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4A ®Ij£ Tieralli <©a?fttf Tuesday, August 17,2021
Opinions
Ruffin's Renderings: What the world needs now
BY MIKE RUFFIN
ruffinml@gmail.com
Were my father, the
late great Champ Ruffin,
around to participate in a
discussion about people
refusing to get vacci
nated against COVID, I
imagine he would tell one
of his favorite stories.
He’d say, “This fel
low wrote a letter to his
sweetheart. It said, ‘Dar
ling, I love you so much
that for you, I’d climb
the highest mountain, I’d
swim the deepest ocean,
and I’d cross the widest
desert. And I’ll see you
Saturday night - unless
it’s raining.’”
Then he’d cackle.
His story would have
made his point, which
is that love requires
more than nice words
and good intentions - it
causes us to demonstrate
our love through action. I
want to make the story’s
lesson more specific:
love should compel us
to get the COVID vac
cine. We can and should
demonstrate our love
for each other by getting
vaccinated.
I will admit that I don’t
always practice what
I preach, but this time
I have. I have received
both doses of the Pfizer
COVID vaccine. If and
when a booster shot is
recommended, I will take
it too. Let me add that I
think that everyone who
doesn’t have a legitimate
medical reason for not
being vaccinated should
be. I say that out of con
cern for you. I say it out
of concern for us - for all
of us.
I think -1 hope
- that I say this
first and fore
most as a Chris
tian. I try my
best to follow
Jesus. I often fail.
But I am always
aware of and
trying to move
toward the goals
that Jesus and
the writers of
the New Testa
ment set before me. One
of the basic goals is that I
am to love other people.
I am to put the needs of
others ahead of my own
needs. Jesus doesn’t let
me distinguish between
who does and doesn’t
deserve my love. He says
that I am to love even my
enemies.
So, let me say to
those of you who will
regard me
as an enemy
for what I’m
saying here, I
love you too.
Because I love
you, I want you
to get vacci
nated. I don’t
want anyone
- family mem
bers, friends,
acquaintances,
foes - to catch
a disease they could
have avoided or to die
before they have to.
But I also say what I’m
saying as a human being.
I suspect that I would
have willingly gotten vac
cinated even if I weren’t a
Christian. It’s hard for me
to think in those terms
when being Christian
is so basic to my iden
tity. But I think that love
should motivate all of
us, no matter our race,
gender, or religion, to get
the vaccine.
You see, we are all
members of the same
community: the commu
nity of humankind. We
are all connected to each
other. We are all in this
together. All indications
are that the best chance
we have to beat this
pandemic is for as many
people as possible to be
immunized. We should
do it because we care
about all human beings,
be they our own fam
ily members or people
on the other side of the
world. This is a situation
where what is best for
each of us - the vaccine
can protect us from get
ting sick or from getting a
serious case of COVID - is
also best for all of us - if
all of us who get vacci
nated do so, we can stem
the spread of the disease.
Sometimes love compels
us to choose what is best
for others over what is
best for ourselves. We
don’t have to make such
a choice in this case - get
ting vaccinated is best
for all of us.
We hear some talk
about whether the vac
cine should be mandat
ed. Whether it should or
shouldn’t be is a compli
cated question.
But I’ll say this: if we
really love each other, it
shouldn’t have to be.
Mike Ruffin is a Barnesville native
who lives and works in Macon. His
new book, Praying with Matthew,
is available at helwys.com and at
Amazon.
Kudzu & Clay:
Pitter patter
I am very
connected to
the sounds of
my house. I
would say I am
in tune with
most sounds,
except for
when people
are talking. My
wife tells me all
the time that I
am going deaf.
Sometimes I
can’t hear her.
Always, I can
hear my house. All it
takes is for someone to
take one step and I know
who they are and where
they are. Our house is
older. Each room has a
different squeak. Each
stair has its own little
song. Each human has
their own cadence when
they walk. I can even tell
if I screwed something up
and my wife is mad at me
depending on how she
walks around. My favor
ite sound in the house is
made by the way my son
runs around, that pitter-
patter the elderly fella in
front of the nursing home
reminisces about.
Recently we did some
necessary renovations to
our house and had hard
wood floors installed
over some ancient and
very worn carpet. Hard
wood floors in a house
are like having leather in
a car, there is just some
thing about it. Carpet, on
the other hand, carpet
is carpet. Sure there are
varying levels of quality,
but does it really matter?
Nobody’s going to ask if
they can pull their socks
off and run their toes
through it.
I am quite happy
with the floors, but for
a while there I felt like I
was losing my mind. All
of the sounds changed.
I was no longer able to
use my superpowers to
sneak around undetected
or know who was going
where. It took me about
a month to fully adjust to
the new sounds. Another
thing changed: the pitter-
patter isn’t the same.
It’s not the soft muffled
sound that it used to
be. It’s deep and bassy
and echoes throughout.
There is nothing left to
muffle it. If I’m in my
basement it’s so loud
that I fear the floor is
going to collapse right
down on me, but I know
it won’t, at least not until
I pay it off.
The kid
always wakes
up before
everyone in the
house. Like a
little bird on a
spring morning.
Every morning.
He wakes up
and then wakes
us up. My wife
is usually kind
enough to let
me sleep a
while longer.
Except now, I
can’t do that. The early
morning pitter-patter
resonates through every
wall in the house, every
floor, every filling in my
teeth. There are morn
ings where my son puts
in more steps around our
house than a marathon
runner does in a year.
There are mornings
when I find this quite
frustrating. Then I get
frustrated for getting
frustrated at a kid for
being a kid. My wife has
made me hyper-aware
of the passing of time
and the aging of my son.
Every birthday she tears
up because it is the last
birthday for that year.
Every Christmas the
same. I tend not to be the
most sentimental person
in the world, but I am
grateful that she does
this because time passes
faster and faster every
day. This chapter of my
life, the one where I am
raising a kid, is certainly
one of the most interest
ing, but it also seems to
be going by the fastest
for sure.
Now when I lie in bed
trying to not get frustrat
ed at getting frustrated at
a kid being a kid, I have
started to notice that
the pitter-patter isn’t
as rapid as it once was.
He isn’t running laps as
much as he used to. His
legs are longer, his stride
has lengthened, and the
pitters are more spaced
out. He is heavier than
he was, the patters are
louder and deeper. And
one day I’ll be that old
fella in the rocking chair
reminiscing about the
pitter-patter, but until
then I am seriously con
sidering moving back to
carpet.
Chris Walter is a writer, artist,
and Barnesville native. He has just
published his first book, “Southern
Glitter”. You can find more informa
tion about his art and writings at
kudzuandclay.com.
KUDZU &
CLAY
Chris Walter
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and telephone number. Limit letters to 250 words or
less. All letters are subject to editing.
Send letters to P.O. Box 220, Barnesville, 30204,
email it to news@barnesville.com or drop it by 509
Greenwood Street, Barnesville.
Lady Trojan bats hot to start season
The LC Lady Trojans
are off to a hot start to
the 2021 softball season
having accumulated a 4-1
record and out-scoring
opponents 59-31.
The season opened
with a 25-4 win over
Spalding High in Grif
fin Aug. 5. Pitchers Lilly
Tavares and Autumn Hin-
kley combined to four-hit
the Lady Jags. Katelyn
Ziehme had two hits
and four rbis to pace LC.
Cara Bishop and Paige
Mayfield each had two
hits and three rbis.
On Aug. 6, LC took its
only loss of the season
8-2 to Newton County
which put the game out
of reach with five runs in
the top of the seventh.
Hinkley went seven in
nings and took the loss
for the locals.
Ziehme had three hits
for LC while Mayfield
added two.
On Aug. 7, Lamar
squeaked past Mount de-
Sales 11-8. Hinkley went
5.1 innings and struck
out three. Mariyah Za
vala and Lauren Wilcher
had three hits each to
pace LC. Ziehme drove in
two runs.
Also on Aug. 7, Lamar
topped Hampton 8-6.
Tavares went 5.1 innings
with Hinkley coming on
in relief. They limited
Hampton to five hits.
Ziehme, Wilcher and
Jamizyah Banks had two
hits each for LC.
Issys Foster and
Morgan Strickland each
drove in two runs for the
Lady Trojans.
On Aug. 12, Lamar
topped Howard 13-5 at
Aldora Field. Hinkley
went the distance for the
win, striking out three.
Ava Smith had three hits
and four rbis to lead LC.
Wilcher had three hits
and drove in two runs.
Bishop added two rbis
for Lamar.
The Lady Trojans were
scheduled to play at
Stratford Academy Mon
day. They open region
play at SW Macon today.
Washington County is
here for another region
matchup Thursday. First
pitch is at 5:30 p.m.
LC travels to Buena
Vista Saturday for non-re
gion battles with Marion
County and Baconton
Charter.
Summer enrollment growth continues
at GSC for the second year in a row
Gordon State College
experienced an enroll
ment increase for the
summer 2021 semester
as 1,012 students en
rolled for classes, which
reflects a 0.6 percent in
crease from the Summer
2020 term when GSC had
1,006 students enrolled
in classes. A greater
percentage increase
showed in the full-time
enrollment category as
556 students enrolled for
this summer compared
to 535 students in the
summer of 2020. That is a
3.9 percent increase.
“We are so pleased
to see the continued in
crease in students taking
courses over the summer
months,” said GSC Presi
dent Dr. Kirk A. Nooks.
“Many of our students
showed great determi
nation by continuing to
make progress towards
their college degree. Our
faculty are the driving
force with their imagina
tive strategies and con
tinued dedication.”
Classes were offered
both online and in-
person for the summer
semester.
GSC projected a total
student enrollment of 863
for this summer term and
exceeded the enrollment
forecast by 149 students
- this exceeded the target
enrollment by 17 per
cent. Increases were also
noted for 821 continuing
students (21 percent
over target), 25 new
dual-enrollment students
(47% over target), and 30
registered transfer stu
dents (58% over target).
Gordon State College was
notably one of eight USG
institutions to realize an
increase.
For the fall 2021 se
mester, GSC is continuing
their plans with options
for in-person, hybrid and
online class selections.
Over 3,000 students are
projected to attend this
fall.
GSC President Dr. Kirk
A. Nooks said, “We are
looking forward to the
return of students to our
campus this fall, and we
have been working to
prepare the campus and
make the adjustments
necessary to bring every
one back in a way that is
safe and responsible. One
thing that will not change
this fall is our commit
ment to give students a
challenging and support
ive academic experience
that will help them gain
the Highlander EDGE!”
Gordon State College
resumed fall classes on
Wednesday, August 11.
Prospective students still
have time to apply for
September Start, and it’s
not too late. Students can
contact the GSC Admis
sions Office by phone or
email. For further infor
mation, call 678.359.5021
or email admissions®
gordonstate.edu.
FLASHBACK
In honor of
Elizabeth Sellers
Aug. 15-21
10 years ago
Three men were ar
rested after the broad
daylight shooting of
Calvin ‘Lovey” Wilkerson,
23, on Mill Street. Wilker
son was lifeflighted and
recovered. Arrested were
Jontavius Miguel McFad-
den, Darnel Demarzio
Caslin and Anthony
Maurice Parson, Jr. The
shooting triggered a
massive law enforcement
response.
25 years ago
David Watson, 23,
of Brown Springs Road
in north Lamar was
charged with murder
in connection with the
shaken baby death of
his three-month-old son
Casey Watson. Casey was
buried the day after his
death, raising eyebrows.
It was unclear if an
autopsy had been done.
Watson was convicted of
involuntary manslaugh
ter. He was released from
prison in 2005.
50 years ago
Scouts from Aldora’s
Troop 38 returned home
after a 22-day expedition
to Philmont Boy Scout
Camp in New Mexico.
Those making the ardu
ous trip were Carl Cone,
Stan Hamrick, Dan Ham
rick and Terry Beverly,
along with troop leader
John Briley.
100 years ago
The remains of Frank
Hunt, son of Mr. and
Mrs. T. J. Hunt of Milner,
who was killed in action
in France in 1918, were
buried in the cemetery
at Milner Sunday after
noon, his body having
been recently brought
back from France. It was
a solemn and impressive
occasion which drew a
great throng.
Zi)t Umltr feette
barnesville.com
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