WEB POSTED 01-23-2001

Still Counting Birthdays

I was led to believe that my latest birthday anniversary would be celebrated by my immediate family and me, quietly, at the home of one of my daughters, on the outskirts of Atlanta. We did, indeed, celebrate it at her house, but as we walked through the kitchen and turned the lights on in the dining and living rooms, we were greeted by a throng which would fit the late Red Foxx�s description, "�looking like we were making a Tarzan movie."

I was ecstatic in my surprise and pleasure at seeing Brothers and Sisters from whom I had been divided by both time and geography. Some were residents of the Atlanta Area, but many had come from some pretty distant locations to celebrate the fact that I was still defying the odds. My mind peeked back briefly to another birthday I celebrated on the West Coast, after a certain police chief, who had been touted as "THE TOUGHEST COP IN AMERICA" on the cover of THE SATURDAY EVENING POST magazine, swore publicly that he would kill me before he died. However, he dropped dead as he walked away from the microphone after receiving the "TOUGHEST COP" award. I think this was possibly my happiest birthday since then.

My ecstasy was compounded by the reception I was given at the Atlanta Mosque Meeting. The spirit of brotherhood was overwhelming, and I am not being "sexist", Sisters � I am using the term "brotherhood" generically. In fact, one of the most heartening acts performed was by my Sister Alice, who Express Mailed me a beautiful gift from Los Angeles.

Before leaving Atlanta, I accepted an invitation to visit a school owned and operated by a couple who are members of the Atlanta Mosque. I lectured the students briefly, and then received questions. Their inquiries followed the pattern of their adherence to the dress code. They looked like examples of our fondest hopes for the appearance of our children, and the topics they chose for discussion revealed the depth to which their instructors carried them into the study of Islam and the history of The Nation. Of all that I said, it was generally agreed that the most utile observation I made, which will help them in their future achievements, was the importance of the etymological understanding of the word "educate". They seemed delighted to learn that "education" and "training" were not synonymous. The root "ducare" does, indeed, mean "to lead" or "to carry" (as in "induct", "deduct", "conduct", etc.). The prefix "e", as used here, means "out of" or "away from". Thus, I was able to demonstrate to the youngsters that they were not in school for their instructors to stamp something upon them to which they were expected to react. They were there for the discovery of the best traits and talents which resided within them, and to learn the best way to control them and utilize them for the benefit of themselves, their family and their Nation. The spirit of the staff and students was wonderful, and I pray Allah grants them continued success. They seem to me to be quite instrumental in our future rise, as directed by The Honorable Louis Farrakhan, and my prayers will constantly be with them for their continued success.

I DON�T KNOW HOW I LOOK, BUT I CERTAINLY DON�T FEEL AS OLD AS I AM!

Thank you, Brother Minister Farrakhan, for stretching out your arms and catching me in time. From that moment on, I owe each second that I live and each breath that I take to you!