Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M. June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 |
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017), including his wife Jody (1938-2021).
"Enjoy the little things in life,
for one day you will look back and realize
they were the big things." Robert Brault
Clichés, adages, and the like, come to mind today. As we get older, they all seem to be true. The thinkers of past generations wanted us to know these truths. They wrote them down in short quips so they would stick in our minds.
From all the items in Pete and Jody's house, the most profound is a little pencil. It overshadows everything else. If you knew Jody, you know what I mean. From her flowery smock pocket, she would pull a little pencil (never a full-sized pencil, always a little stub-of-a-pencil). Finding a piece of scrap paper, she would write an important thought, a phone number, or the name of a book she wanted to read. Many times while working on Milliron, Jody and I would be traveling, and I would be pencil-less. I could always count on Jody to write down something important.
Consider the pencil. A small piece of graphite housed in a wood casing. A little item that can create incredibly important words and images. A little thing that can have big results. And maybe Robert Brault, the author of the above quote, wasn't referring to a tiny pencil. Maybe he was referring to intangibles, such as self-confidence, acts of kindness, or other attributes. He probably used a tiny pencil to write it down, which makes the pencil just as important as the thought.
People don't use pencils as much as Jody's generation, but there's something about a pencil that is appealing. Maybe it's because we're reminded that pencils can work hard, allow us to fix mistakes, and we can try again.
When I hold Jody's pencil, I remember the influence she had on my life, and I am reminded that a little pencil can take you anywhere you want to go. It's the little things that make life complete.
"Success is a worn down pencil." Robert Rauschenberg
Connect with Gina...
Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.
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