“I've heard it said before that those who don't learn from the past are bound to repeat it, and I just don't know what I think about that. I figure I don't have too much use for it. The past will just weigh on you if you spend too much time remembering it.” ― Wiley Cash, Author, from his book: A Land More Kind Than Home

Rural town representative to the
Louisiana Boy's State (1963)

Boy's Nation President Bill Clinton
meets US President John F. Kennedy

Here we go again. As the emcee, Ted Mack, used to call it like this on the Original Amateur Hour, "Round and round she goes and where she stops nobody knows." After a long run on radio, the show started on TV in 1948. I had not remembered the wheel was a she but I will let you ponder that one. Now it is time to address the day we have before us, Tuesday, January 26, 2015. The other day the wife found this photo of yours truly. It was taken at the Parish fair in 1963. I had forgotten about the photo and the reason it was taken. I was wearing my Pelican Boy's State t-shirt. I had been selected that summer to represent our little community at this annual event in Baton Rouge, the state capitol. Selected. That word may be a great overreach because as I recall they didn't really have too many to consider and I think my Uncle Dan who was active in the American Legion pushed for them to send me. I was elected to some Parish wide position at the Louisiana Boy's State event and in that same year, 1963, most are aware that Bill Clinton represented Arkansas at Boy's Nation where he had been elected president and was able to have what is now considered to be a famous photo taken with President Kennedy. It would seem that photo of him and the President became somewhat prophetic. The photo of me? Well, there's quite a story that goes with it too. Especially how my wife who was at the time it was taken my estranged girlfriend ended up with it. And, if I had ever heard the entire story I can't recall. The wife filled me in on the details but I'll save that one for another day, that is, if I ever decide to share it at all. Some things are better left to history. Just let the sleeping dogs sleep on or something like that.

Gaither Concert 2nd Baptist Houston, Photo posted
by Mark Lowry

What's that? I feel the same way. A lot of water has flowed under a whole lot of bridges since then. I had an extra long day last Friday. I was pretty much past going as they say back home. I got home late, changed clothes, and myself, the wife, and a friend headed across town to hear the Gaither Vocal Band concert at Houston's Second Baptist Church. That trip is a little over 35 miles from our house. We started out at 5 p.m. and it took us 35 minutes to get from our house to I-45. All stacked up. It was another hour and 15 minutes to reach our destination. Sure. We got there just before the concert started. It was nearly two hours to go 35 miles? This is one of the major reasons we quit trying to do events staged in the Houston metroplex. Yes. I know there were accidents that complicated our travel and that's typical on an over saturated road system. (On Friday evening!) Oh yeah. I almost forgot. The three hour concert itself was wonderful. Second Baptist was a great venue and their full choir and orchestra showed up to make some of the worship music both heart blessing and mind boggling. It was a lot of ministry in music being shed abroad in that place. Would I go again? To see them? You betcha. Would I drive 1 hour and 50 minutes in sheer panic mode to do so? That my friend is one that I will have to think long and hard about.

That commute caused me to be frustrated but I did my best to keep my cool. Many of my fellow drivers were also frustrated but it was clear they were not too interested in keeping any of their cool at all. It's not enough that we all were moving up one car length at a time but you have to stay up on the wheel because of all of those who are dive bombing their vehicles from one lane to the other. I know what you are thinking. If that's the worst thing I have to deal with then I should consider myself to be fortunate. Thanks for that vote of confidence. You have your pet peeves and I have mine. Yesterday I saw many of the snow/blizzard photos from folks who now live up East but they used to live here. They posted their photos on Facebook. We had the air conditioning running here. It was 75 degrees outside. Sunday morning I had a pretty thick layer of ice on my truck windshield. Then a warm up and everyone is talking about how warm and humid it is. Meanwhile, more photos are showing up of the 20 plus inches of snow. Some crazy stuff going on if you ask me. I know you didn't but that's my take on it anyway. I do hope you have a wonderful rest of the day and may our Great God help us all as we keep on keeping on in this life that He has given to us. Amen. ....More later.