Leickly Law

Natasha graduates.

Our 18 year old daughter Natasha graduated from Columbus Academy on 6/12.  Marty Nesbitt, one of Pres Obama’s best friends and a Columbus Academy graduate of 1981, spoke at the commencement.  He reminded the grads that all the basics for success are in them now – they are well prepared.  It was a fantastic speech – no politics, just life and what he has found to be so important in his walk.  Tash’s grad party was later that day.  She combined it with buddy Audrey Young at Audrey’s house.  Grandma and Uncle Dan were in for the ceremony and party.  Uncle Don and Aunt Penny Hill were at the party as were Tash’s cousins Brent and Shelly Edwards and their boys.  Tash starts summer class at the University of Louisville on 7/8.  She will play field hockey there.

Miranda & Ben in Egypt.

Ben’s first year of med school is over and Miranda has graduated from Radford with her master’s in education.  They are now in Eygpt, seeing the Sphinx and pyramids at Giza and then taking a cruise down the Nile.  They left their dog, Mahalo, with us.  The dog is a sweetheart, but hates me for some reason.  I thought we had reason an “understanding” during the dog’s first day with me, but since then things have deteriorated. 

Clarissa has been having a great fastpitch season.

Clarissa (“C”) has been batting just south of .500 and has hit 3 homers and 2 triples for the Columbus Dragons U-16 fastpitch softball team.  She has done a great job at catcher too:  being “The Wall”; throwing out runners; and making some great tags at the plate.  The team finished runnersup in both the Grove City and Whitehall tournaments and play in the Ohio Classics tournament this weekend.

Hal’s visit.

My old buddy from Rhodes High School, Pastor Hal Santos, came for a day in early May.  We went to Ohio State’s football facility and met with his friend, Buckeye offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, and had a wonderful time.  Hal and Pam’s daughter Jaime gave birth just last week.  Hal and Pam and now grandparents. 

Tash off to Virginia Beach for the National Futures Tournament. 

Tash, Deb and Grandma head to Virginia Beach tomorrow morning for the u-19 National Futures Tournament in field hockey.  She earned her way there by playing well at the regional tryout in Pittsburgh 2 weeks ago.  C was chosen as an alternate in u-16.

Lacrosse season.

Tash (a senior) and C (a freshman) finished their lacrosse season 3 weeks ago with both starting as D-wing for the Columbus Academy Vikings.  The team finished by getting to the semifinals of the state tournament in Mason, OH before losing to Hathaway Brown.  Tash was named the team’s most valuable defensive player, 2^nd team all-district and state all-academic. 

Office move.

As of 6/1/09 I’ve been at my new office in downtown Columbus at:

145 E. Rich St, 2^nd Floor

Columbus, OH 43215. 

My officemates, Gene Butler, Jim Connors and John Winkler have all come over as well.  We are all sole practitioners and share only our office space, our love for the law and an uncanny sense of humor.

Heading to Los Angeles for Unisone shareholder meeting.

I’ll be heading to LA on 7/1 for the annual Unisone shareholder meeting at the Calabasas Country Club the next day.  I’m secretary and general counsel for the company.

Miranda graduates, Ben is back from Honduras

Grandma and I traveled to Blacksburg, VA last weekend to see Miranda and attend her hooding and commencement at Radford University.  She received her Masters of Education.  It was a fantastic trip and we’re really proud of Miranda.  Miranda’s husband, Ben, has returned safe and sound from at trip of first year Virginia Tech medical students to Honduras.

Clarissa scores winning goal

Starting at D-wing, our freshman Clarissa (“Sistuh C”) has been having a great lacrosse season for the Columbus Academy Vikings.  She scored the winning goal in the 6-5 victory last Saturday over Cincinnati Mariemount, the No. 2 seed in the upcoming tournament.  My wife Debbie and I split duties over the weekend with me going to Virginia and Debbie covering the lacrosse games with Tash and C.  The first tournament game is this Thursday at 5 p.m. at home against Bishop Hartley.

Tash has senior day

Natasha was honored at senior day yesterday as the lacrosse team defeated Wellington.  Nine seniors will leave the Vikings – all great leaders and great kids and players.

Hal coming Thursday

My old buddy from Rhodes High School, Pastor Hal Santos, is visiting Thursday-Saturday.  Hal and I are classmates and wrestling team teammates of Drew Carey (see web page).  We’ll be meeting with Ohio State assistant football coach Jim Bollman at noon Friday.  Jim is a friend of Hal from when Hal did a chapel for the Chicago Bears when Jim was coaching there.

Office moving by end of month

I’m moving my downtown law office by May 31^st from the present location at

Tash plays the Fiddler

We attended Columbus Academy’s production of Fiddler on the Roof over the weekend.  Our daughter, Natasha, a senior at CA, was the fiddler – wearing a beard and standing up there on the roof and playing and symbolizing the traditions of the Jewish people of the little town of Anatevka.  It was  phenomenal experience.  The senior who played the main character, Tevye, (Alex Johnson) was born to play that role.  Lenora (Grandma) and Uncle Dan came for the Saturday performance.  There’s a new photo in the Natasha section of the web site of her and Alex in costume. Grandma said that Natasha’s great grandfather Henry Leickly, a musician who had a music store on the near west side of Cleveland would have been so proud as would Tash’s grandpa (my Dad) Ed.  Henry was a fantastic violinist.  I remember Ed taking us to see Fiddler at the Colony theatre in Shaker Heights, Ohio in the early 1970s.  We all fell in love it then so it was special to see Tashi performing in it.  (It was when grandpa Henry was a patient at Lutheran Medical Center in Cleveland during his final illness in late 1969 that my Dad met Lenora, who was an RN at the hospital.)

Miranda to be hooded

Lenora and I will be going to Miranda’s hooding at Radford University in Virginia this Friday.  Miranda will be getting her Master’s in Education.  She has an opportunity to accept a paid assistant’s position with the Radford field hockey team.  She’ll have to make up her mind soon.  Miranda’s husband, Ben, is in Honduras with other 1^st year med students a VCOM (Virginia Institute of Osteopathic Medicine) for 1 week helping poverty stricken people receive medical care.  He returns to Blacksburg Sunday.  We’re praying for their work and their safety. 

Tash’s Commencement and grad party 6/12

Tash’s commencement is June 12^th.  She and her friend Audrey Young will have their parties together later that day at the Youngs’ home in Gahanna. 

Lacrosse going well

The Academy Lacrosse team has won five straight (6-3 overall) and travel to defending state champ New Albany Tuesday (5/5).  Tash, one of the captains, plays both ends of the field so she does a lot of running.  Clarissa, as a freshman, is a starter and plays D-wing.  It’s a lot of defense, but she’s scored 2 goals and had some assists. 

Pastor Hal to visit

Hal Santos, my high school football and wrestling buddy, who is a pastor in the greater St. Louis area of Illinois, is coming to visit on May 15.  Can’t wait to see him.  There are some photos of Hal on the website.

Finding my old football coach

I received this email from a ’67 graduate of my old high school.  I don’t know Wayne, but the email was a blessing.  What follows is his email and my reply giving homage to my old high school football coach, Tom Ehlert.

From: Wayne (dated 3/21/09):

Dear Mr. Leickly,

My Name is Wayne Klein and I am a 1967 graduate of Rhodes High School. 

I was a mechanical drawing student in Tommy Ehlert’s class at Rhodes in ’66 and ’67.  I think of him now and then with great fondness, and was searching the web to find a trace of him so I might thank him and tell him that he made an impression on my life. I’d like to tell him how much I enjoyed his class and him.  

I ran across your blog and read your story about how he turned around a dejected football team and made them into winners. 

That’s the thing about Tom, he helped make winners. 

I wonder if you might be able to locate or find his E-Mail address or physical address, so I might be able to drop him a line. 

Thanks in advance, 

Wayne Klein

From Jim Leickly to Wayne (Dated 3/22/09):

Wayne: 
 
Thanks for the email.  I'd like to find him too.  I keep in touch with Ret'd Lt. Col. John Jannazo and Pastor Hal Santos (each were class of 75) on a regular basis and Dale Gracon ('76) and Cleveland Fire Capt Tim Holzman ('75) as well and those guys all keep in touch with others that I don't.  We're all ex-football players for Coach Ehlert.  What I'll do is forward this to them and maybe we can get an email APB out on Mr. Ehlert.  I thought I heard that he might be in FL.  He put a lot of tremendous ideas in our heads.  Only the passing of the years have fully revealed what treasures they were.   I thought of him as a fiery coach grabbing my face mask and screaming, "LEICKLY, you Candy Ass! You gotta block somebody!", but he really did talk a lot about life and the fundamental values that made it worthwhile.  The only one that I still haven't figured out is his adversion to cake.  He used to call us, "Cake-eaters", when he was displeased. At film sessions, when he'd see one of his Rhodes Rams passing up a chance to make a big, bone-crushing hit, he'd mutter something about cake and then his patented: "Ahhh... the nice guys from Rhodes." In football, "nice guys" is  pejorative term.

In my senior season in October of '74.  We had a game against heavily favored Lincoln-West (a team that had just beaten eventual city champ Ignatius and was sitting, at the time, a top the West Senate standings) at West Tech field.  My little sister Nancy's funeral was that morning.  She had died of leukemia at the age of 14.  Hal and I were the captains for that game and Coach Ehlert dedicated the game to Nancy.  That was pressure since you're supposed to win the games that you dedicate to people and we had just lost the previous two games, including a 42-7 defeat at home to John Marshall the week before.  It was cold, even spitting a little snow, and our student managers were huddled on the bench, eschewing their duty to bring us water during the time outs.  This was pretty important, especially since a lot of players played offense and defense and therefore didn't often leave the field.  I complained to Coach Ehlert when I came over during a timeout.  His eyes widened when he turned to see the managers sitting there next to the water.  You could almost sense the earth shake as he exploded at them:  "Shame on you!!!  Our boys are crying for water."  
 

Our tight end Tony Zemla leaped at least 10 feet vertically (or at least it seemed) to catch a pass from quarterback Dave Martanovic to keep our game-winning drive going and fullback Joe Gigante kept powering in behind us offensive linemen (John was the center, Hal was the right tackle and I was the right guard) as we battled from an 8-7 deficit late in the fourth quarter to win 15-8.  It was phenomenal. We held on Lincoln-West's last drive and the offense took  over in the last seconds to run out the clock.  We held hands in the huddle and watched the scoreboard countdown.  As the clock stuck "0" we all simultaneously raised our clasped hands into the air in victory.  For me, at the time and even more so in retrospect, it's fitting that John was on one side of me on the offensive line and in the offensive huddle and Hal on the other. 

(Note: The earlier touchdown for us, scored in the first half, was not nearly the heroic "battling down the field bit by bit, yard by yard" that the winning touchdown was.  That drive was the result of two fumbled punt returns by Lincoln-West about 2 minutes apart that gave us 95% of the real estate we needed to score.  After the second fumbled punt return by L-W, my oldest brother, Fred [Rhodes class of '70 and now a pediatric allergist] yelled from the stands, "Just keep the punt team in!"  Well, a touchdown's still 6 points no matter how you get it.)
 
The game ball, signed by the team and coaches still sits in the house I grew up in near W. 73 and Camden.  My step mom Lenora still lives there and is guardian of that precious memory of my Rhodes teammates and Coach Ehlert.  W. 73rd and Camden is just walking distance from West Tech field where the game was played.  When Coach Ehlert gave me the ball and shook my hand, he said, "The Leicklys are givers."  May it be so.

Thanks again!  Stay in touch.  We will find Mr. Ehlert.

"The definition of impossible is 'incapable of being accomplished'.  I've noticed 3 things that are impossible: 1.) kissing a girl who is leaning away from you; 2.) climbing a fence that is leaning toward you; and 3.) changing someone who doesn't want to change."  

                                  -- Hal Santos, JFR '75

C change coming:  C makes varsity lacrosse.

Clarissa made the varsity lacrosse team as a freshman.  She’s really worked hard and it’s quite an honor.  Congrats “C”.  She’ll be a teammate of her big sister, Natasha, a senior.  Let the season begin.  They began on 2/23.  It’s the only sport where the preseason is longer than the season.  Then again, Nehemiah prayed 3 months in preparation of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.  The project only took 50-55 days.  So maybe a long preparation is a good thing.

A Miranda by any other name would be as sweet.

Miranda was here with her new dog to visit while on a mid-semester break from her master’s studies at Radford. Her dog loves everyone except me.  Miranda officially changed her name from Miranda Leigh Leickly to Miranda Leickly Bring on the official records of the United States and the state of Ohio.  Grandma (Lenora) came down for the weekend as well to see Miran.  She  and Miran got to catch C and Tash’s final indoor field hockey game – probably the last time they’ll be teammates in a field hockey game.  Tash heads to the University of Louisville this summer.  Tash scored on a penalty stroke and C added 2 goals as the team (the Bulldogs – all the names were from the SEC) won its first game, beating a team from Dublin Coffman.  The Coffman goalie, Sarah Lemieux, was C’s teammate from their Final Four team at Disney Showcase in February. 

Tash is the Fiddler on the Roof – sounds crazy, no?

Tash is on her senior trip to Chicago this week.  She will be the fiddler in the school’s production of Fiddler on the Roof.  She’ll sport a beard and have to play while dancing and moving about.  The fiddler is in the opening, closing and one middle scene – all with just the main character, Tevye.  We’re excited.  Most important: don’t fall off the roof.  That would defeat the point of the entire play.

“…he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid our faces from him and we esteemed him not.  Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did consider him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed … He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth … he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

                                                                                    -- Isaiah 53:2-9

“My day at the opera” or “The case for Liu”

I turned 51 last Friday so I got to do something I used to do all the time, but can’t afford to do anymore: go to the opera.  One of my friends, Jim Rook, was in the chorus of Opera Columbus’ production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot”, so it was perfect mix of seeing one of my favorite opera’s and seeing Jim sing.

What a story:  Puccini wrote it in the 1920’s and actually died before he finished it.  It takes place in Peking where the emperor’s daughter, the beautiful Princess Turandot (pronounced “Tour – in – dot”), is avenging a distant ancestor’s violation by proclaiming that any man of royal blood wishing to marry her had to correctly answer three riddles.  Failure meant execution for the unfortunate suitor.  During one such execution an unknown prince comes upon a the blood thirsty crowd.   An feeble, old blind man and his helper, a slave girl, are trampled by the mob.  Only the unknown prince comes to their rescue.  As his reward, he discovers that the blind man is his father, Timor, a king who had been deposed years earlier.  The helper is a former slave girl named Liu.  The prince, whose name is Califf, has a wonderful reunion with his father.  Both father and son had thought that the other had been killed.  Timor tells his son that he certainly would have died if not for the loyal and inexplicable kindness of Liu and that the two of them had wandered impoverished and suffered greatly.  Liu had often had to beg in order to provide for Timor.  Califf, amazed, asks Liu, “and who are you and why have been willing to suffer so much on our account?”  Liu responds:  “I am nothing but a slave, sir, but many years ago at your father’s palace, you smiled upon me.”

Just then the executioner does his duty and the Prince of Persia becomes Turandot’s 26^th headless suitor.  Califf, still unknown to everyone else, is appalled and curses Turandot, but upon sight of her he falls madly in love under the spell of her beauty.  He sounds the gong, meaning that he demands the trial.  Everyone, his father, Liu and even the emperor and the emperor’s ministers try to talk him out of it.  “Three riddles:  One death,” they say.  His response is: “Three riddles:  One life.” 

The trial begins and Turandot coldly plays prosecutor, judge and executioner: 

The first riddle: “It’s born in the evening and grows, dies by the early morning light, but is born again.”  Califf’s  answer: “Hope”.  He’s correct.

The second riddle:  “It flickers like a flame, but is not fire.  It runs boiling and controls everything you do, but then -- in the end -- turns cold.”  Califf’s answer:  “Blood”.  Again, correct.

The third riddle:  “It is as cold as ice, but yet sets everything around it on fire.”

This one is more difficult, but after thinking awhile, Prince Califf triumphantly answers:  “Princess Turandot!”

He has won her, but Turandot is not amused and will not go willingly.  Califf makes a deal:  “If you can learn my name by sunrise, you’ll be released from the vow and I shall die.  Otherwise, you will be mine willingly.”   Turandot issues an edict to her followers:  “Nobody sleeps (“Nessun Dorma”) and many will be executed unless we learn the name of the unknown prince.”  Califf is confident of victory and sings the triumphant aria “Nessun Dorma” that announces that with the morning shall come his sure victory.

Turandot’s ministers are clever, however, and they find out that the unknown prince had been seen talking quite a bit with the old blind man and the woman Liu.  They must know his name.  Torture is threatened.  To save Timor, Liu proclaims that she and she alone knows the identity of the unknown prince.  She is tortured but holds true through the  burning torment.  Princess Turandot asks her the reason for such strong but ill-advised loyalty.  Liu only answers that it is a mysterious driving, but yet unrecompensed and impossible love.  The answer is perplexing to the ice princess.  Liu, fearing that she can hold up no longer, breaks free.  She rushes to Califf, kisses him, grabs his knife and kills herself, falling at Turandot’s feet.  Califf’s identity is safe.  The crowd, knowing that they have been accomplices to the death of such a innocent, guileless woman, pray for forgiveness and carry Liu away with dignity.  A grieving Timor, holds her cold hand as she is being carried away, tenderly telling her that for one last time they will go together hand in hand.

With both loathing and love, Califf addresses and redresses Turandot.  He kisses her and then freely tells her his name.  “I am Califf,” he says. The sun rises.  The emperor and this court appear.  Turandot has won.  She tells the emperor: “Father, I know his name!”  The ice princess turns to the prince and then says, “His name is … love.”  The ice has melted, she runs into Califf’s arms as the emperor’s relieved court sings the victorious strains of Nessun Dorma.  The curtain falls.

As I said, Puccini died before finishing the opera.  He died in Vienna of cancer after getting through the scene of Liu’s heroic death.  An estimated 80,000 people lined the Viennese streets to see his coffin as it made it way, eventually to even greater homage in his native Italy where he received tributes from the Pope.  He also received a huge flower arrangement from one Benito Mussolini. 

But what of the unfinished masterpiece?  It was performed as written in its incomplete state only once.  The famous conductor Toscanini, following the scene of Liu’s death, turned and addressed the audience verbally for the only time in his career, saying merely “and this is where the writer died.”

An ending (the one described above) was written by another and has been performed that way for the last 80 years.  It had its critics though.  How could Prince Califf love someone who was loathsome and so thoroughly hated him, when there was another, Liu, that loved him so genuinely and innocently, even to the point of death?  Good question.  I wondered about it.  My wife, Debbie, was downright angry at the way it ends for poor Liu.  It’s like “Gone With The Wind” with the saintly Melanie dying and the spoiled and scheming Scarlet O’Hara living on.

Perhaps the answer is in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.  That he who believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Why would God send his innocent and guileless son to die, for a loathsome people who so thoroughly reject him day by day?  Perhaps God, the father, has such a hot passion for relationship with his people that he sent Jesus to love and die without recompense in order to melt our icy hearts.  Recently, feeling like the efforts and my love were not being requited,  the Holy Spirit nudged me with a “Now you know how I feel.”  When I go to the doctor, he doesn’t say to me “I’ll repair your knee, but you have to love me for it.”  His job is to repair the knee whether or not it’s appreciated.  Love is greatest when it’s the hardest – when it’s not appreciated.  But yet someone loved us that much and calls on us to show a similar kind of love.

Liu’s love brought redemption to everyone.  There’s  irony in her first introductory words to Prince Califf:  “I am only a slave”.  Indeed.

Lincoln’s 200^th birthday was yesterday 2/12. 

            A few years ago I flew with my oldest daughter Miranda (a lower school student at the time) to Washington D.C. for her birthday.  I met up with journalism friends Tom Fraser and Bob Gelchion there.  We had lunch at the Hardrock Café just down the street from Ford’s Theater where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on Good Friday in April of 1865.  Miranda still had a balloon from Hardrock as part of the little party the waiters threw for her, singing “Happy Birthday” and giving her cake.  Since Ford’s Theater is an active theater, we had to wait a little while until intermission of the production of “A Christmas Carol” before we could move around the theater.  Once we did get in, it was extremely warm on the inside but we could pretty much go wherever we wanted.  We were at the very front of the stage, looking up about 13 feet into the box where President Lincoln was shot.  It was right at that moment that there was a huge “BANG!”  People stopped milling about and made a collective gasp.  Miranda’s balloon had popped.  Everyone was staring at us.  All I could do is cry out “Uhhh … sic semper tyrannis?”  Those were the words the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, shouted out as he jumped onto the stage after shooting the president. 

Clarissa’s U-16 field hockey team places 4^th out of 41 teams at Disney Showcase

            Debbie and ninth grader, Clarissa, went to Florida last weekend to compete in a national field hockey competition at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.  The team went undefeated (2 wins, 2 ties) in winning its pool.  That qualified them to advance into a tournament featuring the 8 pool winners.  The team won its quarterfinal game in a stroke-off after the game ended scoreless but then lost in the semifinals in another stroke-off against the defending and future champs of the tournament (a team from Pennsylvania, where else).  There were five Columbus Academy players on the team (Rachel Terveer, Dina Sino, Meredith McCloud and Liz Benson), four from Chicago, three from Bexley and three from Dublin Coffman.  The team, called Buckeye Blast Too, finished fourth among the 41 U-16 teams.

Harold’s funeral

            Tash and I went to the calling hours for my grandpa, Harold Hilligas, on Sunday.  Harold is my step mother Lenora Leickly’s dad.  Debbie and Clarissa came home from Florida that night so all four of us went to the funeral Monday in Smithville, Ohio.  There were several good testimonies about Harold’s ability to talk to anyone.  He would talk for 20 minutes with some stranger who had just dialed the wrong number.  Only my brother Danny could stump Harold.  Harold would call the house and Quiet Dan would answer the telephone:

Dan: Hello?

Harold: Well, hello there.  Who’s this?

Dan: Dan. 

Harold: Well hi Dan, how are you doing?

Dan: Fine

Harold:  Is Lenora there?

Dan: No

Harold: Do you know where she went?

Dan: No

Harold: Uh, do you know when she’ll be back?

Dan: No

Harold: Well uh … okay.  You know I bet Lenora that I could get you to say three words in a sentence.

Dan: You lose.

Brett Favre retires again

            Future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre retired again yesterday from the NFL.  After his first retirement in 2006, Sports Illustrated wrote a story that had this paragraph in it that I found particularly profound and had quoted it in my blog at the time.  It had to do why people are so interested in following an aged quarterback playing at the end of his career: 

"Because the story of Brett Favre's end was never about him.  It is about us ... The aches and pains and confusion, the missteps, the injury and illness and loss, the memories flown and the flowering of cowardice in the face of uncertainty, all the greatness so far behind you.  Young poets mock the inexorable unwinding of time, until, if they're lucky, they become old poets.  Old poets are smart enough to mock only themselves.  Because maybe worse than bad eyes, bad ears, bad back, bad hair, bad heart, is bad faith.  Doubt.  The delicate stress fracture of the will and the hairline crack along the backbone.  'Mettle' fatigue.  This is how you calibrate your own descent, in the sad calculus of who you once were, but can never be again." 

Sports Illustrated, 12/4/06 "Huck Finn's Last Ride".

Message to the confirmation kids

Here’s a thought for my buddy and officemate JC (Jim Connors).  JC address a group of 14-year-old confirmation kids as he welcomes them onto the Christian walk. He asked me for my thoughts so here’s at least what I would say to encourage them:

“The beautiful walk that you are on as sons and daughters of the living God is a thing of joy.  A peace that passes any conceivable understanding.

I tell you two things that I know with absolute certainty:  1.  I’m not the most spiritual person in this sanctuary; and 2. The most spiritual person in this sanctuary has a far longer way to go than the distance they’ve already come.  But that’s part of the joy of the Christian walk that you are on. 

You may go through 3 countries in that walk. In the first, as a rookie, you’ll find out the glorious truth that God is FOR you.  He’s not a distant God and he’s not rooting for your failure.  He wants you to be joyful, he wants your success – and as scripture says if God is for us, who can be against us?

After that wonderful truth, you’ll fly, almost like you’ve got eagles’ wings, to the next country in your walk and discover that not only is God FOR you, he’s also WITH you.  He’s your friend, companion, one who sticks closer than a brother.  Like those footprints in the sand, He will lift you and carry you in tough times.  He’s truly the lover of your soul.

Then finally you’ll reach that country where you’ll fall to your knees and realize that God is not only FOR and WITH you – he’s actually IN you.  As St. Paul said:  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

There was a story of a man whose young son was pushing a heavy boulder.  The boulder wouldn’t budge.  The father asked, “are you using all your strength”?  The son said, “Yes Daddy. Yes.”  The father repeated, “are you sure you’re using all your strength?”  The son, still trying to push the boulder but without success, answers “Yes Daddy.  Yes, I’m using all my strength.”  Then the father says: “Wait.  Stop for a minute and listen to me.  You’re not using all your strength.  I’m your dad, I love you and I’m standing 10 feet from you.  But yet you haven’t asked me once to move that rock.” 

When we reach this third country we’ll realize that with God all things are possible and that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Immovable objects move; your life changes; the lives around you change.   You start to see people the way God sees them.  You begin to learn unconditional love.  You understand the beauty of a word called compassion.

Welcome to the journey!  If you see me bogged down or beaten up somewhere along the way be sure to stop and pick me up.  We’ll share the journey together.  A journey made possible by Jesus and – because of Jesus – we’ll boldly to the throne of grace.” 

Harold Hilligas (grandpa) and Noah Kramer passed

Harold Hilligas, my grandpa, died earlier this week.  He’s the dad of my step-mom Lenora.  I great guy who had one of the most hospitable spirits that I’ve ever known.  If you came into his house he’d offer you a pop or some ice cream and talk to you about anything.  He’d tell you few things you probably never knew and he’d tell you in a way you probably would never forget.  As a  teenager I often helped him sack and deliver 100-pound bags of potatoes to various place throughout Ohio, including (my favorite) potato chip factories.  Unlike the manufacture of sausage, there’s nothing about making potato chips that would dampen your enthusiasm for them.  My step-mom and her sisters Myla, Diane and Mary have the same hospitable manner as their old man, so Harold truly bore some good fruit.  He was 95.

Noah Kramer is the dad of my buddy and former Ohio State roommate, Phil Kramer.  I met Noah and Phil’s mom, Arlene in about 1978 – when disco was still king and Phil and I were its princes (or, maybe, its court jesters).  Noah was always full of joy, a keen observer of life and a guy who valued his family.  Phil mentioned today that his Dad actually liked me and had always commented that I had somehow finagled my way into being a friend not just with Phil, but with the rest of the family, including his two brothers David and Allen.  I have to confess that I’ve always been in love with Arlene, who survives Noah.   Like most of us guys, he really out-kicked his coverage when he landed her.  Noah was 84.

Tash signs letter of intent

Natasha had a signing ceremony at the school on 2/4 when she signed her national letter of intent to attend the University of Louisville and play field hockey there.  Her buddy Layne Averill signed one to play at Michigan State.  They’ve been teammates for 5 years and friends since pre-K, but one day they’ll meet each other on the field playing for opposite teams. 

Clarissa selected a co-captain of her fast-pitch team

Also heads to Disney Showcase to play field hockey

Clarissa (“C”) was selected as a co-captain for her fast-pitch softball team.  She’s excited.  C and Mom flew to Orlando today where C will compete for a U-16 team in field hockey tournament. 

Here's the message that has gone out with the annual Leickly Christmas card.  The photo that is referenced is from Ben and Miranda's wedding.  Also today is Miranda's 24th birthday.  She is now and has always been and will be one of God's great blessings to us. 

The message in our Chirstmas card:

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE LEICKLYS 

            The photo on our Christmas card was taken at daughter Miranda’s (24) marriage to our new son-in-law Ben Bring.   Our daughters Natasha (17) and Clarissa (15) were in the wedding which was July 12, 2008 at Stonybrook United Methodist Church here in Gahanna, Ohio.  From left to right in the photo:  Jim (proud Dad), Debbie (happy Mom), Clarissa, Miranda, Ben, Tash and Grandma (Lenora Leickly).  Ben and Miranda Bring now live in Blacksburg, Va. where Ben goes to medical school at Virginia Tech and Miranda is in a Master’s program in education at nearby Radford.  We feel very blessed to have Ben in the family. 

            Natasha and Clarissa (“Sistuh C”) both started for their high school (Columbus Academy) in field hockey this past autumn.  The team went all the way to the state championship before losing 3-1.  Tash, a senior, scored the lone goal for her team in the title game and two goals in the district final victory.  Tash finished with 14 goals, 12 assists for the season and was all-Ohio, regional all-American, academic all-American, JJ Huddle Ohio High School Sports field hockey player of the year and team MVP.  C, a freshman, scored 8 goals and had 2 assists.  C also had two goals at the National Field Hockey Festival in Palm Springs over the Thanksgiving weekend despite playing in the U-19 division.  She still plays catcher on her U-16 fast-pitch softball team.  On two occasions during the field hockey season one of the girls assisted on a goal of the other.  Each time it was a beautiful thing.

            Tash will be attending the University of Louisville, studying psychology and playing field hockey for the Cardinals. 

            Debbie continues to work at the Stonybrook Early Learning Center and enjoying all those cute kids.  I’m still busy with the law practice at my two offices (downtown and home office). 

            Hope for all of God’s blessings for you and your family.  God is good – all the time.

Written from the Phoenix airport during a 5 hour lay over:

National Field Hockey Festival

We’re on our way back from the National Field Hockey Festival in California.  Debbie and I were chaperones.  This was a competition for club teams so the kids got to play with teammates from all over Ohio.  Tash (a senior) played for Ohio Heart coached by Dawn Pederson.  Sistuh  C played for Buckeye Fire, coached by Ross Romeo.

C (or “Little Leickly” or “L-squared”) scored two goals while playing midfield for Fire.  She had great tournament, playing for a U-19 team despite being qualified for a  U-16 division.  Fire finished 1-4-1, but all the games were very competitive and the kids got to play against great competition from all over the country.  C played on the same team as high school teammate Mia Wise (an 2008 all-state performer – see below) and Laura McManamon.  Fire’s tie came against a Zimbabwean team.  Buckeye Fire gave them Buckeye necklaces after the game.  It was a great cultural experience.  The Zimbabwe team borrowed one of Fire’s goalies for a couple of games because their goalie was not given a travel visa.  Zimbabwe is victimized by the corrupt government of the dictator, Robert Mugabee. 

As for Tash’s Festival experience, Tash took a ball on her knee cap during the first 10 minutes of the first game on 11/27 and bruised it.  She was hobbled that first day but played on an helped her team.  By the second day, the ice and anti-inflamatories took hold and she played extremely well, having her mobility back.  Ohio Heart also finished 1-4-1 with all the games very competitive.  They had two 1-0 losses and blew a 3-1 lead in the last two minutes of their tie.  My buddy and former Ohio State roommate Phil Kramer and son Jonathan drove out to Palm Springs and caught Tash’s last game (the one they won).  Britt Broady, the U of Louisville assistant, where Tash will play next year, was also at that final game.

Thanksgiving

Because of the field hockey competition being over the Thanksgiving holiday, we celebrated on the Saturday before.  Oldest daughter and son-in-law Miranda and Ben Bring were in as were Grandma and Uncle Dan.  Miranda and Ben took care of our dog Teddy during our absence.  We have so much to thank the Lord for with the marriage of Ben and Miranda and keeping us healthy. 

Columbus Academy falls in the state championship game.

The Vikings made it all the way to the state championship game before losing 3-1 to Cleveland area school Hathaway Brown.  It was a good run.  Both Tash and C started the game which was an incredible blessing.  The team lost Layne Averill, its leading scorer (26 goals, 14 assists) to a broken ankle in the 1^st half of its second round playoff with Upper Arlington.  By halftime of that game, UA had tied us up at 1-1 and were clearly the dominant team.  Things looked bleak.  The two captains who were still able-bodied were Ali Dillon and Tash.  Ali said to Tash at halftime, “This is NOT going to be our last game Tash.”  It wasn’t.  Academy took over the 2^nd half and won 4-1 against a tough team.  Next was the regional final against Olentangy Liberty, the only team that defeated Academy during the season.  Not only had Liberty beat Academy 1-0 in September, it had thoroughly thrashed the Vikings in a scrimmage in August.  With Academy’s  leading scorer sidelined, the expectations were that Liberty would complete its trifecta of dominance over Academy and head to the state’s Final Four for the first time.  The game was extremely close for about 10 minutes but the Tash (moved up from mid-field to forward) scored to put the Vikings ahead 1-0.  Academy’s confidence grew from that goal and the team completely controlled the remainder of the game.  Tash scored again before the half and the Vikings added two more in the 2^nd half to claim their redemption, 4-0, and gain a ticket to the big dance.  Tash got her picture in the Columbus Dispatch as the field hockey player of the week.  She was a little embarrassed because she had been playing at such a high level at midfield for three years helping to keep the field tilted in her team’s favor, but now was getting accolades because she scored a couple of goals.

In the state semi-final, Academy played Thomas Worthington, the defending state champion.  The two teams had tied their regular season matchups in ’07 and ’08  and were the last two state champs, so a close game was expected.  Academy was playing its best field hockey and had the resolve of showing that they were not a one-trick pony – that they could play at a championship level even with out their leading scorer.  The game was 0-0 until junior Caroline Casey scored with just 18 seconds left in the contest for the victory.  C had a great game as a freshman playing defense with fellow freshman Liz Benson.

The state final, played the next day, was controlled by a very physical Hathaway Brown team.  Although out-played, Academy fought hard and had many opportunities to turn the tide. HB scored just before the end of the 1^st half to make it 1-0.  The Blazers added another goal early in the 2^nd half, but then Academy came alive with Tash scoring on a penalty corner to make it 2-1.  Unfortunately, HB scored again about 12 seconds later.  The remaining 20 minutes of the game saw Academy turn it around and threaten time and time again.  Tash took two more solid shots on goal, but the HB goalie was up to the task.  I was proud of Tash and the way she battled throughout the desperate struggle.  Brian Anderson, Clarissa’s fast pitch softball coach, was at the game and mentioned how as a coach he noticed how Tash was trying to pick up her teammates and kept battling. The Vikings started 4 freshmen in the title game and played all 6 of the freshmen that were on the varsity team.  Provided that the kids keep working, the future appears bright.

Tash, Layne and Mia were named all-Ohio performers.   (Ali also deserved that honor after a splendid year, but was named all-conference.)  Tash was also named team Most Valuable Player and J.J. Huddle’s High School Sports Magazine’s Ohio field hockey player of the year.  She finished with 14 goals 12 assists.  C finished with 8 goals, 2 assists.  They each got to assist the other on a goal during the season.

When we had our son Nathaniel in 1988 we were content to stop there because we then had a boy and a girl (Miranda) and Deb’s last pregnancy with Nathaniel had been problematic.  When Nathaniel died shortly after birth, Deb and I decided to have more children.  Those children were Natasha in ’91 and Clarissa in ’93.  I always wondered how the Lord could restore Job after his children had died.  Watching these two girls playing sports together and starting a state championship together was a reminder of just how the Lord restores. 

Senior night for Natasha

Our Columbus Academy High School senior, Natasha, will be honored tonight at her field hockey team’s senior night game against Lancaster.  She and her other senior teammates have had great field hockey careers.  They’ve played hard and with class.  They won a state championship 2 years ago.  Natasha, Lane Averill and Ali Dillon all started on that team as sophomores, winning their regional championship, state semifinal and state final games by 4 goals each.  They finish their regular season Friday against a Cleveland team, Magnificat, and then start the state tournament next week.  The team is doing well and getting better all the time.  They’re 8-0-1 in their last 9 games.  11-1-2 overall. 

Younger daughter Clarissa played a lot of  defense in yesterday’s win at Bishop Hartley and coach Horton said she could be using her there in the future. 

Miranda & Ben

Miranda and Ben Bring (oldest daughter and son-in-law) were back in Columbus two weekends ago.  Ben was on his first 1 week break at med school.  Miranda’s busy in the masters program (education) at Radford and assistant coaching the school’s Div. I field hockey team. 

Accordians, Korean folk songs & class

I posted this entry on my buddy Steve Sullivan’s blog in response to his fond recollection of going to a local pub back in our Ohio State journalism days where there was a wonderful accordion player named Esther Craw.  One time some Korean students taught us all a Korean folk song and Esther accompanied us on her accordion.  A few months ago Sully heard that very song (called “Arirang”) and said to himself, “I know that song.”  That brought to mind his memories of the Black Forest Inn, Esther and Korean folk songs. 

Here’s my post to Sully’s blog:

Esther Craw passed away sometime in maybe 2006 or 2007.  She was a super nice lady.  She had a great play list, but her glory was in sometimes letting college kids sing or hum a few lines of a song she didn't know and then coming in strong with that blessed accordion of hers.

The song we fondly remember was indeed Arirang -- not to be confused with 'Arirang the gem of the ocean' or the 'Theme to Arirang's Song'.  It went like this:

'Arirang, Arirang, Ar.....Arirong (move hands to indicate that you are traversing a mountain range)'.  They sang it at the opening ceremonies of the Seoul Olympics (sans accordion).

Esther taught me "Won't you come home Bill Bailey", "The Whippenpoof Song", "Bye, Bye Blackbird".  More than that, she taught a couple of crusty journalism hacks how a room full of people from around the world who don't know each other can come together for a brief glorious moment in song and joy.

I've heard it said that a gentleman is someone who knows how to play the accordion, but doesn't.  Well the definition of a gentlelady like Esther includes someone who thinks they can play the accordion to any conceivable song -- and does. 

Thanks for the memory Sully.

Jim Leickly (Sully's buddy at the Black Forest Inn)

It is said that the eyes are the mirror to the soul.

They are also the mirror to the mind.  With great athletes,

their eyes are not searchlights.  They aren’t even spotlights. 

They are laser beams  … Great athletes play with their

eyes, not their minds.  They see it and go.   There’s no

hesitation on the field. 

                                    -- Mind Gym

                                    Gary Mack

Tash & Clarissa & the Columbus Academy Vikings field hockey team

 beat arch rival Watterson 2-0 on 9/25/08

            The Academy Vikings field hockey team defeated its arch rival Bishop Watterson 2-0 on 9/25/08 at Academy.  We had a lot of fast pitch softball friends there to see Clarissa who’s started all but one of the varsity games as a freshman.  C plays about half the time as part of a rotation of forwards.  She has 4 goals.  The softball friends were there because softball teammate, Maddie (“Maddog”) Simmonds plays for Watterson.  So both kids were playing on the same night.  It was awesome.  Natasha is center midfield and never leaves the game since she’s part of the phalanx of solid midfielders who have kept the field tilted in Academy’s favor this season.  She has 8 goals as is having a fantastic year.  The Vikings are 8-1-1 entering this Saturday’s doubleheader in Dayton against Oakwood and Kettering Fairmont. 

Miranda & Ben coming home this weekend

            Miranda and Ben will be coming home this weekend for the first time since moving to Blacksburg 8/6/08.  Ben has a 1 week break from med school.  He worked the Virginia Tech v. Georgia Tech game as a medic in the room that fans go to when they are ill or injured.  

Yankee Stadium trivia question

            Yankee Stadium in New York City had its last game this past Sunday.  The “House that Ruth Built” will be torn down and replaced by a new Yankee Stadium.  There is a place behind the centerfield fence called monument park to celebrate past greats.  Here’s a puzzler:

Q:  Name 3 former Cardinals who have plaques among the 23 plaques in monument park at Yankee Stadium. 

A:  Roger Maris, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.

"All that is gold does not glitter;

All who wander are not lost;

The old but strong does not whither;

Deep roots are not touched by the frost."  

                                       -- Tolkien

                                       "Fellowship of the Ring”

Miranda & Ben move, in school

            Miranda and Ben moved to Blacksburg 8/6/08 and things are going well.  Ben started medical school at Virginia Tech (actually, the Virginia Institute of Osteopathic Medicine) and Miranda’s going after her masters in education at nearby Radford.  She an assistant field hockey coach on the Radford Highlanders’ Div. I field hockey team.  They may both be coming back to Columbus for a couple of days at the end of this month.

Tash & Clarissa are teammates

            Natasha was voted one of the captains on the Columbus Academy field hockey team.  The team is out to a 3-1-1 start.  Tashi has scored 4 goals and is doing well as a center mid.  Clarissa and five other freshmen made the team and are all doing well – it’s a great freshman class.  Clarissa’s started 4 of the games (she’s a sub now) at forward and has scored 3 goals.  We’ve had field hockey in the family for about 12 years.  2 years ago we had a first with all three daughters playing on various teams (college, high school, middle school).  This year the first year to have 2 girls on the same team.  Clarissa’s working on her stick skills and quickness.  She’s still practicing fast pitch softball on weekends. 

Tash will attend the University of Louisville next year

            Tash did her official NCAA visit to the University of Louisville last weekend and just loved everything about it.  She wants to study psychology at Louisville – it’s a great school in the sciences and liberal arts with a great learning connection with Jewish Medical Center in downtown Louisville.  So she will be a Louisville Cardinal field hockey player next year.  The Cards are a young team coached by U.S. Olympic team assistant coach Pam Bustin.  They’ve already beaten Duke, OSU and OU this year.  The new field hockey work out and locker room facility at the field is state of the art.  The NCAA field hockey Final Four will be there on Nov. 21-23, 2008.   It’s a little bit added gravy for mom and dad that Louisville’s a great town with a neat downtown and eclectic neighborhoods with great restaurants that have character.  The ‘Ville is only 3-3.5 hours from Columbus.  It’s only about 2 hours from Indianapolis (Uncle Fred and Aunt Linda); 3 hours from St. Louis (Pastor Hal Santos); 1.5 hours from Cincy; and, I think, about 2-3 hours north of Nashville.  It sits on the Ohio River southwest of Cincy.  Muhammad Ali is from Louisville and there’s museum there in his honor.  John Unitas, unquestionably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, played for Louisville.  Then, of course, there’s Churchhill Downs and the Kentucky Derby.  The most inspirational quote of the weekend visit was from assistant coach Abbey Heird:  “You have no idea just how good you can be once you’ve worked hard, been coached and have reached your full athletic potential.  You’ll be amazed at the things you’ll be able to do that you never thought you could.”  It was  a tough choice for Tash since all the schools on her 4-school short list were wonderful and had their own special advantages.  There were no bad choices to be made.

More great news:  Client receives full death benefit from Farmers Insurance

Update from 5/9/08 blog

In my 5/9/08 blog I copied an attorney’s letter that I prepared and sent to Farmers Insurance on behalf of a single mom who’s a client of mine.  The insurance company was denying the payment of a $100,000 life insurance benefit to my client because, they asserted, the decedent had lied on his application.  The letter I sent that was quoted in my 5/9/08 blog cited Ohio case law and the facts of this case. A couple weeks after sending that letter, I received an overnight letter from Farmers that I figured was another “pound salt – we’re not paying you” letter (I had received such a letter previously from them).  As I opened the overnight package, I noticed there was a window envelope which usually indicates a check or a bill.  It was a check for $110,000-plus!  Farmers, bless them, paid my client the death benefit plus interest.  I felt great because the client was agreeable to paying me a contingency fee if I had to file a law suit in Federal Court.  I told her through her translator (she’s originally from Columbia and speaks Spanish) to wait and just let me send this letter and see if Farmers makes any kind of offer.  So the whole thing worked out fabulously because the hourly fee ended up being just about 1% of the total payment – much better for the client than a typical one-third (33%) contingency.  The only surprise was that when I contacted the client the day I got the check, I was asked by her translator if there was a day during the next week they could come in to get the check.  I was expecting them to meet me that day at my house to get this much money.  They asked me present my bill at the meeting.  When I gave her my bill, the client rounded it up a few hundred dollars.  I said, “you don’t have to do that” and she just smiled and waved her hand.  Great tip.  God be praised, it was a great result.

Miranda & Ben Married 7/12/08

            My daughter Miranda (23) and Ben’s wedding was wonderful.  The couple is on a honeymoon – a Hawaiian cruise and will return Sunday, July 27, 2008.  There are great photos of the wedding and reception that were taken by my niece, Bethany King and put on her website.  It’s on my “Links” page under “DCKingz”.  We got to see Beth and Larry King’s new baby girl, Stella, born in mid-April.

            My feelings as stated in my introduction at the reception:

            Miranda’s been such a blessing to my wife Debbie and me.  When we lost our infant son Nathaniel in 1989, Miranda was just four at the time.  In God’s provision we had a little angel in our house, Miranda.  Just the fact that she was there was a blessing.  The remarkably loving daughter she was and still is added all the more to the blessing.  Many families don’t survive the tragedy of the death of a   child.  Ours did in great measure because the Lord had Miranda in our life.  Now we have another son, Ben.  So this is an occasion of joy because the Lord’s name is Jehovah Jireh (the “Lord will provide”).

            When Ben’s parents, Dale & Mona Bring, tricked Deb and me into a dinner invitation in February of 2007, Ben showed up “out of the blue”.  I said to myself:  “I know what this is.”  He was asking us for Miranda’s hand in marriage.  My only question was:  “Will you love our daughter the way Christ loved the Church in that you would be willing to die for her?”  He looked me in the eye and said “yes” and that’s all I needed.  He’s a great man from a great family.

            Now, there’s an additional admonition.  The story goes that there was a man who was having his young son push a heavy stone in a field.  Despite all efforts, the son could not move the stone.  The father asked, “Are you using all your strength?”  The son replied, “I am Daddy, I am.”  The father asked, “Are you sure you’re using all your strength?”  The son answered, “Yes Daddy, I am.  I am.”  Finally, the father says, “No you’re not because I’m standing just 10 feet away from you and you haven’t once asked me to help you.  Together, we can move that stone.”  That’s what marriage, family, friendship, partnership and our relationship with our Heavenly Father are all about:  being strong and loving enough to give provision and being humble yet confident enough to ask for it.  That’s when we’re at our greatest strength.  I’d be a hypocrite to ask my son-in-law to be willing to give his life for my daughter, if I didn’t expect her to do the same for him and if I wouldn’t do the same for both of them.

Other notes:

            Thanks to brother Richard and sister-in-law Gretchen’s family (the Seattle Leicklys) for coming in four days early and being a huge help in getting things ready, fixing things, hosting guests.  It was awesome.

            It was great to see Bob Gelchion from Denver.  Bob’s woke up a couple months ago with nerve problems on the whole side of his body.  It’s gradually improved, but his lower leg has still been a problem.  He told me two days ago that the morning after he returned to Denver from his wedding trip, his leg had dramatically improved.

            The weather report had nothing in it about hell freezing over, but yet my friend from Los Angeles, Kerry Kramer, came to Columbus and loved it.  My buddy Phil (the LA Kramers), my old Ohio State roommate, showed his wife the OSU campus.  She said she’ll be back – maybe with Philly (she calls him “Philly”) when he takes the boys to a Buckeye game this season.

            Old high school buddy John Jannazo, retired Lt. Col. in the USAF, played basketball with us the morning of the wedding.  This was with Ben, a very good player, and his University of Denison buddies.  John and I also played basketball 24 years earlier just before my wedding at Yoctangee Park in Chillicothe, Ohio on July 14, 1984.  The amazing thing is that John actually played much better in 2008 than he did in 1984.

            Bob, Philly, John and my brother Dan were the groomsmen/best man at my wedding.  All four were at my daughter’s wedding. 

            My law friend Eric Wittenberg, a Civil War historian, came to the reception with a signed book he just published on Lee’s retreat after Gettysburg (“One Continuous Fight”) for me and for my oldest brother Fred, whose a pediatric allergist and Civil War re-enactor in Indianapolis.  Fred had been at Gettysburg a week before the wedding doing a re-enactment of Pickett’s charge on the 145 anniversary of the battle.