"I live in a holler, and I've heard some folks talk that holler bunch won't amount to a hill of beans, and I've heard others say that the sun never shines in those hollers."

"My mother let me know I was as good as anyone. 'Ralph, don't walk with your head down. There's nothing shameful about running out of taters.'"

"My daddy said, 'Ralph, don't quit. Quitting follows you to the grave.'"

The philosophy in these words was with Ralph from the time of his childhood. He heard them from relatives and witnessed the people around him live them.