Sunday, June 21, 2015

Dance With The One That Brung Ya


Darrell Royal, head football coach at the University of Texas, was asked on the eve of a critical game with Texas' bitterest rival, if the coaching staff planned on doing anything different, had they planned any surprises. To which Royal replied with the title of this post. He meant that his Longhorns were going to do what they did best. I need desperately to heed that advice. With all that is going on in the world, and the killing of nine souls in Charleston, South Carolina, on Wednesday the 17th, I have been overwhelmed with the negative aspects of life. So, I have to get back to the basics. I sought out an old friend for advice:

"And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. NEVER WILL I ALLOW MY MIND TO BE ATTRACTED TO EVIL AND DESPAIR, rather I will uplift it with knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small or bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth. I will greet this day with love in my heart."

~Og Mandino The Greatest Salesman in the World (Scroll II)

To those victims of the shootings--what can I say? There is an insanity in our country that has nothing to do with mental instability. It is a way of life. It is a belief system. I realize that nothing significant is going to change. Not in our gun laws. Not in our cultural hatred. Not in the glorification of a short lived government (the Confederate States of America). I hope, despite my saying that, your deaths will not be in vain.
                                                                                                                        
Depayne Doctor--Cynthia Hurd--Susie Jackson--Ethel Lance--Rev. Clementa Pinkney--Tywanza Sanders--Rev. Daniel Simmons, Sr.--Sharonda Coleman-Singleton--Myra Thompson. Rest in Peace.