Article by Jonah Thomas

HOW TO LEAD A HAPPY LIFE A PROFILE BY JONAH THOMAS

It was 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War, when Mack Orick joined the Navy. The group of newly enlisted personnel was getting ready to leave when it was announced they had 15 seconds to change their mind. Even now, he doesn’t know why, but in these 15 seconds, Mack decided to head back home. He wasn’t scared nor did he suddenly stop supporting the military, in fact, the very next week he went to join the Army instead. This was a huge decision, made in a very short amount of time, but is not one he regrets but instead appreciates making.

Mack Orick, also known as Poppie, is my grandfather. He has had a long life with many great experiences as well as very difficult ones. He has lived a life of loving and serving others and has found happiness in this. I think there are lessons to be learned from his life to help people feel as though they have made an impact by serving those around them.

A major part of his service to others was spent in the military. This is a time of his life he is extremely proud of. When interviewing him, he told me a story back from his basic training. At basic, they were allowed to be sent letters, but no packages of food or candy. However, his wife had sent him a big box of candy so his drill instructor took a piece and ate it in front of him every single day. He became known as ‘Candy Bar’ to his superiors and told me this is what he was referred to as all throughout his training. He also expressed how hard they were on the new recruits, but despite this, you could tell how fond he is of the experience. There was a glint in his eye as he told the story. This was in 1969, just after the peak of the Vietnam war.

In all, 9,087,000 military members served in active duty during this conflict. Many people were drafted, others, like my grandpa, chose to enlist.

Besides the military, he chose to work jobs that would

support his community and country. Before he enlisted, Mack worked for the Highway Department of Tennessee as a surveyor. These individuals help map and design highways that would one day help the community have a more convenient method of transportation. After this, he worked at a government plant in Oak Ridge. While he is not authorized to say exactly what he did there due to government clearances, the Department of Energy says they “purified isotopes, conducted research, built weapons, and created environmental legacies” although this refers to the entire lifespan of the plants, not just the time he was there.

However, his work experience and time in the military is far from the only thing he has done to serve others. Mack’s childhood is self-described as “great”. With 6 siblings, he worked around the house to make it easier for his parents. He forged very strong relationships with his family and to this day is as close as can be with his siblings. He was also raised in Church, which may contribute to his serving tendencies. He was taught to love all people and do what he can to help them in whatever circumstance they find themselves in and he does just this every day of his life.

Christianity is actually what helps him get through some of his most difficult moments.

Mack’s hardest moment was the passing of his wife. To get through this, he put faith in his beliefs and listened to the song “If You Could See Me Now”. One of the more impactful lines of the song is “If you could see me now, you’d know the

pain’s erased, you wouldn’t want me to ever leave this place”. He has strong faith in his religion and has adopted these beliefs in his daily life. He chooses to love everyone and help them out when he can.

When asked what advice he would give his younger self, he emphasized the importance of religion in his life by saying “Just continue what I’ve been doing. Going to Church and helping other people”.

Although Mack has found happiness in serving others, this is just one case, why would this apply to anyone else? According to Garret Gunderson, “You’re literally hardwired to help and serve others”. There is scientific evidence that serving others stimulates the same part of your brain as essential things such as eating food.

We are made social beings and in order to find a purpose, many find success in giving back and helping those around them whether this be in a job setting, the military, or just family life in general as Mack has. Therefore, I believe that having the opportunity to look back on a life filled with examples of service is an amazing opportunity for someone who has not yet found a source of personal fulfillment.

As Mack has gotten older, his goals and purpose have been shaped very clearly around family.

When asked what he wanted for his future, he responded “My future is just watching them(his grandchildren) grow and do good… I’m 79 years old so I’m just wanting my grandkids to do good and have a great life”. He is such a supportive and loving character and truly wants the best for those around him. Starting from his childhood to all the way to his older age, he continues to prioritize serving those around him.

I look up to Mack very much and am so blessed to have such a caring role model in my life. To learn how to serve others to the extent that he has is a privilege and I hope one day that I might myself with a similar focus. After all, Mack said it best himself: “I love people, I love to talk to people. I just love people!”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonah Thomas is a part of the class of 2022 at Mountain View High School and an Animation student at Freestyle Academy. He grew up with a passion for music, first starting to learn guitar at six years old. After living abroad for 5 years, Jonah loves to travel and finds inspiration in different cultures around the world. He uses this to create work he is proud of and to connect to his peers on an international scale.