RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – HEROES

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You hear the word hero a lot lately. I just heard it on the news tonight. “He’s my hero” or “she is my hero”. That got me thinking about the heroes in my life. I had never really given it much thought about who my heroes are. So I hope this blog gets you thinking about who your heroes are.

What is the definition of a hero?  Webster dictionary defines a hero “as a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievement’s or noble qualities”. “Regarded as a role model”.  My heroes became role models of noble qualities that I admired. These people have shaped my life.

I study the Bible and read it on a daily basis. It is fascinating to me. I enjoy especially the New Testament; I really admire two people.

Jesus is my hero. Why? He set an example for me on how to live my life. He is the greatest teacher of all time! He changed the world. Paul is also my hero. Why? He met Jesus one day and his life was changed. After persecuting Christians and having them killed for their faith, he became a Christian and was one of the greatest preachers and teachers of the Gospel message. Paul was martyred for his faith. They are my heroes.

Other people I admire and consider to be my heroes are Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, Jackie Robinson. I also admire people who were like me, just a regular guy who came up with an idea that changed the world. Like Mark Zuckerberg creating Facebook and Bill Gates, Microsoft. Bill Gates and his wife are now giving billions back to make the world a better place.

On a personal level, I have a couple men who are my heroes. My grandpa Raymo and my dad are two such people. Both taught me to treat other people the way I would want to be treated. I really looked up to them and wanted to be like them. Sure they had their faults, we all do, but they were very kind men. Both were outstanding people and loved their families and friends. 

Mr. Foxwell, my theater arts teacher in high school is my hero. He believed in me. He saw something in me that nobody else did. He encouraged me all the time. He told me that I have a gift. He taught me to think out of the box. To explore new things. To live life to the fullest. I will always remember him.

The real heroes that I have in my life are family and friends that are firemen, police officers and, EMT’s. They put their lives on the line for us daily. Thank you! Think about your heroes and how they have affected your life. If your hero is still around give your hero a thank you or hug today.

 

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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – GLIMPSE INTO GRANDPA’S LIFE

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GLIMPSE INTO GRANDPA’S LIFE

It was last winter at a basketball game that someone first mentioned to me that I should write a blog. Why should I write a blog? I asked her.  She said to me, how she enjoys following me on Facebook and all the different things and events that I do. It’s just fun to see what you’re up too and where you are.

I explained to her, that it is because of my job at the radio station that I get to meet many people and do so many different things. I finished telling her that I am not a writer, that I am a radio guy, I talk! I was flattered by the fact that someone was interested in what I was doing. It was a few weeks later that another person had said almost the same thing to me. When that happened I went home and googled ‘Blogging’.

I knew nothing about blogging, so I was surprised to find out just how big blogging is on the internet. Its huge. I do remember the movie “Julie & Julia” with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. How the character played by Amy Adams “blogged” about making a recipe from Julia Childs cookbook and blogging about her experience every day.

Then it was like God confirmed to me that I should take up blogging when a third person mentioned it to me and encouraged me a lot to do this. So in April I wrote my first blog. Brittany Haugen was instrumental in getting me started in this adventure and helped me get things set up on the internet.  My wife Roxie is my editor. Both of them have assisted me greatly in this.

 I did struggle at first. You see, I am not a writer. My English is terrible. So kids if you’re reading this pay attention in English class. I decided to give it a trial run, because I really don’t need another thing to do.  I was only going to do this for a month or two. My plan was to do two blogs a week, Wednesday and Sunday.  

What happened in those two months of the trial period was shocking and amazing to me. I fell in love with writing a blog! I’m hooked! During the trial period, I received an email from a real writer, an author of books! She said in her email how much she enjoys reading my blogs, she encouraged me, she gave me some constructive criticisms on how to improve my writing. I was so excited about that email, I printed it out and have it in my office at work. That was in April of 2017.

But the most important thing I have come to realize in my blogging, is this. I have done around 60 blogs so far, and if you print them out and put them in a folder, you have a thick book. Which I have done. One evening I was looking over all my blogs that I have written and realized that I am writing about my life, my experiences in life. Detailed things about me. My inner most thoughts, things I believe in, people I meet. What I am about.

I thought to myself what a wonderful gift this is for my own grandchildren to have. For them to read after I am long gone. Even my great-great grandchildren to read about their grandfather that they never met. I would give anything to have something like this about my grandfather, who died when I was very young and didn’t really know him. But if he would have blogged, like I’m blogging. I would know what kind of person he was, what was important to him. That would be cool.

I mentioned this to my son Brandon about a month ago, and for my 60th birthday he handed me a book. A book with all my blogs in it. I cried.

It looks so professional, like I’m a real writer. The blue cover simply says Raymo’s Rambling by Paul Raymo and on the inside of the cover it says:

Raymo’s Ramblings: A glimpse into the life of Paul Raymo

Now I blog for my grandchildren and my great grandchildren and my great great grandchildren.

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