Cotton and trip across Alabama

Introduction: Any words used in a column today could well be descriptive and commentary of activities of the past week. I choose to not go down that path. Volumes of columns, articles, and TV shows have been dedicated to the task of speaking of the Christmas Season. Great pleasure has been afforded to this old man by reading the offerings of either the print media or viewing the electronic media version such as TV and movies.

For nigh unto half a century, I have suggested and recommended that everyone should avail themselves of the opportunity to view a movie version of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” Please note that I did not say “the movie version.” There have been a multitude of movies based on the book for many years. More recent productions have starred George C. Scott and Patrick Stewart. Those two versions are my favorites. Both are very similar in actions and speech. Both Scott and Stewart depict a wonderful version of Ebenezer Scrooge, the tight wadded and heartless business man.

After reading or viewing “A Christmas Carol,” anyone can understand from whence came the expression “He is a scrooge.” It is a sad commentary on our times of great prosperity in history anyone could care so little about their fellow travelers on life’s journey. I would be less than generous toward a fellow human being if I did not relate that this story of the Spirit of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future has a very good ending.

Any story of a human’s transformation from being a most undesirable and unattractive unit in society to an end product of a person of love, tenderness and true benevolence should prove to be a universal warming of hearts and minds.

You have just read that I will not rehash comments from others or from things I might have written. I am going back. This will be many years in the past. The comments are Saturday after Thanksgiving and approaching Scottsboro and then on to Florence, a most revealing scene was available. There was field after field of cotton with open bolls. These bolls had not gone through their first picking and the smoothness of the white scene took me back through the years to the time of growing up on the farm. Whatever season it might be, a trip across North Alabama is well worth a person’s time and effort.

Holland’s book was not just about picking cotton. He touched on every facet of life on the farm during hard times. Consider carefully the continuation of the blurb in the conclusion below.

The cotton fields Alabama:

The blurb ( description and praise statement) on the back cover of the book describes life and characteristics of life back in the depression days when Thomas Holland was a young man growing up in North Alabama near Rogersville. This statement of the conditions “back then” also tells the story of those living in our county. A casual reading will revive memories of our young days. Listen to the words of praise of the book:

“Farm life described in this book is now a memory for those who were privileged to live it. Life on a Depression-era farm was rugged, difficult, demanding and, ironically, enjoyable, productive, and rewarding. People had time for folks. The simple things of life were valued. There is one thing for sure: those of us who lived it will never forget it. There is an acute need today for the lessons effectively taught years ago on the farm.” Conclusion: The final saying on the back cover says “Older people may relive their childhood through the experiences recorded in this book. Younger people may become more aware of many blessings they otherwise take for granted.” Sadly, the many cotton gins of my youth in Gordon County are no longer. of North