Stand tall. Think tall. Be tall.

Dad was zealous about making sure we learned and passed on some basic life lessons.  We could put together a whole list of sayings and teachings that he repeated for our benefit.

One stands out above the rest because he told me he learned it from his mother.  She would often repeat it to him as he left for school ... which if you consider that many of these moments were shared mother to son at her bedside, since she was mostly bedridden for the last years of her life leaves an even deeper impression.  He said he thought it was passed down from her father and grandfather ... from Norway.  He said it served him well in life.

Stand tall.  Think tall.  Be tall.

When Soren, my son, was traveling with me to a meeting to be held for young men and women interested in a military appointment, a meeting with senators and military personnel, he called his grandpa to tell him what he was doing.  Soren asked his grandpa if he had any advice for him.  Grandpa said "Stand tall."  And Soren immediately followed with "Think tall. Be tall."  Grandpa said he beamed.