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#1

"About Angels"

"Think About It. Believe In Angels"

I believe in Angels. I believe that they exist and that they are all around. There are many different sources of evidence to prove their existence...the bible, the dictionary and if that's not enough - the web. The web offers many Angel Sites and Angel stories that one would find difficult not to believe in their existence after reading them.

The Bible speaks of God's Angels.  It offers many references to the variety of angels and their appearances on earth to humans.The dictionary offers references to the different types of angels as well. Webster's Dictionary offers the following as their description on angels:

1) a spiritual being superior to man in power and intelligence;

2) an order of angels - A tradional hiearchy or angels ranked from lowest to highest into the following nine orders: angels, archangels, principalities, powers, virtues, dominions, thrones, cherubim and seraphim.

3) a white robed winged figure of human form in fine art;

4) a messanger, harbinger

5) a person believed to resemble an angel

Special Angels

I believe that there are special angels....two kinds of very special angels. One type is children. I believe that all children are born as angels and one look at a sleeping child should tell you why. They have the peace and love that only comes from a place that has seen the light. The second special angels that I believe in, are the ones described by Webster in the definition "one who resembles an angel". I don't believe that the definition refers to the outward appearance of an angel as they described as "a white robed winged figure of human form" - I believe that that description is for God's Angels. I do believe that there are many angels walking amongst us every day. The kind of special angel that always seems to be doing something special or caring for someone else. I'm sure you've heard the expression or maybe even used it yourself..."She's such an angel". Why? Because the person's deeds resemble those of an angel. Or then again...it may be an angel in disguise?? Who's to know??? If an angel is someone who's so filled with love,  it's a gift that they constantly share. If an angel is someone who looks out for others and gives them a nudge  here or there. If an angel is someone who touches your life with a heart that's both joyful and wise, Then even though you don't have halo or wings, you're an angel in human disguise! "Some people are angels without any wings who spread joy around and do wonderful things.

"BELIEVE ""REJOICE" "They Are There , When You Need Them."

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

#2

"Angels Among Us"

A Tribute To Those Great People"

 When you look up the word "nurse" in the dictionary, it states that a nurse is a person, who is trained to take care of the sick, the injured, and the old. That is the definition, but not an actual view of one of the most important groups of people in this great world we live in.

The duties of a nurse are many, and I  have been a part of society, that will benefit greatly because we have such dedicated people here to take care of us when we can't do for ourselves.

To be a nurse, you have to have a genuine desire to help others. It offers a great challenge to those who take it up as a profession. The greatest reward that a nurse recieves, is the knowledge that her or his skill has helped to relieve suffering, or to save a life. A nurse has to like people, and want to help them. She must be self reliant, and be able to use good judgment. She has to be tactfull, honest, responsible, and be able to work with others. She also has to be in good health. In other words, they have to very special people. In the hospital, from the time you enter your room, until the day that you are dismissed, that nurse is your guardian. Her or his patient is of the first importance . From day one, she or he is there to reassure the patient and to keep that patient's morale up. She gives emotional support, as well as physical care. She takes charge of the patient's routine care each day, in the way of making sure, that he has his daily bath,and eats the proper foods.  She also sees that the exercises and treatments that the doctor has prescibed , are carried out. She is there to keep a watchful eye on the patient, and reports to the doctor about any changes in the physical condition, mental attitude, and possible drug reactions. So you might say that the nurse is your parent away from home, or your boss away from work. She  follows a strict routine each day , so that the patient might soon be able to go home.  There are many ways of saying what a nurse is, but I have my own definition of what a nurse is. She or he is a member of a group that I call,"The Angels Among Us" As a believer in Angels, I sometimes wonder, just how many there are in this world ,as we know it. I have always thought of the new-borned children as, Angels sent by God ,to us as parents to raise and to love, and to teach them the values put forth by those who raised us. Everyday, I see things that re-inforce my belief. The person that does without, so that his or her children might be fed and clothed. That father who works all day, even though he is about to drop, so that his family can survive. That mother ,who tends to every need of the family, that she has been picked to raise. The set of parents, who worry about the children, even though they have grown up and are on thier own.

All of these are Angels here on earth. And each of these people have a Guardian Angel, watching over them.

As a person who has spent much time in the hospital, either as a patient or a relative of someone else who is a patient, I have witnessed another version of an Angel. We call them "nurses", and many times we think of them as hard-nose workers ,in a medical place and no more. Nurses , as I have witnessed,do have a heart. They are very compassionate, and I have even seen them cry. Nurses in our world ,are one of the most valuable resources we have. They work long hours, and they perform jobs that most of us could not do. The job they do is of the clean-up nature of a patient that has an accident, or spills something ,that needs to be cleaned up right away. They sometimes have to take abuse from unruly patients and even visitors, that you or I would not take.

As I said, I have been a patient in the hospital, and there were times when I felt helpless, because I was confined to the bed. But any time I needed something, all I had to do was ring for one of those Angels, and just as soon as they could, they took care of my needs. Many times, when visiting hours were over, and it was lonely, there was always one of those Angels peeking thier head in to ask if  I needed anything. There were times when they had time to just talk, and this sure made you feel good. And when you were just visiting a friend, or a family member, they would give you a few extra minutes to be with the patient. Believe it or not ,folks, these ladies and men in white are Angels.

There was a time in our life that was to be a great loss to our family. Our daughter had cancer, and was to undergo chemo-and radiation to try and arrest that terrible disease. For five months, we were a family with the fear of losing our little girl. But you know what? That is where I really found out about the Angels here on earth. They have been here all along, and we call them "nurses". From day one, I saw the dedication of the nurses to the patient. I saw all the hard work that each and every one of them do for the patient. I know that it is thier job to take care of the patients, but I saw other things that they do. They not only took care of the person there in the bed, they did many things for the family too.

Many times I talked to Patricia about the care that she was getting there, and she would always say that they were like family to her. There were times when I would ask them how she was doing and got a answer that was truthfull and tactfull. And looking them in the eyes, you could see that moist tear starting to come out. These great ladies and men really care about that person lying in bed with a terminal illness. But they have to be professional, and they can't show that moist eyes in front of the patient and sometimes in front of the immediate family.

In the last few days of our daughter's life, and in all of the other patients that didn't make it, there was a part of the hearts of those nurses, that went with the patient as they slipped away. There was another part of that heart that went home with the family too. That night that Patricia went home to be with God, I made the statement that "She left the "Floor Of Angels" to be one.

When my wife has to go to the hospital to get well, I know that she is in good hands. I know that if she needs anything ,or just to ask a question, the nurses are there to help. It takes many hours of training and schooling for those nurses to be as good as they are. It takes dedication to stay at that job. And it takes love of your fellow human beings to go to work each day and perform those many duties, that you and I would not, and could not do. Only someone with the name of a Angel does this day after day. Surely, this is the work of "Angels Among Us". May we always be blessed with them here on earth. And may we always have time to stop and tell them thanks for being there for us.I hope that through this article, you have been blessed, and I hope that you will be able to witness the great work , performed by the "Angels Among Us". Where would we be without them? Thanks for your time.

Ray"Uncle Ray" Day

#3

"This Thing Called Beauty---Everything Is Beautiful"

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder,  that if you look hard enough, you will find that there is some beauty to everything. Well, this old man doesn't have to look too hard, because everything that I see , whether it is nature, or it is something man-made, is beautiful.

One of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen, has to be ,when the morning starts turning from dark to light. This is something ,that I would like every man, woman, and child to experience once in thier life. Make plans to take one night, to stay up and spend outside, and at about three oclock, start watching the sky. Eventually, you will start seeing the change of darkness to light. It doesn't happen too fast, so you have time to see in slow motion, all the changes. The different colors, that come forth to you ,are just wonderful. The sun, that starts peeking over the horizon, just makes you want to see more, and you start really watching, as the light starts getting brighter.

My daughter Patricia ,and I did this every morning ,when I was there in the hospital, with her as she was being treated for cancer. She understood what I was trying to show her, and she told me one morning that she knew. She said that, no matter how dark it may seem to be, that soon it will be a brighter day. That is what I call one of the most beautiful sights in this world.

Also another beautiful sight happened during that little girls sickness, and it started out between she and I,in a pact that if either one of us would pass away first, that if just before death, we would seethe "Light", that one would smile, so that the other would know that it was there. On the day of death of Patricia, while she was in her deep sleep, I saw the prettiest smile coming from her, and I knew that she had seen the "Light'.

  Four years later , almost to the day, I had to go through heart sugery, to keep alive, and when I came back to the room, from recovery, my wife told me that all I wanted to talk about was ,that I had seen the "Light" with shadows on the horizon. So this old man will go on with life, knowing that one day, I will see my little one, and that the Great Father in Heaven, not only has placed beauty in our world, but in his too.

As we go into the spring , we see the popping up of all the spring flowers, and we see the sky changing from a cold cloudy look, to one of bright sun, which will wake up the sleeping growth in the soil ,and it will spring forward into our sights, and we will enjoy more of the pretty things, that God gives us. As we look at those flowers as they grow, we wonder just what colors they will be, and how big they will grow. And if you want to see more beauty, that is untouched by humans, take a look at a woods ,where the only changes that are done there, are by nature alone. You would be surprised by the many colors and the many different kinds of plants ,that we would think of as weeds. There is much beauty there for all to see. Also in the woods, you have the chance to see one of the prettiest animals around, and that is the deer. If you look into the eyes of a deer, you would see fear, that they might not make it through the night, because of hunger and hunters. I understand the need for some hunters, who have to go out so that they might be able to feed thier family, but I have never understood the killing of them as a sport. To each thier own, I guess. Our children that we raise, are always beautiful to see and to love. There is not a more beautiful sound in this world, as the one from your child with the words,"I love you Mommy and Daddy". And as they are growing up, and they start to school , you start seeing the change in them as they mature, and they eventually grow up in mind and body. Your memories of them as children ,will never go away, and those memories are just so beautiful.  How many of us will go back into the scrap books and the report cards , and remember those good times that only come around in the earlier part of your life. The American flag has always been one of the most beautiful things, man-made, to show that men and women wanted to be free, and that they fought hard to make us free, when they fought one of the most important wars of all time. As I stand at attention to this flag, I have a wanting, to holler out a thank you to all those people who have fought, to keep us free. I feel butterflies in my stomach, as I watch this beautiful flag displayed everywhere. And  I  try to place small flags at the gravesites of all my family, because they were also lovers of the American flag. I like to do my gardening each year and this is the time that I use, to try and place plants into the soil that the "Great Father" has given us , so that we might grow our food, to feed us and others that do not have the room for growing.  Back in the old days, there were gardens in most households, because that was how they survived.  Now in the present time, the garden lots have given way to more housing, and in order to get the vegetables, you go to the store or to the fruit stands out in the county. Let me say this about a garden. When you grow your own, the taste is the greatest, and the plants in the soil are very beautiful to watch as they grow. There is a very wonderful feeling that you did this yourself. Take a look at some of the buildings that have stood in our city and county, such as the "old city building" that once was our city building, police dept., and fire dept.. That one building in my mind should never fall to the wrecking ball. It holds a lot of history for this great city.  Take a drive through Kokomo, and look for the old places that hold so much history about how this city came about. There are many historical buildings and homes that have withstood the times and they are very beautiful to see. A new born baby is very beautiful sight to see, and when you get that little smile out of them, it tells you that all is good. When I see a little baby, I see an angel sent by GOD to two parents that are given a trust to nurture that child, and to raise with all thier love. Can you think of a more beautiful thing to do in life? Someone that goes to the gravesite of a loved one and places flowers there, or to just say a few words, ranks very high on my list of beautiful things to do. The volunteers that use thier own time to help others, also rank high on my list. The great people who at Christmas time, who work so hard with "We Care", all are beautiful people , who make the Christmas holidays a little easier on the ones that need some help.How about the old friends from our childhood?  Isn't it great to see them after all these years?  I was very fortunate to have many friends when I was young, that still come in to my workplace to say hello. So now you know that all the things beautiful in life, are not just what you see. You can hear beautiful things. You can think beautiful things. And you can remember beautiful things. All of this is a part of life. Call me a sentimental old fool, if you want, but I take life one day at a time, and to me, "LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL" That is it for this column, and I hope that I have made some impact in your life, and watch for me in my next column which I write from the heart. See you next time.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day.

#4

"Dreams & Reality--

Sometimes we just dream, and then other times, we just do it."

Have you ever wanted to do something, but never have the time or money to do it? Well this old man finally did one of those things. I have never been in an airplane, nor did I really want to be, up until this year, when I promised my grand-daughter, "Amanda", that I would be there for her graduation from high school. Now this was in Texas, and since it really hasn't been very long since my heart surgery, we decided that I might not be up for the long drive by car. So the fastest way there and back, without losing much time at work, was by the airways. This meant that I had to purchase my tickets early enough, so that we would be sure to have them , to be able to schedule off from work on the right days. I don't like to let my money sit in someone else's hands, so I waited almost too long.  I finally called one of the places to get my tickets from, and I was amazed at what they can do. I had our tickets the next day. Of course I could of save some money by going in the night-time hours, but I wanted to see everything in as much light as possible. We arrived at the Indy airport about an hour early, as told to us by the agent. Then we sat and waited. Of course, everyone was thinking that I was getting nervous, but you know what? I was as calm as a sleeping baby. My brother Russell asked me if I was scared, and I told him that if I could go through with open heart surgery and come through that as good as I did, then I can handle an airplane ride. The man next to me was listening and he said that I was right not to be scared. It seems that he went through open heart surgery about two weeks after I did, and he had the same number of blockages, that I had. So I figured that if two men on the same plane were given a second chance at life, then an ordinary ride on a plane was going to be a piece of cake. It turned out that this same man was sitting in the seat in front of me in the plane.  Well the feeling I had when we were leaving the ground, was one of a lifting expierence, as we angled into the blue skies. Once we were so high, the plane leveled out and it seem like we were just floating there. It didn't seem like we were even moving, so just as soon as the airline people started walking the aisle, I asked them how high we were and he said that we were at 30,000 feet, moving at the rate of 450 miles per hour, and the the outside temperature was 50 degeees below zero. I was amazed at hearing that. well I was sitting beside the window and again I was amazed at what I saw. The clouds were every where and you could see the ground at times and it was very beautiful.  When it was clear, I could see how sections were separated by roads and how nice it was plotted out. I, on that day, was able to respect the work performed by the engineers and the surveyors, whose job it is to plot out where a road or a building was going to be built. I can truthfully say that they know what they are doing.  I really like to look out on the horizon and see the beauty of this world.  The roar of the plane and the tilting of the wings, along with the bumping once in awhile, wasn't too bad. I kind of had an idea of what a bird goes through as he flies around.  As I looked out the window, I was reminded of the song called "Holes In The Floor Of Heaven".  Oh what a beautful thing that was created by God, and available for this old man to see. I once heard someone say that when I finally got into an airplane, and way up in the sky, I would be that much closer to God. Well, let me tell you one thing. I am as close to God, with my feet on the ground as I am 30,000 feet in the air. It is just that up there I can see more of his beautiful work.  Of course, if you look for beauty, you will find it just about anywhere you look.  Well, getting back to the plane ride, we were on another one that same day, and finally in Texas. Two days later we were on our way back, and we had a delayed flight to Dallas and then another delayed flight to Indy. The ride home was just as pleasing, and maybe a little more as we had to travel in the late evening hours and this gave me a chance to see the sunset and the moon rise at the same time. As I watched the sun go down past the horizon, I saw a beautiful display of colors, and it lasted for a long time. And as we watched through the window on the other side, the rising of the moon in its beauty was very breath-taking to see. I thought to myself, of how the people who go up in space feel when they can see all the beauty created by God in one glance. It must be worth all the work that they have to do to get there.  As we finally landed in Indy, I knew that I had finally done one of the things that so far had been only a dream. And as we left the airport, I thought to myself that God was watching over me, as I made my flight into the big blue skies. I wanted to find some ground and plant my feet on it and know that I was home safe. But you know what? I really did not set my feet on actual dirt until I got home that night. Everything is concrete until you get into the car and make that trip back home to you safe haven called home. We were very safely taken to Texas and back, by the fastest way possible , and we lived to talk about it. Two days later, there was a plane crash in Arkansaw, and it was the same type of plane and the same airlines that we flew in. Many were killed and many injured on that flight. That sort of makes you think that just maybe we were very fortunate to have gone when we did.  But then when you think about it, It probaly is about as safe in that plane as it is in the car. The safety record of airplanes is very good, and with the time saved , going by air, we were able to get our mission done, and now able to get on with the real world of living.

 And so now , I think about what I would like to do next, and my dreams of one day, of being a leader in the great city of Kokomo, and of being mayor of this great city, might only be that. Just a dream. But then, there are those who had said that there was no way that this old man would ever set his sights on an airplane ride, and they were wrong. There are those who have said that this old man, who does not let any group sway his thinking, would never make it in politics, because he is too honest and he is set in his own ways. I take a little offence in that , because I have known many a man who has set in that top chair in this city and they have done a great job, while staying honest and respectful. We have been blessed with great people as mayor of Kokomo, and so just maybe, that dream will come true one day. And as long as we have people like the two running for mayor this year, there is no use of me trying to get that position. Jim has done a great job in his stint in office, and in anything he does, because he is a man who comes from good stock, and a respected family. Mike also comes from a very respected family , and his dad was a very good servant of this great city as well as a great teacher. So just maybe, I will just hang on to what I am doing right now and that is doing a job where I meet a lot of nice people, and I work with a great group too.  So let me dream about things that I haven't done yet, and I will put some on the back burner, to do later. In this time of turning into the next century, and what it might bring, I feel that even though the past years have been great and fullfilling, the future might be a lot better. we can only hope for a safe  passage into the next century without all the problems that the doom-sayers have predicted, and all the problems with the computers that might happen. I look forward to what is up ahead, because I was given a second chance at life, and there is still some work out there for me to do. Whatever happens when that time comes, I know that we will survive, because my generation comes from the old days when you had to work for what you got. All the things that we had back then was earned and was respected, because of the sweat and tears, of those who made it possible. Do we still have that respect, and do we still earn the things that we have now, or has it been given to us on a silver platter? I can say this and that is that everything that I have now was because of hard work and honesty, set forth by those wonderful people called Mom and Dad.   Bless thier hearts for doing that for me.  Well, I hope that you liked this article, and that you will look for me again, when I write about the old days , and the memories, that come straight from the heart. Thanks for listening to this old man blow some steam.  "History is made by those who act out thier dreams into reality."

See you later;  Ray "Uncle Ray" Day.

#5

"The Singing Mouse"  "This is the true story of a singing mouse."

This may be hard to believe, but it is a true fact.

Have you ever heard of a singing mouse here in Kokomo Indiana.  Well, I have a story for you about a mouse who made his name known via the Edward R. Morrow show on CBS radio which was heard nationwide. The singing mouse was the property of Glen R. Rextrew, who lived up in the north end of town.  There was a reporter at the Tribune who did a story on this mouse, by the name of George Welden. At first Welden thought it was a joke, so when he got a call from Glen that he had a singing mouse in his house, he decided to check with the readers on how to catch the mouse. Glen and his wife were in the living room when they heard the same singing sound that they have heard for several days and when they went into the kitchen, they heard a sound coming from the clothes basket. As Glen uncovered the basket, a mouse jumped out and ran away. So now the Rextrews' knew that they had two singing mice in thier house. After a few days went by, Welden recieved a call from Glen Rextrew that the mouse had been caught and if he wanted to hear him sing. Over the phone, he heard the chirping of this mouse , and it sounded like a bird. WIOU was contacted and they made an attempt to record the voice of the singing mouse. When they went to the Rextrew home, nothing happened. The mouse would make no noise. So Glen said that they would cover the cage where the mouse was in and after some 15 minutes, they uncovered it and sure enough this mouse whose name was Mickey started his pretty chirping and it sounded like a canary. That same day Mickey was heard over WIOU, and then on the Edward R. Morrow show. That story of Mickey stayed on the tongues of many for several weeks. In the meantime. Glen caught another mouse and he named her Minnie, and a few days later, she had four babies that were named Enie, Meenie, Minie, and Moe. People all over Kokomo came to the Rextrew home to see Mickey sing , and Glen even had an offer from a booking agent from Chicago. The six mice would sing nightly concerts at the Rextrew home and once, all of them were caught in a wire cage, but were able to escape . Mrs. Rextrew said that she would check the trap every so often to see if they had been caught. She could see where they had been nibling on the bait, but escaped through a hole just under the trigger of the trap. While they were on the loose, they gave a nightly singing concert to Glen and his wife. One visitor to the Rextrew home was a man , who wanted to see this oddity so that he could describe the mouse to his crippled son. After the man returned home, he called the Rextrew's and asked that the phone be placed near the mouse so that the son could hear the singing. Mrs. Rextrew said that she and her husband would feed the brood and hope that some sort of an offer for the crooner would show up. and she said that they had gotten attached to the mice and would hate to part with them. Rextrew was a part time salesman and things were not going well in the financial part of thier life. Glen has wanted to go into the ministry, but he wasn't able to fulfill his goal. He had hoped that if someone had taken up on this story that maybe he would be able to go on to college to get his degree. Glen had been in the service , and recieved an injury to his leg that would in effect caused him some financial problems from than on.  They never let anyone know that they were hurting financially. This was a great family who had pride in what they did and how they had to live. But then Glen took the singing mouse to visit some relatives in Greentown, because he was afraid that someone might enter his home and steal them, and Mickey was able to break loose, and he ran into a woodpile,. They were broken-hearted about this, and after some thought, they decided to release Minnie also. Such was the story of one of Kokomo's first, although there are many ,that to this day do not know of this singing mouse.. Another of the animals to remember is the snowy white owl, which one day arrived on the scene atop the Grace Methodist Church. Welden once again did a story on this owl, which he called "Oswald, The Snowy Owl". This owl would move from perch to perch, and he made quite a dent in the pigeon population. He stay around for about two weeks and then left only to return a few years later , to stay just a short time. Then there was a oposseum which made an appearance on the courthouse square. He was only here for a short time, but long enough to be named Charlie. There were many animals that made an impact in Kokomo, but none like the Singing Mouse, named Mickey, who with Minnie, and thier four offspring, gave the Rextrew family a place in the history of Kokomo, Indiana. This did happen, folks, and Mrs Rextrew gave me the right to write about it for you to remember. So if you ever get the chance to meet this wonderful lady, tell her thanks for the memories. "This is just one of the many true stories of things that happen in Kokomo, Indiana."

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

#6

"Remember Me  -- "How I Would Like To Be Remembered"

I was asked by one of my readers, how I would like to be remembered , if and when I leave this world , to enter the Gates of Heaven, and  I was touched by that question. So many times, we live our lives for today, without thought about the future, and so this question moved me to try to answer it as best I can. I can only say that when that time comes, I have prepared myself and my family to be able to accept it , and the survivors to go on with thier lives.  I hope that I will be remembered as one who never gave up on a issue, just because it got too tough.   I have been a part of many fights ,to preserve a right, or one that would give back some rights lost ,because of  others that tried to take them away. I have always felt that if you had a right to do something and you did not sign that right away, you still had it. That is refered to as the "Grandfather Clause".  I hope that people will remember me as a man who could be trusted under any circumstances. My word is the gospel. That was instilled in me by my parents, who was very trustworthy too.  Back in the old days, when a man gave thier word to do something, you could take it to the bank.  I hope that I can always live up to the teachings given to me by my parents.  I hope that they will remember me as a kind person, who as the good book says, will turn the other cheek, before he would do anything to hurt his fellow man.  Also as one who would not kill man or beast, unless I or my family were in danger of being hurt or killed.  Mom and Dad always said that it was foolish to fight, if you could sit down and talk it out , thus finding out what the problem was and how it could be solved. It is a shame that we can't all do that,thus doing away with costly wars, and ugly lawsuits.  Remember me as one, who tried to love all people, regardless of  race or religion. My parents taught me that we all are God's children, and we should show respect for all the elders, and for all friends and countrymen. To hate a fellow man because of his belief, or his race, is a very stupid way to live. I have never let that be part of my life. To love your  fellow man is to love God, and I hope that all my friends of the old days, know that they are and will always be close to my heart.  Remember me as a believer in my country and a lover of the American flag. That flag flies because we had ancestors, who were willing to fight for the right to be free. To be born in America is to be an automatic citizen, and they are Americans, regardless of where thier ancestry came from. When I see the American flag waving, I have butterflies in my stomach, and I want to holler out to the world , how fortunate we are to live here. It hurts me to see someone desecrate the American flag.  Remember me as a family man, who had a good wife and some great children, and who worked many hours in order to full-fill my duty as a father and husband to care for them, as did my parents for me and my brothers and sisters. I get my strength from my mother and dad who lived only to raise up the children, and did without so that we could be clothed and fed.  Bless both of them for taking great care of us while they were here on this earth   Remember me as one who never turned his back on his friends, regardless of any reason to do so. A friend is one for life, and he is there always to help you.  I have many friends from the old days that still fill a portion of my heart with thier friendship. A friend is a brother or sister in the eyes of God, and he or she is always there for you. And remember me as one who was not afraid to hug another man, just because we were the same gender. A hand shake and a hug is just forms of respect for others.   I could go on and on, about how I would like to be remembered, but let's be sensible about it and know that no one is perfect ,and no matter how much you want people to remember all the good things about you, they will remember the bad too. That is human nature, and you just can't change it. So if you want to only be remembered as a good guy, you have to live life that way.  The road of life is a strange one in that no one walks exactly the same road. Some will walk a straight path thus getting to the promise land without stumbling, or tripping on something in that road. They will not fall into the many holes, nor will they have to take detours to get to where they are going.  Others will meet some blockages in the road, thus having to make up thier minds to either go around, climb over, or just wait for the blocked area to clear. Then they will find that there are side roads, that will take them out of thier way , thus making it harder to get to the end of thier road, without misery and pain, and disappointments.  For some, the road keeps getting longer and the things that hold you back  keep getting bigger. Sometimes you wonder why you have to endure all the pain and disappointment, that never goes away. But that is where all of us are the same. The end of the road of life is there for each of us, no matter how it is traveled. But the result could be different, based on how you walked that road . All of us will meet some blockage in the road, and how we react to it governs how the end will be.  I have always tried to never judge another, because I am not traveling in that person's shoes. I don't have any idea of the pain that the other person has. I have no idea of what the other person has to do to maintain his path in the road of life. I can only answer to what I have had to endure to get to the end of my road. I hope that the end will be a long time from now, but I feel assured that the road that I am walking, in spite of all the pain and blockages, will end at the "Gates Of Heaven". If I meet some detours along the way, I hope that I have enough sense to keep walking the straight and narrow path, needed to fulfill my goal.  I have recieved a second chance at life and I will treasure it each day with "Thanks" to God for giving me one more day. I will treat my fellow man with respect, and I will always pay my respects to those who made this great land a wonderful place to live in, and who have gone home finally to be with the "Great Father"  So if you want to say anything about me when that time comes, just say that I was a person who loved everything about life. Say that I tried to make a difference, and say "Job well done" I will see you later in yet another column about what it was like to live in the old days. "Everyone should want to be remembered in a good way."

Ray"Uncle Ray" Day

#7

"Role Models"

"Everyone Should Have Someone To Look Up To."

When we enter this world called earth, we are sent down by God, to be raised and nurtured, by a couple, who we learn to call  father and mother. At the very first of our measured time ,here in this beautiful place that we will call home, we are destined to live, and we are destined to die. So during the time spent here ,we should make it a well spent duration, that will leave a mark, that others might follow or use as a guide, to make the life they spend on this earth a worthwhile one. That brings us to what I call being a role model.  A role model is one that can influence our youngsters, as to what  they aspire to be when they grow up. Many of our young people have the perfect guidance from that twosome, we call father and mother, and they use good judgement, in picking out someone to help them reach a goal, or a spot in life where they will be able to make thier mark in society. Many will pick Mom or Dad as the person who they want to be like when they grow up. Many will pick another member of the family to copy and go forth with success, and prosperity.  But sometimes when they can't get it at home, they look elsewhere, and many times it will be someone whose only goal in life, is to do the opposite of what is good. That takes me to the point that I want to make to our young children of today. To bow to pressure from others, who have taken the road to distruction, will only bring hardship to you and to your family. To let someone persuade you to drink, take drugs, to steal, and to lie, is wrong. Only you can stop yourself from total distruction, by using the moral values set forth by those who really love you.  The ones ,that will guide you into problems that will torment you for the rest of your life, are only there as long as you let them be there. The people who talk you into using drugs, are only there as long as you take them., and are able to either pay for it or to entice one of your friends to start. Money is what keeps this scum on our doorsteps, and when it is gone, they will leave you hurting with the worst pain in the world. The use of drugs today has gotten so far out of sight , that the pushers are getting rich.  Now you ask me , how do I keep from this happening to me, and I will tell you to do several things. Listen to mom and dad. Let them do the job that they were assigned to do by God. To raise you ,so that when it comes your time to have that assignment from the great one, you will be ready to raise your own. Another way to make sure that you won't be enticed by the bad people, is to join a program such as "Dare", which will not only lead you, but will help you lead others. Maybe you then can be a role model for one that has fallen to the lowest depth of his life. Sometimes a sports hero , can be a good choice, although in recent times the sports hero is one that is walking the road to distruction with his usage of drugs. You would think that these sports heros would use thier good fortune to help guide others , but maybe  they didn't get  the proper guidance as children, and so they still need someone to wake them up too.  All of us have a road to follow, and sometimes the road will have some detours, or there will be very deep holes , that if we don't watch for, will cause us to fall into them, never to get out. There will be something there to trip us up, or to go another way. So what you have to do ,is to follow someone who has walked the road, and can help you avoid all of these objects designed to make you go the wrong way. Before you walk the road, step back and take a long look at it and make your decision, to walk it as straight as possible, and yet avoid all the blockades.  In my early years , I knew many great people, male and female, who helped me on the road of life, and were there for me, when I needed them. I don't have to mention names, because they know who they are and what they did for me. I had many role models that I wanted to follow, but most of them were the people that we went to see in the movies, or some that we listened to on the radio. People like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Lewis, to name a few, were great people who have made thier mark in history , and great people to want to be like. Many of our presidents have been great role models, as have thier wives. Sometimes a teacher in school, or that policeman or fireman, all of who are very valuable parts of our nurturing, as we grow up are great role models. But you know what? From the very first day of your life, you probaly have the best role models that will give you the best opportunties to be someone. I will tell you that Mom and Dad are the ones to follow. But what if Mom and Dad are not around or if one of them grew up wrong and they are not proper to follow? I say this because sometimes the problems do start at home, and you need someone else to follow. Take a good look at what is available out there, and ask that person to help you.  I have to say that my role models were my mother and father, and I think that they did a pretty good job of taking care of a large family, and still instill in them the need for goodness to one another. Many people who knew my dad and mom tell me that I act like them. Well if that is true, than evidently they did one great job of being role models. They taught us that stealing was wrong and also that lies were the work of the devil. We were taught to treat everyone with respect regardless of thier faith or thier heritage. To this day, I carry the words of my father in my heart. He would say that it is better to be one hour early than one minute late. He and mom would say that you treat the living and the dead with respect, and you show them the honor that they deserve. They taught me that to be an American is one of the greatest gifts ever given to you and that you honor this great country, and it's beautiful flag. They taught us to make our own decisions as to our faith and how we would follow it. We were taught that you don't devide people as to race, creed or color. Dad always said that as he grew up, he had lots of help from his friends and not once did the issue of who they were, make a difference in thier friendship.  Oh sure there were others that I looked up to including my oldest brother, who was just about the nicest guy around. He and my other brother, both of whom have passed away, were people who knew no enemies. They were loved by all that crossed  thier paths. So it looks like Mom and Dad did ok. And I know that when each of them went home to be with God, he told them that they did thier job well.  Recently we had a little reunion of the rest of my family and it was great to sit and talk and remember the past. And the thoughts of Mom and Dad were in our hearts.  So I want to make this point to all the young people out there. Make something count while you are here on earth, and make us all proud of you.  Go and talk to someone, whether it is your parents,teachers, or a policeman or fireman, or one of the great ministers we have to guide you. Don't let pressure from the bad people dictate your path of life. There are great places that you can go to get someone to listen.  And if you can't find someone that will listen, then this is my word to you. Come talk to me about it. They call me "Uncle Ray" because I care about you. And if someday ,when I have gone home,and some youngster says that they want to grow up like me, then just maybe the great father will tell me "Job well done"

"Many Of our Children Look The Wrong Way For a Role Model."

    "Uncle Ray" Day

#8

"The Past, Present, And Future Of Life"

"Where we were, where we are, and where we will be ."

"How can you know where you are going, if you don't know where you have been?."

As I am a man who still believes in the old days ,and the rules set down by our elders, I am asked by many, both young and old , to talk and write ,about my life, as it was ,and as it is now, and what do I look for in the future.  My life as a youngster was one, that prepared me for today. In my time, the rule was to respect your parents, and everyone else, especially our elders. The elders ,who have been through all the hard times , are able to instruct you, on what is the best way to follow. Most of them were of the most credibal type of person to look up to, and want to follow in thier footsteps.. Most of them were already through most of thier life ,on this great earth, and the experience that they had ,would greatly help those who would listen.  Many times , the head of the family, was the grandfather or grandmother, who had brought up your parents ,and instilled in them the value of living a good life. And many times, they would say to you to take a good look at your parents, and follow the same path that they are on.  In our family, our grandfathers on both sides of the family ,had passed away at an early age, and thus our grandmothers were the ones to talk to. I was truly blessed with having two grandmothers ,who not only had lived a full life, but had a knowledge of all the hard times of life, as it was. So they were the ones ,who could lead us to a full commitment ,of the values needed ,to prepare us for what would lie ahead. I remember many times, when Grandma would come back from the state of Washington and she would bring us gifts. The gifts were some, that she made for each of us , such as shirts and overalls, made by her own hands. Back then ,the only thing bought from a store, was the material to make the gifts. And the gifts were made from the heart. My other grandmother still lived here, and we saw her just about every weekend. She was, for as long as I can remember, a pretty lady with white hair, and a pretty smile. The gifts from her, was also some that she would make, and they also were made from the heart.  So I , and the rest of my brothers and sisters ,were truly blessed with not only great parents to follow, but also great grandparents too. My parents had a lot of good friends, who were always there ,for not only them, but for us too. If Dad needed some extra money to make it until payday, it was there for him , and he didn't have to sign for it. Back then a man's word was as good as you can get. If  Mom needed help around the house ,when she was sick, the neighbors were there to help us clean up. Back then, the unwritten rule among all, was to help one another when needed. Be there for your fellow man. Respect those older than you were, because they knew how it was. It was a time when you could sit around and talk, or to just sit on the front porch, without having to lock the back door. You could trust people in those days.  So I guess that is why I try to bring you my memories of the life, that I and all the others had ,in what we call "the old days"  Today, as we live each day to the fullest, I look back and wonder where did it all go?? Where is the respect for our elders? Why is it ,that a man's word is not good enough? Why do we allow our young to get on drugs? And why are the young children of today filing lawsuits against thier parents? Let me tell you my view of what has happened.  Back in our day, it was the radio that we used ,to get  most of our intertaiment from, in the house. We would sit by the fire ,and listen to all the great programs of that day, and in our minds we would have the picture of what was going on. We would visualize the cowboys and the romantic stars ,as they would do the scenes ,in our heads. And what we visualized , was based on how we were trained. In other words the scenes were of the clean mind. Today ,it is what we actually see on the television screen, that paints a picture in our minds. So,in today's minds of our young, it is only killing, drinking, using drugs, and lurid sex displayed, that  has made the impression. There is nothing to the imagination any more, as it is right there in front of us.  In today's world, you can't discipline your children with fear of being put in jail for child abuse. The "child abuse law" was started to protect the young, from abusive people. It was not intended to limit the parents and the teachers,  from using discipline to instill values and rules. But it has gone there ,because of the courts, and some of the silly laws ,made through our government. There should not be any fear in taking a child to the doctor or hospital, when they might have fallen and broken a arm, or bruised bad. But the doctors and the hospital, by law have to inform the police of these injuries. So right away the parent is questioned ,and looked bad upon ,even though they are not guilty of anything. And so, there is that stigma there, that the parent is a child beater. Now I am not down on the doctors or the hospitals, and I am not down on the police ,because all of them are doing ,what is required of them by law. So what has happened in today's world , is that we have taken the right of bringing up our children from the family,and the schools ,and given it to the courts. That is not what the "child abuse law" was intended for.  In today's world, the right to  employment , has been set aside in favor of quotas, to make it accessible to all. That law started out ok, because we shouldn't hold someone ,from being employed,because of race, greed, religion. etc. But that law was designed for those people, who were citizens of our great country.  Today, our young have to compete with people who are not residents of this country, and thus they are without good jobs, and have to flip hamburgers ,while the good jobs are taken by those from other countries. To me , that is not right. All citizens of the "USA" should have the same rights ,as to employment in positions, that they have the knowledge for, regardless of who, or what they are. Once again, that is not what that law was for. I must make this one note, towards that summation,  in that I am not aiming at those doctors, and other positions, that we have to go outside to get. Many of our great doctors are from the other countries, who have given up thier homes, in order to come over here, and be our medical doctors. I say thanks to all of them.  As far as drugs being used, I can't blame the young , because we let it happen. Many years ago when it was cool to go around with short hair on the men ,and long hair on the women, we let it go to the  complete opposite, and now we see long haired men, and short haired women. For each thier own, because that is what they want. It used to be, that we wore patched up clothes, because that was all we had, but today that is the style. Back then it was overalls that we wore, and today it is jeans. What I am getting to, is that just about all these fads,were because we let it happen. We let the the musical groups come over into our country and infect our minds with the long hair, and bad looks ,as well as some of the worst musical noise around. Note that I am not saying that those groups were the total problem, but that it was the influence from them ,that started us to what is cool today.  Then there was "Woodstock", that made an impression on our young. It was ok to show disrepect for the upper class,and it was ok to display yourself sexually, right out in front of others. Note that there are many of our outstanding people who were once part of this thing called Woodstock, that are leading our country today. What I am saying ,is that this was the beginning of the use of drugs, and disrepect of our elders, that has made a great impact on our young of today.  So where do we go, and what do we do to get our country back to being an example to other countries, as to values, and respect. We have the greatest system around ,as to how we elect those to lead us, but we don't use it right. First off, the government should never hold down the parents in the bringing up of the young of today. Give back to the family the right to discipline when needed. Give back to those teachers the right, to govern thier students, as long as they are in the schools. Let's go with values, as to how a child should dress, and how they look ,as long as they are under eighteen. Take the right from the courts, and give it back to the parents and the teachers. As far as those, who are elected to office to serve us, take away the party tag and only refer to them as our representative. Once a person has been elected, he or she should not be a democrat or republican, but only as a representative of the people. Then and only then will we be able to work together ,as one unit instead of two. The two party ststem is one of the best around, but only to be used to get elected. As far as appointments to positions, that should be as to thier credits and to their capabilities, and not to the party that they belong to. I know that this will not set good with many of our great party workers, but it is what they should expect ,if this old man ever decides to be a representative from this great city.  So what do I look for in the next century? Well, if what I said before ,doesn't make any impression , then I guess we will continue on the path of drug usage, the showing of disrepect to others, the use of sex as a way of getting what we want, and the end of a great era , that has already been trampled to death, by all the laws set forth by great law-abiding citizens , who thought they were doing what was right for all those concerned. Is there an answer? I think so, because I lived the age of respect, for my fellow countrymen ,and women , who at one time , had all the answers. There is a great amount of knowledge out there for each of us to use to the greatest extent. There are some wonderful youngsters out there, that need and want some guidence, from those who have been there. Give back to those children the values and respect , that you and I recieved from our elders. I hope that I  have helped at least one youngster through this column, because that is my goal. And remember this one thing. As long as "Uncle Ray" is around, he is there for you, and you can take that to the bank. I'll see you later in anither column, as long as they let me write this column.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

 #9

"The Rise & Fall Of A Giant"

I write this little story, so that those who never worked in a steel mill would know that the work was dirty but was fullfilling too. This is about a steel mill which was one of the best in the world until it went belly-up, because of one hippy who milked it dry. Once upon a time, here in the  city of Kokomo, there came into being ,a company destined to be the backbone of the city, and to be the main source of income for the families who lived here. The name of that business was Kokomo Steel & Wire. Now this happened way before my time, and my fathers, but it played a big part in the survival of the Day family, and many more families, who without it, probaly would of moved elsewhere. That company was a family type of business, run by men who could be trusted ,and they wanted to be a part of the growing up of the city of Kokomo. Eventually the company changed names, but the trust and respect was still there. "Continental Steel Corporation" was born and in 1934, my dad started there, after working at Globe American, and other places. So the steel mill , also known by some of the older folk ,as the rod mill, was the source of income for our family, and we ate good, because Dad would work all the overtime , to stay ahead in case someone got sick ,or money was needed for an emergency. The wages were low, but back in those days, things were low in cost, and if you couldn't pay a bill, your word was good for it. And of course, most families of any size would plant gardens, and have chickens for the meat and the eggs. Well, back to the steel mill, as I was saying , since the mill was good to us, I decided to go to work there, for the summer, and attend IU in the fall of 1955. That summer, I found out how hard it was to work in a mill ,and I also found out how hard my father had worked to raise us. So I put off going to IU for awhile, and did some college work on the side, as I made Continental Steel my first steady work place. To say that working at the mill was easy ,was to say that lifting the world onto my shoulders was easy. I found out that dirt and sweat went together with strength and togetherness. I found out that one man can not get the job done alone. It was the work of all to make a team, that worked together, to get the job done. When you start working at the mill, you are assigned to the extra board, and you would wait for them to send you to a department to work at a specific job. Sometimes this will turn into a steady job in that area, if you show that you wanted to work. Many times if you didn't get sent out by the extra board manager, you had to come back on another turn, to see if there was work then. If a furnace was down for repairs, and at that time there were five furnaces, many were sent to the Yard Department, to work on the repair. This was a time when many would get all the overtime wanted. It was a very hot job, and many times you had to go down into the soot tunnels to clean them out. Soot tunnels were small shafts under the checker chambers, and they caught all the soot and slag that would fall through the checker brick. These tunnels were about waist high to a short person, and you had to get down on your knees and using a short handeled shovel, dig the debris out, put it in a bucket and it was passed down to the other men, who proceded to send it up above by using a pulley, to another worker who then dumped it into a wheelbarrow ,and hauled it off to a pit area. This was a very hard job to do ,as there were about ten tunnels, each about fifty feet long, in each furnace. Sometimes ,it was so hot down there ,that you had to wear wooded shoes, and masks on your face, just so the heat would not burn your face and nose. Needless to say that there were many, who after doing this once, decided to find work elsewhere. It took someone who wasn't afraid of work and sweat, to survive in that mill. Another place, that would be repaired, was the slag pockets, where the impurities from the melting down of all the materials needed to make steel , would run off from the pan above, into the pockets. Many times when you started to work in this spot, the pockets would be cherry red, and the only way to break lose the large hunk of slag, was to first break it loose from the sides by using an air hammer. You would work as long as you could, and then let another worker take his turn. The heat from this job ,would burn the inside of your nose, and you could feel the burning through your clothes. So even though it was a hot job, you wore as much clothing as possible. Think about it; if you put on thick clothing to keep the cold out, then you do the same to keep the hot burning air out. Before the furnaces could be relined with new furnace brick, the pan which was where the scrap was melted, had to be cleaned out ,and this was another of those jobs that was not only very dirty, but also very hot. Many men quit the mill ,before going to that repair job a second time. Once again ,the workere took turns using an air hammer, that usually was heavier than the worker, and working together, got the furnace ready for the brick gang , who then would reline the pan, the checker chambers, and the slag pockets. It took a big effort on all the workers ,to get this repair done as soon as possible ,so that the furnace could start making steel again. Needless to say, the overtime spent by the company ,was money well spent. As long as a furnace was down, no money was made by the company ,and by the men who ran that furnace. I averaged at least three overtme shifts a week, and I could of had more. So just on furnace repair alone, the teamwork of all was a major factor, in getting a job done as soon as possible . This was the same in each department you worked in. No matter where you were sent, you had to hold up your end of the job, or it didn't get done in time. Time was an important part in the making of steel, and also the different by-products. Steel was poured into ingots which then were reduced into billets or bars. The billets would then be reduced into rods, which then was reduced into wire, part of which was turned into nails. Some of the wire was made into fence. Continental fence and nails were the best, and were sent all over the country. The name of Continental was respected, because the buyer knew that he was getting a great product. The bars that were made went to the sheet mill, and they were turned into sheets, which in turn were turned into roofing stock as well as calvert stock. The sheets were of the best and were wanted by companies all over the country, because they knew that if it was made by Continental Steel, it had to be good. The work of a great bunch of workers, sold the product. The name of the company meant that you were getting a product that you could trust. Needless to say, you would believe that as long as there were men and women out there that was not afraid to get dirty, Continental Steel would live forever. During the thirty-one years that I spent at the mill, I worked at the repair of the furnaces, in the sheet mill, in the technical and clerical positions, and sixteen years as a supervisor. I have never regreted taking a job there, because of the family type of co-workers, and the family type of top management. That is until a hippe-type of man started buying enough stock, to eventually take control of the operation, and slowly but surely,milk it dry. This man was buying stock on the exchange, and noboby knew who he was ,until he had enough power to take over. He came in one day, and we took him on a tour of the mill, which eventually started going down hill. This man knew nothing about steel-making, and he wanted something to milk ,so that the cement company he owned could survive, using the mill as a source of income. When that was done ,then there was no need to keep the mill as that source, so then it was time to do the milking of the mill as well as the pension plan. He did a great job of that , and he lives somewhere down in Florida, reaping the profits from his venture in our city. The twelve million that he swindled from the pension plan ,is being reaped by his wife and his father, who held on to everything, while he spent his repentance in a six month stay at a country club type of penal system. It is odd that we and the heads of the city government let this happen. We sit back ,and say that it can't happen to us, but it can. Don't be mislead by thinking that you are secure. Anytime that big companies merge, you will see some downsizing, and that will be where there is less profit and higher overhead. It doesn't matter if is going to hurt the people involved, as long as the work is done as cheaply and in less time, so as to increase the profit. That is big business, and the name of the game is money. The more they make, the bigger it gets. So now we see the mill being taken down after all these years, and we wonder why it was not done earlier. The answer to that ,is that as long as there is money to be drained from the mill, it won't happen. For the last eight years, we have listen to the polution group, telling us that the mill was contaminated, and that homes around the area were contaminated with lead. There was no basis for that claim, except for lead found in small quantities, in the yards of the homes close by. Some had none, and others had a lot. No one thought of the fact ,that up until fifteen or so years ago, they painted their houses with paint that had a lead base. After several of these paint jobs, there would be lead in the soil of those homes. It didn't come from the mill, it came from the people who kept their homes up with paint that had a lead base. That is fact where the polution group's is just an suspicion. "The three paragraphs above in yellow were ones that were left out of my article in the Tribune due to sensure. They said there was no room for it and so it had to be trimmed. Yet there was a picture at the bottom of my article that had no bearing on anything in that issue of the paper. Was it right for them to leave out the actual core of the article?" Now ,as we see the mill's siding being taken down, they are wrapping it up ,so that the dust won't get blown around. They say that there is no market for the scrap, that will come from the demolition, but I bet that they will find someone who will pay a pretty penney for it, and use it without fear that it is, or is said to be contaminated. I have to defend myself ,and all the other people who spent the better portion of their lives working in that mill, in saying that we ,as workers, and as taxpayers, along with all the other taxpayers in this great city, have been mislead by a group, that goes around and lays claims of contamination, anytime a company has closed down. In other words, they create jobs for themselves. Wouldn't it be great, if you could create a new job, anytime you wanted to? The question here is, if the mill had not closed, would this group had found problems? I say no, because as long as we were working, they had no basis. Here in 1999, if the mill was still running ,would there had been more workers and neighbors worried about the possible contamination? I say no, because there would not be any basis to go by. Wouldn't it be nice if you were part of a group that looks for ways to create jobs? You never would be out of work, because fear tells us that they could be right, or could they just be trying to pull the wool over our eyes?  Look at the deaths of the Continental workers in the past 13 years. Just about all of them have been from natural causes ,except for the sixteen or more that took their own lives, because they couldn't cope with the loss of their jobs. The ones who had cancer ,were ones who smoked a lot ,and the ones who had liver problems were ones that drank a lot. The idea of contamination in that steel mill ,is about as far-fetched as anyone can concieve. The thirty-one years that I spent there, were ones of about as much dirt and dust, that anyone could breathe and it didn't affect me. So the biggest question of all is; have we been taken down the roads blindfoaded, while being told we are not moving? Think about that and then you ask some questions. As of now, I will be glad to see the mill gone, because it is an eyesore. I only hope that I am still here, to help erect a memorial to the twenty-five hundred or more of those workers and supervisors, who were there before the fall of this giant. Until then, I hope to get back to writing about the old days, when trust and respect were part of your bringing up. So I say, that I hope that you , the reader, enjoys my articles that come "straight from the heart". For anyone to think that there job is safe, is like sticking your nose into the south end of a mule going north. See you next time with some more enjoyable writing.

Ray"Uncle Ray" Day

#10

"Where Did We Go Wrong?"

As we grow older, we see many changes that affect all of us, and many times we look the other way instead of saying enough.

If you think that your life has not changed, then you either are very lucky or you have had your head in the sand too long.

As we near the new century, I look back at things that have come about, and I look to why it happened. In the old days, we had discipline, and respect for our elders. Families were very close back then, and they stuck together. When we played games, everyone played, that wanted to. When we ate, everyone was at the table, waiting for that taste of good home-cooked food, that only Mom could make. After our chores and homework was done, it was family time in front of the radio, where we would listen, and "watch" those great shows, like "Fibber Mcgee & Molly " , "The Lone Ranger", Amos & Andy", "The Great Gildersleve","Lum & Abner", The Green Hornet", "The Shadow", and many more that we looked forward to "seeing" on the radio. Back then, since you listened to the shows, you sort of made a visual picture of what was going on. Since you were raised with good thoughts in your mind, the" picture" from the radio was one , that had a good moral outcome. Now, as we watch shows on the tube, we don't have to bring up any pictures as they are right there in front of you. There are shows on television, that would shame the worst of people. They show it all, and that is one of the problems that we are faced with, while trying to bring up our children. You don't have to teach sex to them, because they can get the whole story from the tube. As parents, we've let it happen, and it will be hard to get it stopped. How can we as a parent , keep the filth out of our children's hands and minds. That is a question that only you as a parent can answer. They took prayer out of the schools, and the discipline out of the home, just because someone thought that their rights were being taken away. What about the rights of all the others.? The ones that want prayer in the school and discipline in the home are the ones that had their rights taken away. When you are told how to believe, and how you can discipline your children, you are the ones that lost a God-given right. It is really bad when you can smack a child because he doesn't do as he is told, and be arrested for it.. I do know that there are cases where the child is beaten, and that is wrong. Discipline should only be as a way to teach respect and responsibility. Most parents are good to their children and they know that their children love them. But the small number of complaints by some kids who can't be trained, are sent to the police, who have to do their job, and that makes it hard for parents and school-teachers to do their job. We, as the parent let this happen, until it was too late to stop it. We can stop it by going back to old way of doing the training of our children , so that they can carry it on with their children. All I can say to those youngsters out there is that it doesn't get any easier. To teach respect, you have to be respected. To teach responsibility, you have to be responsible. I am very happy that I came from the days ,when respect and responsibility were taught in the home. And I am very proud to say that instead of abuse, we had discipline. Maybe it hurt a little back then, but you can see that it did me a lot of good. And my parents were taught the same way by their parents, only they came from a much tougher time, when nothing came easy, and anything you worked for went toward your living expenses. There was no extra in the old days as far as money was concerned, but there was always a lot more love to go around, and families were a group of one. And the neighbors were part of your family. They were always looking out for you too, and they helped keep you out of trouble. They say that you can never go back, but I say that if you want, you can always go back to the memory bank, and remember when it was cool, to sit on the front or back porch and just spend time with your family and friends. A man's word was as good as the man himself. Oh, I miss those days, when honor and responsibility was part of growing up, and when respect for your fellow man was part of it too. In these days, we see homes broken up because of failures to keep jobs, or to a sickness of a family member with no way to pay for their recovery. We see women who go through the change of life and men who either drink or lose their jobs, and they wind up in the mental hospitals, where many times they are hit with "suggestions "of abuse as a child, or "control" by their mates. Enough suggestions about this and the patient finally believes it themselves. I don't mean to put down that part of the profession, because there are a lot of patients that need help, and they get it from those people who are trained right for that job. But you can tell someone that they are sick enough times, and they will believe it. We see people on disibility , and they are out playing ball, or working at jobs where money is always cash, so that they won't lose the money that they shouldn't be getting anyway. There are those out there that collect money as a surviving parent, that is supposed to go toward the child's welfare, but instead it is used as an extra source of money that they can blow away. What kind of a parent can a man be that will not use that money for the welfare of the child? How can any man live with himself, knowing that what he does with the money is wrong? How can the kids gain respect for a parent that has no respect for himself? Oh yes, there are some parents out there that need to be held accountable for their actions. Most of the time, the officials that should be watching for this type of child abuse, are looking the other way. Maybe the Social Security System needs to check a little closer with the people that are abusing the system. And take the so-called psychics on television, who pull you into their fold with the answers that you want to hear. They are some of the best con-men around. Tell a fool what he wants to hear and he will ask for more. Tell a person who is not loved ,the things that he or she wants to hear and they will buy some more of your time. It all goes down to one thing. Make a suggestion enough times, and the person who needs help, will finally believe it. Your best con-men are these people who pray on other people who need some help. Enough said on that subject. And one other thing that really burns me up are the so-called polls, that they take at election time. Do they really believe that we think that those polls are correct. They actually are the attempts by groups who want to sway your vote to their side. Many people are influenced by those polls. Many voters will look at a poll, and then vote for the man who is supposed to be ahead. My gosh, we haven't even voted and they are telling us who the winner will be. I say that they should make polls, a violation of the voting system. Let us hear from the horse's mouth what he is going to do for us, and then let us make up our own mind who to vote for. How many times has a good choice to run our country, dropped out because he was low man on the polls? How many great men and women have gone by the wayside because they just did not have the backing needed to go against the big money groups? I will tell you one thing ,and that is that I vote the way I want to, and not because they say that my choice can not win. I really have to say that my feelings toward this DNA testing is for the birds. They use the DNA in order to convict someone charged with a crime. The theory is that the DNA of a person is confined to him or a very few. They contend that it is a very true way of connecting someone to a death or another crime. How can anyone in their right mind, say that all of us have a certain DNA, when the only way that it could be true, would be to test every single one of us, and have it on record? I hope that never happens. If a person is guilty, then prove it to the rest of us, but don't use something that really is only a theory. What I am trying to say is that most of the things that we have to live with is because we let a very few run our lives with their polls, their suggestions, and some laws that were put on the books to benifit a few. One thing for sure, and that is if I lived in many other countries, I wouldn't be able to say the things that have been said in this article. Probaly I would of been beheaded or put away in prison, where nobody would ever find me. That is what is right with the good old USA, and this is one proud American, who wants only the best for all of us. Uncle Ray sometimes gets on the soapbox and blows off too much, but it seems like the readers enjoy it, so I will continue to bring you my thoughts of today, mixed with my memories of yesterday, so that just maybe we can see what the future holds for us. Once in awhile, I will give my thoughts on what is wrong with what is going on today, and how I think it should be corrected. Just remember that they are my thoughts, and they are not designed to sway your thoughts. So until the next time, when I once again bring you my thoughts and memories, "from the heart" , I bid you "God Bless".

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

#11

John Bennett

               This article is being written because I have been deeply moved by the story of the Bennetts, and their lives which have been tested with the illness of John. I have been witness to many of my friends, who have either cancer or are relatives of one who does. The same with those who have expierenced heart attacks , as well as the family members who wait by the bedside for that little sign of improvement by their loved one. So I have decided to let you and those who need that little sign, know  my inner feelings toward the time that we know as life. Life begins at birth and ends with death. With the birth of a baby, it is a blessing from God to two people who will always be there for you, until they get the word that it is time for them to pass on, and we call that death. So you think that it is that simple, but it isn't, because the way that you walk the road of life, decides the path of death. The road of life sometimes seems not to be fair, as we many times, find something in our path, that will cause us to move sideways, or find another path to follow. For some it will be a straight road and no detours to slow you down. For others, there will be holes to fall in and forks in the road so that you might take the wrong path and end up lost. As I have followed the story of John and Kristie Bennett and their children, I see a man who so much wants to live, and yet not afraid to die. He knows where he is going and he will make the journey with faith and courage to the promise land. But as all fathers are, they don't want to leave those who love them, and of course those who love him don't want to see him go. As I read what he has said and what Kristie has written down in her journal, I had feelings of both sadness and also of love for that family. As a believer of miracles, I hope that one reaches that family soon. But then I think to myself that a miracle happens two ways. In one, there is a recovery from an illness so terrible that wrecks havoc on a man's body , so that he might enjoy many more years here on earth, and there is the other that finally gives him peace and that trip to Heaven. And so John and Kristie, I would like to give you some of my thoughts about life here on earth, and those holes in the road that I have encountered, both during the five months that my youngest daughter had cancer, and the problems that I have had with my heart. There are many things that I will think about and remember, as ways to make my life easier to take. So let this old man give you some of my thoughts that help me. "Each new challenge will bring you strength." "Being tired and weary means that you've made a difference." "God sends Angels for many reasons. Sometimes to help with life and sometimes to help with death." "Remember that behind those clouds is a golden sun". "I Never walk in another's shadows". "Live your life with purpose, so that you leive behind a piece of what you were." "The good life is a happy life". "I try to find a way to turn my troubles into blessings". "Remember that from this day on, somebody is very proud of you, and is thinking of you, and cares about you, and wants to hold your hand, and wants to hug you, and admires your strength, and treasures your spirit, and wants you to know that they are there for you, and they want to give you support,and that each day they will shed some tears for you. John Martin Bennett Jr. died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 1999, at age 36. He passed away in his home following a brief coma that came shortly after a receiving a dose of morphine. "I don’t know what God has planned for me," Kristie said while she was still taking care of John. "All I know is that my life will never be the same." Neither will the lives of their four daughters, Apphia, 11, Achaia, 9, Abigail, 7, and Abiah, 5. John’s daughters said goodbye to their father before he took his first morphine dose at 7:30 p.m. Monday. They will say their final farewell during memorial services at 2 p.m. Friday at Morning Star Church in Kokomo. This writer was very moved with the way that this family was able to cope with this illness that John had. All of them including John, were blessed with love for each other, and that love went out among the whole family. It will take some time for the hurt to go away, as this writer knows, but Kristie and her daughters, will survive , because of the strength and courage of John. John has finally made it home, into the father's arms. s

Ray Day

#12

As We Near The 21st Century

 Soon it will be the next century, and it is hard to believe that this old man might reach that mark, of living in two centuries. What is also hard to believe, is that there are some out there who were born in the previous century, and now will move into the next, thus being part of a special group spanning three centuries.  Just think about all the changes in the way that these people lived, compared to those who are just now entering this world. Just think how rough it was for them to make it into the present time, compared to us, who have only lived in the 20th century.  Those who lived in the 19th century, and are still here, will remember how it was to live without all the comforts of today. The food they ate probaly was from their own garden, which was turned over by shovel, and with the use of horses combined with their own body power. Meat was there only if you went out and hunted for it, or by killing off some of your stock. For some there was only light to read by, powered by lanterns filled with oil, and the use of a wick. Water was gotten from the streams, which might be quite a ways from the house. The clothes were washed with the use of a washboard, and hung out on a clothes line , held up high by a long piece of wood to keep them off the ground. There was no radio then for people to enjoy, so any news would be from the word of mouth.  Now, those same people have been witness to electricity, the automobile, the washer and dryer, radio and television, tractors and mowers, and most important, water coming into the house and sewers taking out the waste.  These same people, along with those in the 20th century, have witness many wars, which came about because there was someone out there, who wasn't content with just being a part of the human race. They wanted to run the whole thing, and be able to dictate to everyone else. Wars among men have always been there, and probaly will always be here , because of the greed that breeds in them and because of the power that they want over all others. Hopefully, all those men who have been part of that greed, have been welcomed home by the devil himself, who got them started on the path of killing off our fellow men.  I have never understood why a person would even think about killing off another human being. In reality, they are killing off a brother or sister, because we are of one family made by the creator, to love each other and to care for each other. Of course I know that the killing done by wars between two countries, is looked at in a different way, but freedom as we know it now, would not have come across ,if not for those wars. Still, in the hearts of all those who have taken a life in those wars, lies the hurt that they had to do it. Sometimes freedom is only achieved that way. And my respect and praise goes out to all those men and women who gave thier lives, so that we might live without fear of being taken over, by those men who want that power over others. As I have stated, those people who started the whole mess, so that they would be the ultimate power, will have to answer to the great father above, before making the trip to the lower bowells of hell.  My grandmothers used to tell us about the old days when everything you did was for the purpose of living. I didn't have the grandfathers, to tell me about the old days, because they both passed away, when I was only a blink in my mother's eye. Grandmother Day and Grandmother Saap were two of the best ladies around, next to my mother, and they had a wealth of information to tell. Dad's mother would come over and sit with us and she would tell us how rough it was to raise a large family, but that she loved every minute of it. She would always be by my mother's side, when they both cooked for all of us. And she was a good story teller too. She loved each and everyone of her children,which consisted of brothers and sisters brought together during two marriages. There is only one left from that large family, and his name is Gerald.  Dad was a lot like his mother in that they both tried to never talk bad about anyone, especially those who have passed away. Dad always said that if you can't say anything nice about a person, then don't say anything. As far as the rest of dad's brothers and sisters, they all were of the quiet type of people, who found peace in being able to just make it in life ,and being with the family. It didn't take much to satisfy any of them, because they were raised with a strong hand, and they respected everyone. Each of them had great offspring, who also were very respectful of others. The Day clan were taught that to be respected, you had to show respect. I must say that my cousins on the Day side are very nice people.  Mom was also like her mother in that she was a person, who believed that if you showed respect, you recieved respect. Mom was also one who wasn't afraid to use a switch on us, if we did wrong. I will tell you, that you learn fast about not doing anything wrong. Also, Mom would do anything, she had to make sure that we always had a hot meal and warm clothes on our back. And you didn't need a curfew at night , because Mom always made sure she knew, where each and every one of us were at all times. Grandma Saap lived in the state of Washington, while we were young, but she never forgot our birthdays and she would always send us a box of goodies, such as games,and shirts that she made herself out of flour sacks. She was a good seamster, and they really looked great. Grandma Saap finally came home to be with the family because she had cancer. She, like Grandma Day, lived to be in her early nineties, and they sure were tough ladies. Grandma Saap had several children, and their time here on earth was shortened ,because of cancer, but they left offspring that also are great cousins. They too know and exercise the belief, that respecting others gets respect for you. All said, I guess that I am very proud of all my family on both sides. They are good people and they are very respectful of others.  And so you know why I preach respect, discipline and responsibilty. All of that, was part of my family's life, and we try to pass it on to our children. From what I have seen, when I see the different families, I would have to say that they are carrying on all that good work that was taught to us.  Maybe I won't make it into the next century, but I would sure like to. My thoughts go to wondering why everyone is so afraid of what will happen, when that day arrives. I have always made it a point, to be in bed, when one year passes to another, but  I am going to stay awake and usher in the year 2000. There are those out there, who are saying that the world will end on that day. Let this old man tell you one thing. No one knows when that day will come, except the Great Father above. As far as being ready for any power losses, I do think that it would be wise to be prepared, for that by having another means of power, such as a generator, or a old heating stove to burn wood in. Many people keep generators around, just in case of power loss due to storms,such as ice or winds, that will take the power lines down. That is one of the most important of all needs of anyone who wants to survive a bad winter storm, or a bad spring tonado. That is just good common sense to be prepared. It wouldn't hurt to have some extra food in the pantry too, but not to the extreme.  As of now, we wait for the year 2000 to come, and if you think about it, times passes fast. It would be a great time, to just start getting with the families ,and finding out if they will need any help when that time comes.  Speaking of families, brings this old man to think about the way that family togetherness, has taken a back seat to just not caring about each other, until that someone is ill and then they want to get close again. Back when I was a youngster, it was the duty of the parent, to make sure that their offspring was properly cared for, in case of their untimely death. Usually some sort of an arrangement was made, so that the youngsters would be taken care of by a family member, or a close freind of the family. That way the breadwinner of the family could pass on, with the assurance that his or her children would be ok.  It just doesn't seem to work that way anymore. The feeling among a small percentage of parents, is that the children will just have to pull for themselves. Parents are known to use up the savings, that were supposed to be for the child, and also the life insurance of the parent, is turned back in for ready cash, that can be used for their own purpose. I just have never really understood, how any parent can not want to leave their children all the money possible, to maintain their life, until they have the means to take care of themselves.  I have been told that people change in time, but I really think that it is the attitudes that have changed. The feeling among some of  the young group, is that whatever happens will happen. They really don't care about what people think of them. This is only a small group, but as time goes by, it gets larger. What we need to do for them is to bring them back to reality. Show them responsibility, and teach them respect. Take them back in time and show them that they are throwing away their lives, and show them the way home. We need to be there for them when they come home, and we need to love them a we would a new born child. After all these were angels sent bay God to us to nurture and raise, and just maybe there is hope that we can finish the task.  I get a lot of letters and phone calls, as well as people coming into the store, telling me how much that I have helped them, through my column, and my web page. That is my goal. As I have said before, I was at the door ready to go home, and I came back. So I still have a lot of work to do here , before The Great Father calls me home. Only HE knows when I have completed my chore here on earth. Until then, I will try to give you my thoughts that come "straight from the heart", and I hope that you enjoy them.

Ray Day

 #13

"Life In The Good Old Days"

We are here on this earth for only the time that "The Great Father", wants us to be. The time spent here should be to express your love for your fellow man, and to set down a path for others to follow. As I write my columns for this newspaper, I get feedback from those who read them, and I am grateful that The Great Father has given me gift of memories of my life here on earth, to write about. It really gives me a thrill knowing that the readers enjoy what I have to say, and that they take time to let me know by mail, and by phone, as well as them stopping in my workplace to talk about the good old days. Also, I have many visitors to my web site, to check out some of the ones that they might of missed. I have heard people say, that you can never go back, but that reading "Uncle Ray's column, sort of lets them drift back in thought, to those good old days, when life was rough, but fun. The work that each and everyone of us, had to do to make it, was hard, but fruitful. Family was just that, in that everyone pulled together as one, to survive, so that the comfort of life, was a full stomach, a warm home, the love of each member to the other, and the satisfaction of togetherness, each one of us had. All you have to do, is just take the time to think about the grandparents, Mom & Dad, and all the brothers and sisters, and see what had to be done each day to survive. Think about it. Where would we be today ,if not for the giving of family love ,from parents to children of each generation. Think about the time when your grandparents were young, and they had to work together as one group, so that all the mouths were fed, and the bodies were kept warm. Think about how there was no running water, and no inside toilet facilities. And think about how ,on a very cold day, the water had to be heated on a wood stove, to get it warm enough to take your baths. Think about how cold ,it had to be in the house, because there was only heat in one room. The rest of the house at night ,was cold and in the mornings, you could find ice on top of the quilts on your beds. Think about sleeping on a feather bed ,that had no support for your back. Think about being the first one up, in the morning, to make the fire in the fireplace ,or in the heating stove, so that the others could at least get warm, and have a hot breakfast, before heading off to work or to school. Life was not easy for those who live in that generation, but the result of all that work, led to responsibility, and a goal for all of them ,to at least try to make it better for the next generation. I used to hear stories from my grandmothers, and my parents, about how rough it was to live in those days, but that they used that part of their growing up, as a goal to make sure that their children would have it easier to survive. Just knowing how bad it was for them, made me want to do ,whatever I could to make the rest of their lives a little better to live. We were not rich in our family in money, but we were rich in love and responsibility and respect. I saw an old friend the other day, who said that he reads each of my articles, and that I tell it like it really was. This man was one of my dad's best friends and was always like a second dad to me. As a matter of fact, I got my first real bike from this man, and I always will treasure my friendship with Ray Bassett. This man ,like my father, grew up working as many hours that he could to keep his family fed and warm. He did one heck of a job, just like my dad did. I have always said that each and everyone of us, are brothers and sisters, and that love for your fellow man is one of the gifts from Heaven. As I look as life today, I ask myself, if I did a good job of raising my family. I was blessed to meet and marry a great lady named Ramona, and she blessed me with two beautiful daughters, Deborah and Patricia. We lost Patricia to cancer at the age of thirty-four, and during the five months that she was sick, she and I had a lot of good talks. Patty like to talk about when she was little ,and she got to play with Debbie, Ramona and me. She told me one night that she wanted to say something, but didn't want to hurt my feelings. I told her that anything she would say, would never change my love for her. She told me that Mommie was always there for her, and her sister, taking care of all their needs, and giving them all her love. But Daddy wasn't there much, but she knew that the reason for that, was because I had to work as many hours possible, to make ends meet. This sort of threw me back a little, but then she said, "I love you Daddy", and those words live in my heart to this day. So always remember that a mother and child are as close to each other, as God is to his children. A father earns his love from his family through his dedication to his family, and to his job. My other daughter, Deborah, is just like her sister in that she knows that Dad and Mom love her very much. And we are very proud of Deborah, because she has good work ethics, and she always treats others with respect. Whenever that times comes , when Mom and Dad are gone, I won't have to worry about her making it in life. She truly is one great lady in our life. Both of these great ladies were raised with discipline and responsibilty, and they both always showed respect for us, and all the rest of the family. So in reality , I guess that Ramona and I did a good job of raising our children, and instilling in them ,that life is what you make it to be. If you want to be respected, you showed respect. If you wanted to be treated right, first you had to treat others right. tab As I stated earlier in this article, I get lots of feedback from many readers who enjoy my writings, and they say that I have a gift, that isn't seen anymore in the newspapers. They say that reading my words , makes it seem like I am right there talking to them in person. They feel comfortable while reading my words, and they bring back a lot of memories to them, about how it was to live back then. Some have stated that because of my articles, their children listen to them more, because someone else beside them, verifies that the old days were rough, yet fruitful, and that things are a lot easier for them now. That makes me happy, because that is what I am trying to do. I want to make sure that everyone knows ,about how it was ,compared to how it is ,and how it will be. The future can change, but the past never does. How we live today tells us how we will live tomorrow. I recieved some letters, that I need to reply to, and I had some phone calls from readers, who either wanted to thank me, or to tell me about what they had to do to make it back then. I welcome all the letters, and I will try to get back with each one as soon as possible. But, you as a reader, needs to let the Tribune know that you want to continue to read my writings, so that they can let me know how often they want an article. I love to write and I love to know that it helps others. The Tribune has been very good in printing my articles, and through them, I am reaching out to all of you, so that we, as a whole, can enjoy each other. After all, we are all brothers and sisters, and as a family we can sit together and relive the old days. We also will build a future, that never forgets the past, because without the past, we have no future. What I try to do with my thoughts , is to send them out to you , the reader, to trigger up your own memories, of how it was to live in a world without all the assets of today. Many times the memories are of sad times, when it looked like you would never succeed in raising a family, with none of the needed resources in sight. But then, there was that someone out there ,who was willing to share with you ,their good fortune, and without them, you might of given up. More times than most , there was just the feeling of closeness of all the family members , that would get you through. Yes, I say to you , that without the friendship of others and the solid backbone of the family, we might not of made it to this present time. Back in the old days, a friend was just that. He or she was always there to help. And to this day, those that are still alive, would be right there for you, anytime they were needed. We were truly blessed to have come from that part of time when love of your fellow man was part of life. Yes, there were wars, but they were between countries, that were run by evil people, and we as Americans, were there to help those people do away with their evil tyrants. To this day, there are still those who want to rule over others, but with love for our fellow man, here in America, and other countries, we will always be safe and secure, because we, as a group, will drive down oppression to it's lowly depths of hell. So I say to you once again, remember the past, live in the present, and hope for a great future. Remember that the youth, that we train today, will be the leaders of tomorrow. Re-inforce in them good family values, respect of others, responsibility, and devotion to The Great father. Our future is in their hands. Their future is in our hands.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

 #14

 "A Man's Memories"

As I write my column for this newspaper, I think about those people, who look forward to reading it.  And getting feedback from these readers, gives me great pleasure. I have been told that just reading my column, makes them feel like I was right there with them as they read. This past couple of weeks, I have had calls, and letters , telling me how much they liked what I have to say. I tell them that I speak from the heart, and that my writings are of truth and about the hardships of living in the old days. Although it was rough to live back then, there is the feeling of accomplishment from doing what had to be done.   I saw an old friend the other day, who said that he reads each of my articles, and that I tell it like it really was. This man was one of my dad's best friends and was always like a second dad to me. As a matter of fact, I got my first real bike from this man, and I always will treasure my friendship with Ray Bassett. This man ,like my father, grew up working as many hours that he could to keep his family fed and warm. He did one heck of a job, just like my dad did. So always remember that a mother and child are as close to each other, as God is to his children. A father earns his love from his family through his dedication to his family, and to his job.  I recieved one of the letters, asking if  I remember back when a diary sponsered a "Our Gang Comedy", at the Sipe theatre, where a group of men from Hollywood, chose the characters to be in the show.  She said that her brother was chosen as the "tough guy" for the show.  Her parents are gone and her brother does not talk about it. She thought that since I remembered the old days, maybe I would remember it. I told her that I didn't remember anyone telling me about it, since it occured back in the late twenties.  Her name is Lillian and if anyone out there has some knowledge about it, then she sure would like to know.  She said that she really enjoys reading my articles, and that she sent the last one to her great grandson, so that he will understand how it was in the past. That really makes me proud that she and other readers use my writings, as a basis to prove how it really was. Thanks Lillian, for your kind words.  I met a gentleman of seventy three years of age, that wanted to meet me, because he was so impressed with how I was able to put into words, the way it really was.  He said that ,as a child in Marion, Indiana, and coming from a broken family, he went through a rough time . After living with his mother in Marion for awhile, he went to live with his father in Illinois, after finding out where he had gone. He said that his stepfather and his mother , after finding where he was, came to get him. He stated that his stepfather then took him to Michigan, and sold him to a slave owner , who ran a statewide camp of slaves made up of young boys. He was seven at the time ,and his brother who was older was there too. They worked there in the summers, in the fields, and then in the lumber camps in the winters. He eventually ran away to Ohio, but soon he went back to Michigan, where he started working a job for money at the age of fifteen. He soon found his father again and lived on a farm with him for awhile.  His father gave him some good advice, and that was that no matter what he did in life, when he died, he should leave this world a little better place, than it was before.  To this day, he has always remembered those words. He said that he entered the service, when he was not quite sixteen,  and that in those days, you took a lot of tests in one week ,that was not interupted, by anything. He had a terrible toothache for that whole week, and so he really wasn't able to answer many of the questions on the test. He eventually wanted to get out of the service after doing his time, but wasn't able to do so, because he had such a high score on the test. He said he didn't answer many of them, but they only graded you on what you did answer. So if you answered only one and it was correct, you had a 100% score.  He said that while working in Chicago in 1961, he suffered an brain annerisym, brought on by an accident at Continental Can Company, and that a lawyer came into the hospital, saying that they would get a fortune in a suit against the company. He then had a visit from one of the big bosses in the company ,who wanted to know what they could do for him. He told the boss that all he wanted was a job ,when he got well ,and a pension when he was ready to retire . They agreed on that, and he said that the lawyer was really  mad, because he wasn't able to profit from another person's misery. He spent thirteen months in that hospital ,and during that time, had eighteen spinal taps. His temperature was way up there, and there was a lot of pain, but he remembered the words of his father, and he never gave up.  He has lost one-third of his heart, is on a oxygen machine, and he's made up his mind what to do for the rest of his life. He hopes that he will be missed by someone when he is gone. He hopes that life will always be better for his son who he adopted , as he did also with a daughter. As he talked about his children, I saw the gleem in his eyes, showing that he was very proud of them.  His son is married and has children, but he never hesitates to call  Dad for some advice. He is a whiz with computers, and is doing ok in his life, but he always wants Dad and Mom to be a part of it too. He told his Dad, that no matter what he needs, it is there for them. It looks like this kind gentleman did a good job of raising a boy and girl ,that were adopted. As he talked, he said that the doctors,  after he had a heart attack, even recomended a couple of beers a night, instead of the valium that he was taking. In 1976, he had some blocked valves, and was told that he had five years to live, at the most. He told the doctor that he was wrong,  becaused he was going to live to see his son graduate.  He eventually decided to return to Marion, where he had freinds, that he could trust to raise his children. He then was told by a freind , about a doctor, that was doing some research on the use of  Vitaman E, to cut down on the risk of heart attacks, and that he has been on it ever since, and he feels fine. In 1992, he married a lady from Kokomo who had heart problems, and she went on the Vitamin E, and she is a lot better too.  He also told me that he has known a great many freinds ,who never got much education in the schools, but recieved it in the home. He even stated that one of his freinds, who is a professor,was sent to Washington D.C. to teach some of our senators and representatives how to read and write. He has talked to Diane Sawyer, and Zsa Sza Gabor, who he danced with while her bodyguards sat and watched. He said that he has met many great people in his time, but that I impressed him most, because I reminded him of his father, who gave him some solid advice on how to conduct himself during his life here on earth.  By talking and listening to this man , who from very early in life suffered heartache, and then through painful health problems, decided to make life better for those, who will still be here when he is gone, I was re-inforced in my thoughts that things happen for a reason. This man told me his story, that was never told to anyone else, because he felt very comfortable talking to me, and because he trusted me with it and he wanted me to write it. I guess that is why that I want to write these columns, because like his story, it comes straight from the heart.  I thank this gentleman who is a kind person, and very knowledgable in worldly affairs, who took time out , to talk to me about what his life was and is about.  In my lifetime , I have met some very important people, and have been freinds with others, who in their life have taken stands against the doing of wrong and wanted to do what is right, so that everyone will benefit from their work. People who I have not met yet, such as the great man, Billy Graham, have given me a basis on how I want to live my life and how I want to be remembered, when I pass on . There have been many great geople, male and female, black and white, who have made a path for us to follow. As an American, who believes in being able to pursue what makes us happy, I feel proud that I am able to put into words, my feelings, without fearing that someone will take me down, for doing so. The reason that I write, for all to see, is that it is my right to do so. If  I can help this generation, understand that it wasn't easy to make it this far in life, then they will carry on that thought, so that this will always be a better world than it was. Our past is behind us, our future is forth-coming, based on what we do in the present..  As I stated earlier in this article, I get lots of feedback from many readers who enjoy my writings, and they say that I have a gift, that isn't seen anymore in the newspapers. They say that reading my words , makes it seem like I am right there talking to them in person. They feel comfortable while reading my words, and they bring back a lot of memories to them, about how it was to live back then. Some have stated that because of my articles, their children listen to them more, because someone else beside them, verifies that the old days were rough, yet fruitful, and that things are a lot easier for them now. That makes me happy, because that is what I am trying to do.  I recieved some letters, that I need to reply to, and I had some phone calls from readers, who either wanted to thank me, or to tell me about what they had to do to make it back then. I welcome all the letters, and I will try to get back with each one as soon as possible. But, you as a reader, needs to let the Tribune know that you want to continue to read my writings, so that they can let me know how often they want an article. I love to write and I love to know that it helps others. The Tribune has been very good in printing my articles, and through them, I am reaching out to all of you, so that we, as a whole, can enjoy each other. After all, we are all brothers and sisters, and as a family we can sit together and relive the old days. What I try to do with my thoughts , is to send them out to you , the reader, to trigger up your own memories, of how it was to live in a world without all the assets of today. Many times the memories are of sad times, when it looked like you would never succeed in raising a family, with none of the needed resources in sight. But then, there was that someone out there ,who was willing to share with you ,their good fortune, and without them, you might of given up. More times than most , there was just the feeling of closeness of all the family members , that would get you through.  I do not try to change how others think. I only want them to know how it was. They can make their own decisions on how they will live their life, and how that will affect those who will live in the future.

Ray Day

#15

  "Getting Along With Each Other"

One of my readers came to me and said that he enjoyed reading my articles, about the past, and how the hardships turn into happier times, in the next generation. He asked me why I don't mention anything about the wars that happened during that time. Well, the main reason is, that wars have been fought since the beginning of time as we know it, and to reflect upon it would bring a lot of heartache to those ,who lost a family member to that conflict we call war.  But in a sense, I guess that I have avoided that part of my life, because it really hurts to remember that people have to take sides and kill others, in order for one man to become the master of all others. I have always been a peacemaker, when it comes to keeping one person from hurting another. I have always believed that we all need to work together to reach a common goal, without losing what you believe in. If you asked what my feelings are as to being an American, I would tell you that it is my life. If you asked what my feelings are to wars, then I would have to say that , in order to be free, you have to be ready to fight for it. If you asked me, what I think about one killing another in the wars, I would say that some things are going to happen, that none of us like, but then life is so important and the freedom to live that right of life as you want it, is so important, that yes, sometimes the killings in wars are part of that freedom.  I wish that we never had to have a war, to decide how we we going to live, but it will happen, as long as there are those out there, who think that they are the one to have power over another. In my lifetime, I have studied about the wars ,up to the actual one in my time, which was "World War 2," followed by the "Korean War", and the "The Viet-Nam Conflict". Then in the last few years, it has be the ones, that the other countries look to the Americans, to fight for them. So even though the "World War 1 "was fought before my time, it is fresh in my memory too. All of these wars happened because someone wanted the power over others. Many thousands of lives were lost because of these events that pit one against another.  We, here in the United States, have been very fortunate to have had our brothers and sisters ,willing to lay down their lives, so that the rest of us can be free. I have respect for all those soldiers , sailors, and marines, that went out to protect us and our rights. Many of the veteran groups, have coped with what they had to do to get the job done, but there are still some out there that are still hurting, because it was something that they did not want to do, but they knew that it was the only way. I salute all of those veterans out there, as well as all the families of those who perished, and I say thanks for keeping life, as I know it, free.  So if you ask if I think that wars are important, I would say that the ones that we had ,were important because without them, I wouldn't be able to write down the words of this article. I would not be able to speak ,without the fear of being taken down and beaten. I wouldn't be able to go ,where I wanted to and do what I wanted to. Yes, the wars that we have had were necessary to live with freedom.  Do I like the idea of wars to get my freedom? No, I don't like it, but sometimes we have to do what we don't like.  As I grew up in the north end of town, my life was blessed not only with my parents, grand-parents, and my brothers and sisters, but with my friends, who I still see, and I think about how we all were able to live together in harmony, with respect for each other, even though in other countries, there was turmoil and killings. Now we had our problems , but by working together as one, we could defeat any problem that might of come up. I am really blessed that those childhood friends, that were there for me when I was young, are still here for me. What more can I ask for in life, when I still have my friends there. Life has been good to me, and them, and it will continue to be that way, as long as I am able to stay here on this stop-over on my way to the Promise Land. I will never forget them, because they were a part of my past and are a part of my present and will always be a part of my future.  To those who gave up their lives so that we would be free, and to those who are there to fight for our freedom now and in the future, I say "THANKS and GOD BLESS" all of you.

Ray Day

#16

"Meals only Mom could make."

The meals that came from the heart.

With the holidays upon us, and talk of everyone getting together for a great meal, I think back to the days, when I was just a youngster and depending on Mom & Dad to take care of me ,and to lead me in the right path to adulthood. I guess that the one thing ,that will always stay with me, was the meals that my mother would prepare for us . Early in the morning, this fine lady was up standing over a hot stove, making breakfast for all her children and her man. There would be soda bisquits made with her own hands, and cut out with a drinking glass top, laid on a big metal sheet, and baked to a golden brown. There would be gravy, made most of the time by our Dad, who professed to being the world's greatest gravy maker. You would never see lumps in Dad's gravy. Mom would fry the bacon, and then use the grease from the bacon, to fry her eggs with. The eggs would be the way that each one of us liked them. She could make them sunny side up, and take the grease and spash just enough on top, to give them the white covering. There would be fried mush, which she made from scratch, and she would fry it just like each one would want it. Top that off with the greatest hot coffee, which she boiled in a percolater. It was done when the smell was right. She put egg shells in the grounds, so that they would settle at the bottom of the pot. You didn't get grounds in your coffee while Mom was there to make it. And that was just breakfast. When it was time for dinner which came about at noon, she was at the stove again, getting a meal ready, fit for a king. There always was mash potatoes at dinner with some more bisquits, with plenty of butter melting down the sides. There were green beans, corn, peas, along with the meat of the day. Sometimes it was chicken, other times it was meatloaf, or pot roast. Maybe sometimes she would deal out Dad's favorite which was pork chops. Mom never failed to give us the best she had in cooking. You would think that she would take a break, but that evening, it was time again to stand over that hot stove and fix supper, which probaly was the most important to her. She always wanted her children to have a full stomach, when they went to bed that night. Supper would be my favorite, because there was always a big pot of beans cooking ,and an oven full of cornbread. Sometimes, instead of baking cornbread, she would fry it in the skillet as corn cakes. Add to that, a big skillet of fried potaotes, and there would be a smile on my face for the rest of the evening. There usally wasn't much left at the end of supper, but she would save the beans, and the next morning mix them with some flour, and fry them in the skillet, as bean cakes. If you have never tasted bean cakes, you are really missing something. All of us in the family eventually learned to do all the things that Mom did, in her duties as a mother. Each and everyone of us can do anything needed to run a home. Some of her ideas on cooking have stayed with us, and we use them in our homes. The one thing that went with her, was the way that she could take any type of food ,and make it into the finest taste around. No matter how good you get in cooking, it still isn't as great as Mom's was. I think that it was the loving touch,that she used in preparing food for each one, instead of a group. She knew that each of us has different tastes and she cooked accordingly for each of us. Who else but a loving mother would do that? I am very fortunate to have a wife that is a great cook ,as was her mother, and my mother. But you never forget the meals ,that Mom made until she got called home. We ,as a family were truly blessed to have been under the wings of an "Angel", who we called Mom. As always, this was written straight from the heart. Thanks for listening.

"Uncle Ray"

#17

"Old Time Teaching"

    There was a time in my life ,when I took everything as none of my business, if it didn't have anything to do with my family or my job. But as I stepped into the new century, I took a look back to see if there was anything that happened, that could of been avoidable. As far as family life, I ,and my brothers and sisters, could not have wanted anything better than what we recieved. We were blessed with the love of our father and mother, as well as all the uncles and aunts. We had some pretty great cousins, and the friends back then are still our friends now.     Life was rough ,as far as what we had to do to survive, but we went to bed at night ,with a full stomach that would keep us warm until morning. We woke up to a new day, filled with love from mom and dad, and each new day was the same. We had chores to do, and we had school to attend, and each night we would go to bed ,knowing that we had done our share of the work to keep the family together.    Back then ,it was choping wood and bringing in the coal, so that the house would stay warm for all of us to enjoy ,while we played our games, listened to the radio, or sitting with our mother as she played on the piano. And when it was time for dad to listen to the ballgames or the boxing matches, we were right there on the floor listening,and sometimes acting out what we heard. We were all Chicago Cubs fans and the fighters back then were favorites of ours, such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Essard Charles, Willi Pep, Sandy Saddler, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joey Maxim, and Archie Moore. There were many more, but those guys were the champions and we wanted to be the top dogs too.     There were many people, who were role models for us, but I guess the best role models were Mom  and Dad. I remember many things, that both of them said to us ,and most of it lives within us today. Dad was a cigar smoker, and he chewed tobacco, but he always told us that it was a bad habit that should never of been started. To this day, I have not wanted to do either one. Dad liked a beer once in awhile, but he always told me, that if I ever started to drink, it would be hard to stop. Dad stopped drinking his beer ,when I was about fifteen, and he didn't start back the rest of his life. I have never wanted to have any drinks, because of what Dad told us.     Mom and Dad both always told me, that if you think something is wrong , than it is. They said that if you had to ask if it was ok, than it wasn't. They said that to keep something that did not belong to you, was the same as stealing it. They said that a friend was one ,that would not try to get you in trouble, but he would always be there to get you out of trouble. Mom always said, that to love your fellow man was to love God, and likewise to love God was to love your fellow man. Mom always made sure that we were clean, and that we knew how to care for ourselves, just in case they were called home. In other words, Mom and Dad were always thinking about our welfare, and they prepared us for the outside world. They knew that one day, one by one, the young would leave the nest and make a life for themselves and the new family that each would have.     But as we grew older, so did the outside world. We went through times of turmoil ,in this world where we saw the hippe generation, most of which finally woke up, and made something out of themseves, and we saw the unkept dirty generation of bands ,who in some way , were able to change that generation into loud noises that they called music, which had no sense to the songs. They would repeat the same old words over and over ,and the young people went wild. They didn't know why they liked it, but it was the way to be part of a crowd, that slowly brought our young people to it's knees with the use of dope and drugs that cost a lot of money. To pay for those drugs, our young people in this world were ready to do anything to get it. They would steal, offer thier bodies, and sometimes kill, so that the habit that they started could go on.     When my daughter was dying of cancer, she said to me these words; "Daddy, here I am trying to stay alive , and so many of the youngsters out there are slowly killing themseves using drugs. Why doesn't someone stop them? " I really can't find the answer to that question, without thinking back to what my mother and father said. Don't start doing it, and you won't have to stop doing it. That is just good common sense, and that is what our life was about. Use good common sense in anything that you do in life and you will be alright. Pass on all the knowledge, that you were able to get from your parents, to your children and always be there for them ,if and when they need you.     I have been richly blessed with knowing that all my family and friends through the years,  are there if and when I need them, and they know that I will be there for them too. Someday it will be time for me to take that trip back home, and I hope that everyone will remember me, as one who loved life because of all of them. To be loved and treated with respect ,is all anyone could expect in this life, and I have recieved that. So if I have written anything ,that might get you youngsters to stop taking drugs, and to stop drinking, as well as never starting the bad habit of smoking, then I have accomplished my goal. It is your life that you are destroying, plus the lives of any children that you might have.     So until the next time that you pick up the newspaper and check on my next article, I bid you "God Bless"

Ray Day

#18

"Path From The Past"

    As we passed from one century to another, we look back to those times, when it was great to be young , strong, and ready to meet any challenge that might come up. There was a time, when we as youngsters, were the ones that were being taken care of by our parents, and relatives. We were too young, to know that out there somewhere ,was a world waiting for us to blossom into theleaders, that would take all of us to a more better way of life. We didn't know that we, as grown-ups, would be selected as the leaders that would take this way of life and nurture it into one that would always be free of poverty and hunger. We didn't know that one day, we would be called upon to decide what was best for all of us, and not for each of us. How could we know ,that we, as men and women, would be asked to stand up for the rights of all the people and not for each of the people.     That was, and is the question that comes to my mind as I go about my duties ,as not only a husband, father, breadwinner, and member of the family, that came about because of the love and dedication of two great people we call Mom and Dad. We were raised to respect everyone, regardless of race, creed, nationality, and belief. We were taught that to love your fellow man, was to love God. And likewise to love God ,was to love your fellow man. We were taught that to share with others was just a part of life.     At a time when wars between countries, was as common as eating three meals a day, we still came through it without losing the things taught to us by our parents. This was the way that parents brought up their children in the old days. We were taught, that we were created by God with his love, and that each and everyone of us were equal. Just because, there were those out there that were very wealthy, who didn't really care about those a little less fortunate, didn't make us envious of them. It made us tougher, because it gave us a goal to reach, and all we had to do was to grab ahold of each rung of the ladder and climb another step to success.     Now, getting to the top of the ladder of success, doesn't happen for all. Many times some would get tired, and be satisfied where they were, and they maintained a good life and were happy where they had gotten to. Some had reached the top, but then decided that it wasn't all that great up there, and decided to take a few steps backward, and were happy to be there. Then there were those ,who went all the way up that ladder, and found out that they wanted more, and so they decided that they wanted to be those leaders that I mentioned earlier.     No matter where each and everyone of us ended up, it was our decision to do so, and for that we know that we can be content with our lives as it is, or we can make changes to it. I am happy at where I am, because I worked for what I have, and being blessed with a good wife and great children, makes this life worthwhile. I could make a move up that ladder, and be one of the leaders of this great city, but then would I be content with that?     What happens when you finally make it to the very top, and you find out that your life is placed in front of the world ,to disect and to tear apart? What happens when your life is turned around by those, who want to defeat you, and will use any means to do so? I have always had thoughts of one day, making a move for the position to run this great city, but as I see what happens to the families of those who are our leaders, I ask is it worth it?     My thoughts go out to all those great people, who make an attempt to make this world a better place, and still get kicked around. It really hurts me to see our leaders get elected by the people, and then be led by the party. I believe in the two party system, because it lets the people speak about who they want to lead them. But that is where it should stop. Once they are elected to office, then they are representatives of the people, and not of the two parties of which they are members. That is one thing that I will always say. If I was elected by the people, then I will answer to the people. I guess that maybe, I like a few others ,will never make it to the top post, because now they know what I am about. I will say that I have known many of the men who are, and have been, the leaders of this city and they have served well.     So I guess that Mom and Dad did one heck of a good job raising all of us, by instilling in us respect, and love for our fellow man. They taught us to be responsible for our actions, and they taught us to stand up for what we believed in. They taught us to pass down to our children all the things that would give them a goal to reach if they want to. The ladder of success to there for all of us, and there are many places that you can step off on and be content with life as you want it. What more could you ask from those two people, that all of us call Mom and Dad.     Thanks, Mom and Dad, for giving all your life to us to carry on to those who follow. And thanks to all those people who went to the top and made a better life for all of us. I call this great nation "God's country. And while I am on my soapbox, let me say that the American flag is about the prettiest sight to behold anywhere and anytime. I get choked up anytime that red, white and blue  is flying and the national anthem is playing.  I think about all the brave men and women who fought for the right to display that flag, and it makers me proud to be an American.     So once again, we have made a trip back into the good old days where love of the family was a part of life.

Until we talk again, this is Uncle Ray saying "So Long and God Bless"

#19

"MY SECOND CHANCE"

As we enter this life here on earth, we are given the breath of life from the Great Father, and we are given to the care of two others ,who have been here for some time. Those two, who we all call Mom and Dad, have been given the duty of raising the new ANGEL, in both love and responsibility. They ,through their love, are given the knowledge, and the right to bring that child up in their own way, to get him or her ready for the outside world, so that when it comes time to leave the nest, he or she will be ready to assume the task of caring for themselves, and eventually finding a mate, so that they can be given that same honor of raising a child. As we mature, we also grow older, and we get smarter, and we sometimes think that we know it all. I have found that as I get older, my parents get smarter. The things that we as children think were just things that Mom and Dad said, turn out to be the very truth. We find out that the things that Mom and Dad did for us, were out of love, and many times they went without, so that we had what we needed to live. As I grow older and each day goes by remembering my parents, I wonder how they are, and will I see them again. I wonder why they had to die, and why they didn't do more for themselves, instead of doing for us. Then I go back to my training as a youngster, when Mom and Dad would talk to us and preach to us the do's and don'ts of life. The instruction that they gave us was preparation for when they would be gone and we would have to do for ourselves. All people die, and sometimes it is very early in life, and sometimes it is very late. We don't know why and when we will die, but that it will happen. In December of 1998, I was told that I had nine blockages of the arteries going to the heart, and that without surgery, I would not live long. I was told that even with the surgery, I might not make it off the table. This was very rough to hear not only by me, but by my wife and my brother who was by my side through this. To go through this without faith would be impossible. To go through this without the love of your family would be terrible. When I went down to the surgery room, I went with the faith that if I didn't make it, it was because God had willed it so. I really can't say that I was scared, because I wasn't. Actually I was very calm. I was at peace. It just felt natural.  As I was wheeled down,  I said "The Lord's Prayer", but I don't remember finishing it. There was a calmness there that just maybe this was the time to go home. After about six hours of surgery, and time in the recovery room, and then wheeled back to my room, according to those who were there, I just kept talking about seeing the bright light and the shadows on the horizon. I really don't remember any of it, but something in my mind tells me that I had reached the gate to Heaven, but was not allowed to go in ,because there was still work for me to do here on earth. After going home, and healing from my heart surgery, I experienced a feeling that I had gotten to the mountain top, but turned away for some reason. For two weeks, my wife was by my side , taking care of all my needs, giving up on all the things that she wanted to do. I wasn't doing anything for myself, and sometimes I was down in spirit, feeling sorry for myself. One night, I told her to go on to church, that I would be ok, and she decided to go. It was bad outside due to the heavy snow that happened on New Year's Day, and I was sitting there letting my mind wander. I started wondering what would happen if I suffered another attack. How would anyone get to me with all the snow out there? When my wife came home, I was a mess, crying and really feeling sorry for myself. She asked me if I was scared because I wasn't ready , and even though I thought that I was ready to meet the Creater, I said yes. So that night, I once again asked God to forgive me of all my sins and for Jesus to be my Savior. All this  was done in my early years, but as we grow, we develop new sins. So after that I started feeling better, and couldn't wait to get back to work, so that I might see all my friends and co-workers. When I did go back to work, I found out that my friends and customers were constantly coming in, wondering how I was doing and when I would return. That was really a wake up call for me because I knew that there was a love out there for me, and it was my work. That started me on the road to recovery, and was the best therapy for me. To work with my fellow associates and to deal with my customers was my way of getting well. I look at life a lot different now, because I know that it is only a blink of an eye, between birth and death. I take life one day at a time, and each day is a whole new experience. I thank GOD each morning that I wake up for another chance, and I thank GOD each night for that day. I go to sleep with the faith that if I don't wake up in this world, I will wake up in the arms of  The Great Father. Without that faith, I am nothing. That is the reason that I write these articles, so that I might be able to reach someone, that needs that little push in life to get going. I talk to others who are going through some hurdle in life, that might cause them to die, and I tell them about my second chance and I talk about my youngest daughter who went home in 1994. Though my experience, I can help others and I know that is what God intended for me to do. I don't know how much longer I will be here, but I do know that I will do all I can to help others in the road of life. It is hard to explain how I feel about my time here on earth, because there is still something missing or there is something still to be done by me, before The Great Father will call me home. Is there someone out there that I need to help, or is there something that needs to be fixed, or is it just me that wants to hold on to life as tight as possible, before making that last trip? No one knows what is really destined for you or I in this world. Each and everyone of us was sent to this world as an Angel to create love and togetherness, and to build on it each day. The love that you and I show to our fellow men and women, nurtures into an everlasting love for GOD . How can you do any better? If  I , as one person can make a difference in this world, it would be by letting the young people know that they are loved by me, by their parents, and by The Great Father. I truly believe that I was given a second chance at life, because HE believed in me as I believe in HIM. What joy to know that in my heart, I have a reason for being here. So until once again, I put my thoughts into words for you to read, I bid you and yours a message of love. May you and yours always be blessed with the reason for why you are here.

Ray Day

#20

"Pet Peeves"

Some of my whys of life.

First off I want to say that the response from my readers was very gratifying after my last column was published. It dealt with my intermost feelings after my heart surgery, and was very personal, but I thought that it needed to be said. So thanks for all those who gave it their praise. It did come from the heart. I have been asked by one of my readers, if  I ever have something bad to say about what goes on in this world. He said that most of my topics are about the old days, and the rest are about the beauty of this place we call earth. He wanted to know if there are any things that happen, which set me off, getting me real mad, and making me want to change it. Well, you know there are some things that tick me off, but I was raised to accept what I couldn't change, and to do something about those things that I can change. So this article is about things that people do, and my feelings toward them. I do want to make this statement about what I write is my opinion, and not of this newspaper or of any of my friends or family. All people have different ways at looking at a situation and how to solve it. so here goes. Have you ever been asked by a friend , if it is right to do something?  Well, I have been raised to know that if you have to ask, then it is probaly wrong to do it.  Why is it that most people will be rushing to get something done, and most of the time they are late?  I say that if you start out a little earlier, you won't be late. Dad always said that to be a hour early is a lot better than being a minute late. Why is it that when you get behind a car that is moving too slow, and you get over in the next lane to pass it, that car will always speed up? And to add to that, why is it that you can be in a lane that is moving too slow, and you see several trucks in that lane, so you go over to the fast lane, and what happens? The trucks that take a lot of time to change gears will still go faster than you will. Also why is it that there will be a car waiting at a stop sign, and as soon as you get close, that car will pull out in front of you? The only thing that I can say about that ,is that I try to pay attention to the car in front of the car in back of me. Why is it that when you pick out a great seat at a ballgame or a show, a person with a big hat or one that is tall will sit in front of you.?  Why is it that when you think that you are feeling real bad, there is another that feels worst than you do? Why is it that you hear something that really sounds great and then when you are really able to do it, you find out that it wasn't true?  Why is it that the grass always looks greener on the other side until you get over there and find out that it isn't?Why is it that there is always someone out there, that as soon as they get the power to do something, they try to change something that is alright the way it is?  Why is it that there are those out there that seem to know what you are going through, even though they have never walked in your shoes. Why is it that the head doctors in the mental places will plant the thoughts in the patient's head that it always starts out with childhood abuse? Why is it that we allow people to judge someone by accusing them of  a crime, without any evidence, thus causing that person to get a lawyer to defend them?  Money is  lost here as well as even though they are found innocent, that person will always have that stigma of being accused of the evil deed. How can it be that even though they are found not guilty, they can still be found guilty in a civil suit on the same charge? Thank goodness that this has never happened to me, because I would be getting in someone's face to change that law. Just maybe, it should be changed anyway. There are many things that are in the books , that I personally would like to do something about, but I have to be honest about it and say that it will take someone a lot more powerfull than me to change it. So do I get mad about all of these things?  I don't get mad, but I get disgusted about them. Life is too short to blow up about things that you can't do anything about. I try to go by what I was taught as a child. Live your life as best as you can, and make it something that you are proud of. To live in someone else's shoes without ever trying them on is impossible. To know how the other person feels is impossible to do unless you listen.  I was taught that life is short, but death is a lot shorter. So as you and I go through life as it is, we stop and smell the roses and we know that life on this earth is great, even though we know that there are parts of it that we would like to change. To wake up each morning to a new day is a blessing, and what we do with it is up to us. To fall asleep at night, knowing that it was a great day, is all that we can ask for. So if I have said anything here that helps to make your day, then I am very happy to have done so. Just remember that we walk a road of life, that has many detours and sometimes many deep holes that you either fall in or you walk around. How you walk that road , decides how your life is either good or bad. So until next time, I bid you the best of everything, and GOD BLESS. Be sure to catch my web page where all my writings are posted. As always this has been straight from the heart.

Ray"Uncle Ray" Day

#21

"PROGRESS"

Have you ever just sat back and thought about the old days, and what it was like compared to today? Often I do ,and I must say that there have been a lot of changes in my lifetime, but just think about the great people who have been on this earth for 100 plus years. Life back then was not an easy one, and today it is a lot more easier, but with strings attached. They have seen a change, that has both made it a lot more easier for them, and changes that will cause them some grief in order to have them. Just think about how hard it was way back then to get the water, just to cook with and to drink and bathe. They didn't have the simple way of just turning on a faucett, and water was there in a flash. and they didn't have the luxury of a water heater to heat it up to take a bath.  They had to go down to the river, or they had to dig a well, to get their water. Once they had their water carried up to the house, then if they wanted to bathe in it, they had to heat it on either a big wood stove or a fireplace.  Now it is just turning on a faucett and the water is there. That is a big change for them, but also now they have to pay for that new way of getting one of GOD's greatest resources. And to add to that, the way to get rid of the waste products has been greatly improved. Back then, the way was a trip to what was called an outhouse,  where the deed was done. This meant that every once in awhile, you had to fill this hole with lime and even sometimes move the outhouse to another spot. Now the way that those wastes are taken away is a much more sanitary way, and much more convenient. But they didn't have an expensive bill to pay back then, and now it just keeps getting higher in cost to take care of the sewage, thus adding to the bills that these elders have to pay for, out of their small pensions. Where, back in those old days,most of the news were just by word of mouth, now they have the modern convenience of getting it by a newspaper, television, and radio, and for some by way of the computer. But to get this modern way of spreading the word, they once again have to dig down into their empty pockets and pull out money that just isn't there most of the time. As to the everyday need for food, Most people in those days, put out gardens and had their own cows for milk, and they raised their own stock, to fill their need of meat. These days, gardens are still here, but not very many. It is a trip to the store to get those things that each of them needs to nourise their bodies. And so that the food is safe to eat, because of the time spent either in a container or in the freezer, it has to meet the requirments of the government, before it can be sold, and if it has been on the shelf too long, then it is destroyed in a way that it cannot be used by anyone. This means that it will cost you more money in the long run, because you and I are the ones paying for the product. Then, we get to the problem of transportation. People in the old days did not go anywhere much, except to town or to church, and to visit family. So a horse and wagon were the only things needed to get around, as well as a good set of legs. Now , with the world growing everyday, you have to rely on a good car, or truck to get around. That means maintenance on that car or truck, and it means having to pay the terrible high cost of gasoline, if you want to go somewhere. We in this country are at the mercy of the other countries, because they govern the cost of getting it to the pumps. So there is another added cost to those elders ,as well as all the rest of us, that has to come from empty pockets, of those people who live on very little to start with. To keep warm in the old days, it meant that you had to keep a large supply of wood ready to use whenever needed. as time progressed, it was coal and wood that was used. Now in order to keep warm we have the luxury of a gas furnace, and maybe an all electric heat, which also means that another bill has to be paid. You either keep warm or you freeze to death. What I have written about is that we, as the decendants of a great group of people, have really let them down. Even though they have done their time, through the years to help progress, so that it is easier for us to maintain a comfortable way of life, they still have to maintain theirs, with a small amout of money, that was either saved or gotten through social security. Where would we be without them. Oh sure, progress probaly would of happened anyway, but would it of been as good as we have it now . Progress is great, and we need to move on to improve our life, so that our young folk would benifit as we did. But will we as the elders, have the means to benifit from that progress. We see great buildings going up by the banking companies, and the insurance companies, along with those of the people who want to advise you of the proper way to invest. The only progress here is for the ones that have the stock in those companies. Why does a bank need the high cost buildings, to take care of the people whose money they are using? Why do the insurance companies need the same high cost buildings to insure the people who pay for that insurance? And if you need someone to tell you how to spend your money, then you are either not married, or you never had to work for a living. Take the medical situation that we have today. Your doctor , who knows you better than anyone, will prescibe a medicine for you or suggest to you that you need an operation, but in most situations, you will have to get the ok from a person, who is sitting behind a desk, and has never met you. That is really stupid in my book. So where am I going with this look at progress? I am saying to you, that there are still some of those elders out there, that have not been called home yet, that needs to have a little easier way of maintaining their life. Give back something to them who gave their lives to us. As I write this, I am wondering how will it be for me ,when I get older? Will I have to dig down into empty pockets for the little prayer of survival? Have we really progressed much in the last one hundred years? Take a little car ride to those nursing homes and ask the people who really know. So, as I take you each time down memory lane, I hope that you are able to use the things that you read, to help you understand, that it wasn't easy to survive in the old days. A day of working and some rest was the extent of most. A full stomach and a good night's sleep were the benifits. The love of each other was neccesary to make it, as everyone had to pull together. Yes, we have made a lot of progress as time has changed, but did we bring with it, a sense of togetherness, teamwork, and ethics? Did we do a good job of making sure of the survival of our elders? Ask yourself if you really think that what we have accomplished in the last century, benifits all of us. To forget that it took the work of those elders, to get us where we are now, would be a terrible thing to do. To let them make it on their own without our help would be saying that it was not worthwhile. Think about what I have said and then go to those who are still here and say thanks. I guess that I am just an old softy, but I know that most of you feel the same way.

Ray"Uncle Ray" Day

#22

KOKOMO, INDIANA "THE CITY OF FIRSTS"

Kokomo is the home of many inventions, and thus is known as "The City Of Firsts".In 1893, Elwood Haynes purchased a one-horsepower upright two-cycle engine, that used gasoline as fuel.He hired Elmer and Edgar Apperson to build a "horseless carriage" in their Kokomo Machine Shop. On July 4, 1894, Mr Haynes made the first trial run. He first used a horse and buggy to pull the car out into the country on Pumpkinvine Pike, three miles east of the city. He then drove his car about six miles, at about seven miles an hour, making a successful run. He never sold that car, but instead gave it to the Smithsonian Institute, in Washington. He also joined up with the Apperson Brothers, and formed the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company, and started production of the automobile. This started others to form factories all over the state, and so Indiana has had 256 different makes of cars built in our state. ??? He also invented the first stainless steel, and the first Stellite Cobalt-base Alloy, which is used today for blading the small turbines, which power the fuel pumps in liquid-propelled missiles, such as the Atlas rockets. ??? In 1923 Mr. Haynes ' company was producing 40 cars per day. He passed away in 1925, at the age of 67, and as a tribute to him, all business was suspended for one hour , during his funeral. He was a very successful? man with all his achievements, and he was respected and loved by all who knew him. If you visit Kokomo, take time to visit the Elwood Haynes Museum, at 1915 South Webster Street, You will enjoy the many rooms dedicated to this great inventor.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many other inventions were made first in Kokomo, and are as follows.

In 1894, The First Pneumatic Rubber Tire,invented by D. C. Spraker, at The Kokomo Rubber Tire Co. It was made of strips of three-ply rubber, canvas, and other wrappings of vulcanized rubber, wound around a slender pole.

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In 1895, The First Aluminum Casting, made at the Ford and Donnelly Foundry, by William "Billy" Johnson.

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In 1902,The First Carburetor,developed by George Kingston. It was made from a piece of brass pipe, six inches long, with a cap fitted to one side, in which a float and wire guage regulated the flow of fuel.

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In 1906,The First Stellite Cobalt-base Alloy, discovered by Elwood Haynes, while searching for a metal to be used in producing tableware.

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In 1912 ,The First Stainless Steel,invented by Elwood Haynes to develope a tarnish-free dinnerware.

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In 1918, The First Howitzer Shell, made by the Superior Machine Tool Co. It was first used in World War I.

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In 1918, The First Aerial Bomb with Fins,. produced by the Liberty Pressed Metal Co.

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In 1920, The First Mechanical Corn Picker, developed by John Powell.

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In 1926, Dirilyte Golden Hued Tableware, invented by Carl Molin.

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In 1928, The First Canned Tomato Juice, developed by Walter Kemp of the Kemp Brothers Canning Co. at the request of a physician, who was seeking baby food for use in his clinic.

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In 1938, The First Push-button Car Radio,developed at Delco Radio Division of General Motors Corp.

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In 1941, All Metal Life Boats and Rafts,Manufactured by Globe American Stove Co. The lifeboat in 1941, and the life raft in 1943, nicknamed the "Kokomo Kid".

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In 1947, The First Signal Seeking Car Radio,developed at Delco Radio Division of General Motors.

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In 1957, The First All Transistor Car Radio, developed at Delco Radio Division of General Motors.

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Kokomo also has several landmarks that are great to see and visit. When you drive to the south end of Kokomo, you will see the Kokomo Gas & Fuel Co. storage tower, that can be seen from several miles away, day or night.

On south Webster Street, you will find the Elwood Haynes Museum. It has many sights to see about the first horseless carriage.

On west Sycamore Street, you will find the Sieberling Mansion, which is now the Howard County Musuem and Historical Society.

On the corner of Walnut and Washington streets,you will find the former city building, which in my own opinion,is one of the best ones that are still standing.

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The city of Kokomo got it's name, from it's founder, David Foster, who named it after an Indian Chief, named Ma-Ko-Ko-Mo. Mr. Foster built and lived in a log cabin, from which he traded with indians. In exchange for stocked goods, he got furs. That cabin also served as the first to hold court and the first school and church.

Mr. Foster also gave forty acres to be the site for the county seat. He was a great friend to the Indians, and often invited them in to stay over night. His portrait can be seen on the door of the courthouse. He and his wife had eleven children, one of which was the first white child born here.

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There has been many dignataries visit here, listing a few as follows. Benjamin Harrison in 1888 and in 1894: William Mckinley in 1898; Teddy Roosevelt in 1902; William Jennings Bryan in 1908; William Howard Taft in 1908; Woodrow Wilson in 1912; Charles Evans Hughes in 1916; Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1920; Harry S. Truman in 1948; Richard M. Nixon in 1952; John Kennedy and Bob Kennedy in 1960.

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I think that one of the greatest things that I love about Kokomo is the way that they take care of their own. Many years ago, two guys on the radio decided to help a fellow man on Christmas, who was hurting for money to take care of himself and his family. That started a great thing called" We Care". Over the years , there has been a wonderful showing of feeling for the ones that would not otherwise have any Christmas. The people in Kokomo and surrounding communities all get together, and they give of their time and money to show their love for their fellow man. They give and give and give. If there is a city full of santas, they call it Kokomo, Indiana.

Also I have to say that there is a man and his family who do a lot for Kokomo's community, in that they take thier time in the fall, to decorate the "WE CARE PARK" in the north end of Kokomo. This year they had over 750,000 lights strung up, so that those who came to see them, might feel the desire to donate to "WE CARE". This man is named Mike Wyant, who with his brothers and friends, make the Christmas season much more enjoyable.

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Kokomo has always had a bad rep. as a city with many stoplights, but I think we don't have as many as other cities this size. So I thought I might as well place one here too.

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Since I showed the traffic light, I might as well show you that we have a lot of pretty trees also.

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Kokomo also has a Stuffed Steer called "Old Ben", and it is a big one, and is on exibit in Highland Park. Take a look at Ben in this picture supplied to me by Corey Hill

Old Ben is a part of the history of Kokomo. Old Ben was the offspring of a registered Hereford bull, and an ordinary shorthorn cow. He came in at 125 lbs at birth in 1902. He had to rest on his knees to nurse, when less than a week old. At the age of four, he weighed 2 tons, and was quite a sight to see. His owners, who were Mike and John Murphy, showed him in fairs all over Indiana, until Feb. of 1910, when Ben slipped on ice, breaking his leg. He had to be put out of his misery, and was shot. At death, he weighed in at about 4720 lbs, and from nose to tail, he measured a little over 16 feet. He was stuffed by a taxidermist in New York, and was displayed at the Murphy farm, until he was brought to Highland Park, to be there , to this day. That is the story of Old Ben, and if you are in Kokomo, Indiana for a visit, stop in at the Park to see Ben.

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Also in that same park, we have a sycamore stump that is very large, and is also a sight to see.This picture was also supplied to me by Corey Hill.

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This stump is the largest of it's kind in the world. It's original growing spot, was along the edge of Wildcat Creek, west of the New London road, west of Kokomo. It is estimated to be around the age of 1500 years, but that may be a little high. The stump was donated to the city in 1916, and it weighed several tons. It was first used as a telephone booth, but young lovers were always putting thier initials on it with knives, and so it was put inside a shelter. It sets in that enclosed shelter for all to see and admire. It is one of the attractions that the great city of Kokomo, Indiana has for sightseers, and for all the history buffs to see.

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Kokomo has an Automobile Heritage Museum on US 31 Bypass North, and it will be a perfect spot for travelars to our great city to visit. It is called "The Johanning Visitor Center" and it is on the 31 bypass, on the northbound lane, between North Street and Morgan Street.

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Kokomo also was the home of Kokomo Steel and Wire, later known as Continental Steel, which produced the first color-coded wire, and was famous for many different steel items such as nails, rebar rods,and chain-link fence.

Kokomo, Indiana can be seen as you come north from Indy on U.S.31, where you well observe the "Gas Tower" on the south part of the city. It can be seen on a clear day from a long distance, Here is what you will see.?On Sunday Morning, September 7, 2003, the tower that most of us knew as a big part of the Kokomo Community, became only a memory, as it was imploded with precision explosive action, coming to the ground to be cleaned up and , never to be seen again. What took workers who built that tower, 13 months , to construct, only took a few hours to set off and take away a memory so dear to many who lived here and for many who used it as a travel direction. I really thought that there would be some way to save it as did about half of the people who lived here. But the so- called expense of it being there and maintained, dictated the tearing down of it. When it was standing there for whole city to see, it covered 36,855 square feet of land. It was 378.5 feet tall, and the inside of it could hold 12 million cubic feet of gas. At the top of that tower, was the home of a pair of Peregrine Falcons. From the bottom to the top, there were 550 steps. It was built in 1954, painted in 1955, again in 1972, and painted for the last time in 1985. There were 22 sides to the tower. It took 2,000 gallons of paint to cover it. The Gas Tower was at one time used as a navigational reference point for aircraft when Grissom Air Force base was fully operational. In 1980, vandals took the American Flag from The Kokomo Post Office, and tied it to one of the antennas on top of the tower. The Tower stood tall in the vision of most of Kokomo and Howard County. It is a shame that it had to come down instead of being made an historical site for the future generation to see. Kokomo's skyline has been alteredby the demise of the country's 5th tallest building. It was a part of my life and now only a memory with no marker to show where it stood. Living in Kokomo all my life, I am proud of it and it's history.

Ray Day

#23

"The Wrongs To Follow"

There are times when I sit down and relive the old days in my mind, and as I think about all the things that I did as a youngster, I sometimes wonder just where did it all go?  Whatever happened to Roy and Gene, and the sincerity of those two as they intertained us with their movies? As a child we were subject to be part of the movie and really we thought we were right there with Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, fighting the bad guys and helping the good people. You didn't see those two putting some lip holds on the ladies. When the show was over, there was an ever-lasting moral that went home with you.  And think about how those two lived their personal lives. You couldn't find two better examples of a role model, for the young people to follow. You don't get to see very many new westerns, and the ones that are on the screen today deal with profanity, nudity, and killing. Take another example of morality in the old days, and that would be in sports. It was a regular scheduled night in our home to sit back and listen to the boxing matches. There were fighters back then that not only fought so that they could eat and sleep, but they also did it in a honest way. It was an honor to win a title and be called the best in your division. But it seems that now it is only a show headed up by match-makers who are in it for the dollar. The fighters of today boast about being the best, but when the big match comes around, it usually lasts only one or two rounds. That is pretty good hourly rates that those men have. About ten minutes work for a million dollars, is a great job to have if you want to do what the promoters want you too.  In my day, there was Joe Louis, Essard Charles. Jersey Joe Walcott, Joey Maxim, Sugar Ray Robinson, Archie Moore, Willi Pep, Sandy Sadler, and many more who did it because they loved the sport. They didn't make much money, because the managers kept most of the money. But their heart was in it and they intertained us very much.  Today, can you show me one fighter in big boxing that is in it for the sport. The only thing that speaks for them is money. Take the sport of basketball, when it was a game for the fans to see because those guys went out and gave their all, to win the game. The money wasn't the greatest, but they enjoyed playing and the fans were there to watch two teams going at each other to win. In today's sport of basketball, it is the sight of a player who is making a million dollars a year, who sits on the bench because his back hurts or he has a bruised elbow. Talk about great paying jobs. Baseball is the same. Money speaks and for those who put out the big bucks to see a famous player, and then watches him sit on the bench in his street clothes, it is sad. I guess that what I am trying to say, is where did the desire to do your job well go and why have we as the people who pay all these huge salaries, let it happen? Why do we put up with men who make over a million dollars a year, and spend it on dope,wine women, and whatever. Sure, it is their right to do what they want to with their lives, but do we have to use them as role models? Do we have to constantly just slap their hands and then watch them do it again.  I heard it said that you start out with a drop of water which can turn into a creek, which can turn into a stream, and then into a river. Are we letting this happen with our lives.  If you don't take the time to look at where you've been, you will never know where you are going. We live our lives one day at a time, and we are not promised tomorrow. So to live with no respect for what got you here, would be like dropping into a deep hole that you can't climb out of. You build on your life one day at a time, and each time that you make that day one to remember, then you have stepped over that deep hole and are ready for the next one. To live with respect and morality, while you are here on this earth, entitles you to be a role model for some youngster growing up. To be there to help in raising our young people, is one of the chores that was instilled in us by our mom and dad. It doesn't hurt any to offer help to those who need it. And with the type of influence from some of our hollywood stars and the sport figures, our youngsters need someone who will take time to be there for them. The road of life is not one that is always easy. And for someone to have to walk it alone, it can either be a long one or it can be a very short one. We lose many of our young people to drugs, because it is the thing to do. We lose them because of the smoking and drinking, which shortens their lives, because they went too far. Everyone has the right to live their life as they feel fit to, but do we have to use them as role models? What you do with your life is your business, but the thought of some youngster following your path to pain and distress is something that I don't care to see. If there are any youngsters out there that need help, I ask them to find someone who is clean cut, honest, and morally correct to follow. So, until the next time, I hope that you will follow the straight road to your goal in life. Make something of this day and all those that follow. As always Uncle Ray is here to inspire you..

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day

#24

"Mother deserves her day"

Webster's dictionary definition of a mother is as follows; A woman who has birth to a child, and or a woman exercising control and resposibility like that of a mother.  Now here is my definition of a mother. It has never amazed me how strong willed a mother is. Here is a human being, that on some days works twenty-four hours a day, in order to make sure that her offspring is taken care of. She is there when you get up and she is there when you go to sleep at night. She might get some sleep in the night-time, but she does it with the knowledge that you depend on her to be there when you rise. So at the early morning hour, you will wake to some great smells that comes from the best cook in all the land. At the earliest time of your being, you are taken care of by this wonderful lady , that we call Mom. For most of nine months, before you see the light of day, you are nurtured and taken care of , before anyone else sets eyes on you. Even through the pain of labor is what she has to look forward to, before you enter this world, and the morning sickness is sometimes very hard to accept, she loves you very much. She walks around doing her usual chores without resting as much as she should, up to the day that you, her little angel, finally pops out for the rest of the family to see. This lady that we call Mom, already has a nine month jump on everyone else, in knowing you. And after you have entered this world, you find out there are others that have come forth the same way as you. You find out that each of the others were loved and taken care of, in  the same way that you were and yet she has the same love for each and every one of you. Such is the nature of a mother, in that there is love for all and yet love for each. As you grow up, you will find that Mom will be there all the time to do what is necessary to make your life a great one. She will worry about you while you are in school and she will worry about you when you are asleep. Never under-estimate the power of a mother. She can be a little frail person, but a strong mother. She can go all day and never complain. She can sit down with you and lend a shoulder for you to cry on, but you will never hear her complain about all the work she has to do. Such is the kind of Mom that I and my brothers and sisters had. Mom was the best mother in all the world, as far as we were concerned, because she was always there when we needed her. She taught each and every one of us to be able to care for ourselves after she would leave this world. The last words that she ever said to me was "thanks for taking care of me". This lady took care of me all my growing up life and she tells me thanks.  Mom was real sick and she spent two weeks with us , after being in a coma for thirty days, and coming out of it. I remember several times while she was in that coma, I would sit there holding her hand, and talking to her, and she had enough strength to squeeze my hand. Just before Christmas, the sound of singers in the hall singing Christmas carols woke her up. She then asked, if when she got out of the hospital, would we care if she came to stay with us. This was the best news that my wife Ramona could hear, because she, being the mother of two, and having had a mother as sweet as I did, now had the chance to do some more "mothering." As I said, Mom was with us about two weeks and Ramona was there for her the same twenty-fours hours a day , just like her mother and my mother were. My daughter Patricia didn't have as long a time to be a good mother to her children, but while she was here on this earth, her first thoughts was for her two children. Even though she was on her death bed, she wanted to make sure that her kids were taken care of. I have to say that she was a great mother. My daughter Deborah, in her heart,  mothers those two kids, out of love for them as well as love for her sister. It is for all the "Mothers" whether they are still with us , or are departed to be with the Great Father, whether they are natural ones or adopted ones, that we have this one day set aside for them. I know that all of you out there love your mothers as much as I loved mine. So as I write this for my mother and my wife's mother, who have gone home to be with the Great Father, I  want to say that all the MOTHERS in this world really deserve their day. So to all of you out there that have been a part of the greatest organization in the world called "MOM". I say "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY " to you.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day.

#25

"A GREAT MAN"

Once upon a time, four score and twelve years ago, there was a child born to Hallie and Walter, in Tipton, Indiana. This child was one of many to be born from the love of those two great people. But this story is about him, because I knew him very well. This young man, who was no bigger than a large bag of potatoes, was none the less one of the toughest youngsters in that town. At an early age in his life ,and only with an  8th grade education,  he was doing the jobs of men who were bigger and stronger than him, but he held up his end of any job he was put on. But as time went by, he wanted to branch out on his own, and so he took off for the big city of Kokomo.  At a time when work was not too easy to find, he would take any work possible to keep him going, until the big secure job came open. While hunting for work, he met a young lady named Lucille, who he fell in love with right away. He was seventeen and she was sixteen. They courted each other for one year and then they decided to get hitched, and live the rest of their lives together. In the time that they were married, there were fourteen angels born to them, seven boys and seven girls. This father from the first day gave his whole life to his family and the places where he worked were The Hoosier Iron Works, The Globe American, and Continental Steel Corp.. His children didn't get to see him much, because he was always out working somewhere, trying to make enough money to feed and house his family. He would work all hours of the day, and as many days in the week that they would let him. As the kids grew up, it was their mother who was close by to tend to them and to protect them from harm. When this man was home, he was usually resting, or he was out doing the chores that were needed to be done. As the children grew up, they were expected to take over doing those chores and to help their mother in any way that they could. Of course as kids grow up, they start getting independent and they rebell when they are told to do something. Where this man was concerned, he only told you once, and he expected that chore to be done ,when he got home. There were times when the kids would think that this man, who was their father, was about the meanest man around. But as time went by, there was more time to spend with their father, and he would sometimes have time to go play some games with them. But his main goal in life was to do for his family and if it meant being away from his children, so be it. I started working with this man after I got out of high school, and went to work at the steel mill. That was when I saw a different person than the one that I had known for eighteen years. I saw the kind of work that he did and how much danger there was in the job that he did. I saw why this man was tired all the time. I saw what this man was really made of. I saw how dedicated he was to his job, and I saw why he was liked so much by his friends and co-workers. Many times, I saw this man climb way up on the towers to just change a big flood light. I saw him walk across icy runways to fix the overhead cranes, so that the department could keep working. He did this because it was his job, and he needed it to maintain the family that was depending on him . In all the time that he and I worked together, I never heard him complain about his duties. Up until the last few years, I never knew him to take a vacation or to take time off sick. Eventually over the years, this finally took him down and in the last few years, his legs slowly gave way and he had to retire and rest his weary body, until it was time for the Great Father to call him home. He always said that when it came that time, he hoped that it would be at home and in his sleep. As it was in the beginning of their life together, it was just the two of them together when that time came. Here was a man who gave of himself and asked for nothing in return. Here was a father who wanted for his family and not for himself. Here was a man who never attended church, yet he believed  in GOD, and he tried to do what he knew GOD wanted of him. I write this story about this man because I knew him. He was my best friend, and he was my father. His name was Roscoe Raymond Day, but most people knew him as "Dink". They celebrate "Father's Day" once a year, but in my heart, everyday is my Father's day.  As with all fathers in the old days, their duty was with the family and I think that he did one heck of a job. And as time goes by, I remember all the things that he told us about life, and what to expect of it. The things that we thought were silly when we were young have slowly come to light, and what he tried to say to prepare us, have come true. It is really remarkable to find out after all these years, that Dad knew what he was talking about. "I LOVE YOU, DAD. And to all those out there that still have your dad here, thank GOD for that and for all those who's fathers have gone home to be with The Great Father, thank God for that too.

Ray "Uncle Ray" Day