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Remembering the simple pleasures of life
Liberty lore
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It seems every time I see families together at events, cell phones are the center of everyone’s attention. Children and adults are constantly talking on their phones or texting. Just look around restaurants when you are eating. Cell phones are always interrupting conversations.
Do you remember when times were simpler? There were no cell phone interruptions and it didn’t cost an arm and leg to have family fun. Entertainment was not a “package deal” like the ones you can buy now at Disney World. Times have certainly changed, but I have precious memories of simpler times and pleasures.
One summer Saturday more than 50 years ago, my daddy borrowed Wynn Howard’s little Cub tractor and trailer and all 10 of us piled in and went fishing. We rode through the woods on an old timber trail that led us to Tom’s Creek — our favorite fishing area. We packed the iron frying pan, grease, cornmeal, salt and a fork for frying the fish. Several cans of pork and beans, a loaf of bread and a couple gallons of tea rounded out the meal.
For bait, we brought crickets, grasshoppers, July flies, coffee cans filled with earthworms and even a few white sawyers that we dug from dead trees.
We finally arrived, parked the tractor and everyone grabbed their poles and bait and went their separate way. My older sisters stayed around the trailer with pa. I found my favorite spot of clear blue-green water under the weeping willows at the edge of the creek.
After about an hour and a half of catching nothing, I rolled my line up and went back to the tractor. That was a big mistake. Daddy came along and saw me sitting there. He threatened to whip me if I didn’t get my pole back into the water and help catch enough fish for dinner.
I baited my hook and slung it back under the tree. Right as the cricket hit the water, the cork plunged downward. I struggled, but finally pulled up a big redbreast bream. He was as big as daddy’s hand! Excited, I re-cast my line and the same thing happened over and over until I had a dozen redbreasts. I was so proud of my catch — my pile was bigger than the others.
The smell of fish frying over an oak fire soon permeated the air. Is there anything that smells better? We all had plenty to eat and a short time to rest before trying our luck for a few more hours.
The day ended much too soon and daddy, mama, pa, Josephine, Susie, Hazel, Lois, Helen, Tommy and I loaded onto the tractor and trailer for our long, slow, bumpy ride back to our log cabin.
That was one of the most pleasant days I can remember enjoying with my whole family. Oh, how pleasant it is to reminisce about the simpler times in our lives.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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