The eldest living person born in Minnesota is Walter Breuning. Mr. Breuning, at 112 years old, is also the eldest living man in the United States. (As a side-note: in 1913, at the age of 17, he was working for the Great Northern Railroad where he had to hide from the company's owner, James J. Hill, who didn't want any railroad employees under the age of 18.) He currently resides in Great Falls, MT.
We are all extremely honored and excited that Mr. Breuning has agreed to provide his wish for the Wishes for the Sky 2009 opening ceremony!
Here are some thoughts from Mr. Breuning from a recent PBS interview:
"That's the trouble, that a lot of people,
they forgot who they are.
You gotta be sure to like yourself.
Everybody should like each other.
Like yourself; that's life I think
all the way through.
"All in all this is a beautiful world,
and good for the people that's in it.
You know, life is a school.
Everybody learns from life what's going on.
And if they pay attention to everything that people do,
especially helping people, that's one big thing.
"A lot of people think they're born for themselves.
I don't think that.
I believe that we're here to help other people
all the way through."
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Mr. Breuning is quite right; there is no point to this life unless we devote ourselves to helping others--trying to lighten their loads a bit. When we reach out to help, we lighten our own burden and make our own life more liveable.
ReplyDeleteIf one lives only for their own gain, you will find one day that you have nothing. But if you give to others you will find one day that you are remembered in hearts everywhere, and that your own heart is filled with smiles and 'thank you's'.