In these articles, I talk a lot about “balance” — in our governance, in your daily routine, in your health care and in all phases of life.

Remember the old adage: Moderation is the key? Well, to a certain extent, I really believe that.

However, in each person’s life, that balance and moderation is different. You have to figure out your own balance. Just like a golf swing, there are certain similarities, but each person has to find his own comfort zone.

As you age, your value system changes a bit. What you truly value at 70 is far different than what you most valued at 30.

So, we are in constant flux trying to maintain that moderation and balance. It’s called growth. People who last and prosper grow and keep their balance.

The poem this week is called:

Balance

I’ll take a guess from the way you dress you’re not going out to the gym.

You’ll get in the car and drive to a bar, then sit and have drinks in the dim.

It’s the thing to do when you’re twenty-two and have your whole life ahead.

Your body is slender, your cheeks so tender—what have you got to dread?

I won’t criticize that look in your eyes, but I know what you have in mind.

It’s great being young when your song’s being sung, but time goes fast, you’ll find.

You develop bad habits living like rabbits; after a while, you age fast.

Got to compromise; get some exercise and help your body to last.

Now, I’m just thinking — I’m not against drinking, and having fun is nifty.

On second glance, if all you do is dance — you’re not gonna last past fifty.

Remember your diet — and the gym — just try it, and you’ll add some balance to your game.

You may live to be eighty – it’s not bad, matey — at least there’s no stone with your name.

So, keep having fun but as years start to run, try to take care of yourself —

Balance is the key to longevity, so you won’t be just dust on a shelf. JDF

Favorite one-liners:

Insanity is hereditary. You get it from your children.

A lot of Americans dig their graves one forkful at a time.

The world is full of willing people; some willing to work and others willing to let them.

I have a great memory except for three things … names, faces and … something else.

Historical tidbits:

• Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, was a great speech writer, and many people have assumed he had a great speaking voice.

That would be false, yet, maybe not for his time. His voice was actually high, shrill and piercing but that was great for those days without microphones.

• FDR was afraid of the number 13 and would do nothing that reflected that number. (So am I. It’s called triskaidekaphobia).

• Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany since 2005, is deathly afraid of dogs. She was bitten as a child and has studiously avoided them since.

• Saddam Hussein’s favorite American foods were Doritos and Raisin Bran. (Not together, I hope).

• A monkey wrench has nothing to do with the simian creatures. It was named after the man who invented it — Charles Moncky.

• In 1927, the incumbent president of Liberia won election by a 231,000 vote plurality. Pretty nice victory in a nation with 15,000 total registered voters.

I guess that’s it for this week. See ya! JDF

Correction:

In my Sept. 11 coumn, under history, I stated that Robert E. Lee owned no slaves before the Civil War.

I was first told that by my history teacher in 1957, and then recently ran across an article that reiterated it.

I was wrong and I apologize.

Mary Parsons informed me that her trip to the Lee home indicated that he did, in fact, own slaves. I am sorry for the misinformation.

All of this week’s historical facts have been checked on the internet, which I guess is the way to go now.