“Finally, I wish to remember the millions of Allied servicemen and prisoners of war who lived the story of the Second World War. Many of these men never came home; many others returned bearing emotional and physical scars that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. I come away from this book with the deepest appreciation for what these men endured, and what they scarified, for the good of humanity. It is to them that this book {Unbroken} is dedicated,”

― Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption

They were called the Greatest Generation. They fought in the last (so far and hopefully) of the great wars our world has seen. They came home and built this country into something it had never been before.

It’s hard to imagine having that much grit and character to do what they did.

It seems like most people these days believe that things are headed in the other direction.

That life is surely going to be worse for the next generation and the generation after that.

The truth is that they might be right. If things don’t change, it will probably get worse.

Therein lies a glimmer of hope. Things can get better. There will be a next “greatest generation”.

There are good people out there using the lessons of history and all that we have learned to raise great kids. Not perfect, but great. There are families out there making the sacrifices and doing the hard work to create an opportunity for the next generation of their family to do and be better than the past.

It might not be this next one. I hope it doesn’t take another great war to create one. It might even never happen. But I hope it does. I hope this next generation or the one after it is one they write about a hundred years from now. With people sending emails (or whatever they’ll do then) talking about how amazing the Louis Zamperini’s of the world were. How they saved humanity from tyranny and the evil that almost devoured our world.

It happened once, surely it can happen again. If they can do it, we might as well try.

Make it a great day.

Jake