🎅 2023 December FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

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As I approached the front door of the cozy, little house, I saw a familiar face sitting on the flowered, over-stuffed couch.  She appeared to be distressed and had tissues crumpled in her hand.  Aint Daisy sat in her rocking chair intently listening.  I hesitated to knock, but Aint Daisy saw me and motioned for me to come in.  “Come on in here, chile.  I’m sure Sara Jo won’t mind you a-bein’ here.  She’s got a triffle right now and is sharin’ it with me.  Meh-be ye can give a bit more advice than I can.”  I sat down on the red chair across from both of them.  Sara Jo faintly smiled and continued her conversation.  “I just can’t forget all they did to me and the hurtful words they said.  I feel shattered.  I know I’m supposed to forgive them, but I just can’t forget,” she sobbed.  Aint Daisy took her hand and asked, “When ye remember the happenin’ ‘n words, you’re a-thinkin’ you should fergive it all, but it seems kinda silly to try ‘n fergive when yer still hurt ‘n angry.  Right?”  Sara Jo replied, “I don’t know.  I’m still caught up in the hurt and I’m mad.”  Aint Daisy rocked a bit, squinted her right eye and nodded her head.   “Whall, fergivin’ doesn’t mean you should ferget it ever happened.  It means yer fergivin’ the person, but ye aint a-fergettin’ what happened or what was said.  If’n ye ferget the happenin’ and the words, then yer fergettin’ the warning’ and lesson that was taught t’ ye.  Now, ye need to not be angry when yer forgivin’ a-cause forgivn’s about puttin’ the happenin’ and words away and not a-bein’ angry when ye do it or think about it from time t’ time.  Ain’t that right, chile?”  “Aint Daisy, I could not add anymore to what you’ve said.  You’ve given more wisdom to us, again, and we thank you.  You are our Lady of the Holler,” I said with a smile.

Brenduhh came over with a question.  “Trute, I’ve been reading some entries on my chatting site and people don’t use words; they use capital letters.  I understand some of them, but others I don’t.  Do you know what IDK means?”  “Yes, I do,” I said.  “O.k. what is it?” she asked.  “I don’t know,” I said.  “You just told me you knew!!  Make up your mind.  Yeesh,” she snarled.  “Yes, I know that IDK is ‘I don’t know’,” I responded.  “There you go again!!!  Now I’m totally confused and you don’t make any sense.  Good-bye for now,” she said as she left.  I don’t think she’d understand Abbott and Costello’s WHO’S ON FIRST, either.

My friend, Theresa Marie, told me, “Trudy, I’m trying so hard not to act like I feel.”  I told her, “Oh honey, I know all about that.  Today, at this time, I feel GREAT----but take the E-A-T out of the word.”  She laughed and told me, “That one statement from you made me feel a bit better.”  Laughter is medicinal, y’all.

One year over Christmas break, my beloved hubby gave a short assignment in the geography classes he taught to be written about where the student was and to describe the geographical surroundings.  It was due the day the students returned.  Two weeks later the students returned and the assignment was collected.  One student told him, “I don’t have mine.  I had it and had written it on the beach in Florida when a wave came up and took it out to sea.  Could you give me another day to write it?”  My husband told the student he was sorry that happened, but it was due that day.  The student whined and whimpered stating they weren’t going to get a grade for it.  My husband, with the quick, droll wit he had, told the student they would get a grade and it could be found on the beach where the student had sat.  Thus, the student was to look for it when they returned to that spot.

 I’ve seen some amusing and punny headlines.  Here are a few:  “Skiing Season Opens in Iran”; “Toilet-seat Firms Sit Down and Talk”; “Postal Service seeking ways to deliver mail more slowly” with this headline following the next day---“Overnight, second-day mail will be delivered a day later”; “Mortuary adds drive-through”; “Hemorrhoids inspire respectful hindsight”; “Studies indicate fat intake affects obesity”; “Envelope company envelops more land for enlarging company”; “Toilet paper company on a roll for production”. 

A while ago, I posted, on Facebook, something I believe in and try to do each day.  It said, “Today will never come again.  Be a blessing; be a friend; say words to encourage, comfort, heal, not wound.  Give some one a smile; it may be the only one they get all day.”  There were comments.  One person stated they “always try, but it’s hard sometimes when you never get anything in return.”  I told them, “The feeling of satisfaction you’ve made, a moment of positive to another and yourself, is really all you need.  Any of the actions mentioned shown to another may not produce a response, but you planted a seed.  The farmer plants a seed; other elements and actions help it to grow.  The farmer did his job and saw the results of planting the seed.”

Brenduhh called me and asked what works to clean a dirty oven.  I told her, “Baking soda works.”  She thanked me and went on to clean her oven.  I got another call about 2 hours later, only this time she was hysterical.  “Come over here right now!!!  I want you to see my oven!!”  I ran over, well…..I walked fast.  As I entered her house, she was yelling.  I went to the kitchen which looked like a brown bomb had gone off on the stove.  “What in the world happened, kiddo?”  I asked.  “Well, I did what you told me that baking soda would clean my oven.  So, I took a liter bottle of Coke, put it in the oven, and set the temperature for 375.  In about 20 minutes the bottle exploded and this is what is the results!!!!”  I felt so sorry for her and offered to help her clean up the mess.  “This is the last time I’m asking YOU for advice on cleaning products,” she snarled.  Guess who was a bit relieved.

I read a new law has been passed in Illinois.  It is now ILLEGAL to have your dog ride in your lap when you are driving.  It’s about time.  I’ve wondered how safe driving ensued when the dog was in the lap of the driver.  I saw a Doberman sitting on the driver’s lap one time.  “Right hand turn, Clyde,” came to mind.

English is difficult.  It can be understood, though, through tough, thorough thought.

Have you ever told God what you’ll never do?  Well, I did.  He had me never-ing like I’d never ever never-ed before.  Ya just don’t tell Him what you won’t do.  He has His ways of convincing you to do what you thought you’d never do.

Do you remember the YEP YEP muppets on Sesame Street?  I do, and every time I say, “Yep” the mental visual and auditory memory of them pops up in my mind.  Then, there is the “1-2-3 Ladybug picnic” song.  It’s only 58 seconds, but a very catchy tune and a smiley one at that.  Yep, it’s stuck in your head, now, isn’t it?  You’re welcome.  Then there’s “Baby Shark” or “The Macarena”.  O.K.  I’ll stop.

If you are over 50 and reading this, you might have noticed that as you’ve “matured” (I don’t like the word “old” unless it’s referring to antiques) drama and toxicity stop looking like excitement with adventure, and a peaceful, easy feeling stops looking like boredom. 

A friend of mine came over all excited about her new exercise routine.  I politely told her I have my own every morning.  It consists of:  getting my foot and leg through my unders’ and pants’ holes and not fall over; bending my arms backwards to fasten my bra without getting a cramp somewhere; bending over to get the “girls” in place without my back going out; putting my socks on each foot as I try to bend my leg to get my foot up to rest on the opposite knee and then, when successful, straightening out each leg; afterwards, and then---let’s talk about standing up.

The Christmas tree; have you ever thought about its shape in relationship to the meaning of this celebration?  It is triangularly shaped, with usually a star at the top.  Each point represents the trinity:  Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  We decorate it to draw attention to it---really subconsciously drawing attention to the trinity.  The lights light the way, just as the trinity lights our way to Heaven.  Have you ever noticed how your eyes travel from the bottom to the top as you gaze at the beauty of your tree?  Don’t your eyes travel up when you are talking to The Master in Heaven?

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa, y’all.