I was going to make a post to this blog about my favorite holiday Movie "It's a Wonderful Life" then I went to a memorial service for my friend Tedford Lewis. I only had the pleasure of knowing Tedford for only a few short years, but in that short time he showed me a man that quite successful. He was man that lived up to convictions.
During World War II Tedford took an unpopular stance and became conscientious objector. When given the chance to prove that conscientious objectors were not cowards, Tedford, literally, jumped at the chance. He spend his time during the war putting his flesh on the line as a smokejumper, saving lives and property in Montana.

After the war, he taught school at the American University in Beirut for two years. After his travels through the middle-east, he returned to Webster Grove, Missouri.

Tedford started to run his construction business. And throughout his years, he never forgot his commitment to peace. During his life, while raising a family, he ran several Anti-war organizations along with Margaret, his wife, like: "The American Friends Service Committee, War Resisters League And the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
I met Tedford when I started to attend Worships at the local Quaker meeting house. I sat on several committees with Tedford like "The Peace Committee" and he was a force of nature. He never wavered in his commitment to the pursuit of peace.
What impress me more about Tedford than his accomplishments in his life, was how kind a man he truly was. He wouldn't tell you about the many people he helped in his life. The people in his life tell you how he had helped them. He would occasionally tell me how he wanted to maintain a feeling of intimacy with the people he worshiped with. Tedford would hold bar-b-que at his home in Webster Grove and Christmas sing-a-longs. Tedford would be first to greet people with a smile or a hug.
A few month ago I had a heart attack and as soon as I was able Tedford made sure that I started to exercise . He met me at the "YMCA" and exercise alongside me on the stationary bicycles. At the age of 88 he was helping much a younger man fight his way back to health.

This year as I watch my favorite holiday movie "It's a Wonderful Life" and wished I lived in "Bedford Falls" and had a friend like "George Bailey" I can say, I did. As I remember my friend Tedford, I realize, I have a choice in my life to pursue a life helping people, building a Bedford Falls or spend my life in selfish pursuits and end up building a "Pottersville". The choice is easy. The doing is the hard part.
To all of us that sometimes feel we haven't enough success in our lives, "Remember no man is a failure who has friends".