Doggone, it’s hot, humid, mosquitoey and gnatty down here in South Georgia:  temperatures hovering around 98-100 F with heat factors of 105-112F.  It’s downright spiritually toasty down here, melting you into becoming one with nature.  And, talking about hot, back to my China diary:

Zhengzhou, May 21.  Dear diary, over the past twenty years, I have been realizing how important it is to be an enthusiast of and in life, not to allow any day become just another ho-hum day, to pull myself up when I’m feeling myself getting down, to smelt the valuable ore of whatever-may-come opportunity into precious purpose and significance and fulfillment, to make each day an empowered one–a good day.  Everyone, particularly we academics who are in a “people business,” must be conscious of the fact that she or he affects the lives of others around us.  We must know that we each touch someone, who in turn, affects another, who affects still another, often reaching far beyond what we would ever know.  So, I’ve learned that the purpose of life is to be honorable, responsible, empathetic, compassionate, supportive, kind, encouraging, fun-loving, humble, and respectful.  It is to be significant, to count for something, to stand for something, and to make a difference for being here at all.  Cancer and a massive cerebral hemorrhage have taught me especially that if you are interested in fulfilling life’s purpose, to matter no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead, making full use of your time and energy. Embrace it totally with both arms, hug it tightly, love it deeply, and, above all, become intensely passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. Even red hot isn’t good enough.  White hot is the only thing to be.  That’s how I feel about teaching.  That’s how I feel about my Susan.  That’s how I feel about my sons, their wives, and our grandmunchkins.   That’s how I feel about my dearest friends.  That’s how I feel about everything I think, feel, and do in life–and about life itself.

Louis