
,,Y'RE ,,GO+ ,,= ,,ALL ,,( ,,US
0,HOM] ,PAGE

  ,HOM] ,PAGE IS TOT,Y BL4 ,HE IS A
UNIV]S;Y PROFESSOR & AN ELECT$ (FICIAL 9
8 -MUN;Y4 ,HE ATTRIBUTES M* ( 8 SU3ESS 9
LIFE 6HIS "M1 :O AL HAPP5S 6BE BL4 ,"H
HE TELLS 8 "M'S /ORY4
  ,D',>L9E ,CREE* 0 BORN ON ,SEPTEMB]
#AB1 #AIAE4 ,%E CAME 96? _W 9 A SMALL
F>M H\SE NE> ,TROY1 ,MISS\RI4 ,%E ATT5D$
S*OOL 9 A "O ROOM S*OOLH\SE1 NO M ?AN
?REE HUNDR$ FEET F ! PLACE %E 0 BORN4 ,9
_M WAYS H] LIFE 0 UNEV5T;L1 B 9 _M O!R
WAYS %E REPRES5TS "S (! /R;GE/ DIM5.NS
(! HUMAN EXP]I;E4 ,X IS H] /ORY T ,I
WANT 6TELL4 ,X IS A SPECIAL /ORY 6ME 2C
,D',>L9E ,CREE* ,PAGE IS MY "M4
  ,BL;S IS A 3DI;N T HAS EXI/$ 9 MY
FAMILY = _M G5],NS4 ,"! >E AT L1/ SIX
G5],NS ( U :O H LE>N$ 6LIVE POSITIVE1
PRODUCTIVE LIVES Z BL P]SONS4 ,I AM ! F/
9 ? L9E :O HAS RCVD AN $UC,N & MADE MY
WAY 9 ! BROAD] _W4 ,M* ( ? IS DUE 6!
*ANG+ "TS & 6! E6ECT T ! ,N,NAL ,F$],N
(! ,BL HAS _H ON ! ATTITUDES ( \R
SOCIETY4 ,YET "O DOES N MAKE A SU3ESS;L
LIFE )\T 2+ GR.D$ 9 A /R;G P]SONAL
ID5T;Y DRAWN F PA/ G5],NS4
  ,I AM #EJ YE>S OLD4 ,I H BE5 BL F
BIR?4 ,I H E>N$ A ,PH4,D41 & ,I H LR$ 9
WRE/L+ AT A MAJOR UNIV]S;Y4 ,I H TAU<T 9
UNIV]SITIES & ,I CURR5TLY S]VE Z A ,C.TY
,-MIS.N] 9 ,B\LD] ,C.TY1 ,COLORADO4 ,MY
LIFE HAS BE5 5RI*$ 0FRS & FAMILY F ACR ?
N,N &! _W4 ,I N[ H A GR&SON :O AT ?
WRIT+ IS SIX MON?S ( AGE4 ,Z ,I LOOK
BACK ON MY LIFE & MY BL;S1 ,I 2COME M &
M AW>E (! WAY 9 : MY "M TAU<T ME 6H
PRIDE & WOR? Z A BL P]SON4
  ,MY "M 0 BORN ON ! SAME F>M 9 ,MISS\RI
": ,I 0 BORN4 ,%E ALW _H V L[ VI.N1 B Z
%E GREW OLD]1 H] VI.N DECR1S$4 ,%E
DROPP$ \ ( S*OOL AF ! T5? GRADE & LIV$ A
V LIMIT$ LIFE =! NEXT T5 YE>S4 ,H] "M 0
AL BL4 ,!Y LIV$ TGR AF H] "F'S D1? ON !
FAMILY F>M4
  ,DUR+ ? "T1 MY GR&"M & MY "M PROVID$ A
HOME =A NUMB] ( FO/] *N4 ,? 0 DUR+ !
DEPRES.N (! #AICJ'S & M"OY 0 V SC>CE4
,!Y SCRAP$ 0& MANAG$ 6PAY ! TAXES ON !
F>M & N 6LOSE X4 ,_M ( _! NEI<BORS 7 N S
SU3ESS;L4
  ,MY "F & "M _H GR[N UP TGR & ATT5D$ !
SAME "O ROOM C.TRY S*OOL4 ,!Y 7 M>RI$ 9
#AIDJ4 ,MY "F _H GR[N UP Z AN ORPHAN4
,HE _H MADE 8 WAY Z A RODEO C[BOY &A
MUSICIAN4 ,:5 MY "M & "F 7 M>RI$ HE MOV$
9 6! FAMILY F>M & TOOK ON !
RESPONSIBILITIES ( MANAG+ X4
  ,MY "M & "F RAIS$ ?REE *N & IMPROV$ _!
ECONOMIC POSI;N "? H>D "W &! C>E;L USE
(! SC>CE RES\RCES T !Y _H AVAILA# 6!M4
,!Y 7 M>RI$ OV] ?IRTY-FIVE YE>S 2F !Y
TOOK A VAC,N4 ,MY "M CANN$ FRUITS &
VEGETA#S EA* YE>4 ,!Y GREW _! [N M1T &
DAIRY PRODUCTS4 ,WE 7 ALW WELL F$1 CL1N1
& WELL LOV$4 ,WE N"E KNEW T WE 7
ECONOMIC,Y DEPRIV$4 ,WE ALW ?"\ T WE 7 J
F9E & ,I ?9K WE W]E4
  ,H["E \R FAMILY _H "O V DI6ICULT W9T]4
,9 #AIDG1 ! CROPS FAIL$4 ,MY "F _H J
RETURN$ F ! >MY & \R RES\RCES 7
PRACTIC,Y NON-EXI/5T4 ,HE & %E W5T 6T[N
6F9D JOBS4 ,MY "F 0 HIR$ 6"W ON !
RAILROAD1 & MY "M F.D EMPLOY;T 9 A LOCAL
G>;T FACTORY4 ,? 0 H>D "W = H]4 ,%E _H
6CUT & SEW WOM5'S L9G]IE4 ,%E _H 6FOLL[
A PATT]N4 ,X 0 /RESS;L "W4 ,X 0 H>D = H]
6KEEP UP )! PRODUC;N QUOTAS4 ,%E GOT PD
0! PIECE4 ,H["E1 %E "W$ ALL W9T] &)!
9COME T !Y EA* E>N$1 !Y B"\ CATTLE &
SE$S =! NEXT YE>'S CROPS4 ,X 0 ! ONLY "T
T %E _H 6"W \TSIDE ! HOME4 ,%E N"E
-PLA9$ & 0 GLAD 6MAKE H] 3TRIBU;N4
,H["E1 %E 0 AL V GLAD 6BE A# 6QUIT4
  ,MY "M 0 N"E A L1D] AT ! NEI<BORHOOD
*UR* OR 9 ! LOCAL S*OOL4 ,%E 0 ALW QUIET
9 MEET+S4 ,%E 0 N A L1D] 9 ! FAMILY4 ,%E
N"E TRI$ 6PROVE H]F 6ANY"O4 ,YET1 ,I
LE>N$ M AB LIV+ PRODUCTIVELY F H] ?AN
ANY"O ELSE4 ,:AT 0 X !N T ? SIMPLE WOMAN
(F]$ 6ME T ,I F.D S VALUA#8
  ,MY "M LOOK$ = WAYS 6BE PRODUCTIVE >.D
! F>M4 ,%E DIDN'T H 6LOOK V F>4 ,%E 0
PATI5T4 ,%E DEF9$ ! JOBS T NE$$ 6BE D"O
& T %E CD D4 ,%E DID ^? JOBS WELL1 &)
3SI/5T 4CIPL9E = _M YE>S4 ,%E WA%$ \R
CLO!S ON A WA% BO>D4 ,%E COOK$ & CL1N$ &
CANN$4 ,:5 MY "F GOT A JOB Z ! LOCAL T[N
M>%AL1 %E WA%$ & IRON$ 8 UNI=MS ) GRT
PRIDE4 ,HE LOOK$ V PROFES.NAL 9 8 WELL
PRESS$ UNI=M1 & %E TOOK GRT PRIDE 9 T4
  ,MY "M C>$ = H] *N4 ,%E DEF5D$ !M Z
WELL Z 4CIPL9$ !M4 ,%E MADE SURE T !Y
W5T 6S*OOL & DID _! HOME"W4 ,%E AL MADE
SURE T !Y DID _! *ORES4
  ,(T5 BL & SI<T$ P]SONS ALIKE W SAY1
8,WELL1 :AT C ,I D1 :AT C ,I D T IS
WOR?:ILE & M1N+;L80 ,ALL TOO (T51 WE
FAIL 6RECOGNIZE ! OBVI\S4 ,"! >E _M
VALUA# ?+S : EA* ( U C D IF WE *OOSE 6D
!M4
  ,IS MY "M A MODEL = ? G5],N ( BL
P]SONS & ESPECI,Y = BL WOM58 ,9 "S WAYS
%E IS N4 ,%E N"E _H AN OPPORTUN;Y 6LE>N
,BRL OR 6TRAVEL 9DEP5D5TLY4 ,%E N"E W5T
6S*OOL & DEVELOP$ AN O3UP,N \TSIDE !
HOME4 ,%E 0 N A L1D]1 NOR 0 %E \TSPOK5
ON ! ISSUES (! "T4 ,9 _M WAYS %E 0
DEP5D5T ON O!RS4 ,F/ ON H] "M & !N ON MY
"F4 ,YET 9 SPITE ( ALL ( ^! ?+S T %E 0
N1 ,I 2LIEVE T "! IS M* T IS 9/RUCTIVE
AB H] LIFE4
  ,"?\T ! G5],NS BL P]SONS H N _H !
OPPORTUN;Y = AN $UC,N OR = FULL "PICIP,N
9 \R SOCIETY4 ,X 0 EASY 5 6SIT D[N &
ALL[ O!RS 6C>E = !M4 ,_M DID1 B _M L MY
"M PATI5TLY WAIT$ =! *.E 6S]VE4 ,!Y F.D
T *.E 9 DI6]5T WAYS4 ,"S 7 /REET
MUSICIANS8!Y CR1T$ ! BLUES4 ,O!RS "W$ 9
%ELT]$ "W%OPS4 ,/ O!RS L MY "M RAIS$
FAMILIES4 ,!Y 7 PR\D P]SONS4 ,!Y _H
2LIEF 9 !MVS 2C !Y KNEW T !Y 7 3TRIBUT+4
,!Y _H A K9D ( M5TAL T\<;S T ALL[$ !M
65DURE "? ALL (! SELF-D5Y+ EXP]I;ES : 0
_! LOT 9 LIFE4 ,EV5 ?\< !Y 7 DEP5D5T1 &
EV5 ?\< O!RS MAY H FELT SORRY = !M1 !Y
PATI5TLY WAIT$ & :5 _! "T CAME 6GIVE1 !Y
TOOK ADVANTAGE ( X4
  ,6^! ENUM]A# BL P]SONS :O 7IN SPITE (
"EY?+7 F.D WAYS 6BE PRODUCTIVE1 ^? ( U
:O H F.D \R WAY 9 A BROAD] _W [E GRT
DEBTS ( GRATITUDE4 ,!Y N"E QUIT TRY+4
,!Y 7 PATI5T & !Y WAIT$4 ,:5 _! "T CAME
!Y PRODUC$4 ,^? ( MY G5],N &! G5],NS 6-E
H DOORS OP5$ = U T ^? 2F U DID N4 ,YET
WE TOO H \R B>RI]S 6OV]COME8FRU/R,NS1 &
^? /U2ORN1 P]VASIVE SOCIETAL ATTITUDES T
WD KEEP U DEP5D5T4 ,F ^? :O H G"O 2F U
WE C LE>N 5DUR.E & PATI;E4 ,WE C AL LE>N
! JOY T "O C DERIVE F GIV+1 F 2+ ( WOR?
6O!RS1 & F 2+ PRODUCTIVE4
  ,MY "M 0 A V HAPPY P]SON4 ,%E DREW JOY
F H] FAMILY & F H] S5SE ( P]SONAL WOR?4
,%E KNEW WE NE$$ H] & T GAVE H] GRT
PL1SURE4 ,%E KNEW %E C.T$4 ,%E N"E 2CAME
CYNICAL OR DEPRESS$ 2C %E 0 N "S?+ O!R
?AN H]F4 ,%E KNEW %E 2L;G$4 ,? JOY &
:OLE;S IS / AN!R GIFT T ! G5],NS :O H -E
2F U C "S"TS (F] 6U4 ,!Y SU6]$4 ,_!
DR1MS 7 DIM9I%$ 2C (! LACK ( OPPORTUN;Y1
B !Y 5DUR$4 ,MY G5],N & ^? YET 6-E W H M
OPPORTUN;Y4 ,I HOPE !Y H Z M* JOY & Z M*
(A S5SE ( SELF WOR?4
  ,(T5 ,I AM ASK$ 64CUSS :AT X IS L 6BE
BL4 ,"!'S ALW A NE$ 6TRY 6*ANGE !
ATTITUDES ( SI<T$ & BL P]SONS ALIKE1 S
,I TALK AB H[ EASY X IS 6LIVE Z A BL
P]SON4 ,I TALK (! R SIMPLE ADAPT,NS T
ALL[ ME 6D ALL (! ?+S T MY JOB & LIFE
DEM&4 ,I TALK ( ALL ( MY BL FRS :O >E
9VOLV$ 9 EXCIT+1 *ALL5G+ C>E]S4 ,ALL (
^! ?+S >E TRUE1 & !Y W 2 TRUE EV5 9 GRT]
DEGREES =! G5],NS 6-E 2C WE TRULY >E
*ANG+ :AT X M1NS 6BE BL4 ,YET ,I W ALW
REMEMB] :AT HAPP5$ :5 ,I LEFT HOME 6G
6COLLEGE4 ,MY "M GAVE ME M"OY T %E _H
SAV$ & SD 6ME1 8,D WELL4 ,Y'RE GO+ = ALL
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