Saturday, August 19, 2017

It's Who I Am

By Randy De La O

Years ago, when I was a manager on the MD-80,program, at McDonnell Douglas, a guy on my crew named Kevin (I can't remember his last name) said to me “Randy, you have a Pollyanna view on life”. I wasn't sure how to take that and I guess it showed because he said “I don't mean it as an insult, it's just that you're always optimistic and you always look for the best in everyone. You trust people”. He was complementing me.
I didn't realize it at the time but he probably summed up exactly who I am when he told me that. Maybe not entirely but in a large part. Sometimes being optimistic and trusting has it's good points and at other times it's not so good. When I was young, both as a boy and as a young man, I think I was easy (in some ways) to take advantage of. I was easy to cheat because I trusted people.
I would like to think that I learned a few things in my life since then. I also believe that those people, both family and friends, that became close to me accept this flaw or asset (still not sure) and in some ways it became the basis for our friendship. It became a bond of trust. I learned to recognize those that looked at me as prey (I'm no one's prey). In time I learned to defend and protect myself. I'm not talking physically but emotionally and socially. I'm telling you this because at my core, this is who I am. I am optimistic and I trust people (just not so blindly).
I am still a person that genuinely believes in and trusts in America. You may think me naive but it's who I am. I believe that the good people of America still outnumber the bad. I still believe the best of America is still to come. I have to believe that, I'm a father and a grandfather. I still believe that this country is worth fighting for, just not with each other.
As much as I love my country, there are still things that I don't like about it. It's the same with you I'm sure. We need to remember how to agree to disagree and work together again.
Words are meaningless, it's how we live that counts. I want to make a difference. It begins at home. I have raised my kids to be independent, respectful and to love their country. I don't expect them to think just like me. They all have minds of their own and all have their own points of views but they respect each other.
My family is not perfect and neither is my country but we're all we have. Sometimes we are even dysfunctional but if we don't make it work, or at least try, who will?

Today, just like thirty years ago, I'm still optimistic and I still look for the best in everyone.

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