Living in Allen, you get to watch a lot of humanity, just like in other small towns that populate our fruited plain. Another nice thing about writing a weekly article in a small town paper such as ours is you get to observe and even be a part of the details that make America interesting. Big stuff in our small towns as time passes by is watching kids grow up, mature (most of them) and sometimes we get to share in the pride they bring to their families and our town as they go out and see what other happenings take place.

We graduated 32 seniors Saturday. Not such a large class but remembering some of our kids opt out of school for home schools and such, we don’t really have credible numbers. People like to study at home, work from home and in many cases just drift long through the time God has granted them. Time will tell.

While thinking about this week’s article I also wondered just how many of our kids, not just in Allen but in our area, go into higher education. I know that I have been impressed over the years at the impressive scholarships that come their way — scholarships such as the “Gates” scholarship won by Allen senior Kayser Nickell. In the times I attempt to track these honors I am amazed and always proud of our graduates and our teachers. Parents and families sometimes have to hang tough in helping their kids progress and achieve these lifegiving honors.

I was relating just recently to one of our editors how proud I was of our students and their appearance from just looking and comparing them with kids in other nearby schools. But that may be just me and my opinion.

My family has had a busy and noteworthy pair of weeks too. Mother’s Day, always an important time in Allen, found most of us at First Baptist Church enjoying worship with our church family. It was a great time and more so here at our home. The Bullards had a great time afterward enjoying a special meal (mostly courtesy of Steven and Lesli) and just enjoying the great love of family and the joy of being together and honoring my wife Pat. I had special thanks, too, since about two weeks ago I again had a 5-day hospital visit up at the VA in Oklahoma City. I’m OK now, I think. They did some surgery and messing around with my heart. They said I had had something called a Myocardial Infarction.

Such things come along as we enter the end times of our lives. I have already “suffered through” or should I say rejoiced through my 90th birthday. Many blessings in that too. While waiting on my surgery up at the VA I received word that my best friend Charles (Chock) Tilley had been called home by our Lord. This broke my heart but I just thank God I get to know such people here in this life. Also remember, I enjoy hearing from you, my readers.

Meanwhile, try to be thankful, as I am, for the many positive things we have and experience in our lives. Especially in our own families and communities. Be sure and find yourself in church next Sunday.

Wayne Bullard, DPh cwaynebullard@gmail.com