Will Rogers is one of Oklahoma’s favorite sons. Will Rogers Day is celebrated Nov. 4 in Oklahoma, but for my blog, today will have to do.

Rogers was born and raised in Oklahoma. The town of Claremore claims him as a native son, and the Will Rogers home is operated as a musuem in that city. Rogers died tragically and before his time in 1935 in Alaska, in a plane crash with his aviator friend, and fellow Oklahoman, Wiley Post.

Will Rogers loved political satire. Quotes from Rogers are often featured in the Tulsa World, and readers are unable to distinguish whether the comedian was talking about the world back in the 1920s or 1930s, or today’s world. It brings to mind the old adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Let me know what you think!

“What this country needs is dirtier fingernails — and cleaner minds.”
To me, dirtier fingernails means ‘working the soil’ and providing for yourself and your loved ones. And cleaner minds must surely refer to a mind that is free of negative, harmful thoughts.

I agree with Rogers that if everyone were more in tune with nature, and aware of the important role that humans play in the cycles of the world,  both as caretaker and as participant in life all around us, our minds would not have time to dwell on negative or harmful thoughts.

What do you think?

“I love a dog; he does nothing for political reasons.”
This quote is a great one for this week – (and let me remind you to VOTE!)
 
If you’ve been reading this blog over the past year, you already know that I keep politics out of my blog. I do this because I want to stay true to my purpose – education. It doesn’t matter what political persuasion my readers may be – I want my readers to be learning about the natural world and growing in their understanding of what is happening around them.

That said, Rogers is ‘right on’ about dogs, isn’t he?
 
Dogs are just who they are, loyal and trustworthy.
Their emotions and needs are obvious, we don’t have to guess. 
Dogs live in the moment. 
Dogs forgive willingly, yet learn from the past.
Dogs want life to be as stress-less as possible.
Dogs comfort and help each other.
Dogs strive to help their human family members when and if they can.

With dogs, there is no posturing, no pretending, no promising, and no refusal to compromise. There is no greed, no desire to take more than they need and leave others without.

Do you agree?