Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey, the giant of a man in character and an icon of righteousness died February 28, 2009. I delayed in writing about his death because I just could not find the perfect thing to say about him. I scoured the Internet for the perfect tale, something that would tell, “the rest of ‘his’ story.”

One of my grand-daughters, who is a little angel, must of somehow sensed my loss as she sent me the following tonight. It is so characteristic of Paul Harvey as to be the perfect eulogy, for how he shared his wonderful stories about famous and not-so-famous people. He truly touched each of us deeply and he will be sorely missed.

My granddaughter began, “Can you answer this riddle? Here is a pretty neat little thing from Paul Harvey. See if you can guess the riddle at the end.”

Paul Harvey once wrote:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.
For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks a way so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.... And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hanukkah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

And remember, we secure our friends, not by accepting favors, but by doing them.

And now a riddle:

When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of Stanford University seniors.

”What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die?”

If you are having a little bit of trouble here, they say that when you send this to other people and then press the shift key, you will get the answer, you will understand the riddle.

Then, you too will know, “…the Rest of the Story…”

Paul Harvey,……………Good Day!