Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Wishing all Warriors born in January a wonderful birthday.

Here are a few fun facts about Warriors born in January.

• Their birthstone is the garnet, which represents love and friendship. 
• They are pretty decisive. They have their priorities straight.
• They are free birds and hate being dominated.
• They are down to earth people and pretty adaptive by nature.
• They are kind. They do not like hurting anyone. They prefer helping others and encouraging them to achieve whatever they want.
• They are calm and optimistic even during the darkest days.
• They are self-motivated and enthusiastic.
• They are born leaders and understand the importance of teamwork.
• They have a good sense of humor. There is never a dull day with them.

Celebrities Born in January

Morris Chestnut

Regina King

Sade

Alicia Keys

Oprah Winfrey

James Stone

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     January 5, 2025: We are in a new year, a new cycle. It will be full of challenges and opportunities to put the word of God into practice. We will have plenty of chances to succeed or to fail; to walk in the Spirit or live in the flesh. We will either grow because of our experience or we can give up. Every day is a new day; begin with a clean slate. Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    
TODAYS WORDS - A CLEAN SLATE

     There comes a time in the lives of those destined for greatness when we must stand before the mirror of meaning and ask: Why, having been endowed with the courageous heart of a lion, do we live as mice? No matter your position, circumstances, or opportunities in life, you always have the freedom of mind to choose how you experience, interpret, and, ultimately, shape your world. The simple fact that you care that you want to do your best, that you strive to enjoy life and love, this makes you so much more than enough.
     Your ultimate life experience and legacy is being built moment by moment, day by day. Your story is being crafted by your every action, all leading somewhere, all leading to what one hopes will be a magnificent crescendo. Beginning today, set an intention and a relentless focus on living your life as the greatest person you can be, in all situations. Demand that you demonstrate a strength of character in such a way that you find pride in who you are, and that others see you as a role model. To stand emotionally open before the world & give of our hearts without fear of hurt or demand of reciprocity - this is the ultimate act of human courage.
     Optimists are happier in life for a reason. A life filled with silly social drama and gossip indicates that a person is disconnected from purpose and lacking meaningful goals. People on a path of purpose don't have time for drama. I think we can all recognize in some way or another that we as a human species, have been granted an incredible gift of intentionality and of consciousness. Perhaps this gift is a hint to how we should conduct our lives.
     You have a clean slate every day you wake up. You have a chance every single morning to make that change and be the person you want to be. You just have to decide to do it. Decide today’s the day. Say it: this is going to be my day. Selecting your next challenge in life, choose one that is meaningful and will demand your complete concentration.

~Brendon Burchard~

Kenneth Davis

     With a saddened heart, I announce the transition of our friend, Orva Walls. Notification was recieved and verified by knowledgeable individuals. Services have not been completed. The website will be updated upon receipt of scheduling. Let us continue to uplift his family in prayer, during their time of bereavement.

Kenneth Davis

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    
TODAY'S WORDS - YOUR WORST FEARS

     I keep my heart and my soul and my spirit open to miracles. I don't know what's on the other side. What winning is to me is not giving up, no matter what's thrown at me, I can take it. And I can keep going. I'm not afraid of death. I'm going home. I don't want to be a poster child for cancer. If I leave this Earth, I want to leave this Earth just knowing I've tried to give something back and tried to do something worthwhile with myself.
     How do you nurture a positive attitude when all the statistics say you're a dead man? One thing I'm not going to do is chase staying alive. You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live. I'm trying to shut up and let my angels speak to me and tell me what I'm supposed to do. I don't know how many hills and valleys I've had, how many times I've had to refocus my world and my life and my career.
     I've never been one to run from a challenge. I will go so far as to say probably smoking had something to do with my pancreatic cancer. Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true. The longer your life goes on, the more death you face. Together we can make a world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse.

~Patrick Swayze~

Kenneth Davis

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

⦁ Why don’t eggs tell jokes?

  They crack up too easily.

⦁ When is a door not a door?

  When it’s ajar.

⦁ Why don’t you buy things with Velcro?

  It’s a rip-off.

⦁ What do you call a snobby criminal going down the stairs?

   A con descending.

 Amusing Overheard Conversations

 in New York City

 That Made Us Raise an Eyebrow 

- by Alanna Kaplan

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     January 7, 2025: Procrastination is your enemy that fills you with dread and causes you to be anxious. You must set your will to do what needs to be done today and every day. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Ask for help, and I will help you, says the Lord. Proverbs 21:25-26 The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare.

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N    
TODAY'S WORDS - YOUR ENEMY 

     If there are going to be people out there making war on other people, don't you think it's a good idea for some of those people to at least follow a code of ethics? Not 'honor' but something you can pin down and be sure of, something with the same rules for everybody. Honor was never taking the easy way when it was also the wrong one. Never telling a falsehood unless the truth was painful and unnecessary, or a lie was necessary to save others. Never manipulating the truth to serve only yourself. Protecting the weak and helpless; standing fast even when fear made you weak. 
     Getting angry over something that won't change is like seeing what happens if you hit your hand with a hammer over and over again and being surprised each time when it hurts. So, you might as well stop doing it. It makes sense for people who are good at fighting to go out and do it-because if they're good at it, that means the fewest number of other people die. Fanatics can justify practically any atrocity to themselves. The more untenable their position becomes, the harder they hold to it, and the worse the things they are willing to do to support it. If they projected the fact that they are dangerous any harder, there would be little puddles of "danger" on the floor around them. Look, its "danger", don't step in it!
     It would be hell on earth to spend the rest of my life leading family and friends into situations where some of them are going to get killed... but it would be worse watching someone well-meaning but incompetent or untrained double those deaths. None of us are quite so sure of our place in the world that we can't be rocked off our feet by bad times. It's the getting back up again that counts. Not that you fall, but getting back up again counts for more in the long run. Sympathy can be addictive and can kill strong men as surely as a diet of nothing but sugar. To treat a person like a carpet, it is necessary that one do the walking, and one allow himself to be walked on.
     Not forgiving someone hurts you worse than it hurts him...even if he doesn't deserve to be forgiven...Not forgiving someone is like not pulling a thorn out of your foot just because you weren't the one who put it there. Give your enemy a face, If he is human, do not dehumanize him. Know him and know why he is your enemy. If your enemy is within you, understand what it is and why you are afraid. Put a face on your fear. When you understand it, and it is no longer vague and shapeless, you will find that your fear is no longer so formidable. Assume the attitude of prayer, and in time, the attitude will become prayer. The freedom to swing your fist, ends at my nose. Some must be warriors, that others may live in peace.

~Mercedes Lackey~

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAY'S WORD - OVERRIDE 

     There is no such thing as 'staying in shape;' you either work to get better, or you allow yourself to get worse. Alter strategies and tactics, but never your principles. Make your mistakes with confidence. It is the only way you are going to learn anything. Never be afraid to do a skill, no matter how simple or hard it may seem someone has done it, and so can you, with enough committed practice and confidence. Profit by your own mistakes and profit by the mistakes of others. Never back down, never fear anyone, for the best opponents will help you to play your best. You cannot turn your winning attitude on when you think you 'need it.' You must work on it every day. Focus on playing to win, not playing to lose, for there is a season of difference between the two.
     Never mishandle hope or self-confidence - those are elements of life, not just a game. Most of us are referees at heart; we like to call throws and errors on someone else. Peer pressure can override the body's demand for health. Being healthy goes beyond 'not being sick' (where all lab reports indicate health), to feeling optimistic, energetic, strong and happy with their bodies. Teaching your peers to take charge of their bodies is a job of coaching. Help them to gain discipline in conditioning, nutrition and attitude/emotional control. Focus on winning the contest with yourself.
 

~John Kessel~

Kenneth Davis

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

Eating This One Food 
Can Stop Your Junk Food Cravings for Good
By Brooke Nelson
https://www.thehealthy.com/ 

     This weight loss trick couldn't be simpler! Uh-oh—you just started a new diet, but your mouth is watering for a juicy burger, salt-soaked fries, and a giant soda. If you take one bite, you know that your resolve will come tumbling down. What to do? Dealing with food temptation can be tough. We hear ya! Junk food cravings come in every shape and size, but all are scientifically proven physiological reactions that shouldn’t be ignored. Of the many ways to stop your cravings in their tracks, there’s one that stands out from the rest. And luckily for dieters everywhere, it couldn’t be simpler.
The solution: Eating just one raisin very, very slowly.
     Sounds crazy, right? But it can actually work, according to Dr. Leslie Korn, an expert in mental-health nutrition and author of the new cookbook The Good Mood Kitchen. Korn says that the process of mindfully eating a grape releases chemical that can curb your worst cravings. To try it for yourself, start by picking up a raisin and examining its various dips and grooves. You can sniff it, too. While you do so, pay attention to your body’s reaction, such as a watering mouth or rumbling stomach, for example.
     Next, place the raisin on your tongue and move it around in your mouth, inspecting the fruit’s texture. As you slowly chew the raisin, take note of its soft center and various flavors. Then swallow it and stay still as you imagine the fruit moving through your body, all the way down to your stomach. Finally, ask yourself a simple question: “What does my body really need?” That’s it! In five minutes or less (and for just a few calories), you just said adios to your appetite. How? “The raisin exercise couples our awareness with our ability to exert control over our ‘automatic’ reactions,” Korn told The New York Post. Translation: You are teaching your body to say no to late night binge eating.
     This practice of mindful eating launches a chemical reaction called parasympathetic dominance, which slows your heart rate and breathing. Levels of an anti-anxiety neurotransmitter called GABA also rise, which stabilizes your appetite and improves digestion later on (like during your next meal or snack). Although Korn recommends using a raisin due to its unique taste and texture, she says that munching on a small bite of almost anything could do the trick. 

     This is for information purpose only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

Greetings Warrior Family!
     Your Reunion Commitee has been diligently working on our upcoming 55th Class Reunion. We've developed a reasonable expense for attendance, with the cost of inflation considered. Help us make this a successful reunion by submitting your assessments in a timely manner. This will acknowledge your support for this event and provide assurance to the committee. Additional information will be posted to update this schedule upon availability.

Reunion info:
Meet and Greet: Afro American Police Asso.
1391 Ferguson
Time: 5pm

Activities:

Tentative Saturday Morning Prayer Breakfast at BTW

Banquet Venu: The Harriet Performing Arts Center 
2788 Lamar Ave, Memphis, TN 38114-5024
Menu will be catered.
Please inform a committee member if you have a food allergy or complete the website survey.

WHY THE HARRIET?
From our amazing arts gallery to our performing arts theatre, HPAC offers unique spaces for your event. Also, all proceeds received go to our non-profit organization, Young Actors Guild. 

Sunday morning worship. Location TBA

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: TBA

Assessments:
COST: $200 Per Classmate
For those bringing a plus one add $65
For Classmates married to a classmate who will also be attending $300

     If a payment plan is vital.
Plus, one and classmate $30 per month from January - June, final payment of $55 by August ($265.00)

     Classmates married to a classmate $37.50 per month from January - August ($300.00)

     Payment in full should be made prior to July 31, 2025. The deadline is established, so that the committee may finalize all business and any bills that may remain unpaid.

     We would like for the attendance to be at least fifty (50) class members; however, we will have a reunion if only twenty (20) members attend. Fund raisers were not planned to offset costs, due to the limited timeframe involved. We're counting on you, to help make this a successful reunion.

     All monies should be sent to:

Ms. Bonnie Pippin Mills
1384 Tahiti Ln.
Memphis TN. 38117

     Please send a check or Post Office Money Order (Post Office will refund money if lost and a claim is filed). 

     Please complete the survey, if not previously done. Here's the link: https://forms.gle/x17jZYWs3G6sMZ8d9. Submit your tee-shirt size via the survey link or include it with your submission of monies. Also give the total number of shirts required. Additional cost of shirts for extra size shirts TBA.

Save the Dates.
Oct 17 thru OCT 19, 2025

     Any questions or concerns please call Committee President Robert Phifer @ 901-491-1623. Please leave a voicemail, should you not get an immediate answer.

Kenneth Davis

      T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAY'S WORDS - Do not be DISHEARTENED

     Above the clouds the sky is always blue. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness. I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. When we yield to discouragement it is usually because we give too much thought to the past and to the future.
     Trials help us detach ourselves from the earth; they make us look higher than this world. Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father's love - difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs - everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weakness. Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events - to the heart that loves, all is well.
     Do all that you do with love. Let us love, since our heart is made for nothing else. Perfect love means putting up with other people's shortcomings, feeling no surprise at their weaknesses, finding encouragement even in the slightest evidence of good qualities in them. Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.
     We who run in the way of Love must never torment ourselves about anything. If I did not suffer minute by minute, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I see only the present moment, I forget the past and take good care not to anticipate the future. If we grow disheartened, if sometimes we despair, it is because we have been dwelling on the past or the future. Each small task of everyday life is part of the total harmony of the universe. Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing.

~Therese of Lisieux~

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

 TO  

  ESTELLA WRIGHT MAYHUE-GREER

     Our emotional life maps our incompleteness: A creature without any needs, would never have reasons for fear, or grief, or hope, or anger. I think ageing is challenging, surprising, fun, and full of friendship, so that is the approach I'll take, objecting to the stigmatization of ageing in so many modern societies.

 ~Martha Nussbaum~

Kenneth Davis

 TIME FOR ANOTHER 
THROWBACK
 THURSDAY

Joycelyn Lacy (Sommerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

I appreciate the wonderful birthday wishes. I feel so blessed to see 72. 

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the class reunion!

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAY'S WORDS - BRING CLARITY 

     When you ask the best questions of yourself and others, you invite the best answers. We all have a gift; we all have a passion - it's just about finding it and going into it. Being an asset to your family and community. It's important to surround yourself with good people, interesting people, young people, young ideas. Go places, learn new stuff. Look at the world with wonder - don't be tired about it. Acting is my calling, not my career. People confuse the person and the part. As an actor, you're used to putting on characters, taking them off, becoming someone else, doing your research, and working on that. 
     When I was in school, my mother stressed education. I am so glad she did. I graduated from Yale College and Yale University with my master's, and I didn't do it by missing school. I remembered that throughout my growing up and education and pursuing my dreams and desires, going into acting, and, of course, getting through Yale University and on and on and on, that being average, being mediocre was not an option that you should be proud of. I deal in a very artistic way of what interests me and marks my passion, and I try to - whether it's good or not - am in love with acting and the stage and characters and the ability to reach and to touch people, so that's where, I guess, that's where my heart will reside, by and large. 
     The three things I said when I came out of school where I want to work consistently, I want to do good work and I want to be paid fairly, and that's happened. But I didn't become an actress for the money. I do it for other reasons. You can't always do that which you can do in your sleep. That doesn't fulfill an artist. You're looking for places where you can grow, in some way, whether it's a large way or a small way. I want to grow as an artist, as a person and as a woman. I want to enjoy myself and my life and the company that I'm keeping. I want to bring something to the table that's different than anything else would bring, but that has its place and value, and then keep moving.
This is a career about images. It's celluloid; they last for ever. I'm a black woman from America. My people were slaves in America, and even though we're free on paper and in law, I'm not going to allow you to enslave me on film, in celluloid, for all to see. I hope I just continue to be passionate about the roles and to always endeavor to bring clarity and honesty to the table and different ideas. I think if you're able to do over the course of your career 20, 30, 50 very wonderful rich characters, you'd rather have that than an Oscar. I really believe that what I do as an actress is my God-given talent. This is my calling, not my career. The first time I acted was in high school in Florida, and when I heard that applause I felt so alive and felt that electricity go up my spine.

~Angela Bassett~

Kenneth Davis

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 

     Art is self expression. If you are expressing someone else's personality, that is not art. My short answer would be that there is no greatest jazz musician of the century. Jazz, like any valid art form, finds its greatness in its expression of the human spirit, and, to me, this can’t be reduced to a contest.

~Bennie Wallace~

Kenneth Davis

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ORVA WALLS

VISITATION 10:00AM -10:55 AM
Thursday January 16,2025
Quince Road Church of Christ
6384 Quince Road
Memphis, Tennessee 38115

FUNERAL SERVICE 11:00 AM 
Thursday January 16,2025
Quince Road Church of Christ
6384 Quince Road
Memphis, Tennessee 38115

INTERMENT 1:00 PM 
Thursday January 16,2025
West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery
4000 Forest Hill Irene Road 
Memphis, Tennessee 38125.

Obituary For Orva Lee Walls, Jr.

     Orva Lee Walls, Jr., was born July 31, 1952 the eldest of 3 sons to the late Orva Lee Walls, Sr. and the late Minnie Lee Walls. “Jr.” as he was affectionately known, was baptized at an early age at Vance Avenue Church of Christ under the ministry of Brother Nokomis Yeldell. He attended Memphis City Schools and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1970. In November of 1973, Orva went into the Marine Corps and served until he was honorably discharged in 1975. In 1985, he began his career with the Internal Revenue Service. During his tenure, Orva showed himself to be an exemplary and highly respected employee, and participated with the co-ed Softball team in his spare time. After his retirement in 2014, he spent time fishing, barbecuing, and spending time with family. Orva was also an avid Dallas Cowboys fan who supported and defended his team win or lose. His memory will be forever cherished by his daughter Ayana Walls and her mother Jacki. Orva was also a wonderful father figure, guiding force and inspiration to Victor Jackson and Vincent Rainey (their mother Selena Audrey Walls preceded him in death) and Yolanda Anding all of whom will miss him. He will always be loved and never forgotten by his brothers Carl (Mae Lois) Walls and Victor Walls, nieces Melanie Walls and Audrey Norwood, nephews Cedric (Whitney) Walls and Jonathan Walls. He also leaves a grandson, great nephews, many relatives and long time friends. 

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 
TODAY'S WORDS- LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND

     Love who you are inside and out. Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Never sacrifice who you are because someone else has a problem with it. If you only talk to a person's head and not their heart people won't listen to you. Avoid head trash. Don't be a garbage can for anything that does not feed your intellect, stimulate your imagination, or make you a more compassionate peaceful person. Refuse to open your mind to other people's trash. Tune out anything that promotes conflict or controversy. This can infect you with a mind virus of cynicism or defeat, and you won't even know it! At the end of the day, it's important to know what really matters most in life...your sanity, your health, your family, and the ability to start anew.
      Our ability to handle life's challenges is a measure of our strength of character. Change your thinking. Change your life! Your thoughts create your reality. There is nothing more powerful than a changed mind. Give yourself a break. Stop beating yourself up! Everyone makes mistakes, has setbacks and failures. You don't come with a book on how to get it right all the time. In life, friendships change, divorces happen, people move on, others die. Don't look back. Look straight ahead!! Life changes. You may not have the same life as before, but you can still enjoy your life!
     It’s hard to see the whole picture when you are in the frame. Do something about your life now. You know you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Don't just think about it, look at it. It's your time for a breakthrough! Make up your mind to leave the past and the old you behind. Focus on giving birth to a new you.... the real you. It is your time to create a turning point for the better in your life. It is your destiny to be healthy, happy and successful. Your future is open, full of possibility and promise! Buckle down and do whatever is required to create a life that you are proud of and a life that you deserve! Don't look back!! Look ahead, move forward and make this your best year ever! You have the something special. You don't get what you want in life. You get who you are. 

~Les Brown~

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Dr. Otis Clayton, Sr.

Happy Birthday to my loving ClassMate Estella. Please keep the faith. Otis

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

   January 12, 2025: Beloved, it is My desire that you would reach a level of being habitually conscious of My Spirit. That is to walk and live in the Spirit and never deviate from being one with Me, says the Lord. This will take deliberate effort and determination in the beginning, but if you persist it will become as natural as breathing. John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.  

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORD - BELOVED 

     God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. Our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
     How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
     “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. So, shine on through these days we have to fill. My Peace I leave with you. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” 

~John the Apostle~

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAY'S WORDS - LEARN THE DIFFERENCE

     All I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten. Share everything ... Don't hit people ... Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day. Take a nap every afternoon, and, when you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together. Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise. If I were absolutely certain about all things, I would spend my life in anxious misery, fearful of losing my way.
     But since everything and anything are always possible, the miraculous is always nearby and wonders shall never, ever cease. One of life's best coping mechanisms is to know the difference between an inconvenience and a problem. If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you’ve got a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience. Life is inconvenient. Life is lumpy. A lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat and a lump in the breast are not the same kind of lump. One needs to learn the difference. Making a living and making a life that's worthwhile are not the same thing. Living the good life and living a good life are not the same thing. A job title doesn't even come close to answering the question. "What do you do?".
     We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box. Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave something and take something away. Most of this “something” cannot be seen or heard or numbered or scientifically detected or counted. It’s what we leave in the minds of other people and what they leave in ours. Memory. The census doesn’t count it. Nothing counts without it. Even if your watch is full of diamonds the hour is still 60 minutes. I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have - I can reflect light into the dark places of this world - into the black places in the hearts of men - and change somethings in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise. This is what I am about. This is the meaning of my life.

~Robert Fulghum~