Some Good News For A Change
Americans are not all evil. Not by a long shot. We’re not all whiny, complacent, societal “victims.” We’re not all ego-driven lib, convinced-they- know-it-alls (oh, golly, did that just describe most of Hollywood, with all due disrespect). We’re not all Socialism-Communism-loving Progressives (incubated and propelled by far too many of the nation’s colleges and universities). We’re not all totally ignorant about the birth of our nation, the significant history in between, the amazing assistance we’ve contributed to the world (defense of freedom, medical breakthroughs, etc.), and the positive impact that the capitalist economic system has had on generations of Americans.
Although you’d never know it from today’s purposely distorted, progressive-snuggle-bunny national media, there are actually normal, caring, unselfish, really good people in this exceptional nation. And lots of them. Most, in fact. Citizens who still embrace (and pass on) America’s traditional core values, like honesty, trustworthiness, respect, spirituality, and sincere love for our country. Men and women who study, work hard, and achieve success, while nurturing the growth of their own goal-oriented off-spring along the way. The vast majority of us, thus, are people who desire to live productive, caring, and giving lives, with an eye toward achieving our realistic goals. And even sometimes, goals and achievements, that with preparation, determination, and perhaps a bit of good fortune, turn-out to be well beyond normal expectations. Two examples.
Simone Biles, a 22-year-old champion gymnast, a gifted, hard-working Black American, was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised by her grandparents. Having won 19 Olympic and World Championship medals, she has become the most medal-winning American gymnast ever. She led the American women’s gymnastics team to the Gold Medal in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Considered by some to be the “greatest gymnast of her generation,” she made still more history this past Friday (8/9/19) at the American women’s gymnastics national championship when she became the first woman in history to even attempt a “double-twisting, double somersault dismount” from the balance beam. She attempted it, and she nailed it!
Said she, awhile back, responding to an interviewer’s question: “It’s amazing to be recognized for all of this success, (but) I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles.” A champion in competition, and in life, our congratulations to Simone, a truly great representation of what exceptionally hard work, determination, and goal setting early on, can actually achieve.
Our second positive success story is about a discovery, and outcome, that’s really hard to believe, unless, that is, you believe in God’s exceptional power for good among us.
Stewart Rembert was a 2-day-old new-born in Tacoma, Washington, when he was stolen from his mother’s hospital room by an unidentified woman. Thankfully, with great police work and, no doubt, some luck, the woman was apprehended later that same day. She had already abandoned the baby, which makes one wonder why she attempted the abduction in the first place. Fortunately, she did tell authorities where she had put the baby…in a dumpster! With that information, and no time to lose, relatively new FBI agent, Troy Sowers, retrieved that baby, luckily still there in that dumpster, and apparently unharmed. The year was 1997.
Moving ahead 22-years. The scene now is Knoxville, Tennessee, where Agent Troy Sowers was in the midst of his retirement celebration. When who came forward, but Stewart Rembert, now fully grown and a United States Marine. This was the first time, in all those years, that these two had met. Said Marine Rembert: “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t find me. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity of life and being able to put on this uniform every day and be proud of what I do.”
FBI Agent Sowers said that he’d always remembered discovering that baby, still wrapped in the hospital’s blanket. It had been 22-years that very month that Stewart Rembert had been rescued and returned to his mother. Said Sowers about the totally unexpected retirement reunion: “I wanted something simple. I asked for coffee and donuts. They shocked me!” But as it turned out, “it’s a fascinating story that somebody I had pulled out of a box (was) now serving his country.” A great story about a well-deserved retirement for a dedicated FBI agent, and the opportunity for him to meet the baby found and rescued, by God’s hand, who had grown up to become a Marine. Both men can be forever grateful and proud.
As we all know, but these days are seldom reminded, there are many, many great people continually doing good things, for their own self-advancement, often for the benefit of others, for their communities, and for the betterment, and for the caring, giving tradition, of our America.
(Simone Biles historic dismount specifics via foxnews.com, Nicole Darrah, 8-11-19; Biles bio via Biography / A+ E Networks, online; Baby rescue specifics via foxnews.com; Robert Gearty, 8-11-19).