ANDERSON, Ind. —
Every day starts a new story, and this one tips its hat to a great column that recently appeared in The Herald Bulletin by Jesse Wilkerson where he emphasized the value of choosing one’s words. His premise was that a person who chooses positive words in their general conversation will have a better day than one who spouts about their bad luck. There’s an element of that in how one uses encouragement and handles discouragement.
One of our more colorful interviews was with Marine Sgt. Russell Fuller. Russell and his friend Red were stationed on an almost invisible Pacific outpost called Green Island. They had a landing strip that could handle B-17s, but there wasn’t much more to the place. One day, while Russell and Red were walking the beach, a PBY crashed on the shore. The plane erupted into flames and the ammunition started to explode with men inside. Russell and Red rushed to pull the injured men from the burning wreckage. Their lieutenant heard the explosion and ran to a nearby hillside to direct his men. He was shouting and pointing to no avail as Russell and Red were focused on the plane and couldn’t hear him over the explosions. A few days later, their captain decided there should be a medal ceremony to recognize the rescuers’ bravery. In Russell’s words, “Guess who got the medal — the lieutenant.”
Russell didn’t let this lack of recognition ruin his life. He had seen true discouragement first-hand when it broke his father’s spirit as he lost the farm in the Great Depression.
I admire those who suffer blow after blow and continue to rise and press on. These are acts of courage that rarely receive a medal. They know the value of true encouragement but are not dependent upon it. Look at celebrities whose lives are ruined by false sycophantic adulation.
Encouragement by itself ranks low as a “need” against air, water, shelter, etc., but it can be a light in the darkness when given and received properly. When I wrote my novels I liked them, but they had no real value till I received the heartfelt encouragement of my readers.
Almost every week someone will say how much they like this column. My first inclination is to remember the words of coach Phil Buck, “Don’t get the big head.” The true worth of this column is in how it connects our community to values that really matter. When I was leaving the Author’s Fair at the Anderson Library I met a gentleman who thanked me for the column. It had become a connection to his father who had served our country. That meant a lot to me.
What if we gave more encouragement to our teens, our poor, our infirmed? How about those 1 percenters who risk their wealth to create jobs only to be vilified, or people who step forward for public service and face constant ridicule? Perhaps if we exercised more encouragement we might open our newspapers to better stories.
Don McAllister directs the National Veteran’s Historical Archive. His column appears the second Sunday of each month. He can be reached at nvha01@hotmail.com. Website: www.nvharchive.org
Local Columns
Related Photos
-
Don McAllister
Discussion
Don McAllister: Dovetailing on a great column with a word on encouragement
- Local Columns
-
-
Jim Bailey: Longtime relationship of Erskine, Wilson spoke volumes
They were, in the words of Carl Erskine, “two skinny kids from the west side of Anderson, two dirty kids trying to do the right thing.”
-
Susan Miller: Beware a big mic with no message
Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan recently noted, “This is the problem of the world today: Big mic, no message.”
-
Maleah Stringer: Demand stricter laws against animal abuse
Once again Anderson made top headlines for animal abuse: the brutal killing of a the momma dog and all her puppies.
-
Don McAllister: The War of the Red Tails, the airmen of Tuskegee
Every day starts a new story, and a recent one is the movie “Red Tails,” the story of the Tuskegee Airmen.
-
Heather Bremer: You can stay a Manning fan and still be loyal to Colts
I am not nor have I ever been a fan of the New Orleans Saints or San Diego Chargers.
-
Jim Bailey: Just one kid’s song can brighten many people’s day
Gracie, our 4-year-old youngest granddaughter, has a mind of her own. There isn’t much she’s afraid of. And now I’m beginning to suspect she takes after her Aunt Rachel.
-
Emmett Dulaney: Using a convenience sample can lead to meaningless results
You may not know this, but I seem to be considered something of an expert in the field of printing — particularly when it comes to the HP model M4345.
-
Emmett Dulaney: When Twitter backfires
Twitter, that innocuous social media tool that lets users send out 140 character snippets to their followers, is being used more and more as a marketing tool.
-
Maleah Stringer: Be truthful when filling out an application to adopt a pet
Animal shelters, humane societies and animal rescue groups across the country use adoption applications to screen applicants.
-
Jim Bailey: Plenty of sports celebrities have spoken in Anderson
Those who like to hear about their favorite sports from the horse’s mouth have had plenty of opportunities over the years in Anderson.
- More Local Columns Headlines
-
