After his epic saga Roots was published in 1976, Alex Haley said that in his office he had a picture of a turtle sitting on a fencepost. When he looked at it, Haley remembered a lesson taught to him by his friend John Gaines: “If you see a turtle on top of a fencepost, you know he had some help.” Said Haley, “Anytime I start thinking, ‘Wow, isn’t this marvelous what I’ve done!’ I look at that picture and remember how this turtle -- me -- got up on that post.”
This humorous story reminds me of what writer Helen Nielsen once wrote: “Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.”
My prayer as you begin this day to continue the important work on behalf of every citizen of this great state is that all of you, will remember the story of the turtle on the fencepost and the words of the prophet Micah whose message is a simple one: “Do Justice, love Kindness and walk humbly with your God.”
May it be possible for everyone in this chamber in spite of deeply held differences, to walk humbly together in mutual respect and kindness for each other to achieve and accomplish the lofty goals for which you were elected, working to make California stronger, by bringing people together, showing us our commonality, instructing us in cooperation, making us not a collection of competing special interests, but rather working to create a community where each citizen has the experience of being connected to those around them and knows that their well-being and success are dependent on the success of all others--and let us all say.─AMEN.
