I don’t know how old I was the 1st time my mom told me this story but I know I was young and I know she told it more than once. It has stayed with me my entire life. In fact, it seems to be deeply ingrained in my character. My mothers maiden name was Frances Louise Roberts. She was born and raised in Garden City, Georgia right outside of Savannah. Frances was around 15 years old when she was invited to a friends house for an afternoon party. She and the other girls sat down for lunch where there was a big plate of fried chicken right smack in the middle of the beautifully arranged table. As they started to bow their heads for the blessing of the food one of the girls JUMPED UP, grabbed the biggest piece of fried chicken off the top of that plate, dropped it loudly on her plate and sat back down. (pause) Frances and the other girls sat quietly, hands folded, as the prayer was said and then waited patiently for the plate of chicken to be passed around to them. The girl with the biggest piece of chicken was ready for her 2nd piece by the time the plate was handed to her. That mental picture has never left my mind. Frances, my mom, was one of the most gentle souls I’ve even known. She was not a taker. She was a giver. It was so important to her that I understood this: DO NOT BE LIKE THE GREEDY GIRL grabbing the biggest, the best and thinking only of yourself above all others. Let others go first “Okay mom” said Beth the little girl. “Geez mom….seriously?” said Beth the teenager. “Absolutely mom.” Sometimes I think this story has not served me very well. It has certainly held me back. When I start to feel “aggressive” or “pushy” in my career (usually after watching others get ahead using those very tactics), I see that girl with the best piece of fried chicken in her hand. I picture her slobbering and drooling, eating as fast as she can so she can grab more. Then I pull back from pushing forward. Because    a.) my mom didn’t want me to be like her   b.)  I don’t want to be her   c.) I’d like to be like my mom instead Would I like to be more “successful” with my music and career?? YES!!  Very much so. And I do try to move it further along. But not to the point of being like the greedy fried chicken girl. I find myself instead sitting next to young Frances who taught me to think of others more than myself. I hold her small soft hand in mine and I feel content. I see much pride and happiness in my mother’s sparkling eyes as we sit there. That is plenty of success for me. Sometimes I see others who are like the girl with the piece of chicken and I want to compete with them… get in there and fight, fight fight!!! rah rah!  Because seriously…the music “business” can be a brutal world with those who are less than honest or nice. Then I think of young Frances which again stops me in my tracks. “Your mother never did a wrong thing in her life.” said my dad. I’m nothing like her in that I’ve done plenty wrong. (sinner of sinners and all that!)  But this life isn’t over yet and I’m still striving to honor my mother. And my father. As for the greedy girl who got the best piece of fried chicken off that plate in Garden City Georgia. Hope she’s full. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Please subscribe and walk this journey of life with me.  Maybe we can share some fried chicken together sometime. You first. Here’s PRECIOUS MEMORIES and a little video I put together of my mom after she passed over in ’93.