Lessons from My Grandfather

To live a life unhurried; to take in the wonder of nature; to take time to sit and be. To be quiet more than to speak. To be patient and keep one's eye on the bobber. To learn the value of silence.

To think before acting; to realize that actions have consequences. To not waste time and resources on useless conflicts; to only pick battles that you need to fight and that you can win.

To keep one's cards close to the chest; not to advertise a winning hand. To recognize that there are times to fold, to draw, to bluff, to go all in. To realize that you must play the cards you've been dealt, not the cards you wish you had. To recognize that to overbid your hand is folly in cards and in life.

To know that it's not over 'til it's over: that a lead can easily be fumbled away and a couple good hands does not a winner make. To avoid both overconfidence and despair. To not evaluate success or failure until the end of the night.

To realize that life isn't fair, and to deal with this not by complaining and moping, but by toughening up. Neither to expect nor to demand sympathy.

Above all, to laugh: to take losses and hardships with a wry chuckle; to remain committed to the bit; to recognize that teasing is a love language; to not take oneself too seriously.

In loving memory of Rodger "Pap-Pap" Peirce.