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WITandWISDOM(tm) - September 22, 2005 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: It's the start that stops most people. Source: Free Family Humor, mailto:freefamilyhumor-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: In 1987, while serving as the public affairs officer at Fort Bragg, I would frequently visit the local high schools to speak to the students about the Army. As a lieutenant colonel, I found it particularly rewarding to talk with the teenagers about the benefits of military service, if only for a few years of their lives. During one of these visits, I reported to the secretary in the principal's office to let her know that I was here for the third-period civics class. I was a little surprised when she told me, "The principal would like to see you before you go to the class." Normally, in these small county schools, the principal was busy with a myriad of duties such as driver's education, administration, counseling and the like. As I entered his office, I was greeted by a gentleman who appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties, and he welcomed me with a smile and a handshake. "You don't remember me, do you?" he queried. I looked closely at the face again and could not recall where we may have met before. "No," I said. "I'm sorry, I don't." "You were my company commander in basic training at Fort Jackson in 1970," the principal said. I again looked at the middle-aged face and had no recollection. We usually had 220 soldiers in each unit, and they all looked alike in uniform with short haircuts - and it had been seventeen years ago. "Let me help you out," he suggested. "You gave me a three-day pass to go home and see my newborn baby." I immediately remembered the incident, if not the soldier! "Yes," I said. "I remember now." It was the only three-day pass I had issued because the soldiers were on their way to Vietnam immediately after they finished training. But I knew if I did not let him go home to see his son and something happened to him, I would regret denying the opportunity he had to be with his family. He stood up from his chair, walked around the desk and put his hand on my shoulder as we went down the hall to the classroom. "Come on, Colonel. I'd like to introduce you to 'the baby.' He's in your third-period class. By letting me go see him, you gave me a reason to stay focused and to come home safe from that war. Thank you, sir." It was the most rewarding class I had ever given, and I had no problem telling the students about the bonds of friendship and the values that Army life can provide . . . and that can last a lifetime. By David R. Kiernan (c) 2000 from Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor and Sidney R. Slagter. All rights reserved. Visit us and read other sample stories and meet the authors. http://www.chickensoup.com Source: Beliefnet Chicken Soup, http://ydib.net/n_soup/subscribe.shtml ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: "Kid's Letters To President Bush” By Bill Adler Part 2 of 2 [Sep 12, 22] Here are a few of the letters from the book. I knew you would win the election when my best friend Amy said you would lose. Amy is always wrong. Julie P., age 9, Exeter, RI On TV you didn't answer some questions because you said the answer was classified. Can I classify my answers? I got into trouble when I admitted I broke something I shouldn't have touched. If I could say the answer if classified, I wouldn't be in trouble. Martin J., age 9, Philadelphia, PA Dear Mr. President: My girlfriend Alyssa is a Republican and I am a Democrat. Someday we may get married. Can a Democrat marry a Republican and be happy? I am 12 and my girlfriend is 11. We would like your answer before we are18. Thank you, Ryan C., age 12, Philadelphia, PA I've been practicing piano for two years and I hate it and I am awful. My mom said President Nixon played piano. Did you play piano because President Nixon did? I think two years of being a bad player is enough. Please write my mom and tell her. She likes you most of the time. Melissa E., age 10, Shaker Heights, OH And finally a young man who is wise beyond his years.....Someday if we have a woman president we will need more closets in the White House so the president will have room for all her clothes. My mom has three closets and my sister has two closets and my dad and my brother and I have to share closets. Michael P., age 8, San Diego, CA Source: Top Greetings ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: I guess the butcher had finally had enough from this one Yuppette who had been more than a little fussy over the purchase on a single steak. I heard him say wearily, "Anything else you'd like to know Miss, perhaps the cow's name?" ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: If not for Katie Gold, teachers in Portland, Ore.'s neediest public schools would probably spend about $500 a year of their own money for classroom supplies. Instead, they come to Schoolhouse Supplies and take what they need - for free. The stuff is donated by companies that can no longer use it. Gold, founder of the "store," has numbers that would make a math teacher proud: 2219 teacher shopping trips, $1,044,392 of merchandise handed out, 20,500 children served. By Margie Boule in The Oregonian Source: Copyright © April 2002, The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved., http://www.readersdigest.com/