Thank you very much for your kind words!

I used to tell both of my sons that while you learn from your mistakes, it's best to learn from other peoples' mistakes: Look at those around you, note what they're doing wrong, what bad choices they've made, and then do the opposite. I was especially adamant with them about drugs and tobacco. I told them bluntly, and often, that while I expected them to make mistakes as teens, smoking or doing drugs would not be among them. We butted heads at times, but we never had any serious issues.

(In my younger son's case, I added an extra incentive. He has been shooting since he was old enough to hold a firearm, and for Christmas in 2001, when he was 15, I gave him a beautiful stainless Colt Commander that Wayne Novak had massaged. I explained to him that while it was his Colt, he couldn't take legal possession of it until his 21st birthday, and if he screwed up during his late teens, and ran afoul of the law, he would not be able to own it. He shot that Colt frequently over the years, and when he turned 21, we transferred legal ownership to him.)

Last May, my son sent me a Father's Day card that I will treasure the rest of my life. In it, he thanked me for keeping him "on the straight and narrow", and wrote that "I can say with certainty that I would not be where I am today without you...thank you for guiding me through my life."

Both of my sons are happy and successful at what they do, and it is indeed very gratifying to me to see that. :-)