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EDITOR’s NOTE: In addition to his powerful memoir, The Black Knight, retired Col. Clifford Worthy loves to reflect on the values and moments of grace in his long life through prose-poems he shares with us occasionally. Here is one of his gems …
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The Rocking Chair
By CLIFFORD WORTHY
Contributing Columnist
It can be crisply argued that nothing may be more emblematic of solitary contentment than the rhythmic rocking imparted by a rocking chair.
The lulling to and fro movement engenders a deep state of serenity.
The wonder of rocking is the payoff:
A cocoon of muted tranquility,
A meditation in motion,
A paradigm for constructive simplicity.
How can you not re-create in such a setting?
In these days, overwhelmed by the WOW of gadgets and cyber gimmickry,
A rocker is palpably refreshing to celebrate tidiness and the wonders of old-fashioned living.
Alcohol imbibing while rocking would be voyeuristic.
Lemonade or iced tea on a side table would be complementary.
One can blissfully imagine all the others—the Rockwellian imagery of rocking chairs occupied by silver-haired grandmothers rocking babies as witnessed by goo-goo-eyed parents, a picture of joy warmed over.
Settled therapeutics confirm rocking’s effectiveness in combatting anxiety, tension, depression, vertigo, mobility and chronic pain.
So, rock on brothers and sisters.
Rock on!
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Care to learn more?
Click the cover to visit the book’s Amazon page.
Get a copy of Col. Worthy’s life story, The Black Knight, for yourself—and order more copies for friends and loved ones on your holiday shopping list who are especially interested in stories from our U.S. armed forces. There are many themes in this illustrated memoir, including the challenges Col. Worthy and his wife faced raising a special needs son in an era when professional help for such families was in its infancy.
Clifford Worthy, the great grandson of slaves, was one of the few African-American men of his generation who was accepted and excelled as a Black Knight of the Hudson, a traditional nickname for West Point cadets. Col. Worthy describes his journey to West Point, the many challenges he overcame both in his family and in the U.S. Army, including service in the front lines of Vietnam.
Rick Forzano, former Head Coach of the Detroit Lions praises Col. Worthy’s memoir and his example to all of us. “He has fought his way through virtually every stage in life with his faith in God giving him the necessary strength and courage,” Forzano writes.
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GET IN TOUCH! At his mid 90s and with the distinction of being the oldest living Black graduate of West Point, Col. Worthy receives many requests to appear on podcasts, plus radio, TV and newspaper interviews. Even in the midst of this pandemic, he considers each request and has accepted many invitations—so his voice and storytelling already is a popular part of the national conversation. Would you like to get in touch with Col. Worthy to make such a request? Email us at [email protected]
