They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To
A great book to read about life after a year of upheaval
At the start of the New Year, I read a well-written story in the newspaper that covered the life of an individual who had lived to the age of 91. The story did a tremendous job of capturing the enormous life that this individual, and any person, can live in that amount of time. The article was also posted by the writer on Facebook and it was reassuring to read the posts connected to this story. One comment that particularly caught my attention said, “They don’t make them like they used to, do they?”
The comment seemed especially fitting for this individual. They were a product of the depression era, had lied about their age to enlist in World War II, and had gone on to be a tradesman after the war before taking on executive roles. The person lived the American Dream — raising five kids on a single income and staying married for 60-years. Once nearing retirement this individual had been a prominent backer of unions with the belief that protecting your fellow man was in the best interest of everyone. The story reminded me of Louis Zamperini’s tale as told by Laura Hillenbrand in Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.
