A Christmas Memory

Forgiveness is alchemy. To take something so base and ugly that you don't even want to think of it and turn it into something noble and fine. That is true alchemy. Remember that. It's not always easy, but if you can do that, you'll have a happy life.

Grief is the truest evidence of love. And we should always be grateful to have something to love, even if it means that we have to lose it.

Jesus wasn’t American. He wasn’t even white. Jesus was from the Middle East. Have you ever seen people from the Middle East? They’re not white.

Everyone has problems—even white folk. The way I see it, a person’s got two choices. One, he can hold on to his anger, or two, he can let his anger go. Only one of those choices brings freedom.

Mr. Booker Washington said, ‘We should not permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities.

Long ago people thought they could turn lead into gold. They called it alchemy. The idea behind alchemy was to take something worthless and turn it into something of value. Forgiveness is alchemy. ... To take something so base and ugly that you don't even want to think of it something noble and fine. That is true alchemy.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to offer a Thanksgiving prayer.” “We’d like that,” my mother said. Taking our cue from Mr. Foster, we all bowed our heads. “Dear Lord, we are indeed grateful this day for the abundance of our lives. Help us to remember that you are the giver of all blessings. Thank you for this delicious food and for good neighbors to share it with. Beau and I are grateful to have new friends and we pray, dear Lord, that your favor will shine upon them like the morning sun.

There are two ways of being strong: one is pushing people down, the other is pulling people up.

We should not permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities.