Guest Editorial: Men of quality

“Men Wanted for Dangerous Expedition: Low Wages for Long Hours of Arduous Labor under Brutal Conditions; Months of Continual Darkness and Extreme Cold; Great Risk to Life and Limb from Disease, Accidents and Other Hazards; Small Chance of Fame in Case of Success.”

- Ernest Shackleton

The above quote was from an advertisement that Shackleton placed in the newspaper to recruit men of quality to his trans-antarctic expedition in 1914. It might just as well be a description issued just before one enters life.

During my life I have been extremely blessed to know men of quality. I believe if you have the honor of knowing one man of quality at any time in your life, you will be doing well. Believe me, they’re not common.

What exactly are men of quality you may ask? Well, sometimes quality is in the eye of the beholder, but usually it involves character traits that we all can recognize as traits of quality. Here’s a short list, if you’re curious; humility, contentment, dependability, grit, determination, diligence, patience, honesty, courage, compassion, kindness, gratitude, endurance, respect, long suffering and hope.

If you find yourself saying, “Who in the world carries traits like these besides characters in fantasy movies?” Well, I have known a few. My grandfather was the first, he used to take me with him when he went to lunch a time or two a week. We would look around town for homeless men, help them up and ask them if they would permit us to buy them lunch at a local eatery. The second was a man named Curt, who has given so much of himself and his time to help others, mostly young somewhat misguided men in whatever they were going through. Then there was George, and Bradley, and John. Today, only two of these men of quality are still with us, and the other day I found myself asking where have the men of quality gone, and who will take their place?

Recently I left my oldest son at the Missoula airport. He was leaving on a plane to embark on his life’s journey. He is going into the United States Coast Guard. He also spent a lot of time with the previously mentioned men of quality, as well as a few he found along the way. That time spent with those men, as I spent with my grandfather, does something to a young man. It wakes something up deep within.

Over the past 10 years our son has seen people of quality making a difference in the world they live in; in too many ways for me to remember. And when he had a chance he took part in that service.

You see, people need purpose in their lives. Something or someone to fight for, something to learn and teach, people to take care of. It’s a need we all have hard-wired in us, and it’s not there for ourselves, it’s there to share or to give away. If you don’t have it, you can feel lost, empty or even hopeless. I realized the day before Malakhi left for boot camp that he will replace one of those men of quality. He will take up the challenge, he has become a man of quality.

And for the rest of us? We should always be looking around for a purpose, a purpose that we have been given, that only we can fill. This is what gives life quality, gives us adventure, gives us something to live for. And through the rough spots, well I’ll give you the same advice I gave my son when he left for boot camp. It’s another quote by a great man; this one by John Wayne, “When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man Upstairs' and the word H-O-P-E. Hang onto both and 'tough it out.'”

Here’s to all the men and women of quality out there, making life better, for those in their midst.

Jason Valler