J. Davy Crockett III

Sometimes, colloquial expressions—those well-worn, time-honored phrases that have come into common use—are passed from generation to generation as a part of the culture. Hokey? Yes, they can be, but these pithy expressions can convey some wisdom if one actually listens and gives them some thought.

Some slogans just stick with you, no matter how much time passes. Some clever phrasing or a catchy tune becomes a part of your psyche after you hear it a few times. Some are very simple, but capture the essence of the company, product or service that is being touted.

When I was in college, many years ago, sowing a bumper crop of “wild oats,” my time was crammed with activities.  You have probably experienced something like it—classes to attend, research and studies to complete, extra-curricular activities and social obligations, with a healthy dose of goofing off mixed in, each day starting early and going late, seldom taking time to pause and reflect.

Yet, in one of those rare, quiet moments, as I looked inwardly—thinking about who I was, what I was doing and where I was going—a few poetic lines came to my mind:

Have you noticed that folks love to collect stuff?  In some parts of the country, searching for arrowheads, spear points, and stone or bone tools left by American Indians (Native Americans, if you prefer) is a popular pastime.  It is amazing that after so many years that many specimens are still being found.

One of the great tragedies of our age is the increase of Alzheimer’s disease, a malevolent condition that robs people, usually the elderly, of their memories and personality, as they slide away into mental darkness. Many have experienced this, and many families have faced the horrific consequences of memory loss and disability that come upon their loved ones.