Well, hello again.
It's been about three years since I last posted anything on this blog...I can't believe it's been that long; I actually kind of forgot about it for a long time until my oldest daughter was inspired to post something on Facebook that I wrote in 2011...an experiment I had made a commitment to do about making people smile. (I still am committed to it.)
It touched me that she thought enough of it to post it on social media! And I don't even know how or why she found it....but, I'm glad she did because it reminded me that it has been too long since I wrote down my thoughts on this blog...and, once I'm gone, this will be kind of like a journal for my kids...a way for them to get to know me better. I'm much better at writing my thoughts than speaking them.
I want to do this for them because, many times over the past several years, while talking to my older sister about our childhoods, after both our parents were long gone, I realized that I really didn't know my own parents at all! What a revelation that was! Things I was so sure I knew..and had been told and believed...were fantasy. Things I thought I remembered were skewed by time, twisted into half-truths. I felt so lost, as if something I treasured was taken from me. But, truth is truth and you have to deal with it.
I loved my Mother, but she had her issues. One of which was accepting the fact that she didn't grow up wealthy...something she'd told us kids was true. Her parents both passed away when they were very young and they left behind my mother, her twin brother and two sisters..also very young. She and her brother were placed in an orphanage until the brother was adopted. The sisters were immediately placed in adoptive homes and did not have to go to the orphanage. She wasn't adopted by a wealthy family...she was eventually given a place to live with this family in exchange for servitude and, being ashamed of her station in life, she made up a fantasy. Her twin brother and two sisters were adopted by nice people, but she was passed over. I don't know why; she was a beautiful girl...(and grew up to be a beautiful woman.)
While in that foster home, she was given alcohol at age 14 and it became a destructive addiction for the rest of her life. She already didn't feel good about herself..alcohol was just the trigger that made the pain go away at the moment, and I don't think that pain ever went away. It was heartbreaking to see...and for all of us to live with... especially her. (One thing that came out of that was my vow never to do that to my own children..and I kept that vow.)
But, despite her problems, my Mother had a great sense of humor and was the most generous person you could meet. She wanted nothing more than to make others happy, and I always knew she loved me..and I loved her, regardless.
My Dad was pretty awesome. A quiet, dignified gentle man...a gentleman and a gentle man. He was wise enough to know just how to talk to me. He didn't lecture; he just was smart enough to give me food for thought and let me figure out which way to go. Because I never wanted to disappoint him, that worked pretty well. (Oh, I promise I wasn't an angel...but, there were many times I would hear his voice in my head, guiding me, and I would make the right decisions instead of the ones I thought would be more fun..at the time.) He was the reason I became the person I am. He gave me the confidence to take risks in life...it never occurred to me that I couldn't do something; I just knew I could. I didn't always succeed, but I was never afraid of trying, and when I failed at something it didn't discourage me, I just tried a different road...and things turned out pretty good most of the time.
Mom passed away first on Christmas Day, 1978. Dad went two years later in June of 1980. Every Mother's Day and Father's Day I think about them, wishing I could have had them around longer. I hope they both knew how much I loved them while they were here, and that somehow they know I still do, and that I miss them so much. I still hear echoes of their voices when I'm trying to figure out which paths to take. Those lessons are always there.
You
have to learn to forgive, and walk in this world the best way you
can because tomorrow is promised to no one, and Time is a thief who
accepts no bargains.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday, May 7, 2011
WORD TO YOUR MOTHER
Today is Mother's Day.
If you are lucky enough to still have your mother, say a little thank you to God. If you have lost her, as I have lost mine, then honor her memory by doing something kind for someone; something you know will make her proud.
As a mother, I can guarantee you that Moms don't want expensive material things from you. You don't have to run around town trying to find the "perfect gift". Give her the one gift she really wants: time with you, a phone call, a few words from you telling her you love her and are grateful for everything she did for you...and if you find it difficult to verbally express your feelings, find a card that will say it for you. (I still have cards my kids gave me from the time they were little.)
Yes, I know, not everyone has a great mother. There are some who are terrible; who never should have given birth at all, and if you had a mother like that, you have my sympathy..but let that go now and forgive her. That's a gift you can give to her... (as well as to yourself) this Mother's Day.
NO mother is perfect! My own had her problems and weaknesses, and we certainly had our battles. But, I'll tell you this: I knew I was loved! And I know she did the best she could with the tools she had. I lost her on Christmas Day, 1978 and I'd give anything to be able to see her and hug her on this...and all the Mother's Days past since then!
When I became a mother, I vowed I would not make the same mistakes...but you can bet I made others. Fortunately, my three children still love and respect me, and they know they were loved above all else. They are grown, they are wonderful people, and two of them have children of their own and are great parents; (the third, my son, and his wife, have opted for the 4-legged "kids" and those animals couldn't have a better set of "parents"!)...they constantly amaze me at how wise and loving they are with their children. I tell them all the time how proud I am of them and I tell them every time I talk to them how much I love them...and every time they tell me they love me, I feel like I've been given the best gift in the world!
Take every opportunity...not just one day a year...to express your love to your mom...or to whomever took that role in your life...because tomorrow is promised to no one...and Time is a thief.
If you are lucky enough to still have your mother, say a little thank you to God. If you have lost her, as I have lost mine, then honor her memory by doing something kind for someone; something you know will make her proud.
As a mother, I can guarantee you that Moms don't want expensive material things from you. You don't have to run around town trying to find the "perfect gift". Give her the one gift she really wants: time with you, a phone call, a few words from you telling her you love her and are grateful for everything she did for you...and if you find it difficult to verbally express your feelings, find a card that will say it for you. (I still have cards my kids gave me from the time they were little.)
Yes, I know, not everyone has a great mother. There are some who are terrible; who never should have given birth at all, and if you had a mother like that, you have my sympathy..but let that go now and forgive her. That's a gift you can give to her... (as well as to yourself) this Mother's Day.
NO mother is perfect! My own had her problems and weaknesses, and we certainly had our battles. But, I'll tell you this: I knew I was loved! And I know she did the best she could with the tools she had. I lost her on Christmas Day, 1978 and I'd give anything to be able to see her and hug her on this...and all the Mother's Days past since then!
When I became a mother, I vowed I would not make the same mistakes...but you can bet I made others. Fortunately, my three children still love and respect me, and they know they were loved above all else. They are grown, they are wonderful people, and two of them have children of their own and are great parents; (the third, my son, and his wife, have opted for the 4-legged "kids" and those animals couldn't have a better set of "parents"!)...they constantly amaze me at how wise and loving they are with their children. I tell them all the time how proud I am of them and I tell them every time I talk to them how much I love them...and every time they tell me they love me, I feel like I've been given the best gift in the world!
Take every opportunity...not just one day a year...to express your love to your mom...or to whomever took that role in your life...because tomorrow is promised to no one...and Time is a thief.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A SMALL DIFFERENCE
I have been experimenting with something.
There is so much negativity in this world and people are rushing, stressed, inconsiderate, and seemingly uncaring about the feelings of others on a day-to-day basis. We seem to have lost the knack of simple courtesy and kindness. Rudeness seems to be the acceptable way of walking through life these days and reality TV, unfortunately, glorifies the morons who act like undisciplined two-year-olds. Sadly, the more ignorant and outrageous they act, the more attention they get.
Oh, many people will step up when there's a disaster somewhere in the world, or if they see something heart-tugging on the news...but, I'm talking about just the every day interactions we all encounter when dealing with others: clerks in grocery stores, customers, the wait staff at a restaurant, etc.
Many times I have been very pleased with the service I've been given by someone but didn't take the time to actually tell them so....but many more times (more often than not) I do compliment a server in a restaurant because they can make or break your dining experience. If you are spending your hard-earned money for a meal out, the last thing you want to deal with is a surly server! And by the same token, no server wants to deal with a nasty customer...(and do you really want spit..or worse...in your food?) But I also know first hand what a tough job it is to be a server in a restaurant! I tried it and was horrible at it and it gave me a true appreciation for anyone who can do that job well and keep a smile on their face!
There are just some people you encounter that you do NOT want to anger, ever! Your doctor, your lawyer, your housekeeper, (she knows everything about you) and anyone who serves you food, just to mention a few! That's just common sense.
But I'm talking about the every day people with whom we all come in contact. How often do you actually stop and tell someone that they've done a great job, or that you appreciate their efforts, or that they've made your day better? But please don't be insincere or condescending. First of all, most people can see right through that anyway, and there's no reason to insult someone's intelligence. But when someone does a really good job or goes that extra mile to help you in whatever capacity the situation calls for, why can't we take that little tiny bit of time to tell them we appreciate them? Just a few words is all that's necessary.
And what might be the trickle down effect? Maybe that person you made smile and feel appreciated will turn around and be kind to someone else who otherwise would possibly have done something nasty to yet another because they were feeling bad that day...and what you did, those few moments you took to make someone smile may have turned what could have been a bad situation into something positive. Think about it.
So, my experiment is to make at least two people feel good each day..whether it's someone I've come into direct contact with, or someone on the Internet via my Facebook page or an email. I've begun doing just that...and the results have been amazing.
The other day at the grocery store a young man about 19 or so was checking out my groceries. He was quiet...just doing his job, not really engaging me as a customer as he scanned each item. Not being rude or abrupt, but just quiet. Then he looked up and asked me if I wanted something in a plastic bag. (I had brought my own cloth reusable bags). I smiled at him and said, "No. I don't want to use plastic at all if I don't have to..I'm trying to do something good for the planet...so it can be passed on to kids like you...and hopefully, you'll do a better job." He stopped and looked at me and then cracked up. Then I said, "You know, so many people think kids these days are so bad, but I don't agree. I mean, look at you...here you are working hard when you could be out acting a fool instead." His whole face just lit up with the biggest smile and his whole demeanor changed. We chatted a bit and then I said, "It's a nice day, I'll bet you'd rather be outside doing something fun..yet, here you are." That smile just got bigger. He said, "Thank you! I appreciate that!" (and I could tell it really meant something to him to be acknowledged.) I told him that I appreciated the fact that he was there taking care of me instead of running the streets causing trouble, and that I was glad he was the one whose checkout stand I chose because it was nice talking to him.
As I rolled the cart away, I looked back at him and he was looking after me, still smiling that big smile and it stayed with him as he turned and began checking out the next customer. I hope he felt good the rest of the day, and when he feels discouraged I hope he remembers our conversation.
My next stop was the pet store right next to the grocery store. My dog, Poppy, has been very sick for the past 8 weeks, going through a very serious surgery and slowly recovering after finally having to have a feeding tube put in because she hasn't been eating. It's been a nightmare..for her and for me, with multiple pill doses and tube feedings every day starting at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 11:00 p.m. The goal is to get her eating regularly so the tube can be removed, so I'd been tearing out my hair trying to find something, anything that will tempt her to eat...and it's been a real challenge.
I finally decided to go to a pet store about 5 days before and see what kinds of dry foods they have. She has to have something very low-fat because pancreatitis is one of her problems, and as fussy as she's been I just didn't know what to try next.
The manager, a young girl about maybe 22 or 23, came up to me and asked if she could help and I explained the situation to her. She dropped everything and we spent about 1/2 hour looking at different foods, checking labels, discussing Poppy's needs. She asked a lot of questions. She really knew her stuff, and after eliminating several foods she recommended this one that happened to be relatively new and had sample 1 lb bags for $2.99 (with a $3.00 coupon on the back towards a larger size if you liked it) and it was a natural, holistic, low-fat food, so I figured I couldn't lose.
She was patient, concerned, caring and never made me feel like I was "bothering" her, and she made sure I was happy with the food choice before I walked up to that register.
When I got home, I opened the bag and poured out a little for Poppy, hoping it would at last be something she liked....and bam! She pounced on that food and ate every bit I'd given her. I could have cried I was so happy.
So when the bag was empty, I went back for more after I did my grocery shopping.
I didn't see this young lady, but I asked the girl at the register about her, described her and the girl said she was in the back. They called her up to the register and I told her just how much I appreciated what she did for me the other day and how happy I was when Poppy ate the food she'd helped me pick out, and that I was grateful for all the time she spent and her knowledge and professionalism.
Again, her face just lit up and I could tell how good it made her feel to be appreciated and that she had made a difference.
But I won't stop there. I asked for the corporate phone number and I will let them know that they have a top-notch employee working at that location because, again, who knows what the trickle down effect will be?
And that's my point. When you make someone feel bad they will take it out on the next person with whom they come in contact...so why can't the reverse be true?
So, my challenge to myself...and to you...is to make at least two people each day glad they came into contact with you, in whatever capacity. It's way easier than you think...and the added benefit is that you will feel good too.
And, can it hurt to put more positive energy out into the Universe? God knows we need it!
There is so much negativity in this world and people are rushing, stressed, inconsiderate, and seemingly uncaring about the feelings of others on a day-to-day basis. We seem to have lost the knack of simple courtesy and kindness. Rudeness seems to be the acceptable way of walking through life these days and reality TV, unfortunately, glorifies the morons who act like undisciplined two-year-olds. Sadly, the more ignorant and outrageous they act, the more attention they get.
Oh, many people will step up when there's a disaster somewhere in the world, or if they see something heart-tugging on the news...but, I'm talking about just the every day interactions we all encounter when dealing with others: clerks in grocery stores, customers, the wait staff at a restaurant, etc.
Many times I have been very pleased with the service I've been given by someone but didn't take the time to actually tell them so....but many more times (more often than not) I do compliment a server in a restaurant because they can make or break your dining experience. If you are spending your hard-earned money for a meal out, the last thing you want to deal with is a surly server! And by the same token, no server wants to deal with a nasty customer...(and do you really want spit..or worse...in your food?) But I also know first hand what a tough job it is to be a server in a restaurant! I tried it and was horrible at it and it gave me a true appreciation for anyone who can do that job well and keep a smile on their face!
There are just some people you encounter that you do NOT want to anger, ever! Your doctor, your lawyer, your housekeeper, (she knows everything about you) and anyone who serves you food, just to mention a few! That's just common sense.
But I'm talking about the every day people with whom we all come in contact. How often do you actually stop and tell someone that they've done a great job, or that you appreciate their efforts, or that they've made your day better? But please don't be insincere or condescending. First of all, most people can see right through that anyway, and there's no reason to insult someone's intelligence. But when someone does a really good job or goes that extra mile to help you in whatever capacity the situation calls for, why can't we take that little tiny bit of time to tell them we appreciate them? Just a few words is all that's necessary.
And what might be the trickle down effect? Maybe that person you made smile and feel appreciated will turn around and be kind to someone else who otherwise would possibly have done something nasty to yet another because they were feeling bad that day...and what you did, those few moments you took to make someone smile may have turned what could have been a bad situation into something positive. Think about it.
So, my experiment is to make at least two people feel good each day..whether it's someone I've come into direct contact with, or someone on the Internet via my Facebook page or an email. I've begun doing just that...and the results have been amazing.
The other day at the grocery store a young man about 19 or so was checking out my groceries. He was quiet...just doing his job, not really engaging me as a customer as he scanned each item. Not being rude or abrupt, but just quiet. Then he looked up and asked me if I wanted something in a plastic bag. (I had brought my own cloth reusable bags). I smiled at him and said, "No. I don't want to use plastic at all if I don't have to..I'm trying to do something good for the planet...so it can be passed on to kids like you...and hopefully, you'll do a better job." He stopped and looked at me and then cracked up. Then I said, "You know, so many people think kids these days are so bad, but I don't agree. I mean, look at you...here you are working hard when you could be out acting a fool instead." His whole face just lit up with the biggest smile and his whole demeanor changed. We chatted a bit and then I said, "It's a nice day, I'll bet you'd rather be outside doing something fun..yet, here you are." That smile just got bigger. He said, "Thank you! I appreciate that!" (and I could tell it really meant something to him to be acknowledged.) I told him that I appreciated the fact that he was there taking care of me instead of running the streets causing trouble, and that I was glad he was the one whose checkout stand I chose because it was nice talking to him.
As I rolled the cart away, I looked back at him and he was looking after me, still smiling that big smile and it stayed with him as he turned and began checking out the next customer. I hope he felt good the rest of the day, and when he feels discouraged I hope he remembers our conversation.
My next stop was the pet store right next to the grocery store. My dog, Poppy, has been very sick for the past 8 weeks, going through a very serious surgery and slowly recovering after finally having to have a feeding tube put in because she hasn't been eating. It's been a nightmare..for her and for me, with multiple pill doses and tube feedings every day starting at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 11:00 p.m. The goal is to get her eating regularly so the tube can be removed, so I'd been tearing out my hair trying to find something, anything that will tempt her to eat...and it's been a real challenge.
I finally decided to go to a pet store about 5 days before and see what kinds of dry foods they have. She has to have something very low-fat because pancreatitis is one of her problems, and as fussy as she's been I just didn't know what to try next.
The manager, a young girl about maybe 22 or 23, came up to me and asked if she could help and I explained the situation to her. She dropped everything and we spent about 1/2 hour looking at different foods, checking labels, discussing Poppy's needs. She asked a lot of questions. She really knew her stuff, and after eliminating several foods she recommended this one that happened to be relatively new and had sample 1 lb bags for $2.99 (with a $3.00 coupon on the back towards a larger size if you liked it) and it was a natural, holistic, low-fat food, so I figured I couldn't lose.
She was patient, concerned, caring and never made me feel like I was "bothering" her, and she made sure I was happy with the food choice before I walked up to that register.
When I got home, I opened the bag and poured out a little for Poppy, hoping it would at last be something she liked....and bam! She pounced on that food and ate every bit I'd given her. I could have cried I was so happy.
So when the bag was empty, I went back for more after I did my grocery shopping.
I didn't see this young lady, but I asked the girl at the register about her, described her and the girl said she was in the back. They called her up to the register and I told her just how much I appreciated what she did for me the other day and how happy I was when Poppy ate the food she'd helped me pick out, and that I was grateful for all the time she spent and her knowledge and professionalism.
Again, her face just lit up and I could tell how good it made her feel to be appreciated and that she had made a difference.
But I won't stop there. I asked for the corporate phone number and I will let them know that they have a top-notch employee working at that location because, again, who knows what the trickle down effect will be?
And that's my point. When you make someone feel bad they will take it out on the next person with whom they come in contact...so why can't the reverse be true?
So, my challenge to myself...and to you...is to make at least two people each day glad they came into contact with you, in whatever capacity. It's way easier than you think...and the added benefit is that you will feel good too.
And, can it hurt to put more positive energy out into the Universe? God knows we need it!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
APPRECIATING OUR LIVES
Today is Sunday, so I was watching one of my favorite TV shows: "Sunday Morning".
One of the segments was about the now 70 year old play called "Our Town", which is probably one of the most produced plays there is, and, I think, most of us are familiar with it. I personally have never seen it, for some odd reason.
At the end of this play, one of the main characters, Emily Gibbs, dies in childbirth and is allowed to come back for just one day...a day of her choice..any day of her life. She chooses her 12th birthday. She sees her mother cooking and hears her father's voice....
For some reason, this immediately brought tears to my eyes because I had to wonder: if I were given that choice, what day would I choose? What day out of the now 67 years of my life would I choose? How could anyone make that choice? I can't. Can you?
Oh, I would love to spend another day with my mom and dad...(and all those loved ones who have passed on! But to pick ONE day? Impossible!
I have been fortunate to have too many days that have been really, really extraordinary and happy to be able to pick one over another!
And it's impossible to "appreciate every moment of your life"...as the host of Sunday Morning said: "you'd be doing nothing else but being a spectator in your own life because you'd be too busy analyzing each moment".
Nevertheless, too often we get caught up in negative details; you know...the ones that irritate us and make us feel sorry for ourselves...the ones that push out the more numerous happy moments, those ordinary ones which don't get our attention and that we seem to take for granted.
Some days I just find myself outside on a beautiful sunny day, turning my face up towards the sun and loving the feel of the warmth on my skin. Or smelling the wonderful, fresh fragrance of the earth after it rains. I love autumn when the leaves are brilliant on the ground and on the trees...there's something about the light at that time of year that is so special. Being an artist, I notice things like that.
I love windy days, and thunder and lightning, too.
And spending time with my children and grandchildren are at the top of the list! My grandchildren range in age from 24 years old down to 3 years old and they are all so wonderfully bright and funny and interesting! Each one of them, all five, always have something interesting and insightful to say, and listening to them is such fun.
We tend to take so many of the ordinary things of our lives for granted...until they aren't there. One lesson I learned recently was how I took the simple act of walking for granted...until I had a total knee replacement surgery and for 5 months I could not walk. It was humbling, for sure!
I was in a physical rehab facility for more than 2 1/2 of those months...during which time spring came...and went...and summer began. When I at last came home it was June and the trees at my house, which were just beginning to show the tiniest bit of green when I left in April were in full leaf, and flowers, which I didn't even know were in my yard (I'd moved in here in the dead of winter at the beginning of February) were in full bloom. It was a surreal experience! I barely recognized my house. I felt as if I'd been gone for years!
My children were wonderful through the whole miserable recovery period. It's now September, 5 months after the surgery, and I am just recently able to walk, after much therapy, with a slight limp, (which, hopefully, will eventually disappear)....and I just started driving again a week ago...something else I had taken for granted! For someone as independent as I have always been, it was indescribably hard for me to depend upon anyone else for anything...and yet, I had to learn to "let them bless me", as my youngest daughter has a habit of saying.
I learned just how lucky I am to have the children I do...and I appreciate them more than words can say, and every day we spend together is precious!
So.....can you pick one day you'd like to live over again? If so, my hat's off to you...I can't!
One of the segments was about the now 70 year old play called "Our Town", which is probably one of the most produced plays there is, and, I think, most of us are familiar with it. I personally have never seen it, for some odd reason.
At the end of this play, one of the main characters, Emily Gibbs, dies in childbirth and is allowed to come back for just one day...a day of her choice..any day of her life. She chooses her 12th birthday. She sees her mother cooking and hears her father's voice....
For some reason, this immediately brought tears to my eyes because I had to wonder: if I were given that choice, what day would I choose? What day out of the now 67 years of my life would I choose? How could anyone make that choice? I can't. Can you?
Oh, I would love to spend another day with my mom and dad...(and all those loved ones who have passed on! But to pick ONE day? Impossible!
I have been fortunate to have too many days that have been really, really extraordinary and happy to be able to pick one over another!
And it's impossible to "appreciate every moment of your life"...as the host of Sunday Morning said: "you'd be doing nothing else but being a spectator in your own life because you'd be too busy analyzing each moment".
Nevertheless, too often we get caught up in negative details; you know...the ones that irritate us and make us feel sorry for ourselves...the ones that push out the more numerous happy moments, those ordinary ones which don't get our attention and that we seem to take for granted.
Some days I just find myself outside on a beautiful sunny day, turning my face up towards the sun and loving the feel of the warmth on my skin. Or smelling the wonderful, fresh fragrance of the earth after it rains. I love autumn when the leaves are brilliant on the ground and on the trees...there's something about the light at that time of year that is so special. Being an artist, I notice things like that.
I love windy days, and thunder and lightning, too.
And spending time with my children and grandchildren are at the top of the list! My grandchildren range in age from 24 years old down to 3 years old and they are all so wonderfully bright and funny and interesting! Each one of them, all five, always have something interesting and insightful to say, and listening to them is such fun.
We tend to take so many of the ordinary things of our lives for granted...until they aren't there. One lesson I learned recently was how I took the simple act of walking for granted...until I had a total knee replacement surgery and for 5 months I could not walk. It was humbling, for sure!
I was in a physical rehab facility for more than 2 1/2 of those months...during which time spring came...and went...and summer began. When I at last came home it was June and the trees at my house, which were just beginning to show the tiniest bit of green when I left in April were in full leaf, and flowers, which I didn't even know were in my yard (I'd moved in here in the dead of winter at the beginning of February) were in full bloom. It was a surreal experience! I barely recognized my house. I felt as if I'd been gone for years!
My children were wonderful through the whole miserable recovery period. It's now September, 5 months after the surgery, and I am just recently able to walk, after much therapy, with a slight limp, (which, hopefully, will eventually disappear)....and I just started driving again a week ago...something else I had taken for granted! For someone as independent as I have always been, it was indescribably hard for me to depend upon anyone else for anything...and yet, I had to learn to "let them bless me", as my youngest daughter has a habit of saying.
I learned just how lucky I am to have the children I do...and I appreciate them more than words can say, and every day we spend together is precious!
So.....can you pick one day you'd like to live over again? If so, my hat's off to you...I can't!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A GENTLE REMINDER...
Well, this is a record....writing in this blog again so soon....but, my last blog was a bit down and I'm over that now...as always, I bounce back.
I whine sometimes about missing New Mexico...and, I do miss it....but, then I get a gentle reminder about why I came back here.
Today my youngest daughter called on me to take her and my littlest granddaughter to the pediatrician. Little Lili was sick, poor baby and my daughter didn't have her van today. My 13 year old granddaughter, Elaina, came along, too.
When we were finished I wanted to take them to a Chinese buffet for dinner, but Lili was so sick and Janeen decided to just go straight home with her.
Kind of on the spur of the moment when I dropped them off at home, I decided to take Elaina and go to the restaurant. We don't get much time together and I thought it would be fun.
It was.
She's delightful, interesting, intelligent, thoughtful, loving, kind and loooooooves animals, especially dogs. As we were sitting there eating, I asked her what she wanted to do someday as a career. Without hesitation she said she wanted to train dogs.
I can't think of anything she'd be better suited for, as she has a genuine knack with dogs and they respond well to her.
We discussed at great length the care and training of dogs and it was wonderful listening to her.....her beautiful blue eyes just lit up and I had to smile at her enthusiasm about her favorite subject. Any dog who gets her as their trainer is in for a treat!
As we talked, I realized ....once again....why I came back here to Ohio, and how lucky I am that I had something priceless to come back to!
My children and my grandchildren are why I came back. Even if I was a millionaire and could go back to NM, I would not because my family are here and I could not imagine being away from them...especially during the Holidays when we all get together....but, even days like today when I was here when my daughter needed me, or on days when my oldest daughter stops by just to say hi and spends a little time, or my son and I get together at our favorite restaurant for lunch.....simple, everyday things like that; those things that make life worthwhile; those priceless moments that all too often aren't fully appreciated unless you don't have them anymore....and we all know how suddenly that can be taken away.
The having-to-move thing? A minor irritation, as important as a drop of water in the ocean. Not having my family around? A genuine tragedy!
Tomorrow is promised to no one....I learned that lesson a long time ago....so let's never forget that we only have this moment and let's not waste time whining about the stupid, small things that pass in a flash.
I will make my new house a home....just like I did with the house I'm in now....just like I always do, and I will be grateful that I have a place to lay my head at night that is warm, safe and comfortable when there are so many who don't have that luxury.
And I will continue to be grateful that I have my wonderful family close by to brighten up my home!
Thanks again for the gentle reminder, Lord.
I whine sometimes about missing New Mexico...and, I do miss it....but, then I get a gentle reminder about why I came back here.
Today my youngest daughter called on me to take her and my littlest granddaughter to the pediatrician. Little Lili was sick, poor baby and my daughter didn't have her van today. My 13 year old granddaughter, Elaina, came along, too.
When we were finished I wanted to take them to a Chinese buffet for dinner, but Lili was so sick and Janeen decided to just go straight home with her.
Kind of on the spur of the moment when I dropped them off at home, I decided to take Elaina and go to the restaurant. We don't get much time together and I thought it would be fun.
It was.
She's delightful, interesting, intelligent, thoughtful, loving, kind and loooooooves animals, especially dogs. As we were sitting there eating, I asked her what she wanted to do someday as a career. Without hesitation she said she wanted to train dogs.
I can't think of anything she'd be better suited for, as she has a genuine knack with dogs and they respond well to her.
We discussed at great length the care and training of dogs and it was wonderful listening to her.....her beautiful blue eyes just lit up and I had to smile at her enthusiasm about her favorite subject. Any dog who gets her as their trainer is in for a treat!
As we talked, I realized ....once again....why I came back here to Ohio, and how lucky I am that I had something priceless to come back to!
My children and my grandchildren are why I came back. Even if I was a millionaire and could go back to NM, I would not because my family are here and I could not imagine being away from them...especially during the Holidays when we all get together....but, even days like today when I was here when my daughter needed me, or on days when my oldest daughter stops by just to say hi and spends a little time, or my son and I get together at our favorite restaurant for lunch.....simple, everyday things like that; those things that make life worthwhile; those priceless moments that all too often aren't fully appreciated unless you don't have them anymore....and we all know how suddenly that can be taken away.
The having-to-move thing? A minor irritation, as important as a drop of water in the ocean. Not having my family around? A genuine tragedy!
Tomorrow is promised to no one....I learned that lesson a long time ago....so let's never forget that we only have this moment and let's not waste time whining about the stupid, small things that pass in a flash.
I will make my new house a home....just like I did with the house I'm in now....just like I always do, and I will be grateful that I have a place to lay my head at night that is warm, safe and comfortable when there are so many who don't have that luxury.
And I will continue to be grateful that I have my wonderful family close by to brighten up my home!
Thanks again for the gentle reminder, Lord.
Monday, December 28, 2009
CHANGES, CHANGES
Well, it's been so long since I wrote anything in this blog....time has a way of slipping away before you know it.
I'm glad Christmas is over! Although I love it, it's stressful...which, really, if we kept to the real reason for the season, it shouldn't be....but, that's a subject for another time.
Just before Christmas I got notification that I have to move from my home where I've been the past 9 1/2 years. My landlady had decided to sell this place and decided to do so at the worst possible time of year, (I mean, come ON! It's the dead of winter and miserable out) so I've been scrambling like a fool to find a new place (which, with the help of God, I did right away) then start the huge job of sorting through stuff, throwing and giving away that which I don't need, shredding old papers....you know the drill.
I've moved so many times I'm a pro at it....but, that doesn't mean I like it..and it's never easy!
I've learned over the years after many moves that you don't collect junk, you keep your closets cleaned out, don't clutter up your basement...in other words, make it easy on yourself when it comes time to make a change and "get outta Dodge".
I was upstairs just a little while ago, cleaning out my office...definitely a challenge...and came across some photos that I keep in there because I like to look at them often. I picked up one that was of my back yard at my old house in Albuquerque, New Mexico...and...I don't know...it just triggered something and I started crying.
Up until then I pretty much have kept my emotions in check. I mean, I've been through so many changes in my life, and have had to flip a 180 so many times that I have learned to roll with it and move on without too much freaking out.
When I found out I had to move...(about a week before Christmas isn't the best time to get this type of news)....I allowed myself about 10 minutes of freak-out time and then I started planning and making lists. This is how I cope. I'm a great list-maker because it puts things in focus and allows me to figure out the first step in any journey. Step one, obviously, was to find a new place to live...and I did that, as I said, within days with a bunch of help from Above. That just fell into place.
Then I called the phone company and arranged for transfer of services at the new place. That done, I started going through things and doing the sorting.
Last night, I took pictures off the walls, cleaned them and packed all the little knic knacs on the shelves and fireplace mantle. Now, there's something about that process that puts it into your mind that, okay, this is really happening; there's something final about bare walls and no knic knacs that suddenly takes away a lot of the personality of your home. Suddenly, it looks sad and empty already. Doesn't matter that all your furniture and clothing are still there and that you're still sleeping there....those bare walls say something loud and clear: you are not living here anymore.
Today, I took some filler compound and filled in all the holes where I'd hung pictures. Click, click, click.....things are moving right along and I'm patting myself on the back for being so organized and efficient ....and then I just fell apart when I found that picture. I can't even really say why that triggered the tears..except that I miss NM terribly...and I guess that photo was a reminder of how many times I've had to move and how many changes I've endured, and here we go again.
What's it like to be secure? I don't really know. There's only two times in my life when I can remember feeling secure: When I was a child up until age 12. (Then we moved to California and everything turned to crap.) The next time was when I moved to NM. I felt so at peace there; it was life-changing and the best thing I ever did for myself. That lasted for 6 years. So, out of 66 years on this earth, I've only felt secure a total of 18.
I've never owned my own home...mainly because I've never wanted to. My life was always too chaotic, too uncertain and owning a house would have been a huge burden and a chain around my neck.
So now here I am at age 66, having to uproot myself yet again and start all over once more. I'm just too old for this crap, you know? Enough already!
I'm trying to be positive. There are good things about the new place: no stairs, for one. Meandthedog know that stairs are not our friends! She's almost 15 and I can see her struggling each night when we climb the stairs up to our room.
The new place is smaller, but it has a bigger kitchen...this kitchen I have now has always been a pain because it's so tiny. But, I will miss this house. It's comfortable and familiar.
Pros and cons....you have to pick what's important and concentrate on that.
You have to roll with it.
I'm doing my best.
I'm glad Christmas is over! Although I love it, it's stressful...which, really, if we kept to the real reason for the season, it shouldn't be....but, that's a subject for another time.
Just before Christmas I got notification that I have to move from my home where I've been the past 9 1/2 years. My landlady had decided to sell this place and decided to do so at the worst possible time of year, (I mean, come ON! It's the dead of winter and miserable out) so I've been scrambling like a fool to find a new place (which, with the help of God, I did right away) then start the huge job of sorting through stuff, throwing and giving away that which I don't need, shredding old papers....you know the drill.
I've moved so many times I'm a pro at it....but, that doesn't mean I like it..and it's never easy!
I've learned over the years after many moves that you don't collect junk, you keep your closets cleaned out, don't clutter up your basement...in other words, make it easy on yourself when it comes time to make a change and "get outta Dodge".
I was upstairs just a little while ago, cleaning out my office...definitely a challenge...and came across some photos that I keep in there because I like to look at them often. I picked up one that was of my back yard at my old house in Albuquerque, New Mexico...and...I don't know...it just triggered something and I started crying.
Up until then I pretty much have kept my emotions in check. I mean, I've been through so many changes in my life, and have had to flip a 180 so many times that I have learned to roll with it and move on without too much freaking out.
When I found out I had to move...(about a week before Christmas isn't the best time to get this type of news)....I allowed myself about 10 minutes of freak-out time and then I started planning and making lists. This is how I cope. I'm a great list-maker because it puts things in focus and allows me to figure out the first step in any journey. Step one, obviously, was to find a new place to live...and I did that, as I said, within days with a bunch of help from Above. That just fell into place.
Then I called the phone company and arranged for transfer of services at the new place. That done, I started going through things and doing the sorting.
Last night, I took pictures off the walls, cleaned them and packed all the little knic knacs on the shelves and fireplace mantle. Now, there's something about that process that puts it into your mind that, okay, this is really happening; there's something final about bare walls and no knic knacs that suddenly takes away a lot of the personality of your home. Suddenly, it looks sad and empty already. Doesn't matter that all your furniture and clothing are still there and that you're still sleeping there....those bare walls say something loud and clear: you are not living here anymore.
Today, I took some filler compound and filled in all the holes where I'd hung pictures. Click, click, click.....things are moving right along and I'm patting myself on the back for being so organized and efficient ....and then I just fell apart when I found that picture. I can't even really say why that triggered the tears..except that I miss NM terribly...and I guess that photo was a reminder of how many times I've had to move and how many changes I've endured, and here we go again.
What's it like to be secure? I don't really know. There's only two times in my life when I can remember feeling secure: When I was a child up until age 12. (Then we moved to California and everything turned to crap.) The next time was when I moved to NM. I felt so at peace there; it was life-changing and the best thing I ever did for myself. That lasted for 6 years. So, out of 66 years on this earth, I've only felt secure a total of 18.
I've never owned my own home...mainly because I've never wanted to. My life was always too chaotic, too uncertain and owning a house would have been a huge burden and a chain around my neck.
So now here I am at age 66, having to uproot myself yet again and start all over once more. I'm just too old for this crap, you know? Enough already!
I'm trying to be positive. There are good things about the new place: no stairs, for one. Meandthedog know that stairs are not our friends! She's almost 15 and I can see her struggling each night when we climb the stairs up to our room.
The new place is smaller, but it has a bigger kitchen...this kitchen I have now has always been a pain because it's so tiny. But, I will miss this house. It's comfortable and familiar.
Pros and cons....you have to pick what's important and concentrate on that.
You have to roll with it.
I'm doing my best.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
TIME FOR CREATIVITY
Well, once again it's been ages since I've written anything. Mostly it's been apathy, I guess.
Since I've retired...or, I should say semi-retired, since although I don't go out and work anymore, I still run my business from my home office...I too often found myself flopped down on my couch watching the Boob Tube all day....and I mean ALL day! Mindless, brain-numbing crap, for the most part.
I refuse to watch commercials (I have DVR and record all programs automatically that I want to watch, which enables me to zip past the intelligence insulting garbage in about 5 seconds)...but some of the programs aren't much better.
Anyway, I woke up one day and decided that enough was enough and I had to shake myself out of this apathetic nonsense, so I went out and bought a canvas and some acrylic paints, and I did two paintings, photos of which I've put at the top of this posting.
I am an artist. I have been since I was a child, but I'm not the type of artist that feels compelled to paint constantly and in great quantities. I will paint for awhile, maybe two or three paintings, and then won't do any for years. When I lived in New Mexico I was probably the most active; it is an inspiring place, perfect for an artist. Since I came back to Ohio in 1995, I hadn't picked up a paintbrush until the beginning of this year, even though I had one particular subject in mind for years. The photo you see at the top of this post is of that painting. (The bottom photo is of the Taos Pueblo, a 4' x 5' monster that I did for my youngest daughter, special order.) :)
I wanted to do something involving an old trailer park...I have no idea where that came from....but it haunted me ever since I first came back here to Ohio from New Mexico. My youngest daughter Janeen and I drove around one day in the not-so-nice part of town finding old parks and taking pictures of the rattiest trailers and broken down cars. I wanted the painting to have a feeling of the 1940's, and a bit of desolation,I wanted it to be in the desert, and I wanted the name of the trailer park to be "Sunset Trailer Park".
I had a sort of idea in mind of how I wanted it to look, but when I began to paint it, the brush may have been in my hand, but it took on a life of its own and I found myself just along for the ride.
I had no title in mind while I was working on it, and when it was all finished, I looked at it for awhile and knew the only title that would fit was "Her Dad's Guardian".
The man in the painting is a nod to my deceased ex-husband, and the dog is my own sweet little Poppy who loved him and followed him everywhere...she was his guardian. She was probably the only being in his life who loved him absolutely unconditionally...as our dogs do, God bless them!
My ex had his issues with alcohol. It took everything away from him...everything...including his life. It was a long, slow, painful path of destruction, and extremely sad for all of us who loved him to watch. He was very alone all his life..it didn't matter how many people loved him; it didn't matter how many people he surrounded himself with, he was alone. There was something inside him that wouldn't allow him to be happy or successful. He would head towards something good, some success..and hit a brick wall in his mind and turn back onto that path of destruction. He would do outrageous things to loved ones that would push us away, while reaching for us at the same time. I think we all felt like yo-yos..and the string finally broke, as a well-worn string tends to do.
Some things just can't be repaired.
Anyway, when I painted the man in the picture, and the dog, I knew who they were. It was the painting I had to do; the one that wouldn't allow me to dismiss it, and the one that told a story that had to be told.
The painting lives in my oldest daughter's home now. When she saw it she immediately laid claim to it; it spoke to her as it did to me, and I'm glad it's with her...I think she understands where it came from.
Monday, December 29, 2008
MY NEW YEAR'S WISH FOR YOU
To All Of You:
May you find happiness and peace in the coming year.
May your artistic talent (whatever it may be) be honed to a fine, bright edge, even greater than it already is.
May you find many new wonderful friends everywhere you go, treasure the ones you have, and reconnect with old friends with whom you've lost touch.
May you feel fulfilled in all aspects of your life: spiritually, physically, emotionally.
May you find sunshine even on cloudy days, and always appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.
May you always have an attitude of gratitude, even for the small things....and, remember: the TRULY precious things in life are free!
Most of all.....may you always be able to love, and to know that you are loved!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
ON A SILVER SCREEN
ON A SILVER SCREEN
My Son! You are searching so hard
for Life's answers.
You won't find them where you've
been looking!
Listen to me:
Seeking answers of my own one day,
I took a walk into the faded-blue depths
of an old man's eyes.
I sat in the sunny meadow of his soul
where Time was only a teacher--
not a ravager.
There, on Time's silver screen,
like the everchanging clouds in our own galaxy,
were the shapes of the knowledge I'd been seeking.
I watched the epic of his lifetime
reeled out into the forms of comedy and tragedy.
I listened to distant thunderheads,
and felt the salty rain falling gently upon the meadow.
But...closer and stronger
was the healing laughter that followed,
melting away the storm.
My Grandfather's last gift to me--
and his greatest!
I wrote this poem many years ago in honor of my Grandfather, who passed away from a brain tumor. While we were apart for many years (I lived in California and he lived here in Ohio), when I returned to Ohio in 1973 we became very close, and we had a lot of good times together. When he was in his final days in the hospital, I spent time with him, just sitting there beside him, thinking about the wise things he'd said to me before he became ill. One of the last things he did, when he hadn't been responding to anyone, was to squeeze my hand when I told him I loved him.
The first paragraph of the poem was a reference to my own son who was having a hard time during that period when we first moved back to Ohio from his native California. He was not happy with me for taking him away from all his friends, and didn't understand why...or, maybe he did understand at some level...but, hated it anyway.
In my way, I was trying to tell him that it would be okay....and it was.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE
Hello Again!
I know it's been awhile, but I was compelled to write this tonight after a really amazing event that happened to me this evening....one which restored my faith in people...a Christmas miracle, if you will.
We all know how awful the economy is right now. Everyone is suffering. Everyone is worried about how they are going to survive this nightmare.
People are greedy; people are self-involved, selfish, dishonest, uncaring and out for #1...right?
Wrong. There ARE still some honest people out there! Even in this economy. Even though it's the Holiday season and everyone is wondering how they are going to buy, buy, buy those gifts, impress their friends, throw that spectacular holiday bash....etc etc.
Those who are less fortunate, maybe less honest, may be thinking about how they can scam, rob, or take advantage of whatever opportunity presents itself, even if it's at the detriment of another.
But, tonight, I learned that there are still people in this world who live by the code of ethics.....and, one bell-ringer for the Salvation Army is one of these beautiful people!
I went to the grocery store late this afternoon, rushing as usual. Going through the automated doors, into the store lobby, I passed the lady ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, but didn't really pay full attention. However, because I'm an artist and a writer, and detail-oriented, I did notice her lovely dark eyes, her sweet expression, her smooth mocha skin. I noticed the symmetry of her black knitted hat, red jacket and black pants, and I remember thinking that I was glad she was inside the lobby of the store rather than outside in the awful cold, windy weather. There was just something about her that did catch my attention, despite my hurried state, and I smiled at her and said hello....but, I never carry cash so I didn't have anything to put into the little red bucket...and on I went inside.
I did the little bit of shopping I had to do....I didn't have much money to spend so it didn't take me long. I loaded the groceries into the trunk and started home. One of the things I wanted to buy was a rotisserie chicken...but, I had forgotten it. I remembered when I got about half-way home....and I really wanted that chicken...so, I turned back, went back into the store, bought it, and headed for home once again.
It wasn't until I got all the way home before I realized I didn't have my purse! Where had I left it?? In full panic mode, I flew back to the store, sick to my stomach, in tears, praying to God all the way there: "PLEASE, let me find my purse! PLEASE, God!!" I had no cash in there, but replacing my ATM bank card, credit cards, insurance cards, drivers license, etc....all that stuff, plus other things, would be an absolute nightmare! My prescription medications, ........well, just everything! And, how much damage could a thief do with my credit cards in a small amount of time before I had time to cancel everything? Not to mention identity theft. It would be catastrophic!
When I got to the store, I was shaking like a leaf...just a mess! I walked through the automatic doors, into the store, and I noticed the same Salvation Army bell-ringer who had been there earlier. I kind of looked at her, but didn't really see her ....my mind was elsewhere. I know I had a panicked look on my face.
I rushed up to the check stands, looking for the cashier who had waited on me..thinking maybe I'd left my purse at the check stand....but he wasn't there. More panic. Then I went to the customer service window, hope slim by then, and asked if anyone had turned in a purse. The girl said, "Yes."
I couldn't believe my ears! Then, immediately, I thought, Well, okay, if, by some miracle, it's mine, it's probably missing every credit card and all my medications!
Oh ye of little faith!
The girl handed over my purse, and I could immediately tell that nothing had been disturbed. The zippers were exactly as I had left them. I said, "Who turned it in?" Then, behind me, I heard a soft voice, "I did. You left it in the cart." and when I turned around, there was the Salvation Army bell-ringer. I just fell apart! I grabbed her and hugged her, saying "Oh, God bless you!!" I hugged her for so long, just sobbing with relief. She hugged me back, and I can't explain how comforted I felt...I never wanted to let go! I just couldn't believe my luck! Evidently, I had picked up the bag with the chicken in it and just left my purse behind in the cart before walking out the grocery store doors. She said she noticed it after I had gone, and she took it straight to Customer Service.
Finally, we walked out together, back to the lobby. I felt so bad because I didn't have anything to give her....then I remembered a dollar bill that had been in my wallet forever. I pulled it out and gave it to her to put into the bucket...but, I felt that was so inadequate. I wanted to do more...for HER.
I called my oldest daughter and told her what happened. She said, "Mom, I know exactly who you mean..I was there myself this evening and did some shopping, and I put $10 in that bucket...and I never do that!"
Wow!
I told my daughter that I wanted to do more for this woman and planned to go back tomorrow when I could give her a really nice card with $50 in it as a gift for her personally. My daughter said, "Call the store and find out if this same bell-ringer will be there tomorrow."
So I called. I got a clerk at first who didn't know anything and put me on hold. While you are on hold, they play music.....guess what the song was while I was waiting to talk to the store manager? "CALLING ALL ANGELS"! How appropriate was that?! This lovely woman was most definately my angel!
When the store manager got on the line, he told me that that bell-ringer had been there for several days so it was likely she'd be there tomorrow.
And tomorrow, I will get a special card for this lady, put $50 cash into it and hand it to her. I will again hug her tightly, and wish her a blessed Christmas...and I will be thanking God for putting her into my life this brief moment in time....because here's what that encounter did:
#1: She saved me from a nightmare of replacing all that I would have lost if she hadn't returned my purse intact. She kept a dishonest person from getting it.
#2: She restored my battered faith in people.
#3: My daughter and I had had a discussion earlier today about how people never did what they were supposed to do, didn't keep promises, and she was pretty disillusioned. I told her she should have more faith, but I really didn't feel it in my heart, even as I was telling her that. This lady gave my daughter an example of why she should believe that not all people are bad.
#4: Who knows how much good that $10 my daughter put into that lady's bucket will do? (Remember, she put that into the bucket BEFORE I called her and told her about this incident.) I can't help but feel that God was working this whole thing in order to teach several lessons to several people!!
I know I learned something valuable; something priceless...and so did my daughter.
We truly have an AWESOME God! You just never know when He will put someone in our path to teach us through His love and wisdom.
Be aware and be open to the lessons! You just never know when they will appear.
Have a beautiful Holiday Season, everyone!
Hello all...
I just wanted to add this to the post today, November 26, 2008.
This afternoon I bought a thank you card for the wonderful woman who turned in my purse yesterday, and I put a $50 bill into the card, sealed it in the envelope and took it to her.
I gave her another hug, and asked her her name so that I can call the Salvation Army and let them know about her.
She was astounded by the gift. I hope it makes her Holiday just a little brighter...because she sure made mine happier!
I know it's been awhile, but I was compelled to write this tonight after a really amazing event that happened to me this evening....one which restored my faith in people...a Christmas miracle, if you will.
We all know how awful the economy is right now. Everyone is suffering. Everyone is worried about how they are going to survive this nightmare.
People are greedy; people are self-involved, selfish, dishonest, uncaring and out for #1...right?
Wrong. There ARE still some honest people out there! Even in this economy. Even though it's the Holiday season and everyone is wondering how they are going to buy, buy, buy those gifts, impress their friends, throw that spectacular holiday bash....etc etc.
Those who are less fortunate, maybe less honest, may be thinking about how they can scam, rob, or take advantage of whatever opportunity presents itself, even if it's at the detriment of another.
But, tonight, I learned that there are still people in this world who live by the code of ethics.....and, one bell-ringer for the Salvation Army is one of these beautiful people!
I went to the grocery store late this afternoon, rushing as usual. Going through the automated doors, into the store lobby, I passed the lady ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, but didn't really pay full attention. However, because I'm an artist and a writer, and detail-oriented, I did notice her lovely dark eyes, her sweet expression, her smooth mocha skin. I noticed the symmetry of her black knitted hat, red jacket and black pants, and I remember thinking that I was glad she was inside the lobby of the store rather than outside in the awful cold, windy weather. There was just something about her that did catch my attention, despite my hurried state, and I smiled at her and said hello....but, I never carry cash so I didn't have anything to put into the little red bucket...and on I went inside.
I did the little bit of shopping I had to do....I didn't have much money to spend so it didn't take me long. I loaded the groceries into the trunk and started home. One of the things I wanted to buy was a rotisserie chicken...but, I had forgotten it. I remembered when I got about half-way home....and I really wanted that chicken...so, I turned back, went back into the store, bought it, and headed for home once again.
It wasn't until I got all the way home before I realized I didn't have my purse! Where had I left it?? In full panic mode, I flew back to the store, sick to my stomach, in tears, praying to God all the way there: "PLEASE, let me find my purse! PLEASE, God!!" I had no cash in there, but replacing my ATM bank card, credit cards, insurance cards, drivers license, etc....all that stuff, plus other things, would be an absolute nightmare! My prescription medications, ........well, just everything! And, how much damage could a thief do with my credit cards in a small amount of time before I had time to cancel everything? Not to mention identity theft. It would be catastrophic!
When I got to the store, I was shaking like a leaf...just a mess! I walked through the automatic doors, into the store, and I noticed the same Salvation Army bell-ringer who had been there earlier. I kind of looked at her, but didn't really see her ....my mind was elsewhere. I know I had a panicked look on my face.
I rushed up to the check stands, looking for the cashier who had waited on me..thinking maybe I'd left my purse at the check stand....but he wasn't there. More panic. Then I went to the customer service window, hope slim by then, and asked if anyone had turned in a purse. The girl said, "Yes."
I couldn't believe my ears! Then, immediately, I thought, Well, okay, if, by some miracle, it's mine, it's probably missing every credit card and all my medications!
Oh ye of little faith!
The girl handed over my purse, and I could immediately tell that nothing had been disturbed. The zippers were exactly as I had left them. I said, "Who turned it in?" Then, behind me, I heard a soft voice, "I did. You left it in the cart." and when I turned around, there was the Salvation Army bell-ringer. I just fell apart! I grabbed her and hugged her, saying "Oh, God bless you!!" I hugged her for so long, just sobbing with relief. She hugged me back, and I can't explain how comforted I felt...I never wanted to let go! I just couldn't believe my luck! Evidently, I had picked up the bag with the chicken in it and just left my purse behind in the cart before walking out the grocery store doors. She said she noticed it after I had gone, and she took it straight to Customer Service.
Finally, we walked out together, back to the lobby. I felt so bad because I didn't have anything to give her....then I remembered a dollar bill that had been in my wallet forever. I pulled it out and gave it to her to put into the bucket...but, I felt that was so inadequate. I wanted to do more...for HER.
I called my oldest daughter and told her what happened. She said, "Mom, I know exactly who you mean..I was there myself this evening and did some shopping, and I put $10 in that bucket...and I never do that!"
Wow!
I told my daughter that I wanted to do more for this woman and planned to go back tomorrow when I could give her a really nice card with $50 in it as a gift for her personally. My daughter said, "Call the store and find out if this same bell-ringer will be there tomorrow."
So I called. I got a clerk at first who didn't know anything and put me on hold. While you are on hold, they play music.....guess what the song was while I was waiting to talk to the store manager? "CALLING ALL ANGELS"! How appropriate was that?! This lovely woman was most definately my angel!
When the store manager got on the line, he told me that that bell-ringer had been there for several days so it was likely she'd be there tomorrow.
And tomorrow, I will get a special card for this lady, put $50 cash into it and hand it to her. I will again hug her tightly, and wish her a blessed Christmas...and I will be thanking God for putting her into my life this brief moment in time....because here's what that encounter did:
#1: She saved me from a nightmare of replacing all that I would have lost if she hadn't returned my purse intact. She kept a dishonest person from getting it.
#2: She restored my battered faith in people.
#3: My daughter and I had had a discussion earlier today about how people never did what they were supposed to do, didn't keep promises, and she was pretty disillusioned. I told her she should have more faith, but I really didn't feel it in my heart, even as I was telling her that. This lady gave my daughter an example of why she should believe that not all people are bad.
#4: Who knows how much good that $10 my daughter put into that lady's bucket will do? (Remember, she put that into the bucket BEFORE I called her and told her about this incident.) I can't help but feel that God was working this whole thing in order to teach several lessons to several people!!
I know I learned something valuable; something priceless...and so did my daughter.
We truly have an AWESOME God! You just never know when He will put someone in our path to teach us through His love and wisdom.
Be aware and be open to the lessons! You just never know when they will appear.
Have a beautiful Holiday Season, everyone!
Hello all...
I just wanted to add this to the post today, November 26, 2008.
This afternoon I bought a thank you card for the wonderful woman who turned in my purse yesterday, and I put a $50 bill into the card, sealed it in the envelope and took it to her.
I gave her another hug, and asked her her name so that I can call the Salvation Army and let them know about her.
She was astounded by the gift. I hope it makes her Holiday just a little brighter...because she sure made mine happier!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
HERE A JOB, THERE A JOB....
I have been working since I was sixteen years old, and quite a bit of that time I have had more than one job at a time. That's what you do when one job isn't enough to meet your needs...and New Mexico was no exception.
I knew the job at the pharmacy would not be enough; I've already mentioned that the pay was pretty low and the cost of living high, so after about a week, I started looking for an additional job and found one at a housekeeping agency as a cleaner...something I'd never done (at least not for pay) before. (My daughter was still working at the fast food restaurant, but had been promoted to manager. This allowed her to switch to days and put Joey into day care so that he had other kids to play with.)
The housekeeping job was definitely hard work...but, that's never bothered me. I always take pride in any job I do, so I managed to become quite good at this cleaning thing.
Meanwhile, as I told you in my previous post, I had told my boss at the pharmacy that I would give him one month to see the quality of my work and to give me a raise, and if I didn't get it, I would have to leave. Well, at the end of the month I got my paycheck and (surprise, surprise) the raise was not on it, so I went to his office to discuss it with him. His response was that the "home office was not giving any raises to anyone" and he was really sorry, blah blah blah, and he hoped I'd stay. I said good-bye.
On my way home from the pharmacy, I stopped in at the housekeeping agency and told my boss there that I would be available for more hours.
I continued with the housekeeping agency for another two months as a cleaner...then, one day, the owner, knowing that I had had previous experience as an executive secretary in Akron for an insurance company, approached me and asked if I'd be interested in working in the office instead of out in the field. More money, and certainly a lot easier job, so I jumped at the chance.
This was the turning point; another absolute life-changing event, and where "The Secret" once again came into play. The first and most important life-changing event was when we moved to New Mexico...that started the whole chain of events that put me on the correct path to success.
Running the office, seeing how the business worked, one day I just had an epiphany and I knew I could do this myself! I mean, it was a light bulb moment! I just knew, without a doubt, that I could and should start my own housekeeping business, and that it would be a total success!
So I began to plan. The first thing I did was to buy a Rolodex and put it on my desk at work. I told myself, as I looked at it every day, that one day soon that Rolodex would contain the names of my own clients.
One of the points of "The Secret" is "The Law of Attraction". This means that you put in front of you what you want to draw towards you: pictures of a car or house you want, the job you want, the vacation....whatever. Put your wishes on a cork board and hang it on a wall where you see the things you have pinned on it every day, and KNOW that you will get those things! Don't just hope....KNOW it!
That Rolodex was my focus, and I didn't realize that I was putting The Secret into motion..that book didn't exist back then, and I had never heard of the concept. But, of course, things don't just fall out of the sky into your lap..you have to take steps to make your dreams come true...and my first step was to choose a name for my new business: Cinderella. It was perfect, because when you hear that name, what does it make you think of immediately? Cleaning, right? Then I had to design a flier, type it up (no computers at that time in my life) and then take $50.00 and go to the nearest print shop and have 500 fliers printed up....and then deliver them, door to door until they were all gone. I truly enjoyed this! It was such fun to see the neighborhoods and the courtyards where people had little hideaways full of pots of flowers, small ponds with Koi fish in them, and benches and tables where they could sit and enjoy their little private havens. I love the architecture in New Mexico.
It took a little over a week to deliver all the fliers, (which I did after work, and on the weekend) and every day at my desk I would look at that Rolodex and envision my future clients' names in it.
Finally, calls started coming in....and they kept on coming in...until I had enough clients where I couldn't handle them alone. So I hired a girl to work for me....and I gave my notice at the housekeeping agency.
I was on my way!
Time to say good-bye again. It is 2:25 a.m. on August 16, 2008. Way past my bedtime!
I knew the job at the pharmacy would not be enough; I've already mentioned that the pay was pretty low and the cost of living high, so after about a week, I started looking for an additional job and found one at a housekeeping agency as a cleaner...something I'd never done (at least not for pay) before. (My daughter was still working at the fast food restaurant, but had been promoted to manager. This allowed her to switch to days and put Joey into day care so that he had other kids to play with.)
The housekeeping job was definitely hard work...but, that's never bothered me. I always take pride in any job I do, so I managed to become quite good at this cleaning thing.
Meanwhile, as I told you in my previous post, I had told my boss at the pharmacy that I would give him one month to see the quality of my work and to give me a raise, and if I didn't get it, I would have to leave. Well, at the end of the month I got my paycheck and (surprise, surprise) the raise was not on it, so I went to his office to discuss it with him. His response was that the "home office was not giving any raises to anyone" and he was really sorry, blah blah blah, and he hoped I'd stay. I said good-bye.
On my way home from the pharmacy, I stopped in at the housekeeping agency and told my boss there that I would be available for more hours.
I continued with the housekeeping agency for another two months as a cleaner...then, one day, the owner, knowing that I had had previous experience as an executive secretary in Akron for an insurance company, approached me and asked if I'd be interested in working in the office instead of out in the field. More money, and certainly a lot easier job, so I jumped at the chance.
This was the turning point; another absolute life-changing event, and where "The Secret" once again came into play. The first and most important life-changing event was when we moved to New Mexico...that started the whole chain of events that put me on the correct path to success.
Running the office, seeing how the business worked, one day I just had an epiphany and I knew I could do this myself! I mean, it was a light bulb moment! I just knew, without a doubt, that I could and should start my own housekeeping business, and that it would be a total success!
So I began to plan. The first thing I did was to buy a Rolodex and put it on my desk at work. I told myself, as I looked at it every day, that one day soon that Rolodex would contain the names of my own clients.
One of the points of "The Secret" is "The Law of Attraction". This means that you put in front of you what you want to draw towards you: pictures of a car or house you want, the job you want, the vacation....whatever. Put your wishes on a cork board and hang it on a wall where you see the things you have pinned on it every day, and KNOW that you will get those things! Don't just hope....KNOW it!
That Rolodex was my focus, and I didn't realize that I was putting The Secret into motion..that book didn't exist back then, and I had never heard of the concept. But, of course, things don't just fall out of the sky into your lap..you have to take steps to make your dreams come true...and my first step was to choose a name for my new business: Cinderella. It was perfect, because when you hear that name, what does it make you think of immediately? Cleaning, right? Then I had to design a flier, type it up (no computers at that time in my life) and then take $50.00 and go to the nearest print shop and have 500 fliers printed up....and then deliver them, door to door until they were all gone. I truly enjoyed this! It was such fun to see the neighborhoods and the courtyards where people had little hideaways full of pots of flowers, small ponds with Koi fish in them, and benches and tables where they could sit and enjoy their little private havens. I love the architecture in New Mexico.
It took a little over a week to deliver all the fliers, (which I did after work, and on the weekend) and every day at my desk I would look at that Rolodex and envision my future clients' names in it.
Finally, calls started coming in....and they kept on coming in...until I had enough clients where I couldn't handle them alone. So I hired a girl to work for me....and I gave my notice at the housekeeping agency.
I was on my way!
Time to say good-bye again. It is 2:25 a.m. on August 16, 2008. Way past my bedtime!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
OUR HOUSE BECOMES A HOME
I left you in the last post at the end of our first day in our new home in New Mexico. Bear had disappeared, and we were going to set out on our job hunts the next morning. There was no time to waste if we were going to succeed in this new adventure!
The Secret was continuously at work. (Remember The Secret? That's what this series is all about.) I knew we would be fine; I visualized a positive outcome in the job hunt, and knew we'd get jobs immediately. And we did.
Nothing fancy at first; we weren't proud. We were willing to take whatever was available the quickest....when you take as big a step as we did, you don't sit around waiting for "the perfect job"....empty days do not pay the rent! My daughter got a job at a fast food place, and, since I had years of experience as a pharmacy technician and in doctors' offices, I answered an ad for a tech at a large pharmacy chain. The pay was abysmal compared to what I made here in Ohio...NM had a high cost of living with a low wage rate.....but, like I said...empty days do not pay the rent, so I took the job....with one stipulation: I told the manager that, with my experience, I was worth more, but I understood that they didn't know me and I needed to prove myself. I said I would give them one month, and then, if they were happy with my performance, I would expect a substantial raise. If I didn't get the raise, I would have to quit. They agreed, and I would start the next day.
I went home and began to put the house more in order, unpacking the rest of the stuff and taking care of Joey while Maureen, my daughter, went to her job that evening. She was going to work nights and I would work days so that one of us would always be available to take care of Joey.
While I was putting some things away in the front room, I thought I heard something....like a small, plaintive wail. I opened the front door, and there stood Bear, sporting a much smaller middle, his long hair in need of some brushing, but otherwise none the worse for wear....and obviously hungry. It had been two days. First things first: he darted past me and ran into the kitchen, looking for food, which I immediately provided for him, along with a nice bowl of clean, cool water. After he had a full belly again, he allowed me to pet him.....but not before he made it clear that if we EVER put him through such a long trip again, he was done with us for good! Bear had a way of "talking" to us with a series of little sounds and we learned which ones meant what pretty quickly. He was definitely ticked off, but willing to forgive...after all, we did have food and a warm place to stay...and a cat's gotta do what a cat's gotta do. (Picture him sitting up on his haunches, paws out in front of him and turned upward, weighing his options. "Let's see: staying in the wild and foraging for food, being cold and hungry....or......forgiving the stupid humans and being spoiled, pampered, fed and sleeping on a nice, warm comfortable bed.....yeah. No contest.")
The next day, I went to work at my new job.
Time to leave you again....but, please come back. There is still much to share with you.
It is 4:08 p.m., August 9, 2008.
The Secret was continuously at work. (Remember The Secret? That's what this series is all about.) I knew we would be fine; I visualized a positive outcome in the job hunt, and knew we'd get jobs immediately. And we did.
Nothing fancy at first; we weren't proud. We were willing to take whatever was available the quickest....when you take as big a step as we did, you don't sit around waiting for "the perfect job"....empty days do not pay the rent! My daughter got a job at a fast food place, and, since I had years of experience as a pharmacy technician and in doctors' offices, I answered an ad for a tech at a large pharmacy chain. The pay was abysmal compared to what I made here in Ohio...NM had a high cost of living with a low wage rate.....but, like I said...empty days do not pay the rent, so I took the job....with one stipulation: I told the manager that, with my experience, I was worth more, but I understood that they didn't know me and I needed to prove myself. I said I would give them one month, and then, if they were happy with my performance, I would expect a substantial raise. If I didn't get the raise, I would have to quit. They agreed, and I would start the next day.
I went home and began to put the house more in order, unpacking the rest of the stuff and taking care of Joey while Maureen, my daughter, went to her job that evening. She was going to work nights and I would work days so that one of us would always be available to take care of Joey.
While I was putting some things away in the front room, I thought I heard something....like a small, plaintive wail. I opened the front door, and there stood Bear, sporting a much smaller middle, his long hair in need of some brushing, but otherwise none the worse for wear....and obviously hungry. It had been two days. First things first: he darted past me and ran into the kitchen, looking for food, which I immediately provided for him, along with a nice bowl of clean, cool water. After he had a full belly again, he allowed me to pet him.....but not before he made it clear that if we EVER put him through such a long trip again, he was done with us for good! Bear had a way of "talking" to us with a series of little sounds and we learned which ones meant what pretty quickly. He was definitely ticked off, but willing to forgive...after all, we did have food and a warm place to stay...and a cat's gotta do what a cat's gotta do. (Picture him sitting up on his haunches, paws out in front of him and turned upward, weighing his options. "Let's see: staying in the wild and foraging for food, being cold and hungry....or......forgiving the stupid humans and being spoiled, pampered, fed and sleeping on a nice, warm comfortable bed.....yeah. No contest.")
The next day, I went to work at my new job.
Time to leave you again....but, please come back. There is still much to share with you.
It is 4:08 p.m., August 9, 2008.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
HOME....AT LAST...IN NEW MEXICO.
When I left you, we had arrived at our new home and Bear had vanished in a gray flash.
There was nothing we could do at the moment about Bear; we just had to hope he would decide to get over his snit and come home.
Exhausted by this time, we wearily went in to explore our new home. It hadn't been lived in for about three months, but it was clean and welcoming...and we were very pleased with it. The only thing we objected to were the two uninvited guests that greeted us right inside, to the right of the front door: two very large black widow spiders. They had to go, first thing...sorry, ladies! Once they were dispatched, we continued to explore.
One story, and deceptively small-looking from the outside, it surprised us once we entered. It contained three large bedrooms...and the garage had been turned into a fourth. It was the biggest bedroom, and I took that one...1 1/2 baths, a huge kitchen and dining room, huge living room, and a wonderful sun room/den that quickly became our favorite room. It had 8 large windows and a wood burning stove that, in that room, was the only source of heat. It had obviously been added on after the house was built, but not included in the central air system. The air conditioning was a swamp-cooler located on the roof....typical for that area, and very efficient because of the dry climate. For those of you who are not familiar with that type of cooler: it's an evaporative system with a large fan blower contained in a large, square apparatus which has straw filters on the sides and a small copper tube that comes from a water source at the ground level. The water continuously comes up the tube, fills the bottom of the cooler and wets the straw filters, and then the cooled air blows into the house with quite a bit of force when you turn it on high. (There were medium and low speeds, too, but we liked it high on hot days.)
There was no basement in the house...also typical of most of the houses of this type in the Southwestern part of the U.S.
There was a good-sized laundry room as well. In the sun room, there was a back door that led out to the backyard and patio, which were wonderfully private. There was also a side yard that contained a small storage shed.
The front, side and back yards all needed a lot of attention...it was obvious that the previous tenants had been yardwork-challenged...but the front yard contained a wonderful nectarine tree, and a lovely cactus garden along side the driveway, the side had two beautiful flowering plum trees, and, in the backyard, was the most gorgeously prolific sweet Bing cherry tree, right outside the back door! (Both the nectarine and cherry trees provided us with such delicious fruit for all the years we lived there, though it was a battle with the birds for the cherries!)
As I said, the garage had been turned into a bedroom so there was only a carport with room for one car. One thing we loved was the fact that the house was in a cul-de-sac right off a not-too-busy side street. This was good since we had a three year old.
After exploring all the rooms, we began unloading the van, car and U-Haul trailer. By that evening, we were pretty much settled in, and, after some fast food for dinner, fell into bed exhausted....(well, my daughter and grandson fell into their beds...I had an air mattress...which was surprisingly comfortable. It was about 6 months before I could afford a bed.)
The next day, we began the job searches.
Time to say good-bye again. I leave you at 3:05 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6, 2008. Blog hits are now at 363.
There was nothing we could do at the moment about Bear; we just had to hope he would decide to get over his snit and come home.
Exhausted by this time, we wearily went in to explore our new home. It hadn't been lived in for about three months, but it was clean and welcoming...and we were very pleased with it. The only thing we objected to were the two uninvited guests that greeted us right inside, to the right of the front door: two very large black widow spiders. They had to go, first thing...sorry, ladies! Once they were dispatched, we continued to explore.
One story, and deceptively small-looking from the outside, it surprised us once we entered. It contained three large bedrooms...and the garage had been turned into a fourth. It was the biggest bedroom, and I took that one...1 1/2 baths, a huge kitchen and dining room, huge living room, and a wonderful sun room/den that quickly became our favorite room. It had 8 large windows and a wood burning stove that, in that room, was the only source of heat. It had obviously been added on after the house was built, but not included in the central air system. The air conditioning was a swamp-cooler located on the roof....typical for that area, and very efficient because of the dry climate. For those of you who are not familiar with that type of cooler: it's an evaporative system with a large fan blower contained in a large, square apparatus which has straw filters on the sides and a small copper tube that comes from a water source at the ground level. The water continuously comes up the tube, fills the bottom of the cooler and wets the straw filters, and then the cooled air blows into the house with quite a bit of force when you turn it on high. (There were medium and low speeds, too, but we liked it high on hot days.)
There was no basement in the house...also typical of most of the houses of this type in the Southwestern part of the U.S.
There was a good-sized laundry room as well. In the sun room, there was a back door that led out to the backyard and patio, which were wonderfully private. There was also a side yard that contained a small storage shed.
The front, side and back yards all needed a lot of attention...it was obvious that the previous tenants had been yardwork-challenged...but the front yard contained a wonderful nectarine tree, and a lovely cactus garden along side the driveway, the side had two beautiful flowering plum trees, and, in the backyard, was the most gorgeously prolific sweet Bing cherry tree, right outside the back door! (Both the nectarine and cherry trees provided us with such delicious fruit for all the years we lived there, though it was a battle with the birds for the cherries!)
As I said, the garage had been turned into a bedroom so there was only a carport with room for one car. One thing we loved was the fact that the house was in a cul-de-sac right off a not-too-busy side street. This was good since we had a three year old.
After exploring all the rooms, we began unloading the van, car and U-Haul trailer. By that evening, we were pretty much settled in, and, after some fast food for dinner, fell into bed exhausted....(well, my daughter and grandson fell into their beds...I had an air mattress...which was surprisingly comfortable. It was about 6 months before I could afford a bed.)
The next day, we began the job searches.
Time to say good-bye again. I leave you at 3:05 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6, 2008. Blog hits are now at 363.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
CONTINUING WITH NEW MEXICO...1989-90
I left you, the last post, on the day of our departure from the Midwest, on the beginning of our journey to New Mexico, September 8, 1989. My birthday.
In the small U-Haul trailer hooked to the back of the van my daughter was driving were our clothes, some household items, treasures that couldn't be replaced, some bedding, some small pieces of furniture, and not much else. I also had more things piled in my trunk and in my back seat. (We did take the bed for my 3 year old grandson...and I don't remember if we kept my daughter's bed or not..but I think we did....however, I had sold mine so I didn't have one. It was a gigantic canopied water bed with huge mirrors in the ceiling of the canopy (don't ask!) 4 drawers on each side of the base, tall, built-in shelves at the foot, and it would have been totally impractical to haul it. I did take a huge (about 4 1/2 ft tall) cactus that I had purchased here and had used as a Christmas tree, white mini-lights, Southwestern ornaments and all. (When we came back here in 1995 I bought a ficus tree that was about 5 feet tall and used that as a Christmas tree....I never was one for conventionality; the child ain't right! I still have that ficus...only it's now 8 feet tall!) How ironic that I bought that cactus here in OH where you wouldn't expect to find one that big, and I don't recall ever seeing one for sale like that in NM where you'd expect to find one! I loved that cactus and had it the whole time we lived in NM...and, once there, it got huge flowers on it every Summer...(I like to think of those blossoms as a "thank you" for bringing it back home to its natural habitat!) I sold it to a client in NM just before we came back here to the Midwest in 1995.
Also traveling in the van with my daughter and grandson, was our gray, long-haired cat named Bear...who didn't know he was a cat. He never used a litter box; (he went to the door and waited to be let out when he needed to go), he liked traveling in the car, and he acted more like a dog than a cat. My daughter made him a bed on the engine compartment that, in this type of van, was a high hump between the seats, so he could lie there and look out at the passing scenery. How many cats do you know that like to ride in a car? He wasn't in a crate, either.
We hit highway 70 west and the first day we made it to St. Louis, MO, somehow managing to stay together, before stopping for the night. We couldn't really travel too fast, obviously, but we weren't in any hurry anyway. It was a beautiful Fall day and we planned to enjoy our adventure.
We put out food and water in the motel room for Bear, and fashioned a litter box for him...we couldn't very well let him outside....but, not being a litter box type of cat, he would have nothing to do with it. We figured eventually he'd have to use it....right? He was too dignified to allow himself to potty in the house; he never had had any kind of accident the whole time we'd had him so we knew he wouldn't lose his dignity now.
The next morning we checked the litter box. There was a tiny little wet spot, but nothing else....and Bear was throwing mildly dirty looks our way.
On day two, after breakfast, we again hit the road, dropping down to highway 44, headed for Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we would then pick up US 40, which would take us into Amarillo, Texas, and then into Albuquerque. We figured we should make it in about 4 days or so, total.
We made it to Tulsa that evening and again stopped for the night. We were averaging a little over 350 miles each day. Again we put down food and water and the makeshift litter box for Bear. The next morning, there was once more a tiny wet spot and nothing else....and Bear's looks were growing darker and more accusatory.
On day three, we stopped for the night in Amarillo, pretty tired by now.
Once more we put out food, water and the litter box for Bear, who, by now was looking pretty ticked off, and most definitely had lost all sense of humor. In the morning there was the usual small wet spot....and Bear was looking rather large around the middle.
On day four, by mid-afternoon, we made it into Albuquerque and finally pulled up in front of our new home. My daughter opened the door of the van to get out and a streak of gray furry lightning shot past her and bounded out of sight before she could blink! It was as if Bear knew we'd come to the end of our journey....and he had reached the end of his patience! There was no point in trying to chase him...he was outta there!
**I want to add a little note here: living here in Ohio, we were used to grayish, gloomy skies most of the time; it's just how it is. During the trip, we hit some pretty bad weather, especially in Oklahoma and Texas....but, it was really amazing that the minute we hit the border of New Mexico, the rain stopped, the sun came out, the skies were the most beautiful shade of bright blue and the air was scented with the most wonderful fragrance...kind of sage/pine/thyme/wet sandy earth. It was a good omen; a "welcome to your new life". I felt such an immense sense of peace and happiness, such as I hadn't felt in way more years than I could count! We were home!
I will leave you here, until next time.
It is 7:01 pm on July 30, 2008.
In the small U-Haul trailer hooked to the back of the van my daughter was driving were our clothes, some household items, treasures that couldn't be replaced, some bedding, some small pieces of furniture, and not much else. I also had more things piled in my trunk and in my back seat. (We did take the bed for my 3 year old grandson...and I don't remember if we kept my daughter's bed or not..but I think we did....however, I had sold mine so I didn't have one. It was a gigantic canopied water bed with huge mirrors in the ceiling of the canopy (don't ask!) 4 drawers on each side of the base, tall, built-in shelves at the foot, and it would have been totally impractical to haul it. I did take a huge (about 4 1/2 ft tall) cactus that I had purchased here and had used as a Christmas tree, white mini-lights, Southwestern ornaments and all. (When we came back here in 1995 I bought a ficus tree that was about 5 feet tall and used that as a Christmas tree....I never was one for conventionality; the child ain't right! I still have that ficus...only it's now 8 feet tall!) How ironic that I bought that cactus here in OH where you wouldn't expect to find one that big, and I don't recall ever seeing one for sale like that in NM where you'd expect to find one! I loved that cactus and had it the whole time we lived in NM...and, once there, it got huge flowers on it every Summer...(I like to think of those blossoms as a "thank you" for bringing it back home to its natural habitat!) I sold it to a client in NM just before we came back here to the Midwest in 1995.
Also traveling in the van with my daughter and grandson, was our gray, long-haired cat named Bear...who didn't know he was a cat. He never used a litter box; (he went to the door and waited to be let out when he needed to go), he liked traveling in the car, and he acted more like a dog than a cat. My daughter made him a bed on the engine compartment that, in this type of van, was a high hump between the seats, so he could lie there and look out at the passing scenery. How many cats do you know that like to ride in a car? He wasn't in a crate, either.
We hit highway 70 west and the first day we made it to St. Louis, MO, somehow managing to stay together, before stopping for the night. We couldn't really travel too fast, obviously, but we weren't in any hurry anyway. It was a beautiful Fall day and we planned to enjoy our adventure.
We put out food and water in the motel room for Bear, and fashioned a litter box for him...we couldn't very well let him outside....but, not being a litter box type of cat, he would have nothing to do with it. We figured eventually he'd have to use it....right? He was too dignified to allow himself to potty in the house; he never had had any kind of accident the whole time we'd had him so we knew he wouldn't lose his dignity now.
The next morning we checked the litter box. There was a tiny little wet spot, but nothing else....and Bear was throwing mildly dirty looks our way.
On day two, after breakfast, we again hit the road, dropping down to highway 44, headed for Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we would then pick up US 40, which would take us into Amarillo, Texas, and then into Albuquerque. We figured we should make it in about 4 days or so, total.
We made it to Tulsa that evening and again stopped for the night. We were averaging a little over 350 miles each day. Again we put down food and water and the makeshift litter box for Bear. The next morning, there was once more a tiny wet spot and nothing else....and Bear's looks were growing darker and more accusatory.
On day three, we stopped for the night in Amarillo, pretty tired by now.
Once more we put out food, water and the litter box for Bear, who, by now was looking pretty ticked off, and most definitely had lost all sense of humor. In the morning there was the usual small wet spot....and Bear was looking rather large around the middle.
On day four, by mid-afternoon, we made it into Albuquerque and finally pulled up in front of our new home. My daughter opened the door of the van to get out and a streak of gray furry lightning shot past her and bounded out of sight before she could blink! It was as if Bear knew we'd come to the end of our journey....and he had reached the end of his patience! There was no point in trying to chase him...he was outta there!
**I want to add a little note here: living here in Ohio, we were used to grayish, gloomy skies most of the time; it's just how it is. During the trip, we hit some pretty bad weather, especially in Oklahoma and Texas....but, it was really amazing that the minute we hit the border of New Mexico, the rain stopped, the sun came out, the skies were the most beautiful shade of bright blue and the air was scented with the most wonderful fragrance...kind of sage/pine/thyme/wet sandy earth. It was a good omen; a "welcome to your new life". I felt such an immense sense of peace and happiness, such as I hadn't felt in way more years than I could count! We were home!
I will leave you here, until next time.
It is 7:01 pm on July 30, 2008.
Friday, July 25, 2008
NEW MEXICO
Hello, and welcome back!
I promised you a "trip" to New Mexico......ah...New Mexico; my soul place.
It started in 1987 with a trip there to see my beloved friend Marcie (the one I mentioned in my first post in this series, with whom I've been friends since kindergarten). Her daughter was getting married and, since I had a video and photography business at that time, Marcie asked me if I'd like to come out to visit, and photograph the wedding. I didn't need much convincing.
Long story short: I absolutely fell in love with the place! I mean, I felt like I was home; like I'd connected with something deep in my soul. (I once had a psychic tell me that I'd been an Indian chief in a past life, so maybe that's why the connection. :)
They don't call it "The Land of Enchantment" for nothing.
Anyway, I came back, reluctantly, to my home in the Midwest, feeling as if were leaving part of me behind in NM. But, I was engaged to be married (again) and I knew I had to come back....not to mention that my kids were here, even though they were grown..(the youngest was 18)...and all on their own.
However, I knew that I'd go back to NM someday and I "put it out there", even though I was unaware at the time of how powerful that was, or even that I had consciously done that.
Two years went by; it was July of 1989, and my marriage was over. It was pretty much my fault; I just wasn't into it....and I think part of the reason was that I wanted to be elsewhere: NM. I hadn't been able to get it out of my mind or heart.
During this two year period, my oldest daughter and my little three year old grandson came back to live with me, and we decided that she and my grandson would move to NM with me....after all, why not?
As soon as I knew my marriage was done, my daughter and I began to plan. Again, we didn't have much money. We were both working, of course, but still didn't have much. What I DID have was a goal, determination and a house full of stuff....and I've never been attached to stuff, so selling everything was no problem for me. I'm definitely not a "material girl"! Stuff, to me, is just money in the bank...there to sell if need be.
The first thing I did (because I may be crazy, but I'm not insane) was to secure a place to live. I could take a leap of faith as far as us being able to get jobs right away, but you don't go across country with a three year old child and not have, at the very least, a home to go to. I had one person I knew there, and that was my lifelong friend Marcie. I called her and told her what I wanted to do. Now, here's where The Secret came into play: Marcie just happened to know a woman who had a place for rent exactly in my price range....right in Albuquerque where I wanted to live! Marcie went to look at the place, called me and told me it was perfect and gave me this woman's phone number. I called her right away and made arrangements to rent the place sight unseen...(but, remember, Marcie saw it, and I trusted her judgment.) The landlady required first, last and security deposit equal to a month's rent.....so we had to come up with $2,100.00 right off the bat.
I never doubted that we would, and that it would be just fine.....and it was! We had huge yard sales, saved all our money and had the rent and deposit before we knew it, plus enough to rent a small U-Haul trailer (to carry the things we had to have to start over) that my daughter would pull behind her 1979 Ford Econoline van. I would be driving my 1978 VW Rabbit....both of which had high mileage.....talk about a leap of faith! (by the way, she didn't have that van when we first hatched our plan...it just came to be when we needed it!...and at the price we could afford.) And, of course, we had a modest amount of money that we'd have to live on once we arrived.
All of this happened within a period of two months......and, on the morning of September 8, 1989, (my 46th birthday), we said good-bye to loved ones and friends and pulled out, ready and eager for our new lives, full of hope, enthusiasm, and confidence!
Once again, it's time to end here until next time. I hope you will continue to come back and share the adventures yet to come! It was an exciting time and changed our lives forever!
It is 9:25 pm on July 25, 2008.
I promised you a "trip" to New Mexico......ah...New Mexico; my soul place.
It started in 1987 with a trip there to see my beloved friend Marcie (the one I mentioned in my first post in this series, with whom I've been friends since kindergarten). Her daughter was getting married and, since I had a video and photography business at that time, Marcie asked me if I'd like to come out to visit, and photograph the wedding. I didn't need much convincing.
Long story short: I absolutely fell in love with the place! I mean, I felt like I was home; like I'd connected with something deep in my soul. (I once had a psychic tell me that I'd been an Indian chief in a past life, so maybe that's why the connection. :)
They don't call it "The Land of Enchantment" for nothing.
Anyway, I came back, reluctantly, to my home in the Midwest, feeling as if were leaving part of me behind in NM. But, I was engaged to be married (again) and I knew I had to come back....not to mention that my kids were here, even though they were grown..(the youngest was 18)...and all on their own.
However, I knew that I'd go back to NM someday and I "put it out there", even though I was unaware at the time of how powerful that was, or even that I had consciously done that.
Two years went by; it was July of 1989, and my marriage was over. It was pretty much my fault; I just wasn't into it....and I think part of the reason was that I wanted to be elsewhere: NM. I hadn't been able to get it out of my mind or heart.
During this two year period, my oldest daughter and my little three year old grandson came back to live with me, and we decided that she and my grandson would move to NM with me....after all, why not?
As soon as I knew my marriage was done, my daughter and I began to plan. Again, we didn't have much money. We were both working, of course, but still didn't have much. What I DID have was a goal, determination and a house full of stuff....and I've never been attached to stuff, so selling everything was no problem for me. I'm definitely not a "material girl"! Stuff, to me, is just money in the bank...there to sell if need be.
The first thing I did (because I may be crazy, but I'm not insane) was to secure a place to live. I could take a leap of faith as far as us being able to get jobs right away, but you don't go across country with a three year old child and not have, at the very least, a home to go to. I had one person I knew there, and that was my lifelong friend Marcie. I called her and told her what I wanted to do. Now, here's where The Secret came into play: Marcie just happened to know a woman who had a place for rent exactly in my price range....right in Albuquerque where I wanted to live! Marcie went to look at the place, called me and told me it was perfect and gave me this woman's phone number. I called her right away and made arrangements to rent the place sight unseen...(but, remember, Marcie saw it, and I trusted her judgment.) The landlady required first, last and security deposit equal to a month's rent.....so we had to come up with $2,100.00 right off the bat.
I never doubted that we would, and that it would be just fine.....and it was! We had huge yard sales, saved all our money and had the rent and deposit before we knew it, plus enough to rent a small U-Haul trailer (to carry the things we had to have to start over) that my daughter would pull behind her 1979 Ford Econoline van. I would be driving my 1978 VW Rabbit....both of which had high mileage.....talk about a leap of faith! (by the way, she didn't have that van when we first hatched our plan...it just came to be when we needed it!...and at the price we could afford.) And, of course, we had a modest amount of money that we'd have to live on once we arrived.
All of this happened within a period of two months......and, on the morning of September 8, 1989, (my 46th birthday), we said good-bye to loved ones and friends and pulled out, ready and eager for our new lives, full of hope, enthusiasm, and confidence!
Once again, it's time to end here until next time. I hope you will continue to come back and share the adventures yet to come! It was an exciting time and changed our lives forever!
It is 9:25 pm on July 25, 2008.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Hello Again.
Continuing with "The Secret":
We were in Akron; Portage Lakes...when I left you. We'd just moved into our little house and things were clicking along.
One thing I want to talk about today is: Be careful what you wish for. It goes along with putting things out into the Universe, positive or negative.
Things were, of course, stressful, (as things will be when you are a single mother with three kids, working three jobs and in a continual state of exhaustion.)
One day, I was in my bedroom, feeling really down. It seemed at that time like everything was going wrong, and I was in the middle of a good pity party. Then, in a fit of frustration, I pounded my fists several times as hard as I could on my dresser, looked up Heavenward, and yelled to God: "Give me just two years, just TWO YEARS of peace, and calmness, and smoothness!! Just TWO YEARS where things go right and I'll never ask for anything else!!" I remember after this little fit, dropping down on my bed....and then suddenly feeling a sense of calm and peace come over me.....and, without giving it much more thought, I just went about my business.
(At that time, although I truly appreciated every good thing that had happened, I really was exhausted and wasn't thinking about the good things. I had never heard of The Secret then.)
About two weeks later, things started falling into place and everything started going smoothly and peacefully. After having to deal with so much stress for so long, I just couldn't believe it.....and by then I had forgotten my little tantrum so I didn't give things a whole lot of thought; I was just glad for the break I seemed to be getting.
By now you probably have guessed what I'm going to say next. For two years things went great. Oh, a little glitch here and there, but nothing major; nothing I couldn't deal with.........and then......at the end of the two years, everything turned upside down again and it seemed like nothing was going right, no matter what I did. (Don't let anyone ever tell you than God does not have a sense of humor because I'm here to tell you, He does!!) I was puzzled and upset....and then, I remembered what I had asked for......"Just two years, JUST TWO YEARS"...and that's exactly what I got!
Be careful what you wish for! When you put your thoughts out there, positive and negative, they become things and we need to recognize that fact.
That's all for today. Next time I will take you to the next major change in my life and when The Secret again came into play. We will go to New Mexico.
It is 8:20 pm on Sunday, July 19, 2008. Blog hits are 350. Still slow, but I haven't been concentrating like I should be lately. It's easy to lose focus sometimes.
Continuing with "The Secret":
We were in Akron; Portage Lakes...when I left you. We'd just moved into our little house and things were clicking along.
One thing I want to talk about today is: Be careful what you wish for. It goes along with putting things out into the Universe, positive or negative.
Things were, of course, stressful, (as things will be when you are a single mother with three kids, working three jobs and in a continual state of exhaustion.)
One day, I was in my bedroom, feeling really down. It seemed at that time like everything was going wrong, and I was in the middle of a good pity party. Then, in a fit of frustration, I pounded my fists several times as hard as I could on my dresser, looked up Heavenward, and yelled to God: "Give me just two years, just TWO YEARS of peace, and calmness, and smoothness!! Just TWO YEARS where things go right and I'll never ask for anything else!!" I remember after this little fit, dropping down on my bed....and then suddenly feeling a sense of calm and peace come over me.....and, without giving it much more thought, I just went about my business.
(At that time, although I truly appreciated every good thing that had happened, I really was exhausted and wasn't thinking about the good things. I had never heard of The Secret then.)
About two weeks later, things started falling into place and everything started going smoothly and peacefully. After having to deal with so much stress for so long, I just couldn't believe it.....and by then I had forgotten my little tantrum so I didn't give things a whole lot of thought; I was just glad for the break I seemed to be getting.
By now you probably have guessed what I'm going to say next. For two years things went great. Oh, a little glitch here and there, but nothing major; nothing I couldn't deal with.........and then......at the end of the two years, everything turned upside down again and it seemed like nothing was going right, no matter what I did. (Don't let anyone ever tell you than God does not have a sense of humor because I'm here to tell you, He does!!) I was puzzled and upset....and then, I remembered what I had asked for......"Just two years, JUST TWO YEARS"...and that's exactly what I got!
Be careful what you wish for! When you put your thoughts out there, positive and negative, they become things and we need to recognize that fact.
That's all for today. Next time I will take you to the next major change in my life and when The Secret again came into play. We will go to New Mexico.
It is 8:20 pm on Sunday, July 19, 2008. Blog hits are 350. Still slow, but I haven't been concentrating like I should be lately. It's easy to lose focus sometimes.
Monday, July 14, 2008
PORTAGE LAKES, (AKRON) THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
Hello again...thanks for coming back.
I left you the last time when we were coming to the end of our stay at my aunt and uncle's place in Akron, and knowing it was time to move out on our own.
I grew to love Portage Lakes, which is a suburb of Akron, and I often visited that area while living with my aunt and uncle and wished I could live there. It was kind of like taking a step back in time, and peaceful; the lakes there were so pretty.
One day my uncle (knowing I was ready to get a place of our own) asked me where I'd like to live. I immediately said "Portage Lakes, but I'm pretty sure we couldn't afford that area." He didn't say anything then, but about a week later, he came to me and told me that he had arranged for us to rent this little place right across the street from one of the lakes!
(Here's The Secret at work again!) I was dumbfounded. My uncle was a much-beloved doctor and had many, many friends of all walks of life who would do anything for him.....this house came about when he called in a favor....and the rent was within my budget!
It was just a little place and I loved it on sight! It was perfect. And it was ours. My son was back home with us by then.
As I'm looking around, I'm thinking, "Okay, now we have to get some furniture", and I'm confident that we will be able to; I'm picturing in my mind where some used furniture places were in Akron. Oh yeah, and then there's the car issue. As I told you, I was using one that belonged to my aunt and uncle, but I didn't expect that to last forever. However, I wasn't afraid; I knew it would be fine.
We didn't have much to move into the house...remember what we arrived with. Bringing in a load, I looked behind me when I heard the sound of a truck pulling into the driveway....and out jumped a couple of guys who opened the back of the truck and started unloading furniture....everything we needed! I just couldn't believe my eyes. Seems my uncle called in some more favors. I was told not to ask any questions..so I didn't. (I'm sure you've heard the old saying: "don't look a gift horse in the mouth.)
The guys brought in everything and set it all up, including the beds. There were even sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. I went to the grocery store and got us what we needed and by that evening we were all settled in, having dinner in our new home. It was Heaven!
I continued to use my borrowed car for a little while longer, but knew I had to find my own.....and, guess what? About a week after we moved into our place, the couple across the street mentioned that they wanted to sell their car. It was not a new car (who cares, it ran!) and he only wanted $200 for it. That I could do....and now we had a car.
Time went on. I needed another job in addition to the one I had as an executive secretary. (There was no child support from the kids' father and in those days there was little, if any, enforcement.) I got a second job as a waitress in a dinner theatre close to home. I worked from 8 to 5 at the first job, then rushed home, ate a very quick dinner with the kids, (thank God for Crock Pots!!) and rushed off to my second job at the dinner theatre where I worked from 6 to midnight. Later on, when two jobs weren't enough, I got a third, working at McDonald's part time on weekends. Somehow, in between all this, I managed to do things with the kids.
Still, it was a struggle. I had to ask for help from the state: they gave us $70 a month food stamps and an allotment of $70 a month for child care...which were both Godsends. (remember, this was in 1973-1974). It made all the difference in the world.
The kids needed clothes....the neighbor across the street (from whom I bought the car) had kids older than mine so she passed on her kids' outgrown..and still new-looking...clothes to mine.
Are you getting the picture? Have you read The Secret yet?
Well, it's time to say bye for today...but, I want to leave you with a word of encouragement: put positive thoughts out into the Universe; override the negative...and believe! Recognize when your thoughts become things! and appreciate them.
It's July 14, 2008. My blog hits are now 345.....slowly, but surely.
I left you the last time when we were coming to the end of our stay at my aunt and uncle's place in Akron, and knowing it was time to move out on our own.
I grew to love Portage Lakes, which is a suburb of Akron, and I often visited that area while living with my aunt and uncle and wished I could live there. It was kind of like taking a step back in time, and peaceful; the lakes there were so pretty.
One day my uncle (knowing I was ready to get a place of our own) asked me where I'd like to live. I immediately said "Portage Lakes, but I'm pretty sure we couldn't afford that area." He didn't say anything then, but about a week later, he came to me and told me that he had arranged for us to rent this little place right across the street from one of the lakes!
(Here's The Secret at work again!) I was dumbfounded. My uncle was a much-beloved doctor and had many, many friends of all walks of life who would do anything for him.....this house came about when he called in a favor....and the rent was within my budget!
It was just a little place and I loved it on sight! It was perfect. And it was ours. My son was back home with us by then.
As I'm looking around, I'm thinking, "Okay, now we have to get some furniture", and I'm confident that we will be able to; I'm picturing in my mind where some used furniture places were in Akron. Oh yeah, and then there's the car issue. As I told you, I was using one that belonged to my aunt and uncle, but I didn't expect that to last forever. However, I wasn't afraid; I knew it would be fine.
We didn't have much to move into the house...remember what we arrived with. Bringing in a load, I looked behind me when I heard the sound of a truck pulling into the driveway....and out jumped a couple of guys who opened the back of the truck and started unloading furniture....everything we needed! I just couldn't believe my eyes. Seems my uncle called in some more favors. I was told not to ask any questions..so I didn't. (I'm sure you've heard the old saying: "don't look a gift horse in the mouth.)
The guys brought in everything and set it all up, including the beds. There were even sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. I went to the grocery store and got us what we needed and by that evening we were all settled in, having dinner in our new home. It was Heaven!
I continued to use my borrowed car for a little while longer, but knew I had to find my own.....and, guess what? About a week after we moved into our place, the couple across the street mentioned that they wanted to sell their car. It was not a new car (who cares, it ran!) and he only wanted $200 for it. That I could do....and now we had a car.
Time went on. I needed another job in addition to the one I had as an executive secretary. (There was no child support from the kids' father and in those days there was little, if any, enforcement.) I got a second job as a waitress in a dinner theatre close to home. I worked from 8 to 5 at the first job, then rushed home, ate a very quick dinner with the kids, (thank God for Crock Pots!!) and rushed off to my second job at the dinner theatre where I worked from 6 to midnight. Later on, when two jobs weren't enough, I got a third, working at McDonald's part time on weekends. Somehow, in between all this, I managed to do things with the kids.
Still, it was a struggle. I had to ask for help from the state: they gave us $70 a month food stamps and an allotment of $70 a month for child care...which were both Godsends. (remember, this was in 1973-1974). It made all the difference in the world.
The kids needed clothes....the neighbor across the street (from whom I bought the car) had kids older than mine so she passed on her kids' outgrown..and still new-looking...clothes to mine.
Are you getting the picture? Have you read The Secret yet?
Well, it's time to say bye for today...but, I want to leave you with a word of encouragement: put positive thoughts out into the Universe; override the negative...and believe! Recognize when your thoughts become things! and appreciate them.
It's July 14, 2008. My blog hits are now 345.....slowly, but surely.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
AKRON, JUNE 1973
I left you in my last post with our arrival in Akron at the home of my aunt and uncle.....and at the beginning of our new lives.
I was scared...but, still confident.
When we walked into my aunt and uncle's home, I handed my aunt the last $64.00 I had...a very small contribution for what I knew was a huge sacrifice for them and for my 5 cousins. (In today's money, that was probably the equivalent of $200.) My uncle was a doctor and the home was large and lovely, in the country, and was a paradise for us especially, because we had come from severe financial struggles. However, I did NOT have the attitude that because they were well-off that they owed us anything! I want to make that very clear! I simply felt blessed that they were there when we needed them, and willing to allow us the grace of sharing their home with us. If not for them, I don't know what we would have done.....but, the Secret was at work, and there they were.
The second thing I did upon arriving was to ask for the newspaper so I could look through the help-wanted ads for a job. This wasn't a vacation; I didn't use any excuses like I was tired, or wanted to take a break before looking for work. No. It was serious business and I knew I had to get moving so that we could get out on our own as soon as possible.
I sat down with the paper and a pen and started circling ads. Then I started making calls and arranging interviews.
The next day, I had an interview with an insurance company for the position of executive secretary. I did not have any experience in this field....but, that didn't deter me; I knew I could do it. When I walked into the office for the interview, I was handed the application to fill out and I sat down to fill it out.....along with about 10 other young ladies, who probably had loads more experience than I did.
I passed the first interview, and was given a second where I had to type a letter as it was being dictated to me by the boss. Talk about intimidating! But, somehow I passed all the tests and got the job, and started immediately.
Now, of course, I needed a car....and, remember I told you in my last post what we arrived with, and a car wasn't one of those things!
Again, the Secret was working: my aunt and uncle had an extra one that they let me use.....so, off to work I went.
During our stay in my aunt and uncle's home, my 14 year old son, who was extremely angry with me for taking him away from his friends and All-Star baseball team in the state we'd left, was busy rebelling and making life difficult for everyone. He wasn't getting along with my cousins and was being disruptive. You don't go stay in someone else's home and then become a source of disruption to them....so, we had to find a solution.
My best friend, whom I mentioned in my first post in this series, stepped up and offered to take him in....her cheerful and kind attitude was, "I already have 5 kids, what's one more?" (Well, I KNOW what one more was! She didn't live in a mansion and she certainly wasn't wealthy; she worked as hard as I did just to try to make it, so I know what a sacrifice it was. Not to mention that my son wasn't the little ray of sunshine that would have made his addition to their family more pleasant!)
Three months went by and somehow everyone survived....but it was time for us to get out on our own.....and getting our own place and a car of my own became my intense immediate goal. (It had always been my goal, but, had I known then what I know now about the Secret, I would have been able to know the steps necessary to achieve that goal much sooner!)
Well, this is a good place to stop for today, but I'll be back soon. I hope all of you had a wonderfully fun and exciting Fourth of July......mine was great, and The Secret was at work!
It's now 12:26 pm my time on July 5, 2008. There are 341 hits on my blog. (remember, part of this experiment is to explode the hits on my blog!)
I was scared...but, still confident.
When we walked into my aunt and uncle's home, I handed my aunt the last $64.00 I had...a very small contribution for what I knew was a huge sacrifice for them and for my 5 cousins. (In today's money, that was probably the equivalent of $200.) My uncle was a doctor and the home was large and lovely, in the country, and was a paradise for us especially, because we had come from severe financial struggles. However, I did NOT have the attitude that because they were well-off that they owed us anything! I want to make that very clear! I simply felt blessed that they were there when we needed them, and willing to allow us the grace of sharing their home with us. If not for them, I don't know what we would have done.....but, the Secret was at work, and there they were.
The second thing I did upon arriving was to ask for the newspaper so I could look through the help-wanted ads for a job. This wasn't a vacation; I didn't use any excuses like I was tired, or wanted to take a break before looking for work. No. It was serious business and I knew I had to get moving so that we could get out on our own as soon as possible.
I sat down with the paper and a pen and started circling ads. Then I started making calls and arranging interviews.
The next day, I had an interview with an insurance company for the position of executive secretary. I did not have any experience in this field....but, that didn't deter me; I knew I could do it. When I walked into the office for the interview, I was handed the application to fill out and I sat down to fill it out.....along with about 10 other young ladies, who probably had loads more experience than I did.
I passed the first interview, and was given a second where I had to type a letter as it was being dictated to me by the boss. Talk about intimidating! But, somehow I passed all the tests and got the job, and started immediately.
Now, of course, I needed a car....and, remember I told you in my last post what we arrived with, and a car wasn't one of those things!
Again, the Secret was working: my aunt and uncle had an extra one that they let me use.....so, off to work I went.
During our stay in my aunt and uncle's home, my 14 year old son, who was extremely angry with me for taking him away from his friends and All-Star baseball team in the state we'd left, was busy rebelling and making life difficult for everyone. He wasn't getting along with my cousins and was being disruptive. You don't go stay in someone else's home and then become a source of disruption to them....so, we had to find a solution.
My best friend, whom I mentioned in my first post in this series, stepped up and offered to take him in....her cheerful and kind attitude was, "I already have 5 kids, what's one more?" (Well, I KNOW what one more was! She didn't live in a mansion and she certainly wasn't wealthy; she worked as hard as I did just to try to make it, so I know what a sacrifice it was. Not to mention that my son wasn't the little ray of sunshine that would have made his addition to their family more pleasant!)
Three months went by and somehow everyone survived....but it was time for us to get out on our own.....and getting our own place and a car of my own became my intense immediate goal. (It had always been my goal, but, had I known then what I know now about the Secret, I would have been able to know the steps necessary to achieve that goal much sooner!)
Well, this is a good place to stop for today, but I'll be back soon. I hope all of you had a wonderfully fun and exciting Fourth of July......mine was great, and The Secret was at work!
It's now 12:26 pm my time on July 5, 2008. There are 341 hits on my blog. (remember, part of this experiment is to explode the hits on my blog!)
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