Lessons from a Cartoon

One of my dreams as a younger man was to be a cartoonist. I was the editorial cartoonist for several years for my college paper - The UT Beacon (that's University of Tennessee) - back in the 1960's. However, I knew that cartoonists had a hard time making a living so I gave that up for more practical means of making a living for me and my family.

I continue to love reading cartoons. I save the cartoon section of our paper and read it last each day as it is the favorite part for me.

My all-time favorite cartoon was Calvin and Hobbes. I was so sorry to see that one come to an end, but fortunately they are rerunning all of his strips so I can still read it every day.

My second all-time favorite is For Better Or For Worse. It's a family cartoon drawn by Lynn Johnston, a Canadian artist. Over the years we've been able to watch the adventures of the Patterson family and watched as kids were born, grown up and married in their own right.

Today's strip is right after the marriage of the daughter, Elizabeth. She and her new husband Anthony have gone to visit her grandfather right after their wedding. He is in the hospital and not doing well. The older woman is his second wife as Elizabeth's birth grandmother died several years ago.

I know the words are hard to read so I'll give you the gist of what is said.

Elizabeth in the second panel is saying that looking after him day after day can't be easy. Her step-grandmother responds...

"It's not easy. But we made a commitment, just as you did today - and although it's not easy, this is all part of loving someone with all your heart - and with all you have to give! It's a promise that should last a lifetime. It defines you as a person and describes your soul. It's a promise to be there, one for the other, no matter what happens, no matter who falls. For better or worse, my dears - for better or for worse."

I love the thought that our promises 'define us as a person and describe our soul.' I grew up believing that a man's word should always be good and his handshake was as good as gold.

Betty and I believe that, after our personal commitments to God, our marriage commitments to each other are the most important words we will ever say in our lives. And, Lynn's comic strip today perfectly illustrates how we feel. We want our promises to each other to define us as people and describe our souls.

You never know what you'll find in the comics.

Today is August 30 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Andy Roddick (pro tennis player), Cameron Diaz (actress - "Shrek" and "Charlies Angels"), Peggy Lipton (actress - "The Mod Squad"), Frank "Tug" McGraw (professional baseball player and father of singer Tim McGraw), Jean-Claude Killy (French Olympic gold medal skier), Warren Buffett (incredibly rich man), Ted Williams (one of the best ever baseball players), Fred MacMurray (actor - "Flubber" and "My Three Sons"), and Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (author - "Frankenstein").

On this day in 1862 the Union was defeated by the Confederates at Bull Run. In 1967 the Senate confirmed Thurgood Marshall as the first Black Supreme Court Justice. And, in 1993 the "Late Show with David Letterman" premiered on CBS.