More than anything else my mother wanted to be an actress - a famous actress - which in the 1950s was all about being young sexy and available. She was all that and more. She had big blue eyes alabaster skin a heart-shaped face a beautiful figure. She was just a knockout.
When I'm home the heart and soul of our family is in the kitchen. Growing up my parents both worked so dinnertime was for family - the TV was off. I think it's important to grab that time and really make it special even after a tough day.
Even though I have a nice house nice family the rest of my generation is still in South Central L.A. My cousins my brothers my sisters they don't wanna move out. They don't want to and they don't have the means to sustain it. That's where my heart is and that's what I think about all the time.
But in my heart of hearts this is the kind of thing... this is what everyone is struggling with in their lives - relationships and family. To me it's always an interesting area to mine. I'm drawn to it.
Broken relationships are a source of heavy heartbreak that seem to affect every family.
Like a lot of you I grew up in a family on the ragged edges of the middle class. My daddy sold carpeting and ended up as a maintenance man. After he had a heart attack my mom worked the phones at Sears so we could hang on to our house.
I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.
I believe with all my heart that America remains 'the great idea' that inspires the world. It is a privilege to be born here. It is an honor to become a citizen here. It is a gift to raise your family here to vote here and to live here.
All the laws and legislation in the world will never heal this world like the loving hearts and arms of mothers and fathers. If every child could drift to sleep feeling wrapped in the love of their family - and God's love - this world would be a far more gentle and better place.
The great danger for family life in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure comfort and independence lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish.