 |
Small Town Soap
Box Archive: Tuesday
|
11 - -01 - 05
"We should
insist that
if the
immigrant
who comes
here in good
faith
becomes an
American and
assimilates
himself to
us, he shall
be treated
on a exact
equality
with
everyone
else, for
it's an
outrage to
discriminate
against any
such man
because of
creed, or
birthplace,
or origin.
But this is
predicated
upon the
man's
becoming in
very fact an
American,
and nothing
but an
American...
There can be
no divided
allegiance
here. Any
many who
says he is
an American,
but
something
else also,
isn't an
American at
all.
We have room
for but one
flag, the
American
flag, and
this
excludes any
foreign flag
of a nation
to which we
are
hostile...
We have room
for but one
language
here, and
that is the
English
language...
and we have
room for
bout one
sole loyalty
and that is
a loyalty to
the American
people."
Theodore
Roosevelt
1907
|
|
10 - 25 - 05
Subject: College
A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of the redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.
He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew.
She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.
Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"
She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus, college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."
Her wise father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I have worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"
The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican Party."
|
|
10 - 18 - 05
There can be no way to describe the feeling I get when I see the news. I see so many of you fighting for something that so many of us take for granted.
So many people are depending on you for help. I think about all the dangers you face every minute of every day, for so many of us who are here at home.
There is no way to describe the pride I feel when I see an American Soldier fighting for what he believes in. There is an amount of gratefulness that will never be able to be conveyed. When I see the places you have put yourself, my heart aches for you and your family.
There will never be enough prayers said on your behalf. Prayers are said constantly in our home for all of you. Prayers for Courage, that you may always be ready to do what you must. Prayers for strength, so that when yours may be slipping, God will give you more than enough.
Prayers for Guidance, that you may never loose sight of where you need to be. And mostly Prayers for Safety, that you may be kept safe until you can return home to be with us again. I pray for comfort, so that even when you are alone, you will know that you are never truly alone.
I pray that God will keep His loving arms around you always, my soldier, so that you may know that what you are doing is the right thing. I pray that you will never doubt that you are loved and thought of often, and that you know what you are doing is not in vain. You are in my heart and always on my mind. Please know that someone cares, and that God will never leave your side. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
10 -
11 -
05
Subject:
The
Wooden
Bowl
A
frail
old
man
went
to
live
with
his
son,
daughter-in-law,
and
four-year
old
grandson.
The
old
man's
hands
trembled,
his
eyesight
was
blurred,
and his step
faltered.
The
family
ate
together
at
the
table.
But
the
elderly
grandfather's
shaky
hands
and
failing
sight
made
eating difficult.
Peas
rolled
off
his
spoon
onto
the
floor.
When
he
grasped
the glass,
milk
spilled
on
the
tablecloth.
The
son
and
daughter-in-law
became
irritated
with
the
mess.
"We
must
do something
about
father,"
said
the
son.
"I've
had
enough
of
his
spilled milk,
noisy
eating,
and
food
on
the
floor."
So
the
husband
and
wife
set
a
small
table
in
thecorner.There,Grandfather ate
alone
while
the
rest
of
the
family
enjoyed
dinner.
Since
Grandfather had
broken
a
dish
or
two,
his
food
was
served
in a
wooden
bowl.
When
the
family
glanced
in
Grandfather's
direction,
sometime
he
had
a tear
in
his
eye
as
he
sat
alone.
Still,
the
only
words
the
couple
had
for him
were
sharp
admonitions
when
he
dropped
a
fork
or
spilled
food.
The
four-year-old
watched
it
all
in
silence.
One
evening
before
supper,
the
father
noticed
his
son
playing
with
wood scraps
on
the
floor.
He
asked
the
child
sweetly,
"What
are
you
making?"Just
as
sweetly,
the
boy
responded,
"Oh,
I am
making
a
little
bowl
for you and
Mama
to
eat
your
food
in
when
I
grow
up."
The
four-year-old
smiled and
went
back
to
work.The
words
so
struck
the
parents
so
that
they
were
speechless.
Then
tears started
to
stream
down
their
cheeks.
Though
no
word
was
spoken,
both knew
what
must
be
done.
That
evening
the
husband
took
Grandfather's
hand
and
gently
led
him
back to
the
family
table.
For
the
remainder
of
his
days
he
ate
every
meal
with
the
family.
And
for
some
reason,
neither
husband
nor
wife
seemed
to care
any
longer
when
a
fork
was
dropped,
milk
spilled,
or
the
tablecloth soiled.
On a
positive
note,
I've
learned
that,
no
matter
what
happens,
how
bad
it seems
today,
life
does
go
on,
and
it
will
be
better
tomorrow.
I've
learned
that
you
can
tell
a
lot
about
a
person
by
the
way
he/she
handles
three
things:
a
rainy
day,
lost
luggage,
and
tangled
Christmas tree lights.
I've
learned
that,
regardless
of
your
relationship
with
your
parents,
you'll
miss
them
when
they're
gone
from
your
life.
I've
learned
that
making
a
"living"
is
not
the
same
thing
as
making
a "life."
I've
learned
that
life
sometimes
gives
you
a
second
chance.
I've
learned
that
you
shouldn't
go
through
life
with
a
catcher's
mitt
on
both
hands.
You
need
to
be
able
to
throw
something
back.
I've
learned
that
if
you
pursue
happiness,
it
will
elude
you.
But,
if
you
focus
on
your
family,
your
friends,
the
needs
of
others,
your
work
and doing
the
very
best
you
can,
happiness
will
find
you.
I've
learned
that
whenever
I
decide
something
with
an
open
heart,
I usually
make
the
right
decision.
I've
learned
that
even
when
I
have
pains,
I
don't
have
to
be
one.
I've
learned
that
every
day,
you
should
reach
out
and
touch
someone.
People
love
that
human
touch
--
holding
hands,
a
warm
hug,
or
just
a
friendly
pat
on
the
back.
I've
learned
that
I
still
have
a
lot
to
learn.
Back to Small
Town Soap Box Menu
|
 |
