| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned 16:46 - Sep 2 with 658 views | Davillin |
One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned
General Jonathan "Skinny" Wainwright was the general who Douglas "The Weasel" MacArthur abandoned to see out the débacle he started, and ultimately to scorn him for surrendering Bataan and Corregidor.
While Wainwright was a prisoner of the Japanese, an incident occurred which deeply affected him. One of his officers got too close to the fence, whereupon a Japanese guard smashed him in the face with his riffle butt, knocking him to the ground.
The officer got up and said, "I've been hit harder than that."
Wainwright was deeply moved by that, and took his lesson from his shocking personal discovery of how debased the human race had become, that one could punish so viciously such a small infraction, and worse, that another human being could emotionlessly brush it off with "I've been hit harder than that."
I took another lesson from it, and it has stayed with me ever since I read about it in Wainwright's Autobiography a very long time ago, as powerful and brilliantly clear today as then.
What I learned is that no matter what happens to me in this life -- physical, emotional, or otherwise -- I, too, have been hit harder than that. And I still deal with hurt, reversals, and disappointments of all kinds by remembering that "I have been hit harder than that."
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There are two great books about this hero, neither of which is still in publication. amazon.co.uk has only used books at prohibitive prices, but I'll give the titles anyway. They have a place of pride in my library and are decidedly worth your reading if your public library has them.
His Autobiography is General Wainwright's Story, edited b Robert Considine, Garden City, NY, Doubleday & Company, 1946. [My copy was a gift from "Dolly" to "Uncle Wimmy," neither of whom I knew, in 1946.]
The only biography I have is: Hero of Bataan, The Story of General Jnathan M. Wainwright, Duane Schultz, New York, St Martin's Press, 1981, [The Inscription alone will choke you up as it does me every time I see it: "To those who have drunk from the same canteen."]
p.s., To his everlasting credit, President Harry Truman rejected MacArthur's recommendation against awarding Wainwright the Congressional Medal of Honor, and gave it to him with pride. Truman was a soldier in Europe in World War I, and understood better than MacArthur did what constitutes courage, loyalty to his troops, and devotion to his country. |  |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 17:30 - Sep 2 with 621 views | perchrockjack |
Mine is to be able to look at myself in the mirror and be happy with myself within.
To accept Ive done wrong and to learn from it and
always to challenge the unacceptable no matter how awkward it might be..
Its easier to do nothing but it eats you I the end..
We could die tonight or even this evening and I would want to be at peace with myself |  |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:04 - Sep 2 with 566 views | Catullus |
My greatest life lesson, don't trust anybody entirely. | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:30 - Sep 2 with 540 views | dickythorpe |
Go with your gut feeling is mine. Don't listen to too much advice as it will cloud any original gut instinct.
I also understand the " I've been hit harder" mantra. Very true to many. [Post edited 2 Sep 2014 19:32]
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:32 - Sep 2 with 536 views | Jackfath |
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your paths. |  |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:37 - Sep 2 with 521 views | Jackfath |
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:37 - Sep 2 with 519 views | dickythorpe |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:35 - Sep 2 by Jackfath |
You're on my PUSH list.
Peace be with you. |
I see a light!!!! | | | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:39 - Sep 2 with 514 views | Jackfath |
Praise the LORD! | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:39 - Sep 2 with 511 views | Davillin |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:35 - Sep 2 by Jackfath |
You're on my PUSH list.
Peace be with you. |
What's a "PUSH" list. "Pissoff Shithead"? No, that'd have to be "POSH."
[Don't answer if it will offend. ;-)] | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:43 - Sep 2 with 507 views | dickythorpe |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:39 - Sep 2 by Davillin |
What's a "PUSH" list. "Pissoff Shithead"? No, that'd have to be "POSH."
[Don't answer if it will offend. ;-)] |
Nasty barb there Dav | | | |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:49 - Sep 2 with 496 views | Jackfath |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:39 - Sep 2 by Davillin |
What's a "PUSH" list. "Pissoff Shithead"? No, that'd have to be "POSH."
[Don't answer if it will offend. ;-)] |
My PUSH list is for people I think would benefit.
Pray Until Something Happens.
Many on here are on it. | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:54 - Sep 2 with 490 views | perchrockjack |
Always expect the worst | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:29 - Sep 2 with 463 views | epaul |
God is not real.....that is all
For me dont regret just get on and enjoy it you've only one shot at life |  |
| The hair and the beard have gone I am now conforming to society, tis a sad day
The b*stards are coming back though |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:30 - Sep 2 with 459 views | perchrockjack |
Always use a clean blade | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:32 - Sep 2 with 454 views | dickythorpe |
Never drink Carling | | | |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:38 - Sep 2 with 442 views | Dr_Winston |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 19:04 - Sep 2 by Catullus |
My greatest life lesson, don't trust anybody entirely. |
Especially "nice" people. They're fundamentally untrustworthy. |  |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:41 - Sep 2 with 437 views | perchrockjack |
Sometimes jobbie you just nail it | |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:47 - Sep 2 with 427 views | dickythorpe |
Never try toasting bread in the bath | | | |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 22:00 - Sep 2 with 377 views | lifelong |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 20:38 - Sep 2 by Dr_Winston |
Especially "nice" people. They're fundamentally untrustworthy. |
During my lifetime I've encountered many 'not nice' people who weren't particularly trustworthy. |  | | |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 22:17 - Sep 2 with 353 views | jackportis |
Fall down 5 times get up 6. Chinese proverb. Or its not how hard u hit its about how hard u can get hit. Rocky 6. |  |
| Jackportis the brand. “A gifted posterâ€, “planet swans have a real talent on their hands in the name of Jackportis†sky sports 2018. . JP fully supports posters of LBG, mx orientation and ethnic minority groups. Update - now fully supporting the pansexual community. |
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| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 10:51 - Sep 3 with 280 views | Catullus |
| One of the Greatest Life-Lessons I have Learned on 22:17 - Sep 2 by jackportis |
Fall down 5 times get up 6. Chinese proverb. Or its not how hard u hit its about how hard u can get hit. Rocky 6. |
I get knocked down, but I get up again, cos your never gonna keep me down.
Not a great philosopher, but right enough. | |
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