“Everything’s Gonna’ Be All Right”

This election we have one candidate who is believed to have taken advantage of the system and another who admits taking advantage of the system and says it makes him smart. Hillary’s slogan is “Stronger Together.” I like the slogan, but I don’t see that she is likely to bring us together with all the mistrust surrounding her campaign. Trump’s slogan is “Make America Great Again.” I’m not sure I understand what he means by that, but I don’t think he is likely to be able to fix what I think are our greatest problems—greed and all the divisiveness. So, I’m not too hopeful about the chances of either presidential candidate making a positive impact on our country. This past weekend I did see some hope though. I saw it in our youth.

My weekend was filled with young people. It began on Friday morning with Grandparents’ Day at the North Cobb Christian School. Not only was it fun to spend the whole morning with our seventh-grade grandson, but it was encouraging to observe his history class where his teacher was encouraging young students to think and question historical events, not just memorize facts.

Then Saturday morning came and I spent the morning judging a forensic tournament at Berry College. If you think young people aren’t as smart as they used to be, then you’re just not paying attention to the right young people. The ability to analyze what they see and read and see all sides of an argument was evident in the 18 to 20 students I heard speak. I think we have a generation of youth who can and may actually think for themselves instead of listening to unsupported opinions!

But wait—there’s more. Saturday evening Rome High School Band won their competition, and Sunday morning our FBC Youth Choir led in worship. Then, on Sunday evening we went to hear Tim Reynolds, a Model High School graduate, in an impressive violin concert. This young man, a product of our public school system, is an amazing musician, a kind-hearted individual, and is making a positive impact on those who hear him. (https://www.instagram.com/p/BMB6oGnj29q/) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mLYeA-ORV4)

And young people are not just all talk; they are generous, caring, and hard-working. I have observed that many of our youth today are finding ways to serve both in their communities and all around the world. Instead of spending money on themselves, they are going to Haiti, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Africa and other places to help others. They don’t seem to be as greedy for “things” as the previous generations have been. I just found this video from my grandson at Auburn: https://www.facebook.com/PDemp?fref=ts.

Like I said, I am not especially optimistic about the presidential election, but I am optimistic about our youth and their ability to carry on. Don’t get me wrong. I know every generation has its problems, but for the last several years I’ve seen a change. Every time I get a chance to visit classrooms or spend time with young people, I am encouraged by both their competence and their attitude toward helping others. So, as the song title says, “Everything’s Gonna’ Be All Right”!

Voting Rights

In the divisive, caustic political climate in which we live, you may find yourself saying, “How could they possibly vote for ____?” We all do this, and we mean it! We cannot see how anyone could vote for someone other than the one we have chosen. We have convinced ourselves that it is a simple decision, but it really isn’t. It’s complex and it involves several factors. I have identified a few of them that I’d like you to think about before you decide that your friends are just plain crazy if they don’t agree with you.

First of all, before we even know who’s running for office, most of us consider ourselves a part of one political party. Even if we aren’t loyal to one party in every election, we assume that we’ll vote for a certain party candidate. Some people find it very difficult to vote for a candidate that isn’t in their party. Since my dad changed parties when I was in high school, I learned as a teenager to look at more than just party loyalty. I generally begin by listening to all candidates to see how their views of governing at the local, state, or federal level line up with mine. Since I know many of the candidates at the local level, my decisions don’t usually have much to do with party affiliation. At the state and federal levels, I always look at party affiliation, but I look at other factors before making a decision because I believe that we all want many of the same things. We just disagree on how to achieve them.

Second, we tend to choose candidates whose personalities are attractive to us. But that isn’t the same for all of us. Just as we choose friends based on their personalities, we may like or dislike a political candidate because he/she exhibits certain characteristics. For example, I generally like positive people, people who seem to be optimistic about the future. Negative, complaining people are a turnoff to me even if I agree with them on some issues.

Third, most of us think of the character of the candidate. Because most politicians have character flaws, we tend to pick and choose the flaws that are “deal breakers” for us. This is a major problem in this election, because the candidates do so much name calling and accusing one another without citing any specifics. If what is said about a candidate concerns me, I do a lot of fact checking to see if it seems to be a real fact or just a twisted bit of information to suit the opponent. One day, just as an experiment, I took two accusations about each of the presidential candidates and did some fact checking. I learned that of the four accusations, none of them were actually true. They were perversions of something they had done, but not really reliable accusations. I also try to look at the individual’s record over the long haul. Is it a pattern of behavior supported by several incidents? Does it in any way align with what I’ve heard the candidate say?

The fourth factor is personal impact. In a general way, we all believe that the results of a presidential election will impact our lives, but if we believe it will impact us in a specific way, this factor may override all the others. Even if what a candidate will do will help most of the people in the country, if it impacts us negatively, we may vote against that candidate. I think we should strive to look at the big picture in national elections, but that’s often difficult to do.

Finally, there are the issues. We all have issues that are important to us--education, defense, immigration, healthcare, equal rights, etc.  I want to say a word about money here. Often our political discussions revolve around how the government spends money or how much our taxes will be. Money seems to be our god. Our decisions should never be all about money though. They should include things like how a candidate seems to value people and treat people. Part of that will of course include how money is spent, but a candidate’s compassion for others and his/her concern for the welfare of all people should be at the core of decisions about governing.

Ideally, we should be able to say that our candidate aligns with our political views, has a personality we like, is of good character, makes decisions that impact us in a positive way, and agrees with us all the issues. This is usually not the case. As we look at our choices and our friend’s choices, let us realize that our perspectives are different from theirs and give them the freedom to choose without our judgment.

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Rick Bragg, Terry Kay, and I

Why am I excited about #DBF2016? Because I am presenting on Sunday at noon, of course! But that’s not the only reason. The AJC Decatur Book Festival is the largest independent book festival in the country and  is always an exciting event. I have attended the festival for several years, and it’s always fun. This year I am particularly excited to see that two well-known Southern authors are presenting their new books. Rick Bragg will talk about his newest book, My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South, and Rick is always an entertaining speaker. Terry Kay will talk about The King Who Made Paper Flowers. I have read this latest novel, and I am particularly interested in hearing the author talk about it on Sunday, since it deals with people who are homeless as my own book, Our Pebble in the Pond does. In addition to these two examples, the DBF offers hundreds of author talks by both well-known and virtually unknown authors (like me). You can go on-line (https://www.decaturbookfestival.com/presenters) and look up presentations by author, subject, literary genre, or day. Just go online and look up the Decatur Book Festival, and then come on down!

SOCIAL MEDIA  ADDRESSES

Merrill J. Davies, Writer, Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1HHkUXf

Goodreads Page:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6525216.Merrill_J_Davies

Blog:  http://merrillblogs.blogspot.com/

Web Site: http://www.merrilldavies.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MERRILLDAVIES

Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/merrilljdavies

MY Email:  Merrill@merrilldavies.com

Peace, Love, and Slam Poetry

Who wants peace, understanding, or love? Apparently very few people, according to my limited research. Don’t get me wrong-- I’m not doing a doctoral dissertation or anything. But I have noticed that when I post anything that implies that we might need to rethink something in order to accommodate some other group or way of thinking, I get fewer “likes,” on Facebook, and often a good many “Yes, but…” responses. I have also noticed that many people seem to think they have to be “against” someone or some group. What happened to the idea that it’s okay just to allow people to be themselves and love them anyway? Another thing I’ve noticed is that this is not true as much on Twitter, which tends to get more of the younger generation. I believe that we are raising up a much more compassionate generation. That is encouraging.

Anyway, I am posting links below to a young eighth grader’s entry in a slam poetry contest,  followed by an interview with the young man who wrote the poem. The responses to the poem have been varied, but some that I have noticed zeroed in on a couple of “bad words” in the poem, overlooking its message entirely. Personally, I think the interview shows him to be a very insightful young man. You don’t have to agree, and you don’t have to respond—unless you want to, of course. I just wanted to share these examples. Now remember that this is a fourteen year-old boy. He may have gotten a few things wrong. I saw some comments that indicated  he did.  But he is honestly admitting that because he is a young white boy, he has some advantages that everyone should have. Many adults don’t want to admit that.

Royce Mann, “White Boy Privilege” -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Q1jZ-LOT0

Interview with Royce Mann--  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oWiIX3tlCc

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New Novel: Our Pebble in the Pond (Martin Sisters Publishing, 2016)

SOCIAL MEDIA  ADDRESSES:

Author Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1HHkUXf                                 

Goodreads Page:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6525216.Merrill_J_Davies

Blog:  http://merrillblogs.blogspot.com/

Web Site: http://www.merrilldavies.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MERRILLDAVIES

Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/merrilljdavies

MY Email:  Merrill@merrilldavies.com

Love and Forgiveness Amid Hate and Violence

Last week seemed to be a marathon of shootings, bombings, hateful Facebook postings, and other conflicts. In addition to the media’s announcing that everyone hated everyone else, I had several close friends who were dealing with depression, hurt from family problems, and a myriad of disappointments. By Sunday I was rather down. You can take only so much of this before you let it get to you.

Then came Sunday, and Harry Rowland preached a wonderful sermon entitled “Grace: It’s a Really BIG Deal,” and I felt a little better. If you didn’t hear it, I highly recommend that you go to www.fbcrome.org and listen to it!

After some debating about attending a Sunday evening service at Thankful Baptist Church, I decided to go. I was told it was a service of remembrance for some of the victims of recent shootings. It was a sort of interfaith service, with several protestant churches participating. Bill and I arrived early and sat near the front because he had been asked to read scripture.

During the service, we sat together, black and white church members, black and white ministers, and at least one policeman. We listened to a trio of  ladies sing praise songs and then listened to the reading of scripture. A white policeman who is also a minister stood and told the congregation of mostly black men and women that he was sincerely sorry that people in his profession had caused harm to innocent young black men and asked for forgiveness. Then he mentioned the senseless killing of the policemen and committed himself to forgive those who committed those crimes. He then read the names of young black men who had been killed by policemen and policemen who had been killed by young black men. We then took communion together. 

There was a “sweet, sweet spirit” in that place.  I was ready for a new week! Thanks to Dr. Young (Thankful), Pastor Goode (Kingdom International), Pastor Shaun Davis (The Place), Rev. Bill Davies (First Baptist), Rev. Ingram (Lovejoy), and Rev. Craig McDonald (First Christian) for organizing and leading this meaningful service.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."  --Martin Luther King, Jr. A Testament of Hope:  The Essential Writings and Speeches 

Strangers Among Us

Strangers Among Us

Yesterday in her update on the Davies Shelter’s new building, the executive director (Allison Mitchell-Trask) was telling the group that some homeless people were reluctant to come to the shelter. She mentioned that some of them may not be ready to work toward becoming self-sustaining and that some of them may not like the idea of living with a group of strangers. She pointed out that, just as we often feel fearful of a homeless man on the street, some of them also are fearful. These other people are strangers. My latest novel, Our Pebble in the Pond, expresses that same message: homeless people come from a variety of experiences, just as the rest of us do. In attempting to help them, we must always remember that their homelessness does not define them.

See more at:

Website: http://merrilldavies.com

Facebook: Merrill J. Davies, Writer

Twitter: @MERRILLDAVIES

Terry Kay, Member of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame

“Terry Kay, a member of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, is the author of sixteen works of fiction….”  That’s what it says on the cover of his latest novel, The King Who Made Paper Flowers. I saw Terry at Dogwood Books in Rome recently, and bought a copy of his book. Before I went to the book signing, I did not realize that his most recent book was about homelessness, just as mine is. 

When I first realized this, my heart sank. Why did this successful novelist have to come out with a book about homeless people the same year my book came out? But as we talked I realized that it didn’t really matter. Terry Kay is a wonderful inspiration to those of us who are less well known. He has also been a big help to Georgia English Teachers. I do think it is interesting though, that we both wrote about the same subject. And, although I am not finished reading his book yet, I think we may be trying to express some of the same message through our stories. 

I encourage you to find a copy of The King Who Made Paper Flowers (Mercer University Press, 2016) and read it. He is a terrific writer. 

At the same time I would like to have you visit my website (http://merrilldavies.com) and learn about my latest novel, Our Pebble in the Pond. Visit me on Facebook (Merrill J. Davies, Writer) and Twitter (@MERRILLDAVIES). You can also find me on Amazon.com.

I am also lining up some events which are listed on my website. I would particularly like to invite you to my first big signing in Rome—at First Baptist Church, Wednesday, June 29, at 1:00 P.M.

Waiting

  

     

“Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit.” --German Proverb

We spend much of our lives waiting for something to happen—waiting in line, waiting for some exciting event, waiting for news about something important, waiting for test results, etc., etc.  Sometimes our waiting is with hope and sometimes with dread. But often we resent the time we spend waiting. For the last year, I’ve been waiting to launch my new book, Our Pebble in the Pond. FINALLY  the day is here and I can announce to everyone that the book is published and I will be having a book signing at First Baptist Church here in Rome, Georgia, on Wednesday, June 29, from 1:00 to 3:00. If you don't want to WAIT until June 29 you can purchase the book in Rome at Dogwood Books or Last Stop Gift Shop. It is also available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble .com both in paperback and ebooks. You will see more about the book in the coming weeks on this blog.

Meanwhile, I wanted to tell you about another waiting experience. My husband Bill has been hoping for several years to get a new building to house the William S. Davies Shelters, and now the building is coming together fast. Here are some pictures from the site:

                    

            Now you might be wondering what these two things have in common. Aside from the fact that Bill and I have waited and hoped together for these two events to happen, the answer is that Our Pebble in the Pond (fiction) is set in a homeless shelter, so they have that in common. You can watch the trailer for the book below.

You can learn a little more about the novel by looking at my website at http://merrilldavies.com.

If you want to learn more about the shelter construction, go to their site: http://daviesshelter.com/