On the Shoulders of Giants

I love to watch the History Channel. I've thought a lot about history in the last week or so. As a citizen of the United States and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I see a lot of memorable occasions at this time of the year. Last Monday we celebrated Memorial Day, remembering those who have given their lives in the service of this country. On Sunday we commemorated the anniversary of D-Day, the battle that marked the beginning of the end of World War Two in Europe. Last Saturday night we lost Ronald Reagan, a man who was instrumental in ending the Cold War. June 27th marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church. In about a month we'll celebrate Independence Day in the U.S. About three weeks after that, we'll celebrate the entrance of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley.

I spent some time yesterday thinking about how much I owe to those who have gone before me. Sir Isaac Newton once said, "If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants." Those who have read about Newton may find it hard to imagine him ever being so humble; nevertheless, his point is well taken. I believe we all stand on the shoulders of giants. Here are some of the giants on whose shoulders I see myself standing.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth. As a Christian, His teachings form the basis of my spirituality, my faith, and my code of conduct. I look to Him for strength in times of trial and for relief in the trials of life. I am grateful for His example and His sacrifice.

My family. I haven't always had the best relationship with members of my family. My father and I butted heads many, many times as I was growing up, and until recently, I was never very close to my brother Aaron. But even when things were rocky, I have always been able to count on my family to help me when I'm down. Thank you so much. I love you.

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and the other ‘Founding Fathers' of the United States of America. I feel extremely blessed to live in America. I know it's not perfect; I admit that both its leaders and its citizens make their share of mistakes. We sometimes get caught up in trivialities that shame us in the eyes of the rest of the world. But for all its imperfections, there are opportunities and freedoms in this country that are the envy of the rest of the world. I give thanks for those who took the lead in breaking our ties with England and establishing an experiment in democracy unparalleled in recent history. These brave men (and women) often risked everything on this experiment - their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, in their words. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifices.

Members of our Armed Services. Millions of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines throughout our history have given up the best years of their lives to help keep this country free. Some of them have given their very lives in the defense of this country and in the service of the people of other nations. And while familiar names like Pat Tillman will occasionally show up in the news, most of these people are unknown outside of their own hometowns. This does not diminish their sacrifice in the least. Freedom is never free; I'm glad these people were and are willing to pay the price for us.

Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and the Mormon pioneers. Joseph Smith lived with ridicule and harassment for most of his short life because he was unwilling to recant his religious beliefs. He was killed by a mob at the age of thirty-eight - only two years older than I am right now. His followers fared little better; the Church was driven out of five different states between 1830 and 1845. In 1847, Brigham Young led a group of refugees over the plains of Nebraska and Wyoming into the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Many more would follow over the next two decades until coming of the railroad. Over six thousand of these pioneers - about one in eleven - died along the way. I have ancestors who made the trek. I can't imagine having to do it myself.

My mother and my grandmother, who introduced me to the Church at a time in my life when I really needed it. They showed me the way to something that became a foundation for the rest of my life. I can't imagine where I'd be had they not recognized my needs and done something about it.

My three oldest, truest friends. Lawrence Willis found me as a confused, unhappy, antisocial college freshman and helped me to open up to the world again. He refused to let me hide from my problems. Curtis Gibson has shared good times, bad times, and weird times with me, and has always been there to talk to. Plus, he introduced me to Rush and the Rocket Scientists. And of course Derek Sweet and I have been friends for almost a quarter of a century. I think it's safe to say we've seen it all together. Thank you so much, gentlemen. You've all made a huge difference in my life.

The families of the Greeley 3rd Ward. When I joined the LDS Church in 1982, there were several families in the that ward that helped me to make the adjustment to life as a Mormon. The Cooks, the Despains, the Golightlys, the Jameses, and many other families took me in and made a part of their own families. They showed me love and kindness at a critical juncture in my life.

Lanae. A good friend of mine at BYU, Lanae left her studies to serve as a missionary in Guatemala. She wrote to me regularly and shared her experiences with me. Through these letters, she inspired me to serve a mission myself. As a missionary in West Virginia, I learned things about myself, about my faith, about humanity, and about life that I could not have learned any other way. Those two years have had an incalculable impact on my life since then. Thank you, my friend.

Johann Gutenberg. Where would I be without all my books?

The scientists of history. We owe many of the comforts, conveniences, and even essentials of life to those who dared to try to see behind the curtain. Galileo, Newton, Leibnitz, Mendel, the Curies, Planck, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Einstein, Hawking, Watson and Crick, Sagan...the list goes on. So much of what we accept as commonplace would be impossible without the discoveries of these explorers.

Randall Hess. One of my high school math teachers, as well as my cross country coach. He taught me that it didn't matter if I wasn't as fast at everyone else as long as I was faster than I had been the week before. He taught me to focus on improvement and effort over results. He taught me never to give up. He also helped ignite a hunger for learning that, although it has occasionally lain dormant, has always been there. He was not only a great teacher but a good and kind human being. I hope you're enjoying your retirement, Mr. Hess. You've certainly earned it

Gwen Schulz. One of my high school English teachers, Ms. Schulz was one of the most feared teachers in my school. Her operating motto seemed to be, "To err is human; to forgive is out of the question." She never let any of us get away with anything less than our best work. Any skill I may have as a writer I owe in large part to her.

Ludwig van Beethoven. I love many types of music, but I can always count on Beethoven for beauty and passion and power and peace. Beethoven is my refuge, musically speaking.

I'm sure there are many others that I'm forgetting. I could probably spend weeks on a list like this and never remember everyone who has helped to bring me to where I am now. But these are a few of the more important, more memorable ones. I am grateful that I have these shoulders to stand on.