Random Musings on Friendship, Character

Can I preface everything by saying whomever thinks talent and pop culture no longer go hand and hand need only find Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx's tribute to Ray Charles at tonights grammies? As I think back to the movie Ray, and listen to Alicia belt out the last reprise of If I Aint got you--well, they (Keys and Foxx) are both truly remarkable.

Now I channel to and fro between the Grammy's and the best reality show on television, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. When you watch people cry over the simple things--"We have a fireplace. Oh my God, a dishwasher!" It's the only reality show that chooses to focus on the beauties of the human spirit, and so long as I'm watching tv on sunday nights, I'll tune in every week in support of something like that. Oddly enough, ABC then does a complete 'bout face by showing Desperate Housewives, but I guess if I really thought about it, I'd ascertain the network's real reasons for showing EMHE, too. And we wouldn't want to do that, would we?

But this wasn't meant to be a commentary about primetime television, I'm going another direction. And so I have been thinking about it all, doing the whole pondering-existance thing. You tend to do that when you are house sitting for your parents--with noone to talk to but the family's beloved dog, Bear.

As a caveat, I'm about to get personal. So you don't have to continue reading if you don't want to. We've all been through it--losing grandparents. I owed alot to to both my grandfathers, as I do to the man who has long been my father, Jim Temple. Whether they did it intentionally or not, they showed me what it means to be a man--a person who, among other things, preemptively respects others (the addition of "when they deserve it" might be more accurate.), works hard, does not judge, and loves his family. Though my family is familiar all-too familiar with death, my grandfather's have been very difficult to cope with.

Its been a year and honestly, I continue to fail to do what I know to be right--to treat my own endeavors with ample seriousness, to serve my friends and family, and in what is probably my biggest struggle--to balance my growing education with a continued fear of my creator. I hope that makes sense to ya'll. That's not to say that I have to burn my secular CD's and pour out the Guenoc that's breathing on the counter, but an occassional prayer and a re-instilled faith would do me much good. And faith is something I believe you have to work at--something that will catalyze your success in other walks of life. Its no coincidence that when I have struggled with faith, I have struggled in life. Or that when I am overcome with doubt and anger, my faith continues to win out.

So before we recommence berating each other for our glaring short-comings, feel free to use this thread to encourage those you care about that may frequent my page. My friends add so much to my life, and I am sincerely grateful for the times we have shared, and will contine to share in the future. Aside from being the most enjoyable people in all the world to be around, each of one you deserves the utmost happiness. Let's make sure we hold each other accountable so as to not jeopardize our futures, or forsake those who have worked so hard to put us in positions to succeed. Wishing you all the best.