August 13, 2011 What I've Learned

The 60th birthday came and went. The sun came up the next day and the Earth continued to turn. I read an article in the Atlanta paper that said baby boomers are refusing to accept slowing down because of age. I concur. Turning 60 this past week put me in mind of what all I've learned the past six decades. Worrying doesn't do any good. You have to accept things you can change and the things you can't change and have the ability to know the difference. Hate is learned behavior. Love is much easier than hate. I also believe that there is a difference in education and wisdom. Mamanier reminded me a bunch of times growing up that even a fool can have an education but that doesn't mean they are wise. It is easier to laugh than to cry. A kind and positive word goes further than negative ones. The best books I've ever read were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The best songwriters I can think of are Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Harlan Howard, Bill Anderson, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Elvis has been a relevant cultural icon since I was four years old. George Jones and Vern Gosden are the best at interpreting a song. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" still can give me watery eyes. Thank you WKNG for keeping the music alive. Kevin Costner, Patrick Dempsey, and Sissy Spacek are the nicest actors ever. Being a 60 year old baby boomer means that there are memories that will never go away. November 22, 1963 and September 11, 2001 are two days that our generation will always remember. Everything that I learned about mother nature came from Bud Jones. Bud Jones was a conservationist before there was such a term. He taught us to respect nature and that copperheads make bad pets. The jingle "please, please don't be a litterbug because every litter bit hurts" are the reason that I put trash in a proper receptacle. There are people that had an influence on our lives that we can't forget. "Officer Don" Kennedy, Guy Sharpe, Jim Axle, Monica Kaufman Pearson, Ray Moore, Bistoink Dooley, and Ken Cook have come into our homes and were welcome guests. When I was in the first grade listening to Lee Williams on WWCC in Bremen planted the seed for me to go into radio. In 36 years on the air, I never said anything on the radio that I wouldn't say in front of my mother. We may have more choices for channels for television these days but it isn't as good as television of the 60's and 70's. It occurred to me a long time ago that I never met a stranger in Alabama. People in Montgomery treated me like a first cousin. I believe that George Wallace and Lester Maddox were not the racist monsters that the media painted them. Lester Maddox spent his last Christmas on this Earth as a guest in my home in Marietta. He and Zell Miller are the only two people to serve as both Governor and Lt. Governor that came out of office poorer than when they went in. Many baby boomers from Georgia can remember when it seemed that Bo Callaway was the only Republican in the state. I've learned that politics is far more nasty now than it used to be. America makes the best vehicles and always have. Kia, Hyundai, Mercedes, Toyota, Nissan, and BMW are now made down within a three hour drive of Waco. Respect for people that make their living farming the land was learned as a child. Three generations back, most of our ancestors were farmers. I hated turnip and collard greens as a lad, but love them now. How many of you have gone to the "Top of the River" in Anniston and always get a pot of those delicious greens? Give me some catfish squeelers ond hushpuppies over lobster thermidor. Is there anything that can duplicate the taste sensation of a fried green tomatoes? A neighbor brings me some home grown tomatoes out of his garden and they always taste better than the ones from a supermarket. I've learned that on a cold winter night a bowl of homemade chili or vegetable soup hits the spot. How many of you remember a world where air conditioning and golf were only for rich folks? I've learned that life should be not be complicated however it is human nature to complicate it sometimes. Paul "Bear" Bryant, John Wooden, Bobby Dodd, Vince Dooley, and Vince Lombardi were great teachers in the game of life. John Wooden's Pyramid of Success and the Lombardi Creed hang in my office. The Green Bay coach said "confidence is contagious, so is the lack of confidence." Coach Bryant said "never quit because quitting is a cop-out." UCLA basketball legend Coach Wooden said "don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do." Those quotes are as relevant today as when they were spoken. You learn the value of friendship when the chips are down. Mickey Mantle told me that one night. You can learn who your friends are by losing a job. Getting fired from radio wasn't the worst thing to ever happen to me because I was taught that we should never allow a job to interpret who we are. I don't know anyone who went into education for the paycheck. Going an extra mile to help a person doesn't cost a red cent. By the way, what can you buy for a penny these days? Most folks I know prefer sweet tea over a frappuccino or latte from Starbucks. The coffee shop in Tallapoosa has as good a cup of joe as I ever had. I also learned that "your permanent record" that they used to refer to in school actually exists. I have a debt of gratitude to Robert King who taught me how to type and how to do business math at Tallapoosa High School. I am grateful to have Jackie Roberts to do the business math for me before April 15th every year. Many of you have expressed how glad you are that live theater has come to Tallapoosa. I applaud the efforts and the city's expansion of Tallapoosa's cultural offerings.