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Are you planning of starting to rear chicken? There are many chicken breeds in the market that you can go for. To help you out here are some of the main categories of chicken that you can buy:

Layers

These ones are ideal for laying eggs. The cool thing with them is that they are very easy to maintain. There are many breeds of this variety that you can go with. The most common ones being: leghorns. Leghorns are also known as the "Heritage" chicken as they are recognized by the American Poultry association.

Another breed that you should go for is the Rhode Island. In addition to the breed being easy to maintain, it also produces the largest eggs.

Meat

In most of the cases chicken bred for meat are the hybrid variety and they are bred in order to grow very fast and attain a large size. Due to the way that they designed, meat chicken tend to have many health issues; therefore, you should be very careful when handling them.

To avoid many complications you should go for breeds that are already well established. One of the best breeds that you should go for is the Cornish chicken. In addition to the breed giving you a lot of meat, it also has a great personality. The males usually grow up to 10 pounds while the female grow up to eight pounds.

Another breed you should go for is the Corn / Rock Broiler. This is a hybrid of the White Cornish and the white Plymouth rock. It grows at a very fast pace and you can harvest it after six weeks. The meat of the breed is juicy, tender and very healthy.

Dual-Purpose

These ones can produce eggs and at the same time give you enough meat. One of the best breeds that you should consider rearing is Plymouth rocks. The female grows up to 7 p pounds and has great motherly instincts. The males on the other hand grow up to nine pounds.

Another breed that you can rear is the New Hampshire. The female grow up to 5 p pounds while the male grows up to 8 pounds.

Conclusion

These are the main categories of chicken that you can go for. When buying the birds ensure that you buy them from a reputable seller. For them to reach the maximum size and give you the right size of eggs you should take good care of them. This means that you should give them the right shelter, food and medicine.

It was a mild summer day in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina when I boarded United Airline flight 7318 to Washington, DC. Like usual, I promptly located my window seat, with no doubts that the pilots would safely take me to my destination.

Suddenly, as I sat staring out of the window waiting for take-off, certain questions unfolded in my mind. I surprised, "Who are these pilots that I wholeheartedly entrust with my life?" I wondered about my surety of knowing that they would or could take me to my destination. I also pondered on "Why it is that I – or we as individuals, trustingly and unwaveringly allow others to continue pilot our lives without questions or reservations?"

We permit others to pilot our lives while we unquestionably find our seat near the window – just watching – watching our lives quickly pass by. We lack faith in ourselves, because too often, we allow others such as bosses, friends, family and even enemies, to navigate our lives. We allow others to pilot our lives because of their negative words. We allow others to pilot our lives because they claim to know what is best for us. We live on autopilot without a clue as to where we are headed, or how we will get there.

We must declare that we will no longer allow other people to take control of our lives – or of our future. No matter how cloudy things look, no matter how dark our past is, we must remember that God is in control.

Allow God to be your pilot – as you co-pilot your own life into a prosperous and promising future.

Declare today: I will no longer sit back and allow other people to control my life into an uncertain and discontented future. The past is behind me – and only the best is yet to come!

Copyright 2003 by Audrina Jones Bunton. REPRINTING THIS ARTICLE: Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this article only in its entity and provided copyright is acknowledged. You can find other articles to choose from at http://www.purpose-living.com/mailing%20list.htm

Foe tourists who do not want to spend much of the money during their vacations Rhodes holidays are the ideal one, as this place provides perfect amalgamation of beauty, history and fun within all budget needs.

Yearly this island is visited by a large number of tourists and visitors. There are many aspects which make Rhodes holidays ideas best. Not only you can view beautiful places and historical sites but also can find many activities worth to explore during the Rhodes holidays. You can entertain yourself in the night life of this island; also one can do shopping on different halls and shops.

If you are coming to Rhodes Island with your family, then one of the best attractions in the area for the whole family is the Aqua Park Faliraki.

Aqua Park Faliraki:

Aqua Park Faliraki is one of the largest water parks in Europe. The park offers amazing activities like water sports, water slides, swimming pools, artificial waves, pirate ship, wading pools and much more.

Aqua Park here is a complete family place. The children as well as adults enjoy in the park equally. When coming for Rhodes Holidays with children, it is a must see place. The place is very safe for both children and old. The whole place is run and managed by excellent staff.

The rides are completely safe even for young children. There are always safeguards and supervisors to watch the kids playing in the area. The Aqua Park is open mostly from nine in the morning till seven or eight in the evening. There are around thirty five well trained safeguards on the duty during park timings.

Adults can also indulge in different sports here. The park has artificial waves for surfing and scuba diving. An exciting cruise trip is also available from east-coast to the Symi Island.

There are lockers available for people coming for the whole day. There are also showers and toilets at different places. Phone booths are located in different areas of the parks. There are shops, restaurants, bars, rest rooms in the Aqua Park, so spending a complete day at the park is no problem.

For golf players, there is a small golf course where the adults can play golf. Other facilities in the Aqua Park include a shuttle train which is free and can be used to travel within the park. The park has a safe large parking area for people bringing their own vehicles.

If you are a holidaymaker who is planning to spend next vacations on Rhodes then do not forget to add a one day trip to Aqua Park Faliraki in your must do list. This park offers lots of exciting activities especially during the Rhodes holidays. So you must take out time to ride there, dine in and do shopping in this park.

Your will never get bored for a single moment because of so many amusing activities offered in this park. Almost for every age group, there is something to do in the Aqua Park Faliraki.

To call Dean Smith a legend would be an understatement. For many of us who

spent our formative years in North Carolina, he was the epitome of a coaching great. I came to North Carolina when I was 13, and I can tell you, to live in Dean Smith territory was considered a true honor for any basketball fan.

During his tenure as head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of

North Carolina, he gained a reputation as one of the greatest coaches in sports

history. In fact, he’s the all-time leader when it comes to victories by an NCAA

Division I men’s basketball coach. His teams appeared in the Final Four eleven

times and he won two national championships. In any sport, that kind of record

would be considered evidence of a true champion–a natural leader.

Smith also gained a reputation as a winner off the court. He ran a clean program

and didn’t get into the type of ethics escapades that tarnished the records of other

coaches. An incredible 96 percent of Smith’s players graduated, indicating his

determination to ensure that his players received a solid education. In short, he was

the type of coach that any university would be proud to have on its roster.

In 1976, he became a patriot when he coaches the U.S. team to a gold medal at the

Summer Olympics in Montreal. He’s also a best-selling author, having penned

Basketball: Multiple Offenses and Defense–the best-selling technical basketball

book in history.

And Smith secured his place in Southern history by recruiting Charlie Scott as UNC’s

first black scholarship athlete, thereby integrating the Tar Heels basketball team.

This was no small feat at a time when race relations weren’t the best in America.

But being a great basketball coach who believes in giving minorities a fair shot in

life does not necessarily mean you’re a winner when it comes to politics.

In the 1980s, Smith recorded radio spots to promote a freeze on nuclear weapons.

It was a trendy liberal cause at the time. However, what ultimately ended the Cold

War and the threat of destruction by the Soviet Union was not a nuclear freeze, but

conservative Ronald Reagan’s insistence on a strong defense.

While he was coaching, some members of the Democratic Party recruited Smith to

run for the U.S. Senate against legendary incumbent Jesse Helms. Smith rejected

the offer. However, in his retirement, he has taken sharp aim at conservative causes

–from the war in Iraq to homosexual rights.

Smith, a diehard liberal Democrat, has failed to post a winning record in the political

game. He’s consistently backed the loser in Presidential contests and U.S. Senate

races and he has consistently lost every time. He has donated to losing candidates

like Howard Dean, Erskine Bowles, John Edwards and Bill Bradley.

Most recently, a North Carolina Supreme Court candidate, Rachel Lea Hunter,

claimed Dean Smith was supporting her candidacy. Dean Smith has denied the

claim but his image is still displayed on Hunter’s campaign website and no

apologies have been made for the false statements. Rachel Lea Hunter was a

Republican in 2004, an Independent in 2005 and now a Democrat. The Republicans

don’t want her and the Democrats won’t recognize her candidacy.

And yet, a number of people continue to listen to Smith’s political musings–not

because of his intellectual insight, but because of his celebrity status. Let’s face it–

if Paris Hilton endorsed Hillary Clinton for President tomorrow, it would be a story

on television, in the newspapers, and on the Internet. The media put a great deal of

stock in what celebrities say–even if they appear to be talking about topics that are

far beyond the red carpet, the Aspen skyline, or, in this case, the free-throw zone.

Dean Smith is a great basketball icon who is very liberal in his politics. He certainly

has a winning record on the basketball court, however, having his political support

is definitely the political kiss of death.

Copyright © 2006 by Nathan Tabor

Of the six states that comprise our country’s quaint New England, five are on the coast, making the area a prime place for enjoying water sports, including a top favorite, sailing.

Whether you make your home there or decide to take in the sea air during your next vacation, you’ll never encounter a lack of ways to enjoy the water while sailing these unique waters.

The coast itself is remarkably different from others farther south on the Atlantic; here, you’ll find craggy cliffs, white beaches, and rocky beaches mixed with cracked shells. Because New England is a relatively small area, you’ll also enjoy the “sea-to-city” landscape; you can sail far off the New England coast or one of its islands and still see the city lights blinking back at you.

For exceptional sailing opportunities, you can always find a “sailboat race” or regatta going on, and you can either join in the competition or get a good seat for a perfect view from land.

Some of the best-known beaches, such as Massachusetts’ Cape Cod, and its glamorous “little sister,” Martha’s Vineyard, bring thousands of tourists yearly to enjoy the high cliffs, dunes, and white sands. The other great thing about sailing in New England is that you can easily “jump the waters” to another state and enjoy excellent sailing in Maine’s 100 miles of beaches, including Cape Elizabeth, and New Hampshire’s coast, as well. And if you’re looking for a little privacy, there are several “out of the way,” less “touristy” beaches and islands to drop your anchor. One is Block Island, off Rhode Island’s coast.

You can opt to take a leisurely shoreline cruise on a guided tour, or grab the helm yourself and “bareboat sail” the day away at your own pace. And don’t forget to sample the renowned New England fresh lobster; take along the champagne and cook it up on board for a festive afternoon of sailing while watching for whales and other wildlife indigenous to the area. Lighthouses also dot the shore, which make for a romantic sight from your vantage point at sea.

So start your next sailboating adventure where America’s history began – you’ll be guaranteed to see, hear, feel, smell, and taste some of the most sensuous sensations ever!

The Carolina Panthers are a member of the South Division of the NFC. They are based in Charlotte, North Carolina, but the team serves as a representative to both North and South Carolina. Along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers history is short, as they became part of the NFL in 1995. An impressive accomplishment in Carolina Panthers history is their Super Bowl appearance in 2003, only 8 years since their inception. When the Carolina Panthers first became part of the NFL, they were a member of the NFC West division. In 2002, they were moved to the NFC south division, which was made more sense considering their location. The Carolina Panthers mascot is Sir Purr, and they are managed by Marty Hurney.

Carolina Panthers history started in the late 1980s after the approval of a professional NBA expansion team. The Charlotte Hornets, who are now the New Orleans Hornets, the basis for former Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson to discuss the possibility of having an NFL expansion team as well. His company, Richardson Sports, chose an uptown location in Charlotte where they would build a privately financed stadium that housed more than 70,000 fans. Everyone joined the effort to show their support for the cause, an effort to prove to the NFL that Charlotte was worthy of an NFL team. Preseason games were held in the area in 1989, 1990, and 1991, which were all sold out games, again as an effort to show support for the NFL. In 1992, expansion teams were discussed in Charlotte, as well as Baltimore, St. Louisville, Memphis, and Jacksonville. The vote was delayed until 1993, considering there was still a dispute within the league. It was on October 26, 1993 that the NFL announced that Carolina would be the 29th franchise for the NFL, which made them the first new team in the league since the 70s.

Carolina Panthers history during the 1995 Season; Dom Capers was appointed as the head coach, and they acquainted their team through a newly formed method of drafting. Aside from popular draft picks like Rod Smith, Mark Carrier, and Kerry Collins, the Carolina Panthers were also entitled to use the free agency process. A notable aspect of Carolina Panthers history is that they won their first game of their career, playing the Hall of Fame Game against the Jaguars, who was also a new team that year. Of course this game was known as the "Battle of the Big Cats", we'll let you figure out why. The Panthers new stadium was still under construction, so all their home games were played at Clemson University.

Carolina Panthers history was rough in the late 90s; Rae Carruth was sent to prison for conspiring to murder his pregnant girlfriend. At that same time, Kerry Collins was cut from the team due to problems with alcoholism and accusations of making racial slurs about his teams. Fred Lane, who had traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2000, was killed by his wife shortly after trading teams. During this time, the team made no noticeable appearances on the field, and Dom Capers was let go after the 98 season. In 1999, George Seifert was hired to replace him, as he had won two Super Bowl titles with the 49ers. However, his time with the team was disastrous, and he was immediately let go in 2001. The Panthers attempted to acquire Steve Spurrier and Tony Dungy in 2002 were unsuccessful. So they chose John Fox as their head coach, who was a former defensive coordinator for the Giants. In 2003, Carolina was a much better team, landing them in Super Bowl XXXVIII, which they ended up winning! Considering their short history, this Super Bowl appearance was a great accomplishment and something not to go in Carolina Panthers history!

It’s commonly known that Vegas is the place where one can legally wager on just about anything, provided the books offer the proposition bet(s). Gamblers love to put their money on weird wagers, especially around Super Bowl time. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned the ban on sports betting, we just might see more uncanny bets being offered in states that bid for sports books. Weird wagers are not unique to Vegas. The U.K also gets in on the action.

Here’s a collection of some of the most bizarre, weirdest, wackiest wagers ever made:

• 1979: The late Jackie Gaughn, owner of the El Cortez hotel in downtown Vegas, posted odds when the faltering U.S. satellite Skylab, was about to crash to earth. The odds were put up on where it would crash: 5/1 for one of the five oceans, 12/1 into the Soviet Union, 100/1 on California soil, 2,000/1 for a hit in tiny Rhode Island, and even 10,000/1 that it would crash into the El Cortez! Turns out it landed in Australia at 30/1.

• 1980: From the popular TV show Dallas: “Who shot JR?” Wagers were taken at the Castaways Hotel with odds on every cast member prior to the season ending cliff hanger episode, but the Gaming Control Board ordered a halt to all betting because someone had to have a script that knew the answer.

• 1981: Amidst the ongoing controversy over the murder of President John F. Kennedy, the grave of alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was about to be exhumed to confirm identity. The sports book at the Union Plaza was quick to jump on the proposition bandwagon on whose body would be in the coffin. Odds were posted for: a Soviet agent, Jack Ruby (Oswald’s assassin) or an empty coffin. Due to concerns about the virtue of such a wager, the gaming commission put a lid on it. Turns out it was Oswald after all.

• In the UK, it was 500/1 that the FBI will confirm that Elvis is still alive and another 500/1 that Michael and LaToya Jackson are one in the same.

• UK bookmakers also offered 1,000/1 that Tiger Woods would become President of the US and 5,000/1 that Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky would marry.

• A London resident named Matthew Drumbell placed a 1,000,000/1 wager that the world would end before the year 2000. Of course, who would be left to pay him if he survived? No pun intended on the man’s name.

During Super Bowl week in Vegas $ millions are tossed across the betting terminals to wager on one’s favorite team, and some weird bets as well. Here are some of Super Bowls’ past prop bets:

· Will singer Kelly Clarkston omit or mess up one or more words in the National Anthem? How long will it take her to sing it? Over/Under 1 minute, 34 seconds. Will her bare belly be showing when she sings it?

· If Quarterback Tom Brady’s son is shown on TV during the game, will he be wearing a Tom Brady Jersey?

· How many times will Patriots owner Robert Kraft be shown on TV during the game?

· What will be the first touchdown celebration? A ball spike, a dance, lay on the ground, a goalpost dunk, a Tim Tebow kneel, or kiss a cheerleader?

· What color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning team’s head coach? Yellow, orange, clear, red, green, blue? (Yellow was favorite.)

· Who will the Super Bowl MVP thank first in his post-game interview? Teammates, God, Owner, Coach, Family, No one? (Teammates were the favorite.)

So, there you have it. I wonder what weird wagers await us for next Super Bowl? I guess we’ll just Have to wait to find out.

Among the countless activities one can partake in while in Currituck County, North Carolina, hunting near the Currituck Sound has been popular with locals and visitors alike for many years. Currituck Sound was connected directly to the Atlantic Ocean until the early 1800s by one or more inlets through the Outer Banks. Shifting sands ultimately closed the inlets, changing the Sound from a high-salinity estuarine environment to a low-salinity estuarine environment. The marshes and waters of Currituck sound became well known for prime water hunting grounds.

Since the early 1800s, the Currituck Sound is on the migration path for ducks, Canada geese, and other water birds. The village of Duck in Currituck County was named for the large numbers of waterfowl that once made their home in the area. Currituck Sound, which borders the Outer Banks from Kitty Hawk north to the Virginia Line, was once the most bountiful and popular waterfowl hunting destinations in the country. Historians noted that the fresh water of the Currituck Sound attracted so many water birds that when they lifted in flight, they would actually block out the sun.

In the late nineteenth century, northern businessmen began buying tracts of land in the marshes and the small islands to construct hunt clubs. The most famous of these is the Currituck Club in Corolla. In the winter months, hunters would arrive from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Local residents would serve as caretakers, servants and guides, providing them with much needed income.

For over 75 years, Currituck's waters were hunted until the bird population was nearly decimated. Stringent wildlife protection laws closed the hunt clubs and the population of waterfowl has steadily increased.

Before hunting for duck or other waterfowl, a few of rules and regulations must be followed:

o Public waterfowl hunting is allowed by permit only from designated sites in the Wildlife Refuge. A North Carolina Waterfowl Hunt Permit or a Refugee Hunt permit, a valid hunting license, State and Federal waterfowl stamps must be transported when hunting.
o Youth hunters (under the age of 16) may participate in any hunt provided they have passed the State-approved hunter safety course and are accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old.
o November to January is state waterfowl season. Mid-January through March is snow geese only season. Hunting is only allowed on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
o All hunters are subject to inspections of permits, licenses, bag limits, hunting equipment, boats, vehicles and their contents during compliance checks.
o Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited while hunting.
o Taking any wildlife or plants away from the designated hunting areas is prohibited
o Use of an un-permitted guide is prohibited.
o Littering is prohibited. If you pack it in, pack it out.

The family courts of most states, including Rhode Island’s, grew out of the need to address the countless people who had become married and now wanted to go their separate ways. Yet the civil courts of most states already had large civil courts to address contract issues.

The general idea was whether to keep expanding the large civil courts a little bit more each time married people wanted to go their separate ways and each wanted a share of what they had built while they were married, or to create a new court or division of the court entirely to involve matters arising out of family situations, including for those people who wanted to leave their spouse and take part of what they had built together with them. Thus, the family courts were born out of a need to address these issues and many others that grew out of “family situations.”

A problem arises though from today’s modern media and the romanticism that has grown out of marriage and made it a huge money-making industry.

Think about it. Many young women today dream of the day of their wedding from the time they own the Barbie Bride Doll(tm). They envision the elegant wedding dress and veil, the beautifully adorned bridesmaids accompanied by groomsmen wearing tuxedos with all variety of flowers displaying vibrant colors and filling the air with the sweet fragrance of love. Then there is the wonderful reception surrounded by friends and family and food fit for a king. It all culminates in the beginning of your life with your soulmate on a tropical island walking hand in hand along the beach as you kiss your perfect mate as the moonlight dances along the small soothing waves of the water.

Yet in all of this people have forgotten the origins of marriage that still remain today. Even today marriages throughout the United States require a wedding license application, witnesses are often needed for the exchange of vows (aka promises) to one another. At the end of the ceremony the parties to the marriage, the officiant and the witnesses sign the marriage certificate after the promises have been exchanged and they submit the document to the state to record the marriage.

Why is this all done? Take a look at it again. The husband and wife entered into a contract with one another. Their marriage is a contract.

The task of the family court in a divorce proceeding is to legally assist the parties when separating by dividing the contract that spouses entered into.

If you understand the concept of a contract, and accept that marriage is a legal contract being divided fairly by the court as if it were the division of a business partnership then you can more easily deal with it.

The main problem that arises in divorce proceedings is when husbands and wives are unable to extract their feelings about the relationship from the divorce itself. It’s understandable why many people find that hard to do because it is the relationship and its promises that form the underlying basis for entering into the contract to begin with.

It is strongly suggested that if your emotions are strong and you are entering into divorce proceedings for any reason, that you should get some counseling to help you deal with your emotional reaction to the divorce.

It is not easy to deal with a divorce, especially when you are dealing with a long-term relationship. Yet the longer the divorce goes on, the more time, money and energy you usually spend on the legal proceeding itself rather than addressing your relationship issues and moving on with your life.

When you realize and accept that the emotional and legal aspects of a divorce can be separated from one another, then you are able to achieve a better result in both. Oversimplifying it, you then deal with your emotion about the breakdown of the relationship with your counselor and you deal with the practical aspects of the breakdown of the marriage and moving on (i.e. division of your assets and debts) in the family court.

By achieving this separation between these two aspects, divorce should be easier.

While watching a show on "The History Channel" recently about the turmoil of the 1960's there was a sign over a water fountain that said "White Only". This brought back memories of being a young boy in the 1950's and 1960's.

Growing up in eastern North Carolina segregation was the way of life in the 50's and 60's. Because it was predominately a rural farming area a large percentage of the population was "colored". At the time this was the polite way to referring to African Americans as oppose to the "N" word, which was also widely used. Segregation affected all aspects of life. You knew the unwritten rules and you followed them.

One event that I clearly remember occurred at my great granddad's funeral. A few of the black people who had worked for him for many years asked Granddaddy if they could go to the funeral. He said yes. When they came into the church they sat on the back pew. I still remember people in the next pew getting up and moving. When my grandmother died in the 1980's the black woman who had worked for them and help her for years sat with the family. Different times.

I still remember the signs over the water fountains / coolers in Washington and other towns, designing them as "White Only" and a few, in out of the way places, marked "Colored Only". This was one of the rules I always found a little funny having worked on Granddad's farm. All the people who worked for him where black except me. When we were out in the fields working on a hot day Granddad would bring water out in a gallon glass jug and we would pass it around, everyone drinking out of the same jug. When you left the field the rules changed and you were white and they were colored again.

There were "White Only" signs on all the public bathrooms in the stores and other places. I remember behind "the dime store", on Main St, in Washington there was a wooden building which was marked "Colored Only" and I was told that was the bathrooms for them.

A lot of the department stores had dining areas but they were for "Whites Only". You never saw colored people sitting in them. Usually there was one small corner of the counter where they could place a "to go" order but they could not set while they waited. This is one of the reasons these became a target of early civil rights set-ins.

I can remember going to the movies at the theater and blacks had to set in one small section in the back of the balcony. This was after they went to a separate entry marked "Colored Only" to buy there tickets. This was not unusual as there were separate entrances and waiting rooms for "Colored Only" for bus and train stations, doctor's offices, and hospitals. Almost all public places and businesses were segregated.

When the county fair came to town in the fall you never saw blacks there. During the week long event there was one day designated for the colored people to go and you new not to go on that day.

This all began to slowly change in the late 1960's but not without issues. There were very vocal people on both sides of the issue voicing their opinion whether right or wrong. When I was around 13 or 14 it was announced Aurora High School would begin partial integration the next school year. I remember this is when the negative talk became the loudest even to the point of a large KKK rally being held in the Aurora area. Times were changing and nothing was going to hold back progress. The next year year Aurora High School was partly integrated.

Even though it only involved approximately 12 black kids coming to our school it was a major change. The kids were all from the Porters Creek area and I had work with some of them on Grand Dad's farm but I never acknowledge them. I still remember the first day when they came into school and we all look at them wondering what was going to happen especially after seeing all the integration trouble on TV. Thinking back you could see fear in both the black kids and the whites because our world was changing. There were no issues that day and for the next two years. We were fortunate that the change went smoothly unlike some schools.

Then in September of 1968 full integration began. The SW Snowden High School, formerly the colored school, became the elementary school with grades 1 through 6. Aurora High School became the high school with grades 7 through 12. Again there were no real issues. There were a lot of changes in the mindset of many people which had to be made by both sides. Once we fully integrated the white kids became the minority as there were almost two black students to every one white student. It was different.

Even though the schools were integrated old beliefs and ways held on. I played basketball on the high school team and we went from an all white team to just Craig and I being the only white boys on the team. This made for interesting comments when we played all white, none integrated, schools in the area. One of my good friends from school and basketball was Kelvin. We played ball together for three years and became close friends at practice and at school. I never invited him to my house or ask him to go hangout with my other friends because deep down I was conditioned that this was not done. Old ways are hard to change and I look back with remorse and think how ridiculous those beliefs were.

A friend / classmate related another story to me of how strong attitudes were back then. She was a cheerleader who lived near the school. Another friend of ours and a cheerleader who was black did not have a ride back to school for the games so she would set on the school steps until game time, sometimes several hours. My one friend would ask her mother if she could come over to her house to wait but her mother refused because she was worried what the neighbors would think. My friend would then make them both a sandwich and go back to school and wait with her on the steps.

A lot of people would like to forget about this and erase it from their minds and our history. Yet, it is just that, our history. We need to remember our good times and our bad times, not to dwelling on them but learning from them. History that is forgotten or lost has a way of repeating itself until we learn the truth from it. Slavery, segregation, and the mistreatment of our fellow man needs to be remembered. Teach it to our children so the same mistakes will not be made again.

This too was part of growing up in Aurora NC.