RALEIGH (September 4, 2025) – My grandfather – a humble and pious craftsman – built this chair for me.

He had a lathe that was big enough to turn bedposts, yet he turned these little chair legs for me when I was a toddler. It only recently dawned on me just how much love went into making them.

I suspect it came from walnut my great-grandfather harvested – as in he cut down the trees.

What an act of love that too long went under-appreciated.

We need to continue to love and appreciate our children as the individuals they are – not widgets from some machine.

And give them seats at the learning table.