Escaping Vanity

There's responsibility as Overnight Operations Supervisor to have everyone's best interest in mind. The little things: like coming out of pocket to buy my team a Thanksgiving meal or providing refreshments as a way to reward their sacrifices - were part of the proposal I made when accepting the position. My mother D.B., RN, MSN is a hero. I cannot tell you all the stories, because I have unfortunately forgotten many of them. When I was serving tables, I would see the badges of Wake Forest University School of Medicine employees, thank them for their work, and share how my mother was proud to have been a Department Chair... Almost everyone knew her name. More times than I can count, people perked up and shared a personal story. Having someone you've never met reach up, almost involuntarily, to grasp your hand is surreal. "Your mother..." - Listen folks, I know. Though this is a new story for me... I know. We share a similar path and extremely unhe...

by Michael L. Craver The mythical yellow oven, Origin of the flavors resurrected for holidays, A sanctuary with the hospitality we strive to embody Out of school, but on the farm, Getting a Master Class for a sick day, Counting the new houses during our Sunday drive Few times had I ever seen him shed a tear, Sitting in the orange chair, shaking his fist toward the television, Maya Angelou was speaking before the man from Arkansas was sworn, Bic pen resting on the crossword, Overalls rise and fall with the rhythm of each snore, She’s rubbing black socks in her lap, Hearing the whispered joke, A subconscious hand raises to cover- Where a legendary cackle is rocking her recliner, Sweet wisdom shared through story, Narration brings Bill’s photo albums to life, Now absent are the questions of why or where… Living history points on a mountain top, Wheat bread shiny with the crumbles of a broken wheel, Experiencing a High Rock on a pontoon, Transcending a Rocky Mountai...

  A few words about wrestling... ---------------------------------------- Props serve a purpose when things cannot stand on their own. So, we easily understand why cars don't have kickstands. Supplemental is a more accurate word for objects in wrestling. Just as the social services department helps folks in need of welfare... this is meant to help balance their situation until they can get back on their feet. Where they don't need to be propped up or rely on anything. Some folks refer to themselves as independent workers, yet have these Carrot Top like assortments to keep some sense of stimulation. This is just analogically paradoxical to see people who are often so young in need of enhancements. Hardcore is a code word for wrestling dysfunction. Physics matter. Folks go through these wacky wrestling matches like a horror movie with a series of obstacles, objects, and sporadic situations that don't make any sense. Matches that are the equivalent of trying to cut a tree down...

Feedback differs. Sporadically I’ll receive criticism of an arrogance or inability to talk about anything besides myself. Then I remembered I was raised with a notion, one we called manners, that you don’t speak about people who aren’t in the room. So, whom else would, or could, I speak of? The idea that someone would be getting to know you, while you talk about anyone else seems like an overzealous fan of Leo Aikman, who is quoted as saying-   “You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him.” My personality has adapted a great number of tools to enhance the life of myself, and even more for others. These are tactical changes which provide a better life experience internally and externally. Sure, people can appreciate that I have carpentry skills and beyond around the house, keep things structured financially and thoroughly clean, and yet there’s an obtusely flexible side to things… I work to earn money so that my home is...