A Gift From My Grandmother Telitha Gulley

When I was 21, I had just bought my first car. 
My first long distance trip was to go and see my father's mother Telitha Gulley. 
Prior to this trip, I had not seen my grandmother since 1995. My grandmother at this point of her life had one of her legs cut off due to her battle with diabetes. The year was 1998.
It was on this trip that she gave me a backpack. She wanted me to go to college, because she had dropped out of school due to excessive partying. 
She really wanted me to go because she felt that I was her last hope of receiving a college graduate in the family due to the fact that neither of her children had chosen not to attend.
Even though I vowed to her that I would eventually go to school, at that point my life, I had no plans of going to school because I was in the military and I wanted to sew my wild oats.
Unfortunately, she lost her battle with diabetes a year later 1999.
In the fall of 2001, I happily became enrolled at the University of Central Arkansas with the backpack that was given to me by her. 
Each and every morning, I would get up and speak to that bag and say, " Okay grandma, it's time to go to class!"
Over time the backpack had lost one of its straps. 
Despite its ugly appearance I had managed to still make the daily journey to class with it.
It was not until my last year of college that I had finally decided to retire the backpack that I called "grandma" because the school lunch ladies felt bad for me and they chipped in to buy me a new and expensive Jansport backpack. 
On December 16, 2006, I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Central Arkansas and finally completing my grandmother's wish for me to become a college graduate. 
I just wish that she would have been alive to have seen me do it. 
The moral of the story is this:
Always remember that no matter how long that it takes you to do it, it is never too late to become educated. Knowledge is power. Never forget this. 

My Paternal Grandfather

Up until I was 4 years old, I lived with parents in my dad's parent's home. 
My best friend and hero at the time was paternal grandfather Zebedee Gulley.
He always left home before the sun came up. He would return home just as the sun would begin to set for the evening.
He worked for International Paper's Paper Mill in Wheelen Springs, Arkansas. 
When he was away, I would serve as his eyes and ears when it came to finding out what had been going on at the house. 
I once told him about the time that my grandmother had put a dent in her 1978 Buick Regal by accident. 
As a reward for keeping him updated, he brought home a cap for me with his work emblem on it.
I kept that hat for years! 
Sadly, in 2003, I lost him to a battle with diabetes when I was in my 2nd year of college. 
He also died without me speaking to him because of a disagreement that I had with him for not giving me something that my grandmother had left to me in death. 
I wish that I had not been so petty to let something like that ruin our relationship, but what it is done is done. 
My prayer is that those of you that may be reading this will get the relationships that you have your relatives back on track before it is too late. 
Time is something that you can never get back. 
Remember that. 

A Special Conversation With A Candidate

During the campaign season of 2018, I had the privilege of having lunch with Maureen Skinner, who was a person that was running for State Senator of my district.
One of the things that I wanted to know from her was how her family felt about her decision to run for office.
What a lot of people do not realize is that when you run for office, your family runs for office as well.
Muckraking was still real in 2018. When you are a public official, there is nothing in your life that becomes off limits for the media to talk about.
As much as we hate to admit it, dirt is what sells newspapers.
She told me that her family was fine with her decision and that they even participated in the door knocking and phone bank calling process that is necessary to reach out to the constituents.
My hat goes off to anyone that decides to step to the plate to represent their community. It is not an easy thing to do.
Whether you do a good job or not, your job is always on the line every 2 to 4 years. Let's not forget about those term limits as well.
Therefore, if serving the public is your calling get on up and do what you believe is right for your community. Just remember to be aware of the long nights and headaches that will come along with the territory.