My lifelong friend and classmate Barbara Glass Crawford came by the house this past week. Sadly, she was in town making arrangements for the funeral service of her husband, Alan.

I really don’t know how to begin this. I don’t even know what to call it, a letter or a statement but it is what is on my mind and my heart. I lived over half of my life in Holdenville and raised our family there. It hurts me to see so much bickering going on and it is all over Facebook.

Many years ago, my wife and I decided to take a vacation to Red River, New Mexico and camp out in the mountains. This was no small adventure for Diane, whose idea of roughing it involves an air-conditioned motel with black and white television.

Recently, a friend shared the following with us and we thought you might enjoy it. It reminded me of my mother.........

I’m thinking a lot this week about the loss of a spouse. Not my spouse, fortunately. We went through that scare seven years ago when Diane was diagnosed with cancer.

This is an excellent reminder; Worth repeating. In 57 years of teaching, there are many things I wish I had done.

For many of us the end of this pandemic is at hand. And I say, “Praise the Lord.” Being cooped up and suffering through one of the coldest winters in history has also been hard on us. I am a guy who loves getting out and seeing my fellow man.

In the living room of my childhood home there were two chairs, a couch and a television set. My mom always sat in the rocking chair. My dad’s territory was the Barkerlounger. My sister and I usually ended up on the couch or the floor if my folks were sitting in their designated places.

We were dressed and ready to go out for the New Years Eve Party. We turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.

Easter Sunday was such a great day. Our son Tim and Allen and Kathryn Brigdon brought the special music and I have never heard better. What a blessing. Dane brought a wonderful message and it was almost 1:00 before Dayna and I got home.