Oh, help!!My sixteen year old daughter has her permit to drive. We went driving for the first time yesterday. On our way to the marina park to pick up her sister she had to bear left, go downhill and make a sharp turn all at the same time. When she did it, she said with a sigh, “That was the scariest thing I ever had to do!!” Me, too!!!!!
I don’t know what it is about girls and driving. I have taught three sons and several of their friends to drive. It didn’t bother me. I actually thought it was fun. Do boys get driving quicker? Or do they just act like they do which instills a little more confidence in the accompanying adult?
Maybe it’s just a mother/daughter kind of thing but I have a lot harder time with teaching my girls to drive. I tried for a day to teach my oldest daughter to drive a stick shift. I quit! My husband took over and did just fine.
So far, she has forgotten to put the car in park before turning it off. She forgot to take it out of park to go ahead. She failed to stop and look both ways before pulling out into a road. She has driven on the left side of the road. She panicked when I was giving her instructions she didn’t understand and let the car just wander into the intersection. This was all in the first hour!
She keeps saying, “Oops.” Really?... Oops?.....I think that I better stock up on hair coloring. I’m pretty sure I’ll need it when this time around is over. Does the government give any kind of valor medals for this? They should.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Here we go again!
Oh, help!!My sixteen year old daughter has her permit to drive. We went driving for the first time yesterday. On our way to the marina park to pick up her sister she had to bear left, go downhill and make a sharp turn all at the same time. When she did it, she said with a sigh, “That was the scariest thing I ever had to do!!” Me, too!!!!!
I don’t know what it is about girls and driving. I have taught three sons and several of their friends to drive. It didn’t bother me. I actually thought it was fun. Do boys get driving quicker? Or do they just act like they do which instills a little more confidence in the accompanying adult?
Maybe it’s just a mother/daughter kind of thing but I have a lot harder time with teaching my girls to drive. I tried for a day to teach my oldest daughter to drive a stick shift. I quit! My husband took over and did just fine.
So far, she has forgotten to put the car in park before turning it off. She forgot to take it out of park to go ahead. She failed to stop and look both ways before pulling out into a road. She has driven on the left side of the road. She panicked when I was giving her instructions she didn’t understand and let the car just wander into the intersection. This was all in the first hour!
She keeps saying, “Oops.” Really?... Oops?.....I think that I better stock up on hair coloring. I’m pretty sure I’ll need it when this time around is over. Does the government give any kind of valor medals for this? They should.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
I don’t know what it is about girls and driving. I have taught three sons and several of their friends to drive. It didn’t bother me. I actually thought it was fun. Do boys get driving quicker? Or do they just act like they do which instills a little more confidence in the accompanying adult?
Maybe it’s just a mother/daughter kind of thing but I have a lot harder time with teaching my girls to drive. I tried for a day to teach my oldest daughter to drive a stick shift. I quit! My husband took over and did just fine.
So far, she has forgotten to put the car in park before turning it off. She forgot to take it out of park to go ahead. She failed to stop and look both ways before pulling out into a road. She has driven on the left side of the road. She panicked when I was giving her instructions she didn’t understand and let the car just wander into the intersection. This was all in the first hour!
She keeps saying, “Oops.” Really?... Oops?.....I think that I better stock up on hair coloring. I’m pretty sure I’ll need it when this time around is over. Does the government give any kind of valor medals for this? They should.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Monday, June 27, 2011
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
We adopted two small dogs last week. Their owner had been ill for quite awhile. She was unable to do much but keep them in their cage and take them out to potty several times a day. She loves them dearly. Letting them go hurt her but she knew it was for the best. They were accompanied by a lengthy, detailed letter describing schedule, habits and personality traits. This was great except for one thing- life here on our little farm is very different from what they have been used to. They are different dogs now!
Basically, they had few “social” skills. The first 24 hours they humped each other incessantly! It was driving us crazy! So was the non-stop barking. A friend suggested that being cooped in the kennel led to the humping. Nothing better to do was her thought. She also reminded us to be patient while the dogs’ brains rewired. She was right. Both behaviors have greatly lessened as we have worked with them.
In one week, they have learned to go to the door when they want out or in. They sleep on the couch at night instead of their kennel. They used to be fed in separate dishes to avoid conflict. They now share a dish with two other dogs and some cats. They are learning to play, to obey and to get along.
This past weekend, my husband and I sat through sixteen hours of a class preparing us to become foster parents. As we discussed case histories, childhood trauma, trust issues, etc., I continually thought of Stu and Mo. Children are a little more complex than dogs but the same principles apply. Patience, kindness, firm boundaries, lots of praise, cookies, timeouts and clear consistent rules can work miracles in an animal’s life. Can’t those same miracles be brought about in a child’s life?
Each time we bring new animals home, I am amazed at how quickly they adjust to new environments. I believe that people and animals can make incredible progress when the atmosphere is right. My own life attributes to that. My husband and I have both made many changes since we married five years ago.
So, the next time someone says, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, I’ll reply, “oh, yeah?!” Maybe I’ll even bark a few times.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Basically, they had few “social” skills. The first 24 hours they humped each other incessantly! It was driving us crazy! So was the non-stop barking. A friend suggested that being cooped in the kennel led to the humping. Nothing better to do was her thought. She also reminded us to be patient while the dogs’ brains rewired. She was right. Both behaviors have greatly lessened as we have worked with them.
In one week, they have learned to go to the door when they want out or in. They sleep on the couch at night instead of their kennel. They used to be fed in separate dishes to avoid conflict. They now share a dish with two other dogs and some cats. They are learning to play, to obey and to get along.
This past weekend, my husband and I sat through sixteen hours of a class preparing us to become foster parents. As we discussed case histories, childhood trauma, trust issues, etc., I continually thought of Stu and Mo. Children are a little more complex than dogs but the same principles apply. Patience, kindness, firm boundaries, lots of praise, cookies, timeouts and clear consistent rules can work miracles in an animal’s life. Can’t those same miracles be brought about in a child’s life?
Each time we bring new animals home, I am amazed at how quickly they adjust to new environments. I believe that people and animals can make incredible progress when the atmosphere is right. My own life attributes to that. My husband and I have both made many changes since we married five years ago.
So, the next time someone says, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, I’ll reply, “oh, yeah?!” Maybe I’ll even bark a few times.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Friday, June 24, 2011
It takes a village....
Long, long ago in a galaxy far away from ours, people knew that “it took a village to raise a child”. It was a time when people looked out for one another, especially when it came to helping. Someone usually had your back.
I’d like to tell you a story about our village raising a child. There is a single mom in our town with three beautiful daughters. They moved to this area the same year we did. This mom loves her girls very much and has tried to teach them good values. It has not been easy for her to raise them. As with many single moms, her income is very small. She is unable to drive so her choices are limited. And she has struggled for years with a drug addiction.
The girls were between the ages of six and ten when they first arrived. Two are still in high school- one graduated last year and goes to a local college. They are smart, caring, compassionate girls. They have all participated in sports and other school activities. They love their mother.
I saw the oldest the other day working for our local parks and recreation department. The sight of her giving back to the community brought tears to my eyes. I know so well what she and her sisters could have turned into but this town would not let that happen.
Sport participation through the years has been paid for by local citizens. The beginning of each school year has seen someone taking them school shopping. Bags of clothes have been dropped at their door numerous times. Phones have been provided, food donated, rides given and safe homes made available as needed.
Others have gone to games to cheer them on, checked on report cards, and offered shoulders to cry on. They have been included family vacations and other outings. The girls have always been grateful and appreciative but I’m not sure they will truly understand what amazing things have happened until they are much older.
They struggle sometimes with the residue of such a life. They may always have scars but I hope that the day will come when they will remember the “village that raised” them. I pray they will have an understanding of how much love has been sent their way. Those inevitable days will come when they question their self-worth and their mother’s inability to choose their well being over her next fix. I think that at those times if they will hold tight to the love of all the other mothers they have known maybe it will be enough.
And I know that crowns of glory await all those mother hens who gathered the strays to their bosoms. I wish more of us could follow their example. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
I’d like to tell you a story about our village raising a child. There is a single mom in our town with three beautiful daughters. They moved to this area the same year we did. This mom loves her girls very much and has tried to teach them good values. It has not been easy for her to raise them. As with many single moms, her income is very small. She is unable to drive so her choices are limited. And she has struggled for years with a drug addiction.
The girls were between the ages of six and ten when they first arrived. Two are still in high school- one graduated last year and goes to a local college. They are smart, caring, compassionate girls. They have all participated in sports and other school activities. They love their mother.
I saw the oldest the other day working for our local parks and recreation department. The sight of her giving back to the community brought tears to my eyes. I know so well what she and her sisters could have turned into but this town would not let that happen.
Sport participation through the years has been paid for by local citizens. The beginning of each school year has seen someone taking them school shopping. Bags of clothes have been dropped at their door numerous times. Phones have been provided, food donated, rides given and safe homes made available as needed.
Others have gone to games to cheer them on, checked on report cards, and offered shoulders to cry on. They have been included family vacations and other outings. The girls have always been grateful and appreciative but I’m not sure they will truly understand what amazing things have happened until they are much older.
They struggle sometimes with the residue of such a life. They may always have scars but I hope that the day will come when they will remember the “village that raised” them. I pray they will have an understanding of how much love has been sent their way. Those inevitable days will come when they question their self-worth and their mother’s inability to choose their well being over her next fix. I think that at those times if they will hold tight to the love of all the other mothers they have known maybe it will be enough.
And I know that crowns of glory await all those mother hens who gathered the strays to their bosoms. I wish more of us could follow their example. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
SNAFU
I am in the middle of a snafu concerning our health insurance coverage. While trying to get to the bottom of things, I have discovered several other snafus. Actually, it’s a chain of people dropping the ball. The problem is I’m the person all the balls landed on and nobody wants to pick any of them back up!
Apparently, our insurance has a “six month” pre-existing condition wait. So for the first six months of our coverage, my fibromyalgia was not covered. Problem #1- employees do not get this information unless they ask for it. And we don’t know to ask for the info unless a problem arises. Even our local HR department did not know about this clause.
Since we did not know this, my doctor who was waiting for the insurance to kick in sent me to a specialist. The person who normally did these referrals and would have checked with our insurance company before doing so, was on maternity leave. The person filling in didn’t bother to check-problem#2.
Problem #3- the specialists’ office did call the insurance company before I started going there. That person was told that I was not covered. She was told that it would be better to postpone the appointment. She was given the date coverage started. But she did not pass this info along to me or to any other staff. I only know because the insurance company keeps good phone records. I have happily been paying my co-pay as requested with each visit.
And now, I owe over $2000. It has taken me a whole week and literally 30 phone calls to piece this puzzle together. I had to call multiple times because I didn’t know some of the right questions to ask until I received another puzzle piece from someone else.
I am trying to hold each person in the chain accountable for their part. They, however, have different ideas. So I’m getting the phone records from the insurance company to prove that that doctor’s office knew. I’m sharing that information with the lab that office used. I’m taking on the HR department of the huge corporation of Con-Agra to get them to automatically give out the benefits booklet to each new employee.
I’m sharing this because every step of the way I have been told- “this doesn’t come up much”, “nobody has ever asked that “, “this situation has not occurred before” and my personal favorite, “would you like a job in our office?”
I figure that they are a) lying thru their teeth or b) other people in similar circumstances just don’t do anything but complain about it- maybe they never get around to doing something or they think there is nothing they can do.
Which brings me back to the “snafu”, this term was first used as a military term- SNAFU. It means Situation Normal, All F….. Up. I think that pretty well describes the world we live in today, don’t you?
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Apparently, our insurance has a “six month” pre-existing condition wait. So for the first six months of our coverage, my fibromyalgia was not covered. Problem #1- employees do not get this information unless they ask for it. And we don’t know to ask for the info unless a problem arises. Even our local HR department did not know about this clause.
Since we did not know this, my doctor who was waiting for the insurance to kick in sent me to a specialist. The person who normally did these referrals and would have checked with our insurance company before doing so, was on maternity leave. The person filling in didn’t bother to check-problem#2.
Problem #3- the specialists’ office did call the insurance company before I started going there. That person was told that I was not covered. She was told that it would be better to postpone the appointment. She was given the date coverage started. But she did not pass this info along to me or to any other staff. I only know because the insurance company keeps good phone records. I have happily been paying my co-pay as requested with each visit.
And now, I owe over $2000. It has taken me a whole week and literally 30 phone calls to piece this puzzle together. I had to call multiple times because I didn’t know some of the right questions to ask until I received another puzzle piece from someone else.
I am trying to hold each person in the chain accountable for their part. They, however, have different ideas. So I’m getting the phone records from the insurance company to prove that that doctor’s office knew. I’m sharing that information with the lab that office used. I’m taking on the HR department of the huge corporation of Con-Agra to get them to automatically give out the benefits booklet to each new employee.
I’m sharing this because every step of the way I have been told- “this doesn’t come up much”, “nobody has ever asked that “, “this situation has not occurred before” and my personal favorite, “would you like a job in our office?”
I figure that they are a) lying thru their teeth or b) other people in similar circumstances just don’t do anything but complain about it- maybe they never get around to doing something or they think there is nothing they can do.
Which brings me back to the “snafu”, this term was first used as a military term- SNAFU. It means Situation Normal, All F….. Up. I think that pretty well describes the world we live in today, don’t you?
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Monday, June 20, 2011
Yucchh! Old People Love!
I just heard a new Brad Paisley song about a couple wanting to feel the same excitement and get lost in the loving feelings that they had when they were a “new” couple. I have some things to share on the subject. If you, like my children, think that “old” people love is ggrrrooosss, stop reading now. If you have the wisdom to realize that you too will experience “old” people love one day, (if you are very lucky) then read on.
“New” love is like eating at a five star restaurant. Each course is tantalizing in its newness. It is tempting in its presentation. The excitement of discovery accompanies each new dish. The meal is designed to leave you wanting more and you do. Scanty portions and unfamiliar tastes combine to lure you on to the next dish. Rarely do you leave such a meal full and satiated. Few are those that could eat like this all the time.
“Old” love is like Grandma’s Sunday dinner. The menu may not vary much but the minute you step into the house and smell those biscuits the promise of complete satisfaction starts those taste buds salivating! You know what to expect. There are always perfect mashed potatoes. The ham is always accompanied by peas and the roast beef with a salad. Dessert may vary some but it’s always good. You know for sure that you will not go away hungry.
During the child raising years- McDonald’s might be on the menu more than you like but believe me when I say that nobody has forgotten how to cook. The hardest years are when you have teenagers to keep up with. Careers, too, might be needing extra attention at this time. Sometimes there isn’t even time for McDonalds- you may have to settle for tossing a poptart at each other.
Don’t panic!! This period of life is relatively short! Once the kids start leaving- whoa- you both get REAL interested in home cooking again. It’s really the best time of all because sometimes it’s the five star restaurant and sometimes it’s Sunday dinner and sometimes it’s McDonalds. Sometimes it’s all three!
Sometimes it’s just the poptart but even that is more filling than it ever was before because years of togetherness has flavored it until it’s just right for both of you. As a matter of fact, it’s even better than the five star meals used to be. This is because it is your own poptart, made from wholesome ingredients such as patience, unselfishness, experience and love.
And then you feel sorry for all those who think that five star meals are the best. They sure don’t know what they’re missing! That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
“New” love is like eating at a five star restaurant. Each course is tantalizing in its newness. It is tempting in its presentation. The excitement of discovery accompanies each new dish. The meal is designed to leave you wanting more and you do. Scanty portions and unfamiliar tastes combine to lure you on to the next dish. Rarely do you leave such a meal full and satiated. Few are those that could eat like this all the time.
“Old” love is like Grandma’s Sunday dinner. The menu may not vary much but the minute you step into the house and smell those biscuits the promise of complete satisfaction starts those taste buds salivating! You know what to expect. There are always perfect mashed potatoes. The ham is always accompanied by peas and the roast beef with a salad. Dessert may vary some but it’s always good. You know for sure that you will not go away hungry.
During the child raising years- McDonald’s might be on the menu more than you like but believe me when I say that nobody has forgotten how to cook. The hardest years are when you have teenagers to keep up with. Careers, too, might be needing extra attention at this time. Sometimes there isn’t even time for McDonalds- you may have to settle for tossing a poptart at each other.
Don’t panic!! This period of life is relatively short! Once the kids start leaving- whoa- you both get REAL interested in home cooking again. It’s really the best time of all because sometimes it’s the five star restaurant and sometimes it’s Sunday dinner and sometimes it’s McDonalds. Sometimes it’s all three!
Sometimes it’s just the poptart but even that is more filling than it ever was before because years of togetherness has flavored it until it’s just right for both of you. As a matter of fact, it’s even better than the five star meals used to be. This is because it is your own poptart, made from wholesome ingredients such as patience, unselfishness, experience and love.
And then you feel sorry for all those who think that five star meals are the best. They sure don’t know what they’re missing! That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Friday, June 17, 2011
Growing up
My almost 13 yr. old daughter is furious with me because I won’t allow her to dye her hair. I can’t believe she wants to. Especially after I told her about the damage dye can do to hair and bodies. I said that when she is eighteen, she can choose for herself.
This is one of many “discussions” we’ve had about this type of thing. I am consistently dismayed to see her classmates with dyed hair, false nails, professional pedicures and waxed everything. Girls in her class have bras and underwear from stores whose wares used to be peddled from brown paper wrapped catalogues not in TV commercials.
My dismay is the fact that these “perks” used to come with being grown-up. When I see little girls like this, I wonder what they have to look forward to. Aren’t we depriving them of important “rites of passage”? We spent years waiting for the right to do some of these things! And it meant something when we passed each milestone.
I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 18. My first sexy underwear when I was 21. I was already married! I was in my 40’s when I had my eyebrows waxed and my 50’s before I had a pedicure. These were privileges that came with aging. We didn’t change things about our looks until we’d had a chance to get comfortable them. I fear that today’s girls are changing who they are before they even know who they are.
And when do they get to be just kids? Being a kid is in itself an important “rite of passage”. We have eighteen short years to experience childhood before we have to spend the rest of our lives experiencing adulthood. It happens soon enough- parents, please, don’t rush it!!! Don’t let your children rush it!
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
This is one of many “discussions” we’ve had about this type of thing. I am consistently dismayed to see her classmates with dyed hair, false nails, professional pedicures and waxed everything. Girls in her class have bras and underwear from stores whose wares used to be peddled from brown paper wrapped catalogues not in TV commercials.
My dismay is the fact that these “perks” used to come with being grown-up. When I see little girls like this, I wonder what they have to look forward to. Aren’t we depriving them of important “rites of passage”? We spent years waiting for the right to do some of these things! And it meant something when we passed each milestone.
I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was 18. My first sexy underwear when I was 21. I was already married! I was in my 40’s when I had my eyebrows waxed and my 50’s before I had a pedicure. These were privileges that came with aging. We didn’t change things about our looks until we’d had a chance to get comfortable them. I fear that today’s girls are changing who they are before they even know who they are.
And when do they get to be just kids? Being a kid is in itself an important “rite of passage”. We have eighteen short years to experience childhood before we have to spend the rest of our lives experiencing adulthood. It happens soon enough- parents, please, don’t rush it!!! Don’t let your children rush it!
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Magic in the Park
Summer started Monday night. Well, maybe not according to the calendar or the weather, but definitely according to me! And yet again, I was reminded of why I love small town life.
In our little podunck town on the Columbia River, we have a beautiful riverside park, marina and campsite. In that park is a covered pavilion. On Monday nights throughout the summer, we have entertainment in that pavilion. We call the program, “Music in the Park”. Townspeople bring chairs, drinks, food, pets and children with them for an hour of magic.
The music is not always the best. The weather is not always cooperative. But the magic…….yes, the magic is there every time. Let me try to share the magic.
It begins with people carefully selecting the best place for them to place their chairs. Some choose to sit near friends, some choose the shade while others choose the sun. Some seek protection from the wind while others brave the wind to watch the glorious fiery sunset over a choppy Columbia River. Those with children position themselves to be able to watch both the playground and stage. Those with dogs sit in the outskirts.
Everyone is waving and calling out to each other. Our daily grind means nothing here. We have chosen to leave it all behind as we participate in this important rite of summer. This year has brought an ice cream vendor to the parking lot. Although we are freezing, he is kept very busy.
The welcome, the thank you for coming and the entertainer introduction is made. The crowd applauds. The music begins. This night brings a vocalist with his computer accompaniment. He sings some country, some Sinatra, some Elvis and some Ronnie Milsap. He’s okay.
A few couples get up to dance. They are over fifty. Someone tells the singer about a birthday. We all join in to sing it. The close to sixty year old birthday girl is on the dance floor. She is giggling, blushing and hiding her face on her husband’s shoulder. The magic has taken hold- she looks and feels like a fifteen year old girl!
More magic- a group of campers from Quebec are meandering around taking pictures excitedly. They join the dancers. It is obvious they are having the time of their life. Many dancing now are in their seventies and eighties but it’s Elvis! They look like teenagers in love as they bebop around. We are keeping rhythm with our claps.
A young man of eighty-three sets his wife in her chair and turns to one of our century old citizens. Is he asking her to dance? Can’t tell…..oh, yes, he is……she is getting up…..they are slow dancing to a love song. It’s the magic again. All of us are watching, some with smiles, some with tears. The editor of our small monthly paper hurries over to take pictures. There is a feeling of intimacy as we all share this moment and memory.
And suddenly, it is over. The magic dissipates as we again become people of different ages, cultures, languages, economic backgrounds, etc. We say our good-byes with reluctance and head home already looking forward to the next week and it’s magic. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
In our little podunck town on the Columbia River, we have a beautiful riverside park, marina and campsite. In that park is a covered pavilion. On Monday nights throughout the summer, we have entertainment in that pavilion. We call the program, “Music in the Park”. Townspeople bring chairs, drinks, food, pets and children with them for an hour of magic.
The music is not always the best. The weather is not always cooperative. But the magic…….yes, the magic is there every time. Let me try to share the magic.
It begins with people carefully selecting the best place for them to place their chairs. Some choose to sit near friends, some choose the shade while others choose the sun. Some seek protection from the wind while others brave the wind to watch the glorious fiery sunset over a choppy Columbia River. Those with children position themselves to be able to watch both the playground and stage. Those with dogs sit in the outskirts.
Everyone is waving and calling out to each other. Our daily grind means nothing here. We have chosen to leave it all behind as we participate in this important rite of summer. This year has brought an ice cream vendor to the parking lot. Although we are freezing, he is kept very busy.
The welcome, the thank you for coming and the entertainer introduction is made. The crowd applauds. The music begins. This night brings a vocalist with his computer accompaniment. He sings some country, some Sinatra, some Elvis and some Ronnie Milsap. He’s okay.
A few couples get up to dance. They are over fifty. Someone tells the singer about a birthday. We all join in to sing it. The close to sixty year old birthday girl is on the dance floor. She is giggling, blushing and hiding her face on her husband’s shoulder. The magic has taken hold- she looks and feels like a fifteen year old girl!
More magic- a group of campers from Quebec are meandering around taking pictures excitedly. They join the dancers. It is obvious they are having the time of their life. Many dancing now are in their seventies and eighties but it’s Elvis! They look like teenagers in love as they bebop around. We are keeping rhythm with our claps.
A young man of eighty-three sets his wife in her chair and turns to one of our century old citizens. Is he asking her to dance? Can’t tell…..oh, yes, he is……she is getting up…..they are slow dancing to a love song. It’s the magic again. All of us are watching, some with smiles, some with tears. The editor of our small monthly paper hurries over to take pictures. There is a feeling of intimacy as we all share this moment and memory.
And suddenly, it is over. The magic dissipates as we again become people of different ages, cultures, languages, economic backgrounds, etc. We say our good-byes with reluctance and head home already looking forward to the next week and it’s magic. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Monday, June 13, 2011
I'm Baaaack!!!
I’m baaack!!!! After a three week hiatus, I’m ready to pick up the gauntlet and charge on. I had a severe case of what I call “battle fatigue”. I had sat down on the Monday morning after the end of the world was supposed to happen with a funny story about that subject. But that same weekend had brought the tornado devastation in the mid-west.
As I was writing about the end of the world which never came, all I could think of was – it was the end of the world for the towns annihilated by tornadoes. It was the end of the world for the Japanese. It was the end of the world for victims of abuse, violence, theft, addictions, and for so many living in this imperfect world. Who was I to make a joke about such pain? I have felt that pain myself.
I let myself become overwhelmed with the sadness, the emptiness, the suffering of my fellow earth dwellers. What was the point of a stupid silly blog anyway? It doesn’t make anything better. We are surrounded by evil- it sometimes feels like putting a fire out with a glass of water!
It’s been almost a year since I began this blog. I committed that I would give it a year of my best effort. I think I expected it to take off like a bird in flight. I could see how easily that could happen- if everyone I knew read it and each one of them told a friend, who would tell a friend, who would tell a friend, etc.
I did not take in to consideration that most of my friends are computer illiterate or that people are too busy to read or …….. Needless to say, I’m not famous with a huge fan base of readers. ( I have a few very faithful readers including one dear soul in Malaysia that keeps hanging on. I have no clue who it is.)
So I stopped writing for awhile. I took three weeks to go on a soul searching adventure. It’s been quite a trip! And I realized that if my blog just makes one person’s day a little better than it is worth it. Then I realized that it always makes one person’s day better- mine! And that is good enough. In fact, that is enough to keep going no matter what!
That is why I’m back. And if some of you are touched as well, that’s a bonus! That’s the few from my side of the street, what’s yours?
As I was writing about the end of the world which never came, all I could think of was – it was the end of the world for the towns annihilated by tornadoes. It was the end of the world for the Japanese. It was the end of the world for victims of abuse, violence, theft, addictions, and for so many living in this imperfect world. Who was I to make a joke about such pain? I have felt that pain myself.
I let myself become overwhelmed with the sadness, the emptiness, the suffering of my fellow earth dwellers. What was the point of a stupid silly blog anyway? It doesn’t make anything better. We are surrounded by evil- it sometimes feels like putting a fire out with a glass of water!
It’s been almost a year since I began this blog. I committed that I would give it a year of my best effort. I think I expected it to take off like a bird in flight. I could see how easily that could happen- if everyone I knew read it and each one of them told a friend, who would tell a friend, who would tell a friend, etc.
I did not take in to consideration that most of my friends are computer illiterate or that people are too busy to read or …….. Needless to say, I’m not famous with a huge fan base of readers. ( I have a few very faithful readers including one dear soul in Malaysia that keeps hanging on. I have no clue who it is.)
So I stopped writing for awhile. I took three weeks to go on a soul searching adventure. It’s been quite a trip! And I realized that if my blog just makes one person’s day a little better than it is worth it. Then I realized that it always makes one person’s day better- mine! And that is good enough. In fact, that is enough to keep going no matter what!
That is why I’m back. And if some of you are touched as well, that’s a bonus! That’s the few from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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