2017 October FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
I met Brenduhh’s brother, Duhhlan. He’s a lot like her, looks a lot like her,
and OMG he even thinks like her. I asked
him what he liked to do best. He told
me, “I like to go fishin’ with my buddy, Charlie. We was a-fishin’ on Big Quarry Lake and dock
a spell back. Lordy, we caught so many
fish the bucket was about to run over with them. It was gettin’ dark so we had to go. Charlie told me to remember where we were so
we could go out the next day. We
returned the boat and headed home. He
asked me if I’d remembered the spot where we were. I told him, “Yeppers, I sure did. I put an X in the bottom of the boat with the
duct tape we had while you were rowin’ it to the dock.” “He told me, ‘Good, buddy. I hope we get the same boat tomorrow.’” My eyeballs could not go far enough up and
roll in my head. I turned around so he
couldn’t see my expression.
What a child
doesn't receive he can seldom later give. -P.D. James, novelist (3 Aug
1920-2014)
A friend of mine was pretty upset with someone. She told me, “I didn’t mince words with
them. I just told them, ‘I'm not saying
I hate you, I'm just saying that you're literally the Monday of my life!’” This was the best “tell-you-off” I’ve heard
for a long time. Thanks, Becca, for the
laughs.
A friend of my daughter’s was confused about my adult son’s
age for his birthday. She and he
celebrate a birthday on the same day. He
turned 43 and she turned 45. I was
telling her my daughter, her friend, would be 46 in September. She said, “I’m 45 today. I just thought your son was 40. My math memory has been gone for a long
time.” I replied, “We're
here to help!! Math was sort of a good subject for me....that is the simple,
basic math. Forget the Algebra, Geometry, Trig, and Calculus. Mixing letters
and numbers is from the Devil, and I'm a Godly girl.”
“Silence isn’t empty, it’s full of
answers.” (unknown) Yes, it is. It can be the most formidable, or
thought provoking, or uneasy feeling producing, or dangerous response. It can be deafening.
I have a daily devotional, thought
encouraging book I read. It was given to
me by a blessing….a dear friend. The
passage I read one day was, “A Number-Ten Friend”. It talked about being a friend and gave a
list of 12 actions to drive friends away and 12 actions to keep friends and
make more. The 12 positive actions
are: “Believe the best.; Respect and set
boundaries.; Express humor to release joy.; Applaud successes.; Maintain good
manners.; Draw a generous friendship circle.; Give without expectations.;
Praise genuinely, but don’t gush.; Support her frailty, but don’t indulge.;
Protect private information.; Pray fervently.; Love Jesus passionately.” (Patsy Clairmont) At the beginning of the reading was a Bible
verse to think about…”A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17 I believe a friend is a gift of love you give
yourself.
Instead of cursing the fall down the steps
or a TAFL (trip and floor landing), be grateful you’re still alive. I’ve had a tumble and hit the floor a few
times. It was then I thought of all the
things I could do while down there and the memories of what I’d done (by
choice) on the floor when I was a kid…..jacks, put a puzzle together, played
with pets, cut out material for something, read a book or comic book, or just
lay there and dreamed about the future.
I don’t get on the floor anymore----unless it is by accident. The adventures aren’t what they used to be
when I was a kid.
I saw this sign and truly believe it. “Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy
cows. Cows make milk and cream, and milk
and cream make ice cream, and ice cream makes you happy.” So, y’all, money can buy happiness. Here are other things which money can buy
which will make you happy: cars, houses,
jewels, furs, chocolate, coffee, and a swimming pool with a cover over it so
you don’t get burned.
A piece written by a columnist I read often,
told of a child who had written to him about being afraid of the first day of
school. He was going into
kindergarten. The kind columnist replied
telling of his experiences of being “a ‘fraidy cat” on his first day of school
and other “firsts” fears he’d experienced.
The composition and reply got me to thinking. We all have fears, ‘fraidy cat moments. Then, later in hours, days, or years we look
back and smile or laugh. Sometimes
another tells us, “You were so brave.
Where did you get the courage?”
My Daddy told me, “Courage is when only you know you’re a scared,
‘fraidy cat.”
Cap'n Crunch's full name is Horatio Magellan Crunch
and the number of stripes on his uniform indicate a rank of Commander, not
Captain.
I live with grief every day of my life….about my parents’
passing (’97 and ’01) and my husband’s whom I refer to as “my Beloved” (’11). All three enjoyed lemon pie. I didn’t care
that much for lemon pie; cherry had always been my favorite. On their birthdays
I eat a piece of lemon pie to celebrate their living. Each of their deaths
threw a bitter lemon into my life. As the saying goes, “When life throws you
lemons, make lemonade”---in my case, it’s lemon pie.
Without someone believing in us, we won’t be as good as we
can be; we won’t have the strong drive and hope of becoming better or the best.
Sometimes that someone believing in you is yourself. I have met many people in my life… people
from all walks of life, from all economic levels, and from all educational
levels. Each one has given me another jewel in my crown of life. Each one has
given me riches which I can’t hold in my hand, but held in the best place……my
heart and memory. You give this to others when you interact with others in a
positive way. You are a treasure, a precious jewel in others’ crowns of life.
I know people who are suffering from various
maladies/diseases which are hidden. I
ache for them and keep them in my prayers.
My Daddy had COPD and had to have a handicapped tag on his rear view
mirror to park in a handicapped place. A
man accused him of not being handicapped.
Daddy, the gentleman he was, told the man to call his doctor to verify
his right to park where he did. He gave
the man his doctor’s phone number and walked into the store. To some people, if
they can't see the malady, it isn't important or really exists. Stupidity can't
be seen, but the results of that condition can be. Just remember that.
British accents are social class
signifiers evidently. I read that the
Birmingham accent (like Ozzie Osbourne has) is perceived as the least
intelligent British accent—it's ranked lower than being silent.
"Be kind to others; you never know what demons they are
fighting. The true character of a person
is measured by the way they treat another knowing there is nothing in it for
them. Do not judge another until you
have walked a mile in their shoes."
These are all platitudes which, in essence, represent a statement from
the Bible, "Treat others the way you'd like to be treated." My sweet and wise mother used to tell me,
"In thought, word, and deed it is your conscience you will
feed." I find myself telling that
to my children, too.
“Don’t be impressed by money, followers, degrees, and
titles. Be impressed by kindness,
integrity, humility, and generosity.”
The first four come from money or influencing another. The last four come from the heart and soul.
I taught English. I refused to
teach diagramming sentences because it is not necessary to know in life after
high school or at any time, for that matter. I have yet to balance my
checkbook, cook a nutritious meal, do laundry, clean the house, transport kids
to and from activities, take care of physical and emotional wounds, or help
with their homework........UNTIL one brought home diagramming sentences. I
wrote the teacher a note in French asking her where diagramming sentences was
necessary to learn to live. She wrote back she didn't understand the language
I'd written. I returned the note telling her it was more important to know
French than to know how to diagram a sentence, and that I was a high school
English teacher and had been the captain of the debate team in high school and
college. No rebuttal; I guess she learned it was
futile to argue.
