MERIDIAN —    Football, football, football … someone very clever said, “there are four seasons in Mississippi -- winter, spring, summer, and football!” Mississippi football – home of champions and the last few years proved it all.  East Mississippi Community College, Scooba, brought home the coveted 2011 NJCAA National Football Championship and Meridian High School claimed the 2008, Class 5-A State Championship title. Not that I am a knowledgeable football fan, but I do perk up a bit when local schools earn the big prizes.

     So, yes, F is for football, but F is also for family reunions – April is the Brooks reunion, July is Calvert, September is the McKee and Doolittle reunions, October is Caldwell and Harrison, and that’s just me. Family reunions are more than important in Mississippi, but a life-link from the past and hopefully for the future as well.  This year, I’ve enjoyed all of the young married couples with children I’ve seen attend the reunions. It gives a hope for the continuance of family values – another important element of life in Mississippi.

    F is also for fall. Oh, how a Mississippian does enjoy fall and the cooler temps, which has always meant limited A/C and less power bill amounts. However, as every good Mississippian has noticed – cut off the air and cut on the heat. Uh-huh, and that is done all in one day, usually. But, whatever – fall is welcomed like an old friend.

    F is for family – Mississippians truly enjoy family life. Families thrive on visiting granny, Sunday dinners, shopping, traveling, and supporting the good times and the bad. Welcoming new family members and mourning the time a family member goes through the Pearly Gates – although we know we will see them again one day, we are still sad.

    F is for friendship. Oh, how I love my friends. Those souls of integrity and honesty – friends who love me no matter what. So many of you, dear readers, I count as favorite friends. Below are a few friendship quotes I wish I had written, but regardless, I do want to share them with you:



My friends are my estate.

~Emily Dickinson

I get by with a little help from my friends.

~John Lennon

The better part of one’s life consists of his friendships.

~Abraham Lincoln

The friendship that can cease has never been real.

~Saint Jerome



     F is for fun. Oh, how I love to have fun – most people do. Smiles, giggles, and downright belly laughs are all huge ingredients in the recipe for fun. Sunny dispositions, seeing the glass half full rather than half empty, the realization that “it’s only money.” Easy come, easy go – climb that mountain. The view from the mountaintop is more incredible than the effort and pain were to get there.

    F is for festivals – perhaps fall festivals are the most popular. Sometimes known as the Harvest Festival – the event celebrates the bounty of the harvest. The tradition began during the 15th & 16th centuries – a time of merrymaking, sharing of food and drink, music, and a time of thanking God for His blessings. During the last fifty to sixty years, the Fall Festival has become an important time for church and family activities.

   F is for fathers. Head of the household, bread winner, disciplinarian, the final word, Daddy’s little girl – all terms during my childhood, but today so many households are fatherless. The trend is an epidemic and has serious consequences. According to www.about.com -- There is no question that children who grow up in fatherless homes have a much greater risk of major challenges in life than those who grow up with a father at home. These statistics are alarming and should give any father pause.

    F is for Facebook, social media – another 21st Century epidemic. Facebook trivia: (1) Between 2005 and 2009, Facebook doubled its traffic every year. (2) Facebook first reached 10 million unique visitors in November 2006 in the U.S. (3) Facebook hit that same milestone in the U.K. in April 2008, and in France, Germany and Spain in 2009.(4) Facebook overtook Myspace to become the top social network in January 2009. (5) Facebook held that position in the U.S. ever since.(6) Facebook had 152 million unique visitors in March — or more than 2 out of three Americans who were active online. Read more Facebook trivia – www.forbes.com. This bit of trivia I’ve included today was posted on their web site, May 17, 2012, by Forbes staff member, Connie Guglielmo.

     F is for flag – our American Flag. One is never too old to get a lump in the throat and tear in the eye when Old Glory is seen fluttering in the breeze. June 14 is Flag Day, but no need to wait until then to display our symbol of the United States. The Stars and Stripes – thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle bearing fifty small, white five-pointed stars representing the 50 states of the United States of America and 13 stripes represent the original 13 British colonies who later won their freedom from Great Britain. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the flags were mass-produced because of the demand – oh, the spirit of patriotism, please return in the hearts of Americans.

    F is for freedom. Like many of you, my son has served in the Middle East more times than I like to think – dangerous duty. I am so proud of him, but afraid for him as well. When will they all come home? Soon, let us pray it is soon.

    Finally – F is for Friday! Ah, Friday, what a beautiful word!  A few years ago I delivered the convocation speech for the beginning of a school year – a large school. As the teachers marched into the auditorium, I sensed, perhaps, a little stress. Summer was over and time to start anew. Earlier, when I had written my planned remarks, I suspected this would be the case; therefore, I started with this. “Teachers, I have phenomenal news for you that will make you smile. You know a smile will always lighten your load. Each Monday morning, greet each other with ‘Good Friday morning’, rather than ‘Good Monday morning’.” Then, I asked the teachers to try it out with the person sitting next to them. Their smiles beamed and laughter filled the room.  I like to think many times on Monday mornings, those Friday morning greetings helped their day and their week.

    So, yes, F is for football, but so much more – have a great Friday, everyone!

 

    Anne B. McKee is an award-winning author and playwright. See her web site: www.annemckee.net.