Wednesday Wisdom - Late but SO great

Going Way back to WW-11, Earl (Karly’s grandfather) was flying medium bombers from England, 

and then France.  

He bombed railroads, ammunition dumps, etc.  

Then if possible, the two gunners aboard would strafe with their machine guns.  

His base in France was south of Paris and they lived in tents with wooden slabs for a floor 

so they wouldn‘t be stepping in mud when it stormed. 

 I am including a letter from him that was sent to his younger brother in St. George, Utah.  

His name was Finley Loraine Milne, 

but they called him Loraine at that time.  

He was a Dixie High School student at the time 

and pretty shy-hence the letter of encouragement from his big hero brother in the US Air Force, 

who had been a former Dixie High School student in student government and

 also a track star and a Dixie Flyer basketball first stringer.  

This letter was written the last year of the war in Europe.  

I just came across this letter a few days ago. 

 It came from Karly‘s great grandmother Milne‘s house.  

The reason I am posting this letter is to encourage our family‘s younger generation who are trying to make their mark in school or in life-as it all boils down to having self confidence.

France/Jan. 4th 1945

“Dear Loraine-Does this stationary look familiar to you?  Yes, it is the stationary you sent me in your Christmas package that arrived yesterday.  It is really swell and I sure needed it bad.  Also the socks, hankies, and the T-shirt, they are very useful and I really can put them to good use.  Thanks a million Loraine, it was swell of you to remember me like this.  I also received the package from you and our sister Ruth, full of eats, boy oh boy, they are really good.  Then to add to all of these wonderful things I received a letter from you.

Sure glad to hear that you made the basketball team!  Good going fellow.  I knew you could do it!  In my opinion, all you need to do to be the best basketball player out of the family, is to instill in yourself some good sound confidence.  I think that you are a natural basketball player, and a very good shot, but you just lack confidence in yourself.  Get a little cocky if you have to, and convince yourself that you are really good and the team needs you.  Do anything to get some confidence.  When you take a shot, don‘t stop and thing about it.  Just make up your mind before a game or a practice that you can split the strings, and then play your hardest and shoot when you take a notion to.  My greatest hold back in basket ball, was in giving the other fellow the shots.  The other fellow would get the glory and I would get the bench.  So you be that man!  So make up your mind to be the hero  and the boy that makes the points and gets the glory  You be that man!  You can make them I know that, so instead of passing it to the other fellow, go ahead and shoot it.  You may miss a lot, but after you get the confidence, you will put a good share of them in.  You got to shoot to make them, so SHOOT.  DON‘T BE AFRAID OF MISSING A SHOT OR TWO.  If you don‘t shoot, someone else will and will probably miss more that you would.  The fellow who makes the points  is the boy that makes a play for a shot and shoots.  Give them hell boy!

Well, that was quite a sermon.  I got so riled up just thinking about how I missed out by being the modest little boy and the perfect passer.

Change the subject?  Ok.  You asked how many missions we have to get in and how many I have.  

Well, we have to g et in sixty five and I can still count mine on two hands.  However, it won‘t be long before I will be using my toes to help count them.  Will close now.  Write as often as you can, and I will do the same.  Keep smiling old guy.

Your brother, Earl.”

End of letter. 

 I hope some of Earl‘s grandchildren and great grandchildren will read this when they are having a difficult time  in achieving their goals,  

and this will inspire them to push forward when they think they can‘t do better, and SHOOT!

Love to you all. 

 Grandma Ora Milne.