I watched the services of the late former President George H.W. Bush. Multiple times over the past few days, I heard that phrase, “the greatest generation.”

That was my parents’ generation — and what a generation that was. Many experienced the Great Depression and World War II, always sacrificing for their country and loved ones. It was a strong, civil and kind generation overall.

I couldn’t help but wonder: Wouldn’t we all be better citizens, kinder neighbors, less critical of those around us, more loving and accepting of strangers, if we stepped into the shoes of the “greatest generation” and tried to emulate them? A life lesson was shared: “Hatred corrodes the container it’s carried in.”

What examples are we leaving our children? What will they remember about us? We can all do better — be more humble, honest, more loyal. Most of all, we can fill the world around us with kindness and love.

Leona Christensen

Kaneohe

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