Perspective
r
Using "Sunday Best" all week
How many times do you go to
your china cabinet for the crysta
l.'.'.on Mondays? How many times
hkve you opened the door to your
"good" living room on any day
o^her than Sunday, or used those
fancy pillow cases for anyone
other than company? Are the
shirts and dresses your family
wears only for special occasions
out of style before the threads
ate barely warn?
''All of us have had practicality
deeply embedded in us since
childhood. We were taught to
ihaintain certain things for "Sun
day-best" for the sake of thrif ti
neas and sensibility. There are
few of us who revel in hours of
ironing linen table napkins or
starching lace tablecloths, and
ttiere are also times when
dreams must wait. After all, ba
bies will always drool, cats will
always shed, expensive china
WU1 always be easily broken and
obthes will always continue to
snag, tear and soil. There will be
plenty of times in life when plas
tic makes much more sense than
crystal.
But, I learned a valuable les
son about "Sunday-best" a while
ago, and since that day I've prac
ticed up a bit on using my "good"
things more on Monday through
Saturday. I went to an estate sale
held shortly after the death of a
woman 1 was acquainted with.
Since I had been in her home
many times, I almost decided
against going to the sale; my rea
soning being that everything she
owned was completely worn or
mismatched. I found, however,
upon examination of her per
Our futures are
not guaranteed
o Whether you were a fan or not,
iV* difficult not to be saddened
and shocked by the unexpected
death of former Maryland bas
ketball superstar Len Bias.
Thousands of fans enjoyed his
court abilities during his years at
Maryland. Only recently, area
fans were amazed by his moves
in exhibitions at local area
schools.
At the age of 22, he is dead.
He'll never again display the tal
ent and abilities that God en
trusted him with. For reasons we
will never know, he is gone.
We are all impacted by death,
especially when we lose someone
close to us, or it comes totally un
expected. Even when life has
been long, it is difficult to adjust
or understand the loss.
^ There is a message in death for
aO of us. For all our feelings or
gfeatness, of indestructability, of
Immortality, our time will come.
Few of us know when, where, or
hpw.
Here was a young man with the
world ahead of him. He probably
would have been a great basket
ball player for years to come. He
faced opportunities only a few
eVer have. You might say his fu
ture was guaranteed.
But it wasn't and neither is
ours. We need to realize this and
attempt to take each day as such,
to make the most of every minute
we have.
Hany of us believe in life after
this one. By doing so, we are able
to accept the fact that our time in
this world is limited, but greater
rewards await us elsewhere. We
don't know this for a fact, but it
docs make the realization of
daath easier to accept.
Let's suppose that this is the
only life we will have. Once it is
#Bne, there is no more. There will
rasr? : ?
pastors
Needed.
We mre looking for
fmre willing
their fmit
Ith from
time to time with
m brief
to morWmm
spiritual
eedote or teatimo -
? I m I on mm
oeemriomml baiii for
omr church pmge,
?let us let
be no golden city where our souls
live forever in a heavenly state.
Would we do things different
while here on earth?
Probably not and perhaps we
shouldn't. Life would be very dull
if everything we did was planned
or us. There would be little chal
lenge to living and we would take
few chances. We'd be so con
cerned with making the most of
every minute there would be
little time for dreaming, for lis
tening, for seeing, for living.
William Arthur Ward said it
very well:
I will be sensitive to the needs
of my fellow man and actively
look for ways to befriend him.
I will become aware of man's
suffering, get involved in his
struggle, and comfort him in his
sorrow.
I will withhold judgment of my
brother, and attempt to under
stand his thinking, his attitudes,
and his behavior.
I will for give those who have
injured me; I will forgive even
those who have hurt those I love.
I will not close my eyes or pass
by on the other side wherever
there is need of my service, my
friendship, or my presence.
I will lift someone's spirits by
giving the most needed gift of
all; a word of hope and encour
agement.
The will remember to be grate
ful to those who have been good
Samartans to me in the past, and
who keep me from falling into the
ditches of discouragment, de
pression, and defeat.
I will recognize that my neigh
bor is anyone? and that my
brother is everyone.
I will feel so much joy, experi
ence so much growth, and re
ceive such a blessing as a good
Samaritan today, that I will be a
good Samaritan again tomorrow.
Letter
to the
Editor
Editor
The Perquimans Weekly,
I'm recently living in Maury,
N.C., but have had family living
in Hertford, N.C. for the past
fourteen years.
On May 30, 31, and June 1, their
were nine youth from the Perqui
mans' area to participate in the
Special Olympics. My brother
and sister were two of the nine
that represented Perquimans. I
know for a fact that the people of
Perquimans County would like
very much to hear about what
the youth is doing. I for one feel
that they (the youth) should be
noticed for a terrific job and par
ticipation that they (the youth)
put into the Olympics.
Sincerely,
William Cohen
Bob 21ft
Maury, N.C. 2KS4 I
sonal effects that day, that she
had plenty of lovely things
stashed away, yet from the way
she lived, none of us had ever re
alized it.
Though she had six sets of fine
crystal, I had never seen her
drink, from anything other than
plastic. Hiere were three full
sets of beautiful china at the sale,
though she had always eaten
from melmac with the design
faded off. Her expensive de
signer gowns and robes were still
neatly in place in boxes, yet she
had died in the hospital wearing
the same shapeless, faded, cot
ton gown. The list of her beauti
ful, unused things was endless.
When I saw them all, I remem
bered her saying once, "I've al
ways loved fine things, but I just
hate to mess them up."
Sooner or later you realize that
there is nothing much you pos
sess that isn't too good for daily
use. Her estate sale taught me
that lesson. I immediately came
home and threw away all my tat
1 J 1* ? 1 - - 1_ 1 A. 1 ll _
lerea aisn loweis ana iook me
new ones I'd been saving up for
"Sunday" for my benefit Mon
day morning.
I stopped "saving" attractive
blouses I liked and started wear
ing them the next day. I dug out
the expensive scented soaps
someone gave me and used one
that very night.
I've stopped letting practical
ity always control the spirit
which denies me the tiny plea
sures of life. I no longer bring out
the silver just for the holidays,
but also when my first rose
blooms, my last rose blooms, the
cat made it through three months
without a visit to the vet, the
herbs have been weeded, and my
husband is home for supper on
time.
Take my advice and say good
bye once and for all to too much
"Sunday-best." Rip the protec
tive plastic off your lamp shades,
take the tag off your new rod and
reel, and light the candles that
have almost melted from the
heat of being stored. You no
longer need a special reason to
celebrate life. You were given
that reason when you got up this
morning.
So, when you have trouble get
ting accustomed to using "Sun
day-best" all week, just do like
me and try to remember the
words of Kay Lyons: "Yesterday
is a cancelled check; Tomorrow
is a promissory note; Today is
the only cash you have... so spend
it wisely."
"Sunday-best" all week long
has helped make my "todays"
much more wisely spent.
June 22-28
National Housefly Week
Susan's law of ordinary happenings
By SUSAN HARRIS
I have recently penned "Su
san's Laws of Ordinary Happen
ings". These are my obser
vations on everyday
circumstances, and I am sure at
least some of them you have ex
perienced.
Law Number One: Washing
machines eat socks. From a
purely mechanical point of view
this would seem impossible. But
anyone who has ever done laun
dry knows that it is true. If you
are in doubt, go do your washing.
Nicholson's wife
was persecuted
Christopher Nicholson, son of
Edmund and Elizabeth (Simson)
Nicholson, was born about 1638;
he may have been born in En
gland before his parents' immi
gration to Massachusetts. In 1646
he inherited five pounds from
George Pollard of Marblehead,
Massahusetts. He followed his fa
ther's occupation of fisherman,
joining Edmund's fishing expedi
tion in the spring of 1660.
t At Edmund's death* in 1660
Massachusetts authorities in
vented a complaint against his
widow and two eldest sons.
Founded upon no evidence but
stemming from the official prej
udice against Quakers, the mat
ter became an example of the
lengths to which Massachusetts
would go in persecuting Quakers.
The incident was reported in
1661 in London as the "Tragedy
of a woman of Marblehead near
Salem and her two sons (viz.)
Elizabeth Nicholson and Christo
pher and Joseph, whom you (the
Massachusetts Bay authorities)
without ground charged with the
death of Edmund Nicholson, bar
husband, and their lather, who
was found dead in the sea;
against than, and into your
butcher's cub at Boston you soon
had them all three, from their
house and goods, which in the
meantime was in danger to be
robbed, spoiled and devoured,
whilst you had them in prison;
"And from that prison you had
them to the bar, to try them for
their lives, upon suspicion of hav
ing a hand in the death of Ed
na u nd , aforesaid; but
notwithstanding all your cunning
and subtle malice, to destroy the
mother and her children at once,
yet ye were not able;
"Notwithstanding you fined
her in a great sum (which, in be
half of the Court, your Secretary,
Rawson, was willing to take in
good fish; and Salter (the jailor)
for diet and lodging in barrels of
mackerel (so devouring the wid
ow's house)...
"And her two sons, to stand un
der the gallows certain hours,
with ropes about their necks, and
to be whipped in your market
place, which was performed with
many bloody lashes; at which the
young men Ming not appalled,
old Wilson (the minister at Boa
ton who was bitter against Quak
ers) standing by, said, "Ah!
cursed gboeratkm"; and at Sa
lem to be whipped also, where
Michelson, the marshal, (a
bloody spirited man) came to see
dlessly done, that am of the
Count your socks carefully. Put
them in the washer. Use any de
tergent you want-that is not a
factor. When your clothes are
dry, count your socks. One is
missing, right? I told you so!
Law Number Two: The speed
at which the car in front of you
travels varies inversely with the
amount of time you have to get
where you're going.
If you doubt this adage, get up
late one morning. Every sight
seer around will hurry to ride in
front of you. They will slow down
for such landmarks as the state
highway shop and the famous
weigh station.
Leave ten minutes early to go
somewhere and everyone be
comes Speedy Gonzales. You end
up not ten minutes early, but 15
minutes ahead of schedule. Then
you're mad because you could
have slept or jogged longer and
enjoyed another cup of java.
Law Number Three: All chil
dren suffer from hearing loss.
Some children can hear posi
tive answers, but negative re
sponses are beyond their decibal
levels. This theory is easily
tested, especially if you are close
to teen-agers, who seem to be ex
ceptionally prone to the disorder.
Law Number Four: How
messy you get while cooking de
pends on what you're wearing.
To test this hypotesis, put on
your best dress. Next, cover you
clothes with a junkie old bath
robe. Now, begin to prepare spa
ghetti. You may want to wear the
robe for five or ten minutes, then
take it off for the same length of
time. Continue to alternate as
you cook your meal. When you
are finished look at the robe, and
then at your dress. You will note
that your robe is clean as a whis
tle, but you have splashed the
sauce in at least two places on
the dress.
Law Number Five: Birds only
fly over just-washed cars. This is
absolute fact. I know that be
cause I only wash my car two or
three times a year and birds AL
WAYS add their artwork to it as
soon as it dries.
Law Number Six: Mothers
tend to ask dumb questions.
I'm as guilty as the next per
son. My children will misbehave
and what do I ask? "Hey! Do you
want a spanking?" or "Would
you like to go to your room?"
Ever beard a child answer yes?
Nobody wants to be spanked or
go to their room. If they say
"No" you're going to do it any
way, so why ask?
Notice these things during the
next week. You'll see what I
meant
I've enjoyed working with you
as a reporter. This is my last by
line. By mutual agreement, I am
leaving H?e Perquimans Weekly .
See ya around! Sue.
THE
PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Established In 1932
PwMMiod Each Thursday By Th? Daily Advonca, Elizabeth CHy, N.C.
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