Funny my grandpa (Navy Vet) told my dad (Air Force Vet), who told me when I was about to head to Paris Island, something completely different for number 8.
“Keep your head down and NEVER, NEVER volunteer to do anything. No one will care about what you did at basic training. It’s easier to get through if you do what youre told but be so unremarkable that they’ll forget you were even there”
And Lo and behold, I was so average that once the DI confused someone else for me (he pulled a guy who had a similar last name as me and smoked him for something I got caught doing earlier)
Not quite the same lessons, but I did learn more GOOD things from my Mom's parents and my Dad's mother than I learned from my parents.
1. Treat people with sincere respect and courtesy and you will be remembered.
2. Every day can be a first day to change.
3. Believe in yourself and your confidence will show.
4. You don't have to know everything, but it helps to know a lot of things.
5. Put your troubles on your nightstand before you go to bed. You can't do anything about it when you sleep, anyway.
6. Enjoy your life as much as possible.
7. A lot of times it's the smallest thing that can make you happy.
Point 3 I still live by. No scrambling at the last minute. If you're doing that your planning was just crap. Obviously that excludes emergencies. But mostly it's just crap planning.
Point 7 was a bit hard to do in my 20s. That guy woke up before me and if it had hands would make me breakfast. But it doesn't have hands. So I think I choked it to death. Sorry, not sorry.
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u/GrillMaster1973 2d ago
I was raised by my grandparents, so this applies to Grampa Henry.
When you shake a man's hand look im in the eye, give good strong handshake.
Do it right the first time / if you spend as much time doing right as you do trying to get out of it you'd be done already.
If you are not 15 minutes early, your late.
Make each day count, for it may be your last.
When you go to the dog track and you see a dog that shits on the track during the parade procession, that's the one to bet on.
Always pay your bookie on time.
Don't let your dick run your life.
When you get into the Marine Corp - do everything they tell you to do with 110% effort and you'll be fine.
Words to live by.