Clint Eastwood's film Letters from Iwo Jima is a modern masterpiece. This World War II war drama focuses on the tribulations of the Japanese from the Japanese perspective. In the film's most revealing moment, a Japanese officer, Baron Nishi, finds a letter on a dying American P.O.W. The letter is from the young man's mother. Nishi reads it to the troops under his command shortly after the young American dies. He later remembers the mother's stirring quotation when he realizes he is about to die.

In her letter, the American mother talks of a how their dog dug a hole under the fence, and of other pleasantly mundane details before reminding her son to come home safely. The letter ends with the Mother asking him to remember what she had told him -- “Always do what is right, because it is right."

This phrase suggests a universal code of behavior imposed by God and/or nature that is valid everywhere. Upon hearing the letter read, one Japanese soldier remarks that it is just the kind of advice his mother gave him. Indeed, it is the kind of advice that mothers everywhere have given their children.

Apparently a lot of TYLA members heard this same message from their mothers. The recent TYLA annual meeting and Texas State Bar Convention in Houston reaffirmed the depth and breadth of public service projects underway under TYLA leadership. The Top Story and TYLA Year in Review in this issue of eNEWS discuss the numerous awards won by TYLA for projects over the past year. I won't repeat them all here, but I am sure you will be impressed when you read those articles.

The new TYLA President, Sylvia Cardona, and the new TYLA board have another full year planned for the 2008-2009 bar year. You can see in this issue (as well as at TYLA.org) all the service projects, CLEs, mentoring programs, and fun activities TYLA members will make happen. Throughout the year, the eNEWS editorial board will bring you reminders and updates for these activities so you can choose those you are most interested in and get involved. I could try to list the countless reasons why all the TYLA projects are worth your time. Instead, I think Mom summed it up best. “Always do what is right, because it is right."

At TYLA, we heard you Mom.

By Brad A. Allen

Editor in Chief

Brad Allen is a partner at Martin, Disiere, Jefferson & Wisdom, L.L.P. where his practice focuses on Health law and Insurance Litigation.