A Son of the American Revolution
Yogi Berra, the Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees baseball team, is credited with saying, “When you come to fork in the road, take it.” My life curved a bit when I learned that my ancestors came to the Virginia Colony from England circa. 1650. I learned that a direct ancestor had served in the Revolutionary War as a gunsmith in the Virginia Militia. This knowledge ignited a feeling of pride for what had been accomplished by those who came before.
American Pride seems to have diminished over time, but the idea of “Making America Great Again” has, for many people, brought back a degree of wanting to be proud of our country. I took this same feeling from exploring my ancestry and put it into action by running for public office, Justice of Peace, in my home county. I think it was a way of honoring my ancestors. I didn’t win, but the experience of running was well worth all the time and effort.
I was able to meet a lot of people that I would never have met otherwise. A prime example is Bobby Eberle, the Chairman of the Republican Party in Fort Bend County. He is truly a Renaissance Man. You might have seen him on Fox News, Newsmax TV, or his own newscast, the 13-Minute New Hour. He is well educated with a BS in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M, M.S. and Ph.D from Rice University and a Masters in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. I believe he has done a great job as Party Chair and I hope he goes on to do something great at the state or national level.
Running for office was hard. It took juggling work, home, church, and family to do all that was needed, but it was indeed fun. I appreciate all that my wife endured along the way. I love you, honey! If you have never done it, perhaps you should try. We need good people in office.
I think the next phase of my life will be that of a teacher to those who read my writings, hear my homilies, or just engage in conversation. I especially want to be a teacher to my grandchildren - all nine of them! I want to help instill a love of God and a love of country that is so sorely needed.