Newspaper Page Text
4A ®jje 1) eralb <©a?£tt£ Tuesday, February 16,2021
Opinions
Ruffin's Renderings: Mortal love
BY MIKE RUFFIN
ruffinml@gmail.com
Valentine’s Day falls
on February 14 again
this year. It’s regular like
that.
Ash Wednesday, on
the other hand, moves
around. It doesn’t mean
to, but its date depends
on the date of Easter,
which can fall anywhere
between March 22 and
April 25. So Ash Wednes
day, which occurs forty
days before Easter (not
counting Sundays) falls
between February 4 and
March 10.
Ash Wednesday is on
Wednesday. February 17
this year.
I offer the following
observations in light
of the closeness on
this year’s calendar of
Valentine’s Day, which
celebrates human love,
and Ash Wednesday,
which reminds us of our
mortality.
Let me define my
terms. In the statements
below, “mortal” means
“human” and “love”
means having attitudes
and carrying out actions
that are other-affirming,
other-focused, self-empty
ing, and self-giving.
To be mortal is to be
temporary, which makes
love valuable.
We are on the
earth for just a
little while, so
we get to love
each other in
these fantastic
earthly ways
for just a little
while.
When we
know the time
will come when
we won’t have something,
it becomes much more
valuable to us. Life is that
way
Love is that way So we
should treat our beloved
ones with the honor befit
ting their value.
To be mortal
is to be frail,
which makes
love graceful.
To be mortal
is to be break
able. We get
hurt, sometimes
in our bodies,
sometimes
in our minds,
sometimes in
our hearts, and
sometimes in our spirits.
Sometimes we hurt those
we love by not taking our
commitments seriously
or by not embracing our
relationships enthusiasti
cally At such times (at all
times really, but especially
Ruffin’s
Renderings
at such times), love saves
us by its grace. By “grace
ful” love 1 mean love that
is full of grace, which is
the ability and willingness
to accept each other in
our frailty and to lift each
other up when we fall.
To be mortal is to be
dying, which makes love
lively.
Each passing moment
brings us a moment closer
to death, so we want to
live lives that are as full
of purpose and meaning
as possible. Love con
tributes to such fullness.
By “lively” love 1 mean
love that is life-giving
and life-enhancing. If love
becomes stronger as our
bodies become weaker,
we become more alive
even as we move toward
death.
On Ash Wednesday,
we remember that we are
mortal. On Valentine’s
Day, we remember that
we love and are loved.
Mortality and love make a
wonderfully risky combi
nation. If we embrace that
combination fully, we’ll be
alive for as long as we live.
Mike Ruffin is a Barnesville native
who lives in Yatesville and works in
Macon. His new book, Praying with
Matthew, is available at helwys.com
and at Amazon.
BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
The legacy of
Marion Walton-Smith
LINDA SMITH-0LIVIER
The Walton-Smith
family dynamic was
always focused toward
advanced education and
pursuing desired pas
sions.
This
concept
was
instilled
in her
children
by their
mother,
the late
WALTON-SMITH Marion
Walton
Smith. Marion was the
daughter of James and
Fannie Mae Walton.
Betty Smith-Banks
graduated at the top of
her class from Booker
High School in 1965. She
earned undergraduate
and graduate degrees in
Business Administration
from Morris Brown Col
lege and Atlanta Univer
sity, respectively. After
college, she worked as
an auditor for an Atlanta
area accounting firm.
Soon after, she joined
the faculty at Morris
Brown College where she
taught accounting for 18
years. For a period, she
served as chairperson of
the Accounting Depart
ment. Morris Brown was
known for producing a
substantial number of
Black Certified Public
Accountants consid
ering the size of the
institution. She obtained
her CPA license while
balancing family and
work schedules. When
her husband’s career
required him to relocate
to Michigan, she contin
ued teaching accounting
there. Betty was the first
Black professor tenured
at Aquinas College in
Grand Rapids, Ml. While
at Aquinas, she served
as Chairperson of the
Accounting Depart
ment and on several
faculty committees. After
retiring, she and her
husband, Clifford (who
is also her high school
sweetheart) moved back
to their hometown along
with their two daughters,
Cheryl and Corinne.
She currently serves as
a volunteer for several
local organizations. She
is an avid reader and
loves growing flowers
(a passion of their late
mother). She is a mem
ber of Bethel Baptist
Church and Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority, Inc.
Linda Smith-Olivier
graduated from Booker
High School in 1966. She
followed her sister, Betty
to Morris Brown College
in Atlanta, GA where she
majored in Elementary
Education. She returned
to Barnesville to teach in
the Lamar County School
System. She spent 31
years in the roles of
Teacher, Mentor, Grade
Chair, Instructional Lead
Teacher and Assistant
Principal. She went back
to school while work
ing full time and earned
both a Master’s Degree,
(Fort Valley State Uni
versity) and Educational
Specialist Degree (Troy
State University). Af
ter retirement in 2001,
she returned to Lamar
County School System as
a Mentor/Coordinator for
the TAPP Program where
she assisted 15 people
in attaining their teach
ing certification. She
also served as a Direc
tor of the Lamar County
21st Century where her
passion to assist at-risk
youth continued. She
married the love of her
life, George Olivier and
has a son and grand
daughter who live in New
Orleans, LA. She current
ly serves as the Director
of Loving Hands Com
munity Development
Corporation, Consultant
for Morehouse School
of Medicine, and Execu
tive Assistant at Bethel
Baptist Church. Beyond
that she serves her com
munity through various
organizations - Ro
tary Club of Barnesville,
Southern Rivers Energy
Trust Board, Barnesville-
Lamar County Library
Board, Barnesville-Lamar
County Chamber of
Commerce, Barnesville-
Lamar Boys and Girls
Club Board Member,
and a member of Com
munity Prevention
Alliance Workgroup
(CPAW). These organiza
tions focus on uniting
people from all walks of
life and amplifies indi
vidual contributions to
make our community
and world a better place
to live and work. She
realizes that none of her
many accomplishments
would have been pos
sible without the dedica
tion and support of the
many people who made
critical contributions to
the development as an
educator and a person.
She firmly believes in
fellowship, service, and
support of others who
SEE WALTON-SMITH 5A
FLASHBACK
In honor of
Elizabeth Sellers
Feb. 14-20
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Scam: Beware of call demanding
payment for meals on wheels
We have been made
aware that someone pre
tending to be an employ
ee of the Lamar County
Senior Center is calling
seniors within the com
munity and demanding
payment of $150 to keep
their meals on wheels.
This is a SCAM.
If you receive one
of these calls. Hang up
immediately. If you can
document the number
and notify the authori
ties through the non
emergency number. The
Lamar County Senior
Center will never call and
demand payment from
you for meals.
ANTOINETTE WATTS
Lamar County Senior Center
Republicans meet with packed room
Lamar County Republican Chairperson Ashley Gilles, left,
congratulates Talaijah Murphy on receiving academic credit
for the completion of her dedicated election campaign work
for Lamar County Republicans.
The Lamar County
Republicans met at the
Garden Patch Febru
ary 2 to a packed room
of interested citizens.
Chairperson Ashley
Gilles called the meeting
to order stating there
was a full agenda for
the evening. Vice Chair
Harold Jackson gave the
invocation and Treasurer
Diane Rainey gave the
financial report showing
the party in good fiscal
standing. Brad White
updated those present
on the latest cases being
worked through the sher
iff’s office.
A number of speakers
were recognized to ad
dress the group. Among
them were two of the
candidates for the up
coming Chief Magistrate
special election, Paul
Kunst and Jeff Mason.
State House Representa
tive Beth Camp came to
provide an update on
what was happening in
the 2021 state legislature
so far, including needed
election reforms that
have been introduced.
Republican repre
sentative on the Board
of Elections Mike Perry
reported on the record
number of mail-in ballot
results in recent elec
tions and praised poll
workers for their hard
work. Cierra Moreland
was introduced as the
newly hired assistant
to the Lamar County
Elections Supervisor
Anita Reid. Ray Riggins
called for better scrutiny
of elections to assure
honest voters that their
votes count.
Randy Vining rose to
give an impassioned plea
for people to dedicate
themselves to conserva
tive principles and get
involved if they want a
successful future for the
Republican Party.
Before adjourning the
meeting Chair Gilles rec
ognized student Talaijah
Murphy for receiving her
campaign work credit as
she successfully complet
ed her internship for the
Republican Party.
CALENDAR ITEMS
Email news@barnes-
ville.com or call 770.358.
NEWS to have an event
published as a calen
dar item in The Herald
Gazette.
• The Quarterly busi
ness meeting for the Mil
ner Community Library
Board is scheduled for
Tuesday, February 16 at
5 p.m. at the library Ac
tivities and plans for the
year on the agenda.
• Milner Community
Library regular hours of
operation are Tuesday 11
a.m. - 7 p.m., Wednesday
11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday
11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday 11
a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Rent and Utility As
sistance Services: Avail
able to local residents
through the Salvation
Army in Griffin. Info:
770.412.6561.
• Lamar County Re
publican Party meeting: 6
p.m. first Tuesday of each
month, Pastime Grill.
10 years ago
The school system
announced that Frank
Sinatra, Jr. would
perform March 1 at the
Fine Arts Center. Sina
tra was to bring a big
band with him. Ticket
prices ranged from $29-
$100. The concert was
arranged by the late
Jack Wheeler, a retired
radio celebrity living in
Barnesville.
25 years ago
Both the LCCHS Tro
jans and Lady Trojans
escaped sub-region play
and qualified for the re
gion tournament. Adri
an Smith and Jermond
Miller were leading the
Trojans while Anitra
Robinson, Princess
Banks and Kelly Sul
livan led the girls. Cecil
Spear coached the boys
while Calvin Scandrett
coached the girls.
50 years ago
A pack of wild dogs,
which called Hog Moun
tain home, were said
to be responsible for
killing a calf on the Ad
kins place and a grown
horse on the Coley
farm. Both animals were
half eaten. The large
dogs were to be hunted
down due to the threat
they posed to children.
100 years ago
The physicians of La
mar County met Tues
day in Barnesville and
organized the Lamar
County Medical Society.
The following officers
were elected: Dr. J. M. F.
Barron, president; Dr. C.
H. Willis, vice-president;
and Dr. J. M. Anderson,
secretary-treasurer.
Chosen for the Board of
Censors were Drs. J. A.
Corry, J. M. Rogers and
D. W. Pritchett. Del
egates to the Medical
Association of Georgia
were Drs. C. E. Suggs
and M. F. Cochran.
Zi)t Umltr #a^tte
barnesville.com
770.358.NEWS
P.0. Box 220
Publishers
Staff
SUBSCRIBE
DEADLINES
509 Greenwood Street
Walter Geiger
Nolan George
$30 per year in Lamar and sur-
The deadline for public notices
Barnesville, Ga. 30204
Laura Geiger
Rachel McDaniel
rounding counties; $40 outside
is noon Thursdays; news and
770-358-NEWS
Tasha Webster
the local area.
advertising before noon Fridays.
barnesville.com
General Manager
Includes 24/7 access to
Early submission is appreciated.
E-mail: news@barnesville.com
Missy Ware
barnesville.com