Hey y’all, in our It’s Been Said feature today, we’re looking at the high cost of be vulnerable to flattery. This Aesop’s fable, dating back to the 1800’s is as applicable today as it was all those years ago. I hope you enjoy The Fox and The Crow. THE FOX AND THE CROW One bright morning as the Fox was following his sharp nose through the wood

She was born in Covington, Kentucky, a preacher’s kid in a dysfunctional family. Chonda was sixteen when her twenty year old sister died in a car accident. Chonda’s father, already suffering from a severe bipolar disorder, couldn’t cope with the tragedy. He soon abandoned the family, only months before Chonda’s younger sister died of leukemia. Chonda and her mother were all alone, struggling to survive

He’s known in our history books as the man who was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” This week, as we celebrate our Independence Day, it seems only fitting to hear remarks from our first President of these United States in this special July the Fourth edition of All Things Southern. After taking his first oath of

I’m enjoying the decision to borrow a few moments from our biographical sketch in order to showcase some of the best poems, fables, and morals stories from years gone by. I hope they’re inspiring to you, also. Today’s thoughts come from the late Margaret E. Sangster, born Margaret Munson on February 22, 1838. She was a talented wordsmith who initially gave up her dreams of

I’m hijacking our It’s Been Said biographical sketch for a time to feature examples of the fables, poems, and stories that were once used in our schools to teach morals and virtues. Who among us can’t benefit from these eloquent reminders? For instance, do you remember hearing that “can’t never could”? It’s at the heart of today’s message from Edgar Guest, an English born American

I often say that I believe “The whole world stops for a story.” I encourage you to test my theory. The next time you’re in a group conversation, observe what happens when someone says those magical words, “That reminds me of a story.” I expect you’ll see that people almost lean in physically as they react to that ancient promise. This love of story makes me

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alice in Wonderland where the Queen says to Alice, “Sometimes I dream as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” I confess. I’m something of a sap for lines like that. I believe in the power of a healthy dream. You may have noticed that I qualified the dream. Why? Because I also believe that when it comes

I recently sent a little tweet into cyberspace that read: “Dear adult person, your mother isn’t responsible for the choices you’re making today. I mean that in the nicest way. Choose well.” Immediately, the questions rolled in. Let me repeat my answer. It wasn’t a pointed message. I was simply thinking of how parenting comes without a manual. Granted, some people fail miserably at it,

He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1934. You might remember him best as the wistful host of "On the Road" with Charles Kuralt. His look at the lives of his fellow countrymen became a favorite segment of CBS news. From the driver's seat of a motor home, he spent twenty years introducing America to America, bringing us everyone from a 104-year-old jogger to

He was born on the 28th of December 1856 in Staunton, Virginia and raised in a very religious and academic household. His father was a Presbyterian minister, his mother the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. Little Woodrow was a smart kid, but a late bloomer. His learning problems may have been due to undiagnosed dyslexia. Although Woodrow didn’t learn to read until he was ten