HOLIDAY QUOTABLES, LIFE LESSONS AND STILL LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT OATMEAL COOKIE

Persistence pays: At the splendid investiture for Dr. Ken Dobbins as 17th president of Southeast Missouri State University, the guest speaker was Dr. Aubrey Lucas. In his remarks, Dr. Lucas relied on one of my favorite quotes:

Press on: Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. -- Author unknown

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If there was not God, there would be no atheists. -- G.K. Chesterton

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I am ready to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared for the ordeal of meeting me is another matter. -- Winston Churchill

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I would like to wish all of my friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ... except for two. -- W. C. Fields

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Life lessons: I've learned ...

... that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

... that when you're in love, it shows.

... that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.

... that I feel better about myself when I make others feel better about themselves.

... that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

... that what we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.

... that being kind is more important than being right.

... that you should never say no to a gift from a child.

... that I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

... that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

... that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

... that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

... that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

... that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

... that money doesn't buy class.

... that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

... that once a relationship is over, if you experienced more smiles than tears, then it wasn't a waste of time.

... that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

... never to humiliate another person. Always give him an honorable way to back down or out of something and still save face.

... that the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

... that if you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.

... that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

... that the older I get, the smarter my parents become.

... that love, not time, heals all wounds.

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In my quest to find the perfect oatmeal cookie, SUSAN McCLANAHAN graciously shared a super recipe in her column. Wendy has included this recipe in her Christmas cookie marathon baking tasks, and these cookies are delicious. I would highly recommend them to all oatmeal cookie fans. But ... they are not quite the cookie I am searching for. It's that almost four inch in diameter, quarter of an inch thick but still a very crispy old-time oatmeal cookie.

The Cape HOLIDAY INN has the closest to my taste memory (I used to buy them in Jefferson City when I served in the Legislature), but so far I have not found the perfect crisp, thick oatmeal cookie.

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Merry Christmas to all.

~Gary Rust is president of Rust Communications, which owns the Southeast Missourian and other newspapers.