Our Best Days

Have you ever heard the phrase, Those were the best days? I've heard people say it about themselves and about our Grange. I don't get it. No matter how bad a day, week, or even month I may have, I always have hope that the future holds new and exciting opportunities.

If your best is behind you, then what is there to look forward to? I know a man who just celebrated his ninetieth birthday. Every time I talk to Gil he wants my opinion on current events and what each may hold for the future. If he can look forward to the future with such hope and anticipation, why can't many younger people?

Our role may change in life, but the opportunities keep coming. I always believed one of the most important things we choose to do is bring children into this world and then raise them to be good productive citizens. That phase of my life is over as my kids are grown and out in the world, but I've discovered the next phase. Grandchildren! I see that my role has changed, but the importance of what I do has not. New things, new experiences, new opportunities.

I look at the history of the Grange and see a chunk of American history. Good times, tough times, and a few ugly times. But each problem and challenge is followed by a period of renewal and growth. We just keep setting the bar higher and higher, we keep growing and improving. So with the Grange. We've been written off a number of times, and we keep coming back stronger than ever.

I believe that our best days are yet in front of us. I'm headed to Homer, Alaska to present a charter to a new Grange this week. Just try and convince those folks that our best days are behind us. The opportunities are ours for the taking, provided that we are willing to work for them. Hope and persevere, what a concept!