Vol. 28, No. 4 #2 (August 2005). FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

• Author: By Mary B. Guthrie

Wyoming Bar Journal

2005.

Vol. 28, No. 4 #2 (August 2005).

FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

WYOMING LAWYERAugust 2005/Vol. XXVIII, No. 4FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR . . .By Mary B. Guthrie

Originally, I was going to focus on a topic directly related to the operation of the Bar office. However, several events occurred on July 7th that made me decide to start anew and write a column on courage. The first defining event of July 7th was the terrible bombing in London. While the initial reactions to the tragedy were fear and horror, Londoners quickly regained the strength and calm for which they are known and moved on with their lives. Many Brits showed true grit by boarding subways and buses on July 8th as if nothing had happened. One Brit described this strength by commenting, "We are a plucky lot."

The second July 7th experience came from reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about Andy McCaffey, an Army Staff Sergeant who lost an arm to a hand grenade in Afghanistan in 2003. McCaffey could have retired from the military with a comfortable pension; instead, he decided to stay in the Army and hopes to return to combat duty. In pursuit of this ambitious goal, he has learned to shoot, do pull-ups and push-ups and parachute with a prosthetic device. Sometimes he exercised with such intensity that he reopened the wounds on his stump. McCaffey described his efforts to overcome the loss of his arm and his commanders' deep doubts about his abilities as a "lonely crusade." In July, Andy was reunited with his unit in Afghanistan, where he was assigned to a support, rather than combat, position. He succinctly summed up his perseverance by observing, "I just want an opportunity to fail."

The final July 7th experience was more personal, for I learned that Gerald Mason had died. Gerald was very influential in the legal profession and his community. Many people have great memories of his brilliance as a lawyer and a leader of the Wyoming State Bar.

One of my lasting impressions of Gerald has nothing to do with his being a lawyer. I will always recall the valor with which he faced his death. His courage and faith in God sustained him during a difficult time. It is my understanding that he was able to tell many people good-bye in a meaningful manner. After I learned of his illness, I wrote him a short note...