Stand Tall (page 2 of 2)

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Wise Words

Thanks to the help of a loyal and trusting friend, my grandfather acquired a jewelry booth on Canal Street, at that time the heart of the busy diamond district in New York City. He once told me how nervous he was on that first day of work. He was not only trying to learn this tough new business, but also a new language.

To his surprise, the men in the neighboring booths -- who could have taken advantage of him -- offered their help and advice. Within months, my grandfather was commanding his spot behind the counter, selling diamonds and cultured pearls as if he'd been doing it his whole life.

Stand straight. Stand tall.

In later years, my grandfather would escort both my mother and her sister down the aisle at their weddings. As he stood with each of them beneath the chuppah (the wedding canopy), he thought about their new beginnings, and of the adventures and journeys they would experience together. He also thought about the children who would one day carry on his family name.

I am so proud to be one of those children. Listening to my grandfather's remarkable experiences has changed the way I view my own life.

His advice to me has become much more than a challenge to improve my posture. It tells me to be proud of who I am.

"Stand straight, stand tall," my grandfather told me.

And I do.