Dear Student

Well, I was surprised. I did hear from my old professor. It was a very long and thoughtful response, the tone quite friendly at the beginning and at the end. He was trying to pull me toward his way of seeing things, which you would expect of course. But there was respect and true dialogue. I don't expect to change his mind at 72 years of age (my estimate). But at least we can talk reasonably openly and and perhaps even disagree agreeably. That's saying something.

Man in Black

When I was a kid in Jr. High, Johnny Cash had a variety show on TV that I enjoyed watching. When I got my first guitar I practiced swinging it around from on my back to a neck-level-to-the-floor playing position in one smooth move. And I learned that little lick that starts out "Folsom Prison Blues" which was his trademark opening right after he said "Hi, I'm Johnny Cash." I grew up in the north and always considered country music to be some kind of joke. (Sorry to you fans. I really do appreciate a good bit of it now.) In spite of that, there was something about Johnny Cash that I couldn't dismiss. He just seemed to be in a class by himself and you couldn't deal with him as part of a genre.

A week or so ago I happened to be alone one evening and went to see "Walk the Line" by myself. I cried. A couple of times. Love, forgiveness, redemption, and the concept of giving something of oneself that is of worth to someone else just bunched up and got to me. We all have something unique to offer. And we all, or at least an awful lot of us, have times when we need someone to believe in us when we think there is nothing left to believe in. I know I do. And I thank God he has provided them.