In this post, I share the lessons found in the book Life Is So Good, the story of Mr. George Dawson’s long life and his decision at age 98 to learn how to read.

I was browsing the biographies and memoirs aisle at my local Barnes & Noble when I had the good fortune to find Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman. The book, published in 2013, is must reading for those who doubt they have the ability or feel they are too old to do something different or to make a difference. It tells the story of Mr. Dawson’s long life and his decision at age 98 to learn how to read.

A farmer’s son whose grandfather and great-grandfather were both slaves, George was sent at a young age by his father to work in a sawmill to help support his family. “I took on responsibilities to help feed all the little ones that came to our family,” George said. “Reading and school would have been nice, but I had people that needed me. That’s how it was, and I didn’t mind.”¹

Upon turning 21 years old, he traveled throughout North America and worked at a variety of jobs. For a distraction, he turned to baseball. George enjoyed playing the sport, but also learned from it.

“I was always patient. A player could learn a lot just by watching the pitcher,” he said. “A lot of pitchers had patterns. So, if I was wanting a fastball, I would watch and see how often he threw a fastball or if it always followed a curveball, things like that.”²

“That” included learning to relax in order to play better, mixing up the pitches he called as a catcher, and getting the ball over the plate so your fielders could make the plays. George’s education was not in the classroom, but in his working life and traveling the world. Here are a few of the important things he learned and shares in Life Is So Good:

• Remember and honor your ancestors. His grandmother often reminded him that his great-grandfather died for the family to be free.
• Worry is a waste of time. His papa taught him there is no sense worrying about things that might never happen.
• Be thankful. During a drought, his papa prayed, “We could use some rain, and if You was to send it our way, we would be most thankful.” Even when the drought continued and the family had to slaughter the cattle early, George’s uncle taught him something is better than nothing, so be thankful for what you have.
• Don’t look for trouble. His papa warned him that trouble was all around, but that did not mean he had to go searching for it. Best to leave trouble alone, and the best way to do that is to do the right thing.
• Be generous. During his years on the road, George often found himself among the hobos in search of something to eat. “Funny thing was, though,” he remembered, “as poor as they were, they were always generous. If one of them had any food, no one went hungry.”
• Listen and pay attention. George insisted you could learn so much by listening and paying attention to what is being said to you and around you.
• Set a good example. He was always early to work, used his time wisely, and gave a little extra. “Because I did good work, one job always led to another,” he said.
• Take pride in what you do and have confidence in yourself. “I figured if everybody else can learn to read, I could, too. Sure, it was hard, but I been working hard all my life,” he said. “I’m used to it and it don’t scare me none.”³

George’s other life gems include believing it makes you feel good when you help someone; a picture (and a life) is not made from just one color, but is full of everything; sometimes we all have to change; treat everyone with respect; and be happy with what you have and help others rather than worrying.

Mr. Dawson passed away at age 103, pleased he had finally learned how to read and that his story is being used to inspire other people.

REMEMBER…

◊ Mr. Dawson said his one regret in life was losing patience at age 16 and needlessly hurting the family’s mule. That memory stuck with him and he never hit another animal. 

◊ It is not too late to learn something new or do something different.

◊ This blog post is an excerpt from Dave’s upcoming book manuscript, Take This With You…100 Messages to Accompany You on Your Life Journey, that is currently being edited. Visit www.davidajolley.com for additional blog posts, other interesting content, and updates on future book releases and appearances.

1. Dawson, George and Glaubman, Richard, Life Is So Good, ©2013, Random House, NY, NY ↩︎
2.  Dawson, George and Glaubman, Richard, Life Is So Good ↩︎
3.  Dawson, George and Glaubman, Richard, Life Is So Good ↩︎