damage that could occur by viewing the solar eclipse without protection.

Yet, this was published on X (fka as Twitter).

Beware.

Use your reasoned choice.

Love,

Grandfather

Notes to Grandchildren – March 25, 2024 (Duty, Honor, Country)

Dear Grandchildren,

I listened to a program about General Douglas MacArthur’s speech at West Point on May 12, 1962. General MacArthur spoke extensively about the core principles of West Point — Duty, Honor, Country.

The commentators focused on the need to implement these core principles — duty, honor, country — throughout the country.

Businesses have mission statements. So do colleges and universities. Even clubs and social organization have them. Why not our country? What do we stand for?

The commentators made some excellent points. However, those points eroded away with the commentators’ conclusion. The commentators used General MacArthur’s speech as a rallying call to combat all wokeness — whatever that is.

Build your personal mission statement around the cardinal virtues

• justice
• wisdom
• courage
• moderation

If you do, those will encompass the duty, honor, and country that General MacArthur spoke about.

Love,

Grandfather