A farewell remembrance to John McCain with a Shout Out to my Dad

As I listened to Meaghan McCain, daughter of the Honorable Senator John McCain deliver her eulogy this morning I was struck mostly by her love of this great American hero as a loving father and principled patriot.  If you didn't have a chance to hear it please click here as it is worth listening to.  He lived by an honor code to defend the US Democracy and the Constititution.  He grew up in a family that served our country and although he suffered much he put his ability to serve the country above all else.

He was a proud American and believed in the strong ethical framework he grew up in and valued his entire life.  Meaghan moved me and brought me back to thinking about a similar role I shared delivering my own Dad's eulogy 5 years ago.  Both of our Dads grew up during the dark shadows of WWII and lived first hand as the country rebuilt itself to a place of strength and nobility.  The America of their lifetimes was a country of greatness.   My Dad was not a politician but he became a self taught historian and teacher of American and Jewish History and Ethics.  Both embraced their given opportunities to share the values of ethics and civil rights. The will to fight hard for these beliefs reflect the pillar and strength of both men.

Perhaps President Obama said it best when he described John McCain as a man who was very devoted, stubborn but with a great zest for life.  In another comparison both wanted to live life to its fullest and fought hard until the end.  I honor and have great respect for the Honorable Senator John McCain.  I miss my Dad greatly as well and find myself fueled daily by his passion for protecting our rights and living life to its fullest.  He too was a true Patriot and loved this country.   Sometimes my family and friends think I listen, post and pay too much attention to today's politics. I do this to honor the values these great men dedicated their lives to and to be able to pass their legacy of American values to their future.

Wendy is a realtor with Coldwell Banker in Needham.  She enjoys writing and sharing ideas near and dear to her heart. As an advocate for a better tomorrow she is a volunteer in many community organizations and an avid reader.

It all starts at the local level

I started this blog to talk about local life in the area in the place I call home.  I have been immersed in the "local" Needham, Newton, Dover and Metrowest area most of my life albeit a detour to New York City for a few years.  I am proud to call Massachusetts my home and have been involved in all aspects of community life since birth. The values my parents instilled in me and my brother included respect, honestly, loyalty and a high level of ethics.  They always said we need to be able to look ourselves in the mirror each morning.   In fact, my mother told this to my daughter as one of her last words of advise while near death last year. This philosophy has always resonated with me and perhaps sparks much of my inner MO.  I am not one to sit back and let things happen around me, particularly if I am bothered.  I need to get involved and have been told that the word "rest" is not in my vocabulary.  That is why I am proud to be a local one.  I am constantly reading local newspapers, blogs and social media in my community and embrace opportunities to volunteer and participate in events as deemed interesting or important to better daily life.

Although this blog is not a political focus,  since the 2016 election I have learned that our voices start at the local level and we need to speak up if change is warranted.  It is our freedom and first amendment right to speak up but it is also our obligation to keep informed.  I have expanded my reading habits to include the New York Times, Twitter feeds, the Slate, CNN and other forms of social media to keep a balanced informed overview of what is going on in our rapidly changing world.  

Many changes are initiated at the top level but in a democracy, citizens at the lowest level have the right to be heard.  Town Halls and local representatives want to know their constituents concerns .  They are our representatives and their jobs are to represent our interests.  It is up to us to keep informed and be able to advocate for our interests in a well informed respectful way.  This means engaging in conversation.  Violence and rudeness to our opponents is not only harmful but it also makes it difficult to work together toward progressive change. 

One easy way to make your voice heard is to subscribe to the DAILY text feed.  A DAILY text each morning informs readers of relevant issues impacting U.S. policy and then based on your zip code  will connect you to your local government representatives where you can voice your concern.  As a result of this activity Senate offices are getting an avg of 1.5 million calls/day.  This week alone Senate offices have cited calls as an influencer in their votes. Local voices are being heard and this only takes about 5 minutes a day.  If you would like your voice heard text DAILY to 228466.  Join the "locals" to make a difference.

Wendy recently joined Coldwell Banker Needham.  She has been a realtor for over 8 years and knowing the area quite well can share a hands on local perspective.  She has also recently earned the SRES  designation and looks forward to helping other baby boomers as they approach their next transitions.  Feel free to contact her directly or click here http://www.wendybcb.com if you would like to learn more.