I was 17 when I left Lake Providence for Duke University. I decorated my dorm room with photographs from home, including one of myself, holding my cousin’s baby son, wearing a Confederate flag jacket over a cheerleader uniform. My face in the photograph was joyful and I remembered that time, beingapartofoursmallcommunity and school, as a good time, one that I was proud of.

On the very last day of July, I turned 70 years old. Do you know how hard it is to believe when you get to that age? It’s hard. I don’t feel 70. At that age, you are looking mortality in the face. Would I change it? I don’t think so? I was so blessed to be born into a better time than we have now. I know a lot of people would dispute that. Today we have computers and cell phones and technology that has saved a lot of lives. I appreciate that. I really do. But I also look back on my youth and think about what the kids are missing.