Always good

I know the blog has been radio silent -- it is a goal to become more consistent, but with midterms and personal stuff going on, it's been tough! 

One of those personal things was my grandparents' joint burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. last week. I flew out for a whirlwind 40-hour trip, and it was really unique to see a military funeral with full honors -- it was precise, synchronized, and reverential, and my grandparents would have been very happy. 

Before the service we got to speak with my grandpa's best friend, a retired army general named Joe Ratke. He told us a lot of stories about Poppy, but a simple phrase he used to describe him was the most impactful. He talked about how Poppy was "always good." Such a simple, yet loaded sentiment when you think about how difficult it is to always be good. 

Poppy was always good at work -- we've heard from numerous colleagues how fairly he treated his subordinates, how respected he was by his colleagues, and how he always went beyond the call of duty.

It's even more impressive to be able to say that he was always good in life. It can be hard not to be selfish and to consider how our actions will affect others. It can be hard to be honest, to be respectful, to be kind, to be good. But it's so important to try. I think that's my Poppy's greatest legacy, and a legacy to which we can all aspire: to live a life in which your actions gain respect from others; in which you treat people with kindness; in which you are always good. 

(Sorry for the ghetto, unedited iPhone photos. One step at a time, ya know?)