Roy’s Sunday Letter for January 8, 2023
- Margaret Mead has said, “A small group of believers can change the world.” TCU is a football team from a small enrollment, limited resource, unranked school, but, with a coaching staff and players who are true Believers, TCU will play for the national championship Monday evening. Amazing!
** Joan Garry, my “go to” nonprofit site, writes of her concern of 1) ongoing Covid/RSV isolating, public health threat, and 2) decrease in grant, special event, and donor dollars will challenge many organizations to not only to deliver services and thrive but, even to sustain operations. Simply said, not everyone here in January will be here in December.
- Mary Oliver is a favorite writer and poet. We begin 2023 reading Dog Songs, poems celebrating the strong bond between we humans and our pets. You will recognize yourself and your dog partner on her pages, her way of showing us who and how we are together. Thank you, Mary.
** For 7+ years, four Santa Fe friends and I have developed and provided face to face, and now, of course, zoom based training for volunteer members of nonprofit community organizations. In 2022, registrations, attendance, and satisfaction in our “produce” declined. All businesses and civic governments have struggled to maintain their customer base. Our efforts are sponsored by the Santa Fe Community Foundation. We five and SFCF staff are redesigning our marketing and board member connections, while affirming our common mission and purpose. Not bad for 76 – 81 yr. Olds!
- Beth and I will place our first weekly 2023 slip of “What Was Good About the Week” in our jar today. 51 more weeks of goodness slips to follow.
** You most probably have seen ads reintroducing Jesus to the American public, with an emphasis on radical love, compassion, and forgiveness. You can also see the ads on YouTube and Facebook. Private donors are sponsoring the site, hegetsus.com
- I am pleased to let SL readers know my book of short stories, Let Me Tell You a Story, is now on the Catalog page, and on the shelf, of the Fort Worth Public Library, Ridglea branch. So, those on the east coast, Oregon or elsewhere in Texas, can GO TO: Fort Worth Public Library — then Catalog — then Roy Carroll Bowen. This has been both a brief, and also a long journey. Golf team, Executive Director, 2nd career writer & publisher….and more to come by eBook, audio/listening stories, unfolding more than I even know, proving my T-shirt “I don’t have to know what I am doing to do what I do.”
Roy, moving fully into 2023
Good morning Roy and thanks much for the letter.
The hook is set, how do I go about your T-Shirt acquisition?
Warm thoughts and positive karma from Central Oregon.
md
I made up the tshirt yrs. ago
I did witness friends waiting “until they got it right” which may or may not ever happen.
I tend to plunge on in….l tend to plunge in…..learn how to swim by not drowning……more mistakes this wwy, not s smooth path
I trust somehow I will figure it out
Kind of like your move to Ben….you two thought this was a good idea but really did not know
Great idea!!!
And so, ww all continue…….
Great letter! Keep doing what you are doing, even if you don’t know how. It makes the world a better place. And let’s keep believing another day for TCU. Go Frogs!
thanks for encouraging the foolosh part of me to continue on
would it be appropriate to report on Stars page about my book now on library computer????
we wamt to hear more of el paso tain trip
that same route stops in a nowhere place about 15 miles south of santa fe
Roy
Roy –
The prowess of TCU on the football field has always bothered me. Guess I would ask: 1. Does the racial makeup of the football team reflect the makeup of the student body? 2. What percentage of the football players actually graduate with a degree from the University?
I know that a winning football team is the pride of the University and a sure hook into the pockets of alumni. But again, I have to ask, if the football coach the highest paid faculty member and what does this say about the academic values of the university?
One of my alma maters is the University of Chicago, who many years ago decided that the “rat race” of big-league collegiate football was not worth it and cut the sport altogether, except for some intramural tag football for the exercise and fun of it.
Lots of money can field magnificent teams in any sport but what is the mandate of the college or University?
Another concern that I have is the brutality of the sport. Competitive sports take their toll. I have a daughter who played college soccer for a couple of seasons and at the age of 51 is finding that the game injuries are catching up with her in the form of raw knee and hip joints. Surely the concussion factor which is proving to be associated with dementia is also a consideration.
When I went to school, cigarettes were readily available in the bookstore. After much discussion, just as with most major retail establishments, it was decided that cigarettes were a health concern that could not be overlooked and therefore no longer sold in bookstores.
Thanks for listening to my lonely concerns about the future of our country and the role of higher education.
Thanks, Jerry. I agree.
All points of Jerry made by all of us at one time or another.
We live near Navy Air Reserve base….fighter jets “practice” 7 days a week. Entire budgets of a school district “used” for fuel.
I think often of the 1060’s poster of the military raising money by bake sell and teacher receiving “fuel costs” to educate.
So many battles over a life time of windmills for us both
The quarterback over-came early heart surgery….many stories of Hope in this season, and now this game.
I played school football till high school…then too small. Switched to golf
Good thoughts by Jerry …. we, or least I, struggle on for balance and meaning. Love windmills!!
Yes to both you and Cinda.
My preference is women’s college basketball
Pro NFL last
Even in glf, the LIV players make milions for just showing up in the parking lot.
So many windmills to tilt
Yes, we as a country are out of balance, upside down
Guy lies about everything….”voted in” to congress
President attempt over-throw democracy…..kiss the ring
How not to do Leadership in a hundred ways
Netflix and PBS attempt to keep we 2 sane (lots of good ones)
So, TCU tonight. Score does not matter….they are “community lift us opper’s” whatever happens
Thank you fprthoughtful writing…..more, more!!
How I love you forever friend. What a great way to start a New Year—-with you and a continuance of SL
What the days and events will be we continue connected in special ways. I miss badly the hallways and staff meetings.
50 yrs. that
Now this….We continue on
My word, dear Roy!! You certainly ARE moving fully into 2023. I am just stunned at every turn with all that you have done and all that you are currently doing. Reading this newsletter infused me with a lot of energy and inspiration. Although, I read every SL, I’ve missed being here the last few Sundays. I am SO proud of you for persisting and getting your book into the catalog page, and on the shelf, of the Fort Worth Public Library. Wow, on the shelf!! That is so wonderful. You did it, my friend.
Also, I have never heard the quote on your T-shirt: “I don’t have to know what I am doing to do what I do,” I love that quote very, very much. It describes and validates how I work. With almost everything I’ve done in my life, I did not know what I was doing, but I still did it. I have been a concert pianist who cannot read one note of music, a gallery-ed self-taught glass artisan, a writer and published author, and an inspirational speak who merely stood up and spoke because I love to connect with people (I still remember what you said about the importance of Connection…I always will), and I also am a nature photographer who knows literally nothing about cameras, and more—and all of those things came about simply because I had a great passion for them and always a curious mind. I guess, like you, I also have a persistent or determined streak. I think it is why you inspire me so much. I often wonder if you see yourself and how vibrantly alive you are. You would make an outstanding inspirational /motivational speaker. You could tie your stories into your talks.
Well, my friend, as always you come through with flying colors,
Thank you SO much.
Robin….heading into my day FULLY inspired
A seminary friend (1967-70) and I have relinked. Lives in the DFW area. We have talked/mailed about “losing our sense of place.” We both have had successful, rewarding careers. He thinks of himself as retired….I never will. What is next? Not sure. All IO know to do and be is to turn toard the darkness, trustinn in the light to shine on us all. And thus, we continue…..
Friend foreveer Robin….
two hoiurs with us two would be wonderful and quickly over. We both have active livdes and active futures.
There is so much we do not know about each other….just background stuff.
I am ready for toorrow and all the tomrrows to ocme. And you and I will do so together