2011 State Track Meet

On Thursday I attended the KY State Track meet in Louisville. It was an exciting experience. My son ran the 800 meter relay and the 800 meter run.

The competition was fierce.  I saw outstanding athletes.  A few of the competitors made their event look so easy.  I was truly impressed with the skill.  One of my favorite events is sprints. You see incredible concentration.  Sprinters appear to me to have different styles when they run.  I think most of them could run through a brick wall.  The hurdle competition is different; I think it is a very graceful event.

Perhaps what amazed me more were the kids that gave it their best no matter what the odds. They participated because they either supported the team and/or truly love the sport.  Those are the kids that I admire the most.  You see the concentration in their faces and the will to continue.  I suspect those kids will be very successful in life. 

Unfortunately, I also witnessed a few sad moments.  In a couple of races a competitor fell down.  In KY if you cause a false start, you are automatically disqualified.  That must be gut wrenching. You practice and work all year to get to this point and in a couple of seconds, you cannot compete. 

The pic below is my son competing in the 800 meter relay.  The head winds were fierce during this part of the day. I was at the same level taking pics and it was strong wind.  He is part of a good team. In fact, his high school placed 3rd.  He did well.

Finally, as I watched these kids compete I saw numerous examples of perseverance.  It is easy to do something you are really good at; it is different when you really have to work at it.  But, I have found that those who work at it have a greater personal reward.  All of these kids should be very proud that they made it to state. 

Interesting Question

Earlier to today I accessed former Senator Gary Hart's blog. He asked does the nation have a soul.  It is an interesting question.  In fact, I have found several interesting questions and comments on Senator Hart's blog. The link follows. Senator Hart's Blog, "Matters of Principle"

My response is the values of a soul are timeless.  I was thinking of the 10 Commandments. They never change.  A soul can be corrupted, but the values are constant. 

A nation changes and revises its values.  An example?  The U.S. sanctioned slavery and segregation, but eventually accepted new values and a new interpretation.  Now, we view these practices as inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution. Did the law change our values or did our values change the law? It is a hard question and one I cannot easily answer.

The Roman Empire also comes to mind.  The Roman Empire was one of the greatest societies in the history of the world.  From my brief read, it was destroyed largely due to corruption and diminished values. The people and leaders ceased to strive for a good/just society and replaced it with an emphasis on an individual's wants.  Did the values change due to the will of the people or did the values seem less important to the people due to the practices of their leaders? Yes, I know, this is simplistic.  Again, I really do not have a good answer.

Back to the original question.  Does a nation have a soul? No.  A soul is within a living being. A nation is a collection of souls, but that does not mean each of us is a part of one master soul. A nation can have shared values, but even if the values are dated or later proved to be wrong; the individual soul is governed by a higher set of Commandments. 

Former President George W. Bush's Autobiography - Decision Points

I just finished Decision Points by former President Bush.  It was an educational read. Unlike most political autobiographies, this one reads more like a conversation. This is not a tell all or a comprehensive autobiography. Very little space is given to his childhood, time in the private sector, or two terms as Texas governor. Rather, he writes about the major challenges of his administration. Each challenge is discussed thoroughly and he readily admits his mistakes.  Again, unlike most autobiographies, he does not engage in revisionist history or vindictive justifications.

What I found most refreshing was his candor when he wrote about how he made a decision.  His logic was quite interesting.  I found a few of his comments very humorous after reading what someone else said about him or what a newspaper columnist wrote.  When you read the epilogue, you will see he readily admits a sustainable verdict on his administration is decades away. He seems fine with that.

You also learn few of his favorite books that he read during his administration. Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris is one.

In some respects it reminds me of the Haldeman Diaries. It is different in its approach, structure, and most importantly, tone.   His observations are insightful.  I almost get the impression President Bush does not care what you think about his book, but you better know your facts. He offers great insights into the decision process of his administration and his personal decision making process.  It is a a truly unique perspective on a highly complex job.

Road Trip with My Son

After writing an entry about lunch with my daughter, it got me to thinking about road trips with my son.  He was dating a very nice and attractive young lady in another county. Almost every Saturday or Sunday, we would meet her halfway.  It meant about an hour trip for him, a two hour round trip for me.

Sometimes he would drive and turn up the radio. If he drove, I may or may not read my Kindle. Sometimes I would drive and he would listen to his iPod. Or one of us would drive and we would have a conversation.

Most of our conversations were about track, school or history.  He is taking AP history and I sure wish I was in class with him. His teacher is very good and I really enjoy the subject.

Sometimes during our drives he would make an insightful observation.  Or he would ask a very thoughtful question. I could see the gears turning. This is a fun time for me. He has interesting and serious thoughts.  One trait I see over and over is a sense of fairness.  Either from his comments or questions.

Some days I go over his history reading with him and I have helped him review for a history test. It is truly enjoyable watching him think about what he has learned and how he interprets it.  It is hard for me to describe here. I think I can best describe it as the feeling when a child shows independent thought and analysis.  This is a very time consuming, but rewarding.

He does not see the young lady from another county.  So our weekend drives are no more. However, I still do have AP history.

Robert Penn Warren's Childhood Home

I was in TN on business. On the way home I stopped in Guthrie, KY to visit the childhood home of Robert Penn Warren.  Robert Penn Warren was an accomplished poet and author. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "All the King's Men."  If you have not seen the movie or read the book, I suggest that you do. The movie is supposedly based on the late LA senator Huey Long (Warren denies this).  It is a fascinating character study.  The transformation of Willy Stark is really an impressive piece of work.

These are photos I took during my tour.  It was a very small home.  The lady that gave the tour demonstrated considerable expertise about the home and the life of Robert Penn Warren. The last photo is a brass door hinge, very unique.

Prom 2011

My son went to his first prom. He took a date and went with several friends.  The prom started with picture taking in a local park. Then nine couples met a friend's house for dinner cooked by several of the parents.  The home was decorated for the dinner.  From what my son told me, everybody had an enjoyable time.  Unfortunately, I did not get any leftover food, but it sure sounded delicious.

As I took photos of my son in his tux (see photo), it occurred to me that he was not the little boy I see, but a young man with so much potential. The world should welcome him and all the other teenagers about to enter a new phase.  These kids have unique and varied skills. What surprises me is the confidence he and his friends demonstrate.  My son chose to take harder courses in high school and he studies. We discuss his AP History notes and readings. I am so proud of his insights and analysis.  You may have read comments like this before.

We think of milestones in terms of events (birth, marriage, kids, first job, driver license, graduating, etc.). I doubt most people think of prom. However, when you see your son in a tux and he is almost as tall as you, it becomes a haze. In that haze is the little boy I would play Stars Wars and Thomas the Tank Engine with, and a young man with original thoughts and soon to be ready for a new chapter in his life.