Legacy vs. Perception

Here's a beautiful message from a dear friend of mine, A.J., concerning my grandfather and his passing...Although she did not know my grandfather, she knew his spirit!!!:-) PLEASE LET'S REMEMBER TO ALWAYS TREAT EACH OTHER WITH REVERANCE AND RESPECT REGARDLESS THE SEASON!!!

Sounds like I missed out by not knowing Arthur Taylor.
By your description, he is one of those people that
inspires me to continue living my life basically the
way I am living it right now. When I doubt myself, I
remember people like that and I know that it is ok not
to have all the answers. Lately, I feel like my
responses to other people's or even my own questions
are all " I don't know yet." Sometimes other's or
society's responses don't make me feel very good- or I
allow them to affect me negatively. It is definitely
scarey to not know. However, I have also seen the
people that claim to know all the answers for
themselves and others from the littlest thing to the
biggest thing and it really makes me not want to be
like them!

I would much prefer that your grandfather was
president, along with probably 75% of the country if
they knew him. I say 75 because that covers at least
the 1/2 that didn't vote for Bush and then the 25
covers the others that if they knew him, might be
persuaded to risk voting for someone other than the
typical politician. I mean, if it always has to be an
old man in office, wouldn't it be nice to have someone
who has gained wisdom rather than prejudice and a
narrow mind from their life experience? There are
plenty of people that would be better than Bush, but I
guess I'm saying that with more people like your
grandfather in positions of power politically or
economically or whatever you want to call it, it seems
like it could spread a wave of positivity throughout
the world, not just the U.S. or washington. Obviously,
the president doesn't run the country, but in general-
it would just be great to have a total shift in values
and leadership to see on the news. The kind of stuff
that you were talking about as qualities of your
grandfather and the way he saw things makes me feel
like why does it have to be so hard for people to
accept simple concepts on a national level- like just
seeing the good and positive potential in all people-
or shit you learn in kindergarten like don't start a
new mess of toys till you clean up the one you started
already- just simple simple stuff that people let
things like greed and self-righteousness or whatever
other things people do to complicate things into our
country and world today. I know that is just the way
the world is and I don't have any hopes for changing
it on a large scale- there is always going to be
corrupt- or at least, what I think of as corrupt and
unethical people- but sometimes it is just nice to
think of things being a different way.