We'll drink to that

English playwright John Fletcher died on this day in 1625. He was one of the most influential of the Jacobean playwrights; he collaborated with many others, most often with Francis Beaumont. He collaborated with Shakespeare on Henry VIII.

Fletcher wrote:

"Drink to-day, and drown all sorrow;
You shall perhaps not do 't to-morrow."

Thank you, Sir, may I have another life?

Today is the date (in the year 430 AD) of death of Saint Augustine. Here is a prayer of his:

"O, Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

He already knew all the loopholes

British priest and author Ronald Knox died on this day in 1957. He was the Catholic chaplain at Oxford for many years and completed a translation of the New Testament. Evelyn Waugh wrote a biography of him.

On his deathbed, Knox was asked by a friend if he wanted her to read from his New Testament. He answered:

"No...Awfully jolly of you to suggest it, though."



On this day in 1899, Argentine author Jorges Luis Borges was born. On the subject of death Borges was prolific.

"To be immortal is commonplace; except for man, all creatures are immortal, for they are ignorant of death; what is divine, terrible, incomprehensible, is to know that one is immortal," he wrote. Also:

"The truth is that we live out our lives putting off all that can be put off; perhaps we all know deep down that we are immortal and that sooner or later all men will do and know all things."

On his idea of the location of our everlasing stomping-ground, Borges wrote:

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."

Out of the Darkness

Woody Miller writes:  "On December 20th, 2009, I went to visit my son Jeff – it was his birthday. I entered his apartment to find that he was a causality of suicide. I lost a son and my world has been forever changed by that tragic event.

This year, on September 29th, I will be participating in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The Nashville Music Row Walk will start at 10:00 am at Owen Bradley Park. Funds from this event will support education and research programs for suicide prevention, erase the sigma surrounding suicide and its causes, and encourage those who are suffering from mental troubles to seek treatment.

I think of Jeff every day – remembering him and doing good in his memory is something that helps me cope with the loss. To join me in support of this worthy cause please visit www.outofthedarkness.org and register with my team “Jeff Miller – Our Love”. Please consider donating to help – you can do so online. Donations of any amount will be appreciated.

If you have any question or need more information contact me at my email address - woody.miller@att.net or at my cell number - (615) 509-0975.

I'm afraid this quote just won't do

German playwright Bertold Brecht died on this day in 1956. He wrote:

“Don't be afraid of death so much as an inadequate life.”

Not always a seer

On this day in 1946, author H. G. Wells (The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds) died. His last words:

"Go away. I'm all right."

"Twas beastly that she had to die

"Well, hello dere. Come here often?"

Actress Fay Wray died on this day in 2004. She played King Kong's love interest in the original film. (Accept no remakes!) The last line of that movie:

"'It wasn't the airplanes, 'twas beauty killed the beast."

Home is where the hurt is

Polish-born Joseph Conrad, a master of English prose, died on this day in 1924. He wrote:

"Going home (dying) must be like going to render an account."