All I Really Need To Know

When my Granddaddy, my mother’s daddy, died at age 78 last month my sister wrote something special for the funeral. My Granddaddy was a very humble man, who knew how to do so many things (almost everything) really well, yet he truly felt as if he knew nothing. He would actually have been embarrassed for us to suggest how smart and capable he was. He called no attention to himself, and his character spoke for himself...so much that my sister wrote the following two paragraphs, while reminiscing, and remembering what Granddaddy did, how he acted, and what he said. My sister J.J. Martin, wrote this: All I really need to know about how to live, what to do, and how to be I learned from my Granddaddy. Wisdom is not at the top of the mountain of higher education, but three quarters up the hill of Holly Drive. All I really need to know I learned from my Granddaddy, and this is what I learned… Stick by the ones you love, no matter what. Remember who you are, where you came from and who you represent. If you’re good, you can watch CNN with the sound down and still keep up with current events. Play the music YOU enjoy. Live your life with quiet dignity. A good book is like an old friend: informative, entertaining, and something to take care of (and the best ones are a little dog-eared and well loved). Coca-Cola is best in glass bottles. English peas, rice, and milk may not sound like much, but they’re good in the middle of the night. The best education is the one you give yourself. Read everything you can get your hands on. Be adventurous and buy a motorcycle, OR two. A good movie is one you can watch over and over again and still find something you never seen before. Own a really good camera. Then use it. Call your best friend everyday. Plan for the future and don’t be afraid of new technology. You can do everything you put your mind to. Hard bound books are pretty, but paperbacks are easier to read in bed. When you go out into the world, its best to hold hands and stick together. When you die, how will your life inspire others? The question is not if we will leave a legacy—we will leave some impression behind that will tell others just how we thought life should be lived—whether we did things right or wrong. After we die, friends will look back, remember, and how we lived will be the only echoes and shouts that they will hear about how to live life. The Bible says that we should let our light shine before all, that people will see our good works and praise our father in Heaven. I’m thankful that Jesus left us a legacy about how to live, what to do, and how to be. What did he say?