Stay Away From Controversy—and Other Life Lessons From a 102-Year-Old WW2 Veteran
18 Jan 2025 #miscWe all want to know what we know now but ten years ago.
That’s how this Reddit AMA felt when I read it. Len, a 102-year-old WW2 veteran, sat with his grandson to answer questions about history, WW2, and life in general. His grandson, who did the writing part, wanted to hear more of Grandpa’s stories.
These are my favorite answers and quotes.
“War Is Never Necessary. There Is No Such Thing as a Justified War”
Len served with the Canadian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands in 1939. Nazis were trying to reach Copenhagen.
After many years, Len has overcome traumas thanks to his wife and family’s support. But there are memories he can’t erase and, even to this day, he has bad dreams about it. He still remembers his service number – Eight-one-two-four-zero, by the way – and the D-Day is still vivid in his mind. He can’t even watch the landing scene from Saving Private Ryan.
[About D-Day] I just thought “I have a job to do”. Analyze the situation and react. If you stop, dig a hole. You don’t say “I think this is ok” you dig down deeper. Don’t go hunting for souvenirs in a minefield.
Someone in the comments shared the story of her young grandmother during those war times. She and her class learned and sang the Canadian national anthem to the soldiers. She even refused to wear a green hair ribbon to school because the Canadian flag was red.
“We had no idea that the Holocaust was happening. We saw three emaciated people walking in striped pajamas with big smiles on their faces. They had been liberated. That was the first time I learned about the atrocities that had been committed. In some of the media portrayals, this isn’t the case.”
“War should NOT happen. Surely there is a lesson. Don’t let it happen again.”
“Don’t Drink, Don’t Smoke, and Common Sense”
That was what Len answered when someone asked about what to do to live to such an amazing age.
His secret for a good life? “Non-smoker, non-drinker, and not necessarily following all the trends. Do your own thing.”
The higher we climb the mountain of life, the more perspective and the better view we have. From Len’s 102-year-old perspective:
A perfect day? “Waking up and being alive… A nice visit. A nice conversation with someone. And some tea.”
To enjoy each day to the fullest? “Surround yourself with people that you love. Take a minute to step back and see all the beauty around you.”
“People have forgotten the value of life. People focus too much on possessions and not the people and beauty that surrounds them.”
“During the Depression There Was NO Money”
Len has witnessed the adoption of cars, computers, and cell phones, but more shocking: he lived through the Great Depression.
Apart from pictures and history textbooks, we have no idea of an economic event of such proportions. Just last week (the first week of August 2024, if you’re reading this from the future), the US Stock Market fell between 10% and 20% and we called it “Black Monday” and were afraid of another recession. But here’s what Len shared when he was asked about the Great Depression:
“There’s no way of comparing that. During the Depression, there was NO money. I knew a man who hauled wood by horse to the school. A day’s work got you one dollar. We were okay, we had lots of vegetables and chickens. No use selling a cow because you would only get a dollar so you kept it for meat and milk. There is no comparison.”
Are You Scared To Die? –”No. It Happens to Everyone”
“If I could give myself advice I would say stay away from controversy. If something works stick with it.”
When asked what young people today should understand: “The value of life. Don’t louse it up.”
“T.V. is a pain in the neck. Interesting. Informative. Unnecessary.” Oh boy! I wished he had answered when and how he learned this one.
“Important: integrity and honesty. Unimportant: Money”
When asked about fearing death: “Not a bit. Lived a good life, what else do you want. No. Nothing wrong with dying.”
A 40-something asked about what waking up at 102 looks like: “Everything hurts, but I am not suffering.”
“Take care of your body. You only get one.” “Don’t smoke.”
This AMA was full of wisdom. But my favorite answer is when someone asked Len what he wanted to do when he grew up: “Happy.”
I can only imagine how fulfilled he has lived all these years to say at 102 he’s not afraid of death. What a wonderful life!