‘I’m one of the lucky ones’
I work with and for veterans on a daily basis. The memory of a vet I worked with last week has been with me ever since. He is a 25-year-old who lost both of his legs and a number of fingers from an explosive device in Afghanistan two years ago. A completely devastating injury!
I was seeing him in relation to some amputation stump issues. When I met him, he stood right up and walked unassisted to my office. We engaged in discussion and he mentioned to me that he was lucky. Here he was, a bilateral above knee amputee, and he was telling me how he was lucky. Perspective for sure.
It’s all in your attitude that will successfully carry you through your life.
If this young man can be so positive and accepting about his lot in life, I figure the rest of us can re-evaluate where we are in our own lives and maybe put into perspective some of the things we so frequently complain about. It’s never as bad as it seems and so much of how we live is dependent on our attitude and reaction to what happens to us. Whatever happens in life, choose a positive attitude. There is no other option if one wishes to lead a successful, balanced life.
Thank you to our veterans. For your sacrifice, willingness to defend our country and the hardships you endure so that we may live free. We appreciate your service to our country and are indebted to you for doing what most of us cannot even imagine. It is a privilege to serve you. Thank you!
— Chris Nagy
Spencer

Same old stories
Shame on CNN and FOX TV. Both networks briefly aired the president’s speech and ceremony at Arlington Cemetery. They paused in their relentless siege on the mass murder in Isla Vista (CNN) and siege on the VA (FOX) to show something more appropriate on Memorial Day. Sounds patriotic, huh?
It did not take long for their true colors to show, however. As soon as the invocation was announced, CNN faded to black and went to a commercial for our local buy one get umpteen free clothing store and numerous other commercials they had been saving up. I switched over to FOX to hear the invocation and what followed only to find that they cut out in the middle of the invocation and presented what? The same commercial.
After a slew of commercials on both networks, they resumed their ad nauseam agendas with talking heads opining why the 22-year-old mass murderer should really be ignored while flashing multiple pictures of him (CNN) and how many people from Shinseki on down should be fired to satisfy the thirst for blood of Republicans everywhere (FOX).
Is this just me or did anyone else notice this?
— Tony Grillo
China Grove

Put in context
A recent letter to the editor asked us to take “Another view on religion.” I would challenge the readers to look up the scriptures there, but don’t read just the verses noted. Read the whole chapter of those verses; Exodus 22:18, Joshua 6:21, Hosea 13:16, and Luke 19:27, and you will see, as Paul Harvey used to say, “The rest of the story.” It’s not about what happens when God accepts me. It’s about what happens when I accept God. God accepts all people who accept him.
— Wayne Fisher
Concord