Jerry L
What was the happiest moment of your life?
The happiest was when Carol accepted my marriage proposal. We had been friends and sweethearts for about 3 years and knew each other well. We had discussed marriage and marriage plans and family and were ready for the big step. Although we were only 19, we had a good Catholic religious foundations for our marriage, secure jobs, and have been blessed with good health and almost 67 years of happy union and 6 wonderful children who are all in happy long term marriages and blessed us with 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Who has been most influential in your life?
In my life there have been many influential persons, this was regulated by the time or period of my life that I was in. Overall, my father was most influential. He raised me strictly and taught me values and proper behavior and a trade which supported me throughout life. He was the hardest working man I ever knew as many others also told me. Others were my paternal grandfather who through his quiet and devoted life to his wife and church influenced my outlook and helped me set my goals for life. Other than that, Fr. Charles Garvey was influential as a great listener and wonderful man. Other priests and certain nuns in my life have been my blessing too.
What advice or quote did you always try to live by?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love one another as I (Jesus) have loved you. What else could be said about imitating a more perfect model. Simple and direct are these guidelines and following them yields the highest and most rewarding benefits that life can give. I have these printed onto my business/personal I.D. cards as a constant reminder.
What is one memory from your past you cherish?
Many, too many to choose from in these almost 86 years I’ve been given, but one is outstanding and that is when my father telephoned me when I and wife Carol were away on a business trip. He asked me to be his God Father as he was converting to the Catholic Faith, and being baptized, what an honor. Another is when Dad returned from WW2 Feb 22, 1946 and mom and I and sis met him at the Union train station. One thing I like to say about memories is a quote from a prominent writer that “The reason God gives us memories is so that we can have strawberies in December.”
Any regrets or advice you’d give to a younger you?
Listen. Listen to your parents, to your older relatives, and to friends. You learn from history and your parents and grandparents are very experienced with history. But don’t wait for them to start remembering, learn to ask about things and experiences, and remember what they say. Set Goals too, you get nowhere if you don’t know where you are going. And lastly, Save. Savings are what you need to live on in old age. Perhaps you’ll be blessed with as much age as I.
Anything else you wish to share?
Never look back to regret, only to learn. You can’t change yesterday, but you can change tomorrow. Trust in God and his plan, you can only work with what HE has given you to use and learn to use it well. Love, it’s the only way to share God’s plan with this world.
