Story by Art Puotinen
I’m heading off to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. I’m going to get on the train and it’s the furthest I’ve ever been away from home for an extended period of time. I turn to my dad and I say, “Now Dad, why did you and Mom raise me the way that you did?” And he didn’t give me a word or two. but he told me a story: “Well remember Grandpa, once upon a time, bought two plow horses and they were pretty unruly to begin with. And he had to work a lot with them to do a straight furrow. But after a while, when they got to know what to do, he could just let the reins hang loose.” And, so, I’ve thought about that over the years and that they gave me a lot of instruction and encouragement. They trained me how to go straight. But they never forced me and they let the reins hang loose.
Story coming soon.