The Importance of My Grandfather

An Interview

By T.L.

Although I don’t get to see him often, my grandfather has had a more significant impact on me than I realized.  My grandfather was born into a poor family and worked hard to rise. He often tells me about the events and memories from his childhood, and the lessons of success they taught him. I didn’t realize that he also has helped my mother become the person she wants to be. My grandfather has taught me many life lessons that I believe will help me as I go through high school, college, and life. 

Is there a person or people that impacted you when you were younger? How did they influence your choices in life?

When you're young, you do limited things. You’re dealing with teachers; if you're an athlete, you're dealing with coaches. I was in the Boy Scouts, and the Boy Scout leader was a top-quality guy. He wanted everyone to go all the way in scouting – to become an Eagle Scout, which required a lot of badges. Working towards all of the badges was a great experience. You had to learn and experience so many different things to get there. The leader was very encouraging; he got people to stick with it and learn, to earn all those merit badges, and to strive to achieve the highest possible rank. I also ran track. In college and in high school, we had some great coaches, good teams. The coaches were hard on you. But they kept you striving to do your best. One of my coaches had coached some Olympic athletes. He was tough. We had difficult workouts. But he kept telling everybody, “It’s going to pay off. Work hard. With what I’m giving you, you're going to be good.” And he was right. I'm lucky to be part of a two-mile relay that set a world record.

What is something that you’re proud of achieving?

The things I worked hard for. I set a goal, worked to achieve it, and then got it. Great self-satisfaction. I can remember, as a freshman in high school, wanting to be on the All-County team. I eventually made it twice, in my junior and senior years. In the classroom, I set a goal to make the honor roll. I did it. It was one thing after another. I didn't come from a wealthy family, so when it came time to go to college, the only way I could get was with some kind of a scholarship. My goal was to get an athletic scholarship. I'm very happy that I achieved that. When I went to Georgetown, my folks couldn't afford to send me there, so the school paid for my room, board, books, tuition, laundry, and all of the expenses. Zero money out of my pocket for four years. That was very gratifying. 

How are things different today from when you were young?

When I was young, going back 75, 80 years ago, we lived in a different world. Our communication was very different from today. You have the internet, you have computers. There is so much at your fingertips that we never had. In terms of medicine and life expectancy, there have been tremendous advantages today. A lot of things have been done over the last 60 years, and it's a whole different world.

What changes are you glad to see in this generation? Are there some you aren’t glad to see?

I think about technology, and some things are good, and some are bad. With computers and laptops, they’re a great tool for people your age to learn because you have so much available to you. In an instant, you can get all kinds of information. I noticed changes in the workforce, too. Computers eliminated jobs, but they also made companies much more efficient. We've gotten much more efficient in business, in medicine – everywhere. Look at the tremendous advances that have been made in the medical industry. In my day, we used to be concerned about diseases. You probably don't even know what the heck many of them are because you’ve all been vaccinated and it’s not a problem anymore. Disease was always a concern when I was growing up.

What lessons or values from your life do you want to pass on to future generations?

It's basic. As you go through your formative years, learn as much as you can. Don't slough off. I don't care what grade you’re in at school; learn as much as you can. Do your homework, do everything to the best of your ability. If you have a part-time job, do that to the best of your ability. During my high school and college years, I earned all my money by being a golf caddy. I realized that to excel, you have to learn the rules, and you have to learn to be good at the job. As a caddy, that golfer is relying on you to be the guide. You excel for the caddy master, and if you do a good job, you're going to get a bigger tip. When the better tippers or golfers come through, you get them. You get the opportunity because you’re a good caddy. If you're doing a good job, that's the loop you're going to get.