Open Wounds. Honorable Warriors. Joe Lunievcz.

Some days I look around at the world and I wonder where the honorable people are. You know, the ones that when you were in school your teacher would point to as role model types.
I remember memorizing Trenchant Insight Quotes from heroes and heroines like Eleanor Roosevelt.
I have a hard time finding famous role models for kids.
You can't even count on the dead presidents anymore. A lot of presidents have a lot of details in their lives that are better kept in soft focus.
George Washington's wooden teeth scared me witless when I was little.
Gandhi, Harriet Tubman, people like that are good. But even Gandhi had some habits the kids think are seriously weird. I get it.
It's hard to have heroic people who can hold up to the scrutiny that The Google provides.
You have your fictional role models.
Atticus Finch!
And then I encountered a veritable host of wonderful writers who also happen to be wonderful people.
This brings me to Open Wounds by Joe Lunievicz.
People. If you are an avid fan of language and story and The Human Journey with all of its darkness and light you need to read this book.
And if you love New York, you will fall in love all over again.
If you don't know anything about New York, you have a major-league crush coming your way.
Life, fencing, New York, honor, growing up. A man named Lefty.
I would quote from the book, but one of my students has it checked out right now.
This is a good thing.
As for Joe Lunievicz, I defy you to read these FAQ's and not think,"Holy tomato. This is a hero."
I don't cry. This is a character flaw. But I well up when I read about Joe Lunievicz, mostly because I am grateful for people like him and his art and his work.
I haven't met Joe Lunievicz face to face.
I hope I get a chance to shake his hand and buy him a good dram of whisky someday.
Based on what I know about Joe, he would be completely embarrassed by this post.
Joe, I am not trying to embarrass you.
People with open wounds--and that is most of the population--need to know that true lights exist and that living with wounds honorably and well is possible.
And we all need as many true lights in our lives as possible.
Joe Lunievicz is a true light.