2021 January FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
Happy New Year!!! I truly hope this year will be so much better
than last. I know I’m not alone with my
hope. However, for every blessing,
whether it’s little or big, we need to say, “Thank you” and maybe write it down
to read and reflect on at the end of this year.
I read where the
body knows what the mind thinks. I know
this to be true. It was a difficult day,
and I was getting more frustrated as it progressed. I didn’t seem to have time to do what was
needed to be done. As the spilled syrup
spread over the counter, I thought, “Oh crap!”
The body responded to the thought giving me only seconds to run to the
bathroom where I did.
The best theology
is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26
Nov 1922-2000) That’s a lot easier to say than do. Some people are really difficult to like, let
alone love. But, as I have learned
through experience and studying psychology, to love someone is not as difficult
as to like them. The Bible says to love
one another; it doesn’t mention a thing about liking. So, I’ll go on loving others, but choose who
I like AND love. I hear some murmurs of
agreement. You’re welcome.
I approached the
little house with the front porch holding 4 rocking chairs. It was a bit too cold to sit and chat out
there, so I knocked on the door. “Well,
looky here! It’s you coming for a
visit. Come on in, chile,” invited the
sweet, wise lady. “How are you on this
fine January day?” she asked. “I’m doing
fine and really glad last year is behind me.
Gosh, Aint Daisy, it surely was a difficult one all along the way. I’m thankful I made it though. I know the Bible say to be thankful for the
trials and tribulations, but it got a bit difficult at times.” She listened intently. I could tell she was thinking and remembering
her blessings, trials, and tribulations of last year. It was as though the Rolodex was turning in
her mind. “Ya know, chile, I’ve lived a
long time, had lots of blessings, and had lots of tribulations. I’ve walked a lot of “paths” and on each one
there were “holes” with water of one size or another. Every
path has a few puddles. You can either
go through ‘em, around ‘em, or over ‘em, and the dry spots will be welcomed
more. Well, that is unless you’re a
child---------then, you jump smack dab in the middle splashing the water and
laugh.”
In the surrounding neighborhoods, there
have been some “kids will be kids” attitudes at the pranks and inconsiderate actions
of some of the youth in the area. I’ve
dealt with kids for over 60 years; of course, part of that I was a kid,
too. I have/had taught all levels of school for
over 30 years. I have seen a drastic change in parenting strongly leaning to
the school to do it and a lackadaisical attitude toward discipline of those who
are parents. I do not believe in "kids will be kids" or "let
kids be kids" philosophy. Mistakes made in childhood can be a directional
tool for a responsible parent to teach what is accepted in the majority of
society. I, also, strongly believe in "treat others the way you'd like to
be treated" and practice it, as well as, practiced it when I was teaching.
Respect NEVER goes out of style and neither does responsibility for your actions
and words. I told mine as they were
growing up, “You’re mine and have my name, so you’d better act and talk as
though I’ll find out about your behavior and statements. Do not embarrass me or I will do so to you in
turn. Your job is to make me prouder of
you than I already am.”
My friend, Shelli
Lillian, was fixing breakfast. Little Miss Hazel was in the kitchen, too.
She spied some brownies. Here is the conversation: Hazel: What's this Lily? Me: A
brownie Hazel: Can I have it?
Me:
No brownie until after breakfast (the brownie is about the size of an
adult palm, and I was currently cooking bacon and eggs). And, you're definitely not getting the whole
thing. That's for damn sure! Hazel in a whiny voice: "Who is 'Damnshur'?"
I’ve read so many
statements of, “I don’t give a sh**” that it causes concern about chronic
constipation for those people.
FRIEND, FIEND, FRIED all different, but one letter added or omitted changes the definition and word. Interesting.
Here are some little tips: *Opportunities always look bigger going than
coming. *Whatever hits the fan will not
be evenly distributed. *Never be too
open-minded; your brains may fall out. *Learn
from the mistakes of others. You can’t
live long enough to make them all yourself, and besides, being greedy is one of
the 7 deadly sins.
Memories are
happenings of the past that, if you choose, can bring to the present and live
all over again. I find this to be true
as I’ve done it when I am missing a loved one or a friend, or I’m feeling
nostalgic. Sometimes an odor/fragrance
or a sound or sight of something will bring back a memory; and there I am,
again.
I had someone
tell me recently, “Oh what a rotten day it’s been so far, and it’s just
started!!” I felt their pain as I have
had those moments and exact thoughts. I
looked at her, smiled, and said, “You awakened, sweetie. That’s a blessing; and there are those who
are glad you did. I am one of
them.”
Prefixes (before)
and Suffixes (after) can help you understand the meaning of a word. Here are a few which can get you
started: miso- (hate), poly- (many),
audio- (sound), deont- (obligation), silvi- (wood), and -cainea (new), -gyny (woman), -phile (love), -logy (study), -colous
(inhabiting).
My sweet
daughter-in-law gave me a very unique gift for Christmas---a memory book which
is printed by a company the next year after you have answered questions which
jog your memory about you and your “adventures” or other happenings. It is bound and given as a gift from you to
your children and grandchildren. Here is
one of my entries answering the question, “Where did you go on vacations as a
child?” Usually vacations were spent with my cousins, Sharon and Craig. They
lived in Illinois. It was always an anticipated fun time which produced many
adventures and laughter. I was the cautious one, but Sharon had adventure
galore. One time she and I went to a dumpster and found some pretty flowers. We
chose the best ones and went around the neighborhood selling them. We made a
little money and used it to buy penny candy at the local store. Little did we
know the flowers were thrown away from the recent funeral of a person in town.
One lady even commented, “These look familiar.”
I used to be against gun
control. A while back, I mentioned that
to a grizzled, old feller one day who was talking about his guns. He was surprised to hear a woman say they
were against gun control, so he asked me “Why?”
I told him I had 10 children---birth control hadn’t worked, so how could
anyone think gun control would? I don’t
have 10 children, but I wanted to make my point. Another time, I had someone ask me how many
children I had. I told them, “6.” Then they asked me their ages. I told them, “64, 35, 33, 30, 11, and
8.” Sixty-four!?!” they exclaimed and
questioned. I said, “Yes, I count my
husband. Some men just never grow up.”
Now that most of us are in “snow
time” and have dealt with too much to make us happy, haven’t you ever wondered
how the guy who drives the snow plow gets to work ,to get out the snow plow, that
goes down the road ways, to clear the road, for others to get to work? I figure they just sleep at the snow plow
barn from November to April.
There have been a few students go
through my life whose mentality is somewhere between the intelligence of dead
skin cells and pond scum. This one
particular boy became angry with me at the assignment I’d given. He tried to get me to argue with him, which I
didn’t. (You don’t bait the trap with soap and expect the mouse to bite.) He became so angry he yelled, “You dumb
bitch!”---Yes, some have been known to spew forth their entire vocabulary. I gave him a pass to the dean’s office and
told him it would be in his best interest to stay there. Then, I went immediately to the principal’s
office to tell him what had transpired.
When I told him the happenings, I included, “Dustin, also, called me a
dumb bitch.” He came out of his chair.
He was incensed and started to go to the dean’s office. As he passed me, he asked, “Is there anything
else I need to know, Trudy?” I said,
“Yes, there is---for the record, I’m not dumb!”
As always, Trudy J
