Persistence shaped a generation

At almost 92 years of age (6-26-24), I have always admired our U.S. Postal Service. Even during World War II, I received mail from home, a Christmas package arrived six months later, in 1944 for me somewhere in the South Pacific, but it did arrive on my ship, The USSLST582.

I like the saying “Sticking to it like a postage stamp I’ll deliver the goods”. Persistence and determination are all powerful.

As a grandpa, I have always championed bulldog persistence. My favorite award winning subjects have always been dogs with pug noses such as bulldogs, boxers, shihtzus, etc. Many were fierce looking but gentle personalities.

My all-time favorite photo is of a 100-pound boxer named “Ike” jumping over a hedge repeatedly, so that I could get an international award-winning photo of him. That was persistence to the Nth degree.

Of the many letters that I sent home and received during World War II, only one has survived, it was a “v-mail” type.

One of my all-time favorite songs, is “Twilight Time”. According to the dictionary, one definition for twilight is a condition or period of a gradual decline following full development, achievement, glory, etc.

Many of the so-called greatest generation fit into that category. It should be called “The Hard Knocks” generation, because we suffered through the Great Depression and World War II. We were knocked down but had to rebound each time.

We were not put on this earth to just fit in, but to be unique. We have to accentuate the positive and cast out the negative. We may be wrinkled old prunes, but we can still give a lifetime of sweet prune advice.

Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and member of the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.