When the Words Won't Come

"A person's a person, no matter how small." — Dr. Seuss (Horton Hears a Who!)

Every day I sit at my computer and try to remember the topic I wanted to write about as I was about to fall asleep, or while grocery shopping, or while driving in the car.  Those ideas come when they are least expected, and I don't have something on which to write the ideas.

The book I have in mind to write follows me everywhere, but I can't seem to pull it together as quickly as I want. Again, the ideas pop in and out of my head as I travel here and there or I am at work doing something else.  Once I sit down at the computer, my mind becomes a blank sheet of paper. 

Gee, me thinks I need a  recorder to carry around with me.  Maybe I should buy one of those handy-dandy ones that look like a pen you put in your pocket and secretly record conversations.  Folks would think I have completely lost what little is left of my mind.  Here I would be recording my notes through aloud conversation, and folks would think I was walking around just talking to myself.

Every person who enters our lives leaves with us something of themselves.  We learn from others.  The students I taught over the 27 years of teaching high school left something of themselves with me.  Not only did I teach them English, and hopefully the joys of reading, but they taught me something about life and how to appreciate our connections with each other.  My fellow teachers were also an inspiration to me.  I enjoyed their valuable company. The others who have entered my life through friends, interests, and chance meetings  and they, too, have also left a huge impression.

There are so many interesting people who have touched my life and the lives of others, but, man, how do I narrow it down to a manageable group? There is an actor; a missionary; a senator; an artist; an umpire; an unusual pilot; a disc jockey; an entertainer; a songwriter; a WWI soldier; a singing cowboy; and the list goes on.  One can see how difficult this will be to get all of this compiled, edited, and published; however, the process can be a challenge, but it is also the fun part.


"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" — Dr. Seuss



One thing I ask of you is your prayers.  Please remember me as I undertake this heartfelt endeavor.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the strangers who become friends and the positive influences they leave with us as they pass through our lives.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Take the time to get to know the people with whom you come in contact.  They will leave with you the positive influences if you look for it.

 

Casey Anthony and Susan Smith: Mothers and Their Dead Children

The news has been filled with the Casey Anthony trial.  Casey Anthony was accused of killing her three year old daughter, Caylee Marie. 

Casey Anthony, Orlando, FL
Booking photo

On July 5, 2011 Casey was found "not guilty" of murder, manslaughter and child-abuse charges; however; Casey was convicted of four misdemeanor counts of lying to investigators who were looking into Caylee's disappearance in June 2008.

Caylee Anthony

When I started this blog, I was going to stay away from current events.  You all have you own opinions about those events and don't want to hear mine, but I just couldn't let this one pass.

Let's go back to the trial of Susan Smith in Union, South Carolina.

Susan Smith, Union, S.C.

Susan Smith of Union, S.C. was convicted on July 22, 1995 for murdering her two sons, Michael Daniel Smith, 3, and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith by allowing her car to roll into a lake with her two sons strapped in their car seats.

Michael and Alexander Smith

Family Photo
Susan Smith's home video clips and family pictures showed a caring mother who played with her children.  Casey Anthony's home videos and pictures showed a caring mother who played with Caylee.  Neither mother would appear to be abusive and both appeared to love their children.

One question that kept being asked on FOX News, "What was considered child abuse?" If a parent is responsible for the death of a child and had never abused that child, would that one act be considered "abuse"? If the mother waited over thirty-one days without ever reporting her child missing, would that lack of concern for the child's well being be considered abuse?

Susan Smith saw opportunities for a life with a wealthy man, but he didn't share her love for her children, Michael and Alex.  Casey Anthony like to party which was documented by pictures and her tattoo, "Bella Vita" (beautiful life), which she had done while little Caylee was missing.

Both used the "kidnapping" excuse.  Susan reported someone hijacked her car with her two boys in the car; Casey reported a babysitter took Caylee. Both were given high profile status and appeared in the news.  Once the media ball began to roll, there was no stopping it.  The media continued to follow the cases right to the jury verdict.

Susan Smith and Casey Anthony reported they had been sexually abused and used the sexual-abuse defense.  Both turned on family members to explain their behaviors.

What happens to mothers whose children become so much of a burden that they feel they have to kill them?  Susan Smith's ex-husband wanted the boys and would raise them himself. Casey Anthony's parents had offered to adopt Caylee. So, there were other options for these mothers.

My personal opinion is that Casey Anthony is guilty of killing Caylee.  What mother would cover up a child's drowning and then dispose of the body by using duct tape and garbage bags before placing the body in a swamp?

I do not want to make this into a news article; therefore, I will stop here.  You have your own opinions about these cases.

God knows the hearts of these two mothers.  It is not our place to judge them, but it is mighty hard not to want to see them pay for the deaths of those precious children who never had a chance to reach adulthood.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for all the mothers who love their children and when times are difficult, they seek Your guidance.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Always seek the Lord when times are difficult and especially when you feel you are at the end of your patience. He will send someone to help you.

Sending a "Thank You"

Thank you, Gracia, Dankeschön, Grazie, Спасибо, Shukriya, tack så mycket. Khob-Khun,Obrigada

Thank you readers from Canda, the United Kingdom, India, Russia, and Europe.  You are valuable to me, and I would love for you to leave comments or send an email.

The memories I share are true.  My best friend, Kathy, wonders how I lived to grow into adulthood, but God takes care of His children.  If you have a favorite story, please send an email.  It is so nice to know that people outside the United States are reading my blog too.

May God richly bless each of you.

It is me again, Lord, for friends I haven't met yet.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Seek friends from around the world; God can use you in the least expected ways.

Interesting Folks Along the Way

The skies are a beautiful blue; the air feels good; Cades Cove was extremely quiet; and the morning began with a wonderful conversation with Mike Hickman. 

Barry and I met Mike several years ago at ChristyFest in Townsend, Tennessee.  He is a quiet, shy man who appears, at first, to be a man of few words.  We enjoyed getting to know Mike over the next several years, and I finally worked up enough nerve to sit down with him just to get to know him better.

One would think that over the years after teaching for 27 of those years, I could talk to just about anybody.  Normally I could.  This is different.  Mike is an everyday working guy and is very personable, but Mike is also an actor who has been in several movies.  This puts this approach in another perspective. Why?  I didn't want him to think I wanted to talk to him just because he was someone who had been in a television series or in movies, yet I really wanted to know him as the person who is absolutely so different from the memorable character he brought to life on television. The folks we meet along the way and are lucky enough to call a friend, add to the person we become.,
Mike played Birds Eye Taylor, a character from Catherine Marshall's book Christy.  He brought the harshness of Birds Eye to life in the movie, and even though Birds Eye is a rough and scary character, there is a glimpse of  softness that Mike allows the audience to witness.  It is brief and one must be diligently following to see Birds Eye's gentle side that he wants to remain hidden. 

Mike has also been in "The Crazies" (2010) and "Hope and Redemption: The Lena Baker Story" (2008). Two movies I know you will not want to miss.

Mike, the person, is so different from the harsh characters he plays on the screen.  Soft spoken, one finds he is an interesting character himself.  I look forward to getting to know him even better over the coming months as I work on my book.  Mike is the first of the many interesting people with whom I have come in contact, and I appreciate his time with Kathy and me.  Barry and I will be back to Townsend, Tennessee,  and I will bring many more questions and ideas to share with him about my book.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for interesting folks who enter our lives.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Friends can enter your life when you least expect them.  Take the time to get to know them and maybe a lifetime of friendship will be the result.

The Travels of the "Klutz Sisters"

A journey with the Klutz Sisters ended with them making their way down a small, quaint lane.  It started when the two of them traveled to Townsend, Tennessee.

Kathy and I love to travel, take pictures, and meet new and interesting folks.  Kathy loves to travel to exotic places like Egypt, Israel, Nicaragua, Uganda, Peru, Jamaica, and Jordan.  Me? I've been to Canada, Mexico, and Germany with a car trip from there to Belgium and Switzerland with a stop at one of the London airports.  One of the many reasons I haven't been to other exotic places over seas is that I don't like to fly over water.  Now to many of you that seems foolish, but to me it is a big deal.  But, again I have wondered away from the topic at hand.

We are in Townsend, Tennessee and and are having such a quiet and pleasant visit.  It truly is the "quiet side of the Smokies."  We haven't even turned the television on in our room because we love the sound of silence.  Kathy reads while I write.

Today we decided to ride up to the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center.  I was following the signs and when it said turn, well, I turned.  I ended up on this quaint little narrow road which I was soon to discover was a bike trail.  Yes, you read this right!  I was driving my car on the bike trail.  I was trying to get off as soon as I possibly could, but you know how it is when you are trying to hurry, time slows down. 

Did anyone see us?  Will they recognize the silver car with the great big red "L" on the front and the two grandmothers in the car?  Will they know it is us when they see us in the local restaurant?  Embarrassed, I pretended to know what I was doing.  Driving that car on the bike trail pictured here with my chin up and my eyes on the road/trail, as if I knew exactly what I was doing.  I think that the fact Kathy was laughing hysterically might have given the hint we were in the wrong place.

Later Kathy and I were in the Carriage House eating our dinner when we realized the Klutz Sisters were now using a car as their mode for klutziness!  We are having business cards made to identify us as the
Queens of Klutzville.

 I can see the business cards now:

"Kathy and Linda Klutz
Queens of Klutzville
Broken Bones, Twisted Ankles,
and Wrecked cars
Extraordinare"

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for taking care of the Klutz Sisters.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  When traveling make sure you know which road the arrow on the sign means.  It could take you to exotic places.

Crossing the Smoky Mountains

We often take things that occur in our lives for granted.  My best friend (BFF for those who are texting folks) Kathy Hendrix, granddaughter Gracie and I recently traveled to Dollywood.  We left on Wednesday and returned, after a fun filled day at Dollywood, on Thursday.

Wives, do your husbands keep a close check on your car?  Well, mine does, but we have been busy keeping a close eye on the oil use of the car, and it has been in the shop for routine oil changes.  It is going in the shop Monday.  I felt very confident about driving the car to Tennessee and back, and it never occurred to me that the tires might give me trouble.

We were ready to drive home when a storm came up in Pigeon Forge.  We decided to wait at a restaurant for the rain to end.  I was in contact with Barry and was going to make a decision to either drive across the mountain to Cherokee or stay another night.  The weather had cleared enough for us to make it across the mountain.  Kathy said a prayer for a safe trip before we left Pigeon Forge.  It was her prayer that got us to Hollywood, Georgia and near home.

There is a lot of road construction on Highway 441 across the Great Smoky Mountains.  Add to the road construction fog and rain, with the shadows of early evening, and it makes for an interesting and somewhat tension filled trip, but we made it!  I called Barry from Cherokee to let him know we had gotten that far and were on our way home.  It wasn't until we had crossed into Habersham County in Georgia that things begin to change.

The indicator on the car begin to show a low tire pressure on the right front tire.  We made it to a local station and tried to put air in the tire.  We could hear it coming out of the tire as fast as we put it in.  And, yes, we were correctly using the little thingy to put air in the tire. Did you know it cost $1.00 for air? I had a quarter and Kathy gave me the rest.

Barry came to our rescue and put the spare tire on the car.  One of the Georgia State Patrol troopers also stopped to help.  He was extremely helpful and, as it turned out, he knew Barry too.

Kathy and I never fail to have an adventure when we travel.  Some are funny and some can be scary--like the time we prayed our way into the Atlanta airport when a storm was all around us as the plane landed.

Gracie had the perfect solution for our car trouble.  As we came out of Dollywood the tram driver gave instructions that if we had car problems, Dollywood offered a free service to help get the cars started again.  Gracie reminded us that all we had to do was call Dollywood, and they would send someone to help us.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for safe trips and answered prayers.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  No matter who you think is taking care of the mechanics of your car, one needs to know what to look for, and make sure you are driving a vehicle with good tires,

Madame Chigang Kai-shek and Demorest, Georgia

It is uncanny how certain memories stay with us forever. 

Through the many years since 7th grade, I have thought about Mrs. Else Mae Turner, the books she read to us, and a friend she talked about so many times during the school year.

I asked Judy Cason Forbes about this as we planned for the Historical Demorest School Celebration held recently.  Judy confirmed that my memory about Madame Chiang Kai-shek's residency in Demorest was fact and that she actually had tea on Judy's grandmother's front porch.  I was thrilled to know this memory was true.  Later that evening, I read about Mei-ling's days in Demorest in Miss Chrisler's book.

Mei-ling Soong, who later became Madame Chiang Kai-shek (March 5, 1897, Shanghai, China—died Oct. 23, 2003 in New York City), once lived in Demorest, Georgia.   According to Mrs. Turner and Miss Isabel Chrisler, who wrote about Mei-ling in her booklet  Demorest in the Piedmont, Mei-ling Soong lived in Demorest when she was eleven years old and attended school.  Miss Chrisler quoted from a letter written by Madame Chiang Kai-shek in June of 1938 about her days in Demorest.

"...she was introduced to the English through the medium of parsing sentences.  She attributes her command of literary English to her 'sessions of wrestling with rambling phrases and split infinitives which may perhaps have had as much to do with any ability I acquired to overcome the intricacies of English Grammar and rhetoric as any subsequent training I have had.'..."

Mei-ling Soong

Wedding photograph of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling, 1927.

U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in front of the White House with Soong Mei-ling, wife of Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek.

 .As children we are like sponges.  We absorb information easily, but then as we get older and we begin to doubt our memories on such unbelievable moments.  Could I have hear this correctly?  Had I mixed up a history lesson with stories I heard in class?  I doubted my memory; however,  Madame Chiang Kai-shek did in fact live in Demorest as a child and made many lasting friends while she was here.  Mrs. Turner continued to correspond with her throughout the following years.

As I researched for information about Madame Chiang Kaishek, I was saddened at how her story ended.  The sweet devout Christian girl who learned  English as a student in Demorest, Georgia died with a reputation that both Mrs. Turner and Miss Chrisler would have been shocked by or prehaps they did know and were saddened too of how her search for power left a mark against her name;however the Chinese might disagree with the American's report of her death.

Below are excepts from Mei-ling Soong, Madame Chaiang's obiturary reports:

According to Seth Faison of the New York Times who published Madame Chaiang's obituary on October 24, 2003:

"A devout Christian, Madame Chiang spoke fluent English tinted with the Southern accent she acquired as a school girl in Georgia, and presented a civilized and humane image of a courageous China battling a Japanese invasion and Communist subversion. Yet historians have documented the murderous path that Chiang Kai-shek led in his efforts to win, then keep, and ultimately lose power. It also became clear in later years that the Chiang family had pocketed hundreds of millions of dollars of American aid intended for the war. "

The following are excerts from the China newspaper "The China Daily":

Madame Soong Mei-ling remembered by all Chinese
( 2003-10-29 08:02) (Xinhua)


"Madame Soong Mei-ling, widow of the late Chiang Kai-shek and an influential historical and legendary figure in modern Chinese history, won the recognition of historians and political advisors as well as people from all walks of life on the mainland after she passed away peacefully last week. "

"Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), sent a message to the relatives of Madame Soong to mourn her death, calling Soong a noted and influential person in the modern era of Chinese history, who had been dedicated to the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, opposed to separating the nation, and hopeful for the peaceful reunification across the Taiwan Straits and the flourishing of the Chinese nation."

Mrs. Turner, the intelligent lady that she was, would have followed each news report on her friend.  I'm sure she had her own ideas about this most unusual lady who enjoyed the southern hospitality of Georgians long, long ago.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for allowing our memories to keep us connected with the past.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Your memories are your link to the past.  Listen carefully, file it carefully in your mind, and bring it out often to review.

Work cited:
Chrisler, Isabel; Demorest in the Piedmont as told to Loren W. Burch (Pastor, Demorest Federted Church and Instructor at Piedmont); publish date unknown.
Faison, Seth; New York Times; "Madame Chiang, 105, Chinese Leader's Widow, Dies" http://www.clta-gny.org/MadameChiang.htm

The China Daily; http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/29/content_276451.htm
Photos:
Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/96930/Soong-Mei-ling>.
Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/60448/US-first-lady-Eleanor-Roosevelt-in-front-of-the-White
Chiang Kai-shek; Soong Mei-ling. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 3 May. 2011.