Twenty-six of the greatest lessons I was ever taught.

This is a chapter from The ABCs of Dan M. Wilson.

One of the true joys of growing up and being out on your own is that you are ultimately the master of how you spend your time. Most everyone works but it’s how you spend your spare time that gives each person a chance to develop their character…or not. Grandpa Dan decided in his youth that he was going to follow in the footsteps of his father and devote a great portion of his time in his adult years giving back to his community.

I remember asking him during one of his elections for the City Council why he enjoyed it so much.

“Serving in office is one of the best ways to help bring about good things for others.”

That line right there accentuated Grandpa Dan’s selflessness and dedication to his fellow man.

You know how there are certain people that seem predestined to fill a certain role? Grandpa Dan was born to serve others and bring about positive change. He was intelligent, charismatic, charming, fair, confident, and had a voice that could make the reading of the ingredients of a cereal box sound interesting.

Throughout his life he constantly served or was volunteering his time for his country or his community. During the Korean War he served in the United States Navy. For the better part of three decades he devoted himself to the City of Excelsior Springs. He was instrumental in getting a hospital built there so that patients would not have to drive to another city for proper medical care, an endeavor that won him Citizen of the Year in 1976. He served as the City Clerk, was elected to numerous terms as City Councilman, and even served as Mayor. He chaired the Clay County Democratic Committee. He was active in the Optimist Club, serving as its president. The list goes on and on.

Serving in office is one of the best ways to help bring about good things for others.

Serving in office is not the only way you can give back. Volunteerism was, as you can see, a very important aspect of Grandpa’s life. He and Grandma Pat also donated to a number of charities and organizations, be it their time or money.

They both truly felt that they owed something back to the world for the things that most of us taken for granted these days.

Try to give back something each and every day if you can. Even the smallest of good deeds can go a long way.