“Youth is the essence of stupidity”.   My primary reason for quoting this is because I read it this morning from a letter written long ago by one of my six older brothers.    Dubiously, he was referring to me.  Personally, I’d like to whip it around by writing, “Stupidity is the essence of youth”.  But, that’s unfair because it is his quote.  To me, that’s a twisted, yet positive take on how stupid we all can be.  It’s also referred to as brotherhood.  When you grow old enough, as well as weak enough, you can only compete with your own quotes.  They maintain a sinister value only brothers and sisters can appreciate.

I hope it was an original quote, but after years of reading and attempting to write, if it wasn’t his, I don’t care.  For personal reasons, I wish it to remain his, even if it is my own suspension of belief.  Samuel Clemens couldn’t have written it any better.

People quote others commonly.  It tends to bother me mostly because they grow from a long line of e-mails seeking a fruitless donation.  Give me Shakespeare, I’ll give you a dime.  Give me Chaucer, and I’ll give you a “Kanikal”.

Mark Twain once said, (this is my favorite quote because I will admit being dreadful at the game) “Golf is a terrific way to ruin a nice walk.”  I probably misquoted that, but  quoting something is a good way to ruin a nice piece of writing.

One step at a time.  I won’t put that in quotation marks.  I will put in my own words countering that offer of a quote.  One closet at a time.  That’s what builds a house.  It is also what allows one to let go of it.  One closet at a time.

You must proceed with that frame of mind.  Love that closet..   Otherwise, the closet, maintaining many items a family must hold with great passion and wonderful strength will be littered with regret…….unless you take it on one  closet at a time.  And then, when you look at that closet, peer deeply inside, you recognize why our lives can be so fortunate.  You clean it out, but it’s never truly empty, leaving you a stomach full of wonderful memories.    . . . And you can quote that.