<div dir="ltr">Thank you, Milan. What a grievous national holiday.<div><br></div><div>Jann McGuire</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Jul 8, 2022 at 12:01 PM Milan Hamilton via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">My writing group this week's assignment was to write something about 4th of July celebrations. In view of this year's "events" surrounding it as well as in the midst of it, I read the following to the group:<div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">One
Common Denominator</span></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(the
number below the line in a common fraction)</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I once
knew a guy with numerous afflictions</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">They were
the numerators in his various addictions</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">He spent
many years in one pursuit or another</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Liquor and
drugs and women he found</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Were
distractions—he could go no further</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Toward the
happiness for which he was searching.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">One day he
stopped and assessed his predicament</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">He listed
the failed relationships in his life, there were many!</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">It came to
him after counting them all—</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">There was
one common factor he had to take in:</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Common
Denominator he found—was Him!</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I once
knew a world that was friendly, I thought</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">It would
always be so; I was young then and </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Trusted adults
and the lessons they taught.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I believed
them and was never afraid for my life</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">As I grew
up attending my lessons in school.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I sang the
Anthem and saluted the flag of our nation</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And watched
fireworks on the 4^th, what great celebrations.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I wonder as
I think of the most recent mass shooting</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> If the math calculation holds true in this
case</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And what the
Common Denominator could be</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I’m
awaiting to see if a solution be found</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Before the
end of our race.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;font-size:11pt">Milan
Hamilton</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">July 7,
2022</span></p></div></div>
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