101 and 1/4 Years

I have a little boy who is obsessed with WWII war planes.

Most specifically the B-17 Bomber that his

Great Grandfather flew 52 missions in and came home alive.

So when I heard that some of the WWII planes were coming to a little local airport,

I knew we had to go.

 



The roar of the planes coming in was awesome and getting to crawl around inside them was even more awesome!
 

But then this happened.
 

A woman pushed a man in a wheelchair over to one of the planes and I overheard her say, "I'm so upset that I didn't bring my camera."

I walked over to her and offered to take some pictures for her and e-mail them to her.

"I don't have e-mail."

"I can text them to you, do you have testing on your phone?"

"Yes," she said, although she didn't have a phone with her!

It was a moment not to miss because she was there with her 101 and 1/4 years old husband!  He dispatched these planes from their manufacturing plant in Michigan during the war. 

John McClellen, nick name "Mac."

I ran and got my little Mack out of the B-17 and told him he must meet this very special man,

 a once in a life time experience.

 

We sat and talked and listened to this incredible man for quite some time.

We heard all about life stateside during the war.

We heard about the precise inspection of the planes that left the US for Europe. 

We heard about his amazing 100th birthday party and letters from Presidents.

We even heard about his experience carrying the Olympic torch in Utah!

101 years old, and a quarter! 

Pretty incredible. 

Then he took the hand of his young bride and said,

"these, right now, are the best years of my life," and he kissed her hand.

That really hit me.

Of all the years he's lived and all the incredible things he had accomplished,

this moment, right now, was his highlight.

I think that is the secret to his long and happy life.

His present moment is his best.

Be present in this moment and make it the best moment of your life!