I'm at an age when I read the obituaries (and the Letters to the Editor) section of the Anniston Star online almost every morning. I haven't lived in Oxford, Alabama since 1985 but I still know more people there than anywhere I have lived.
Today I saw that William Herron had passed away. Cyndi Herron was a very good friend of mine in high school. We were in the band together, we sat together at break time under the flagpole and ate cake together. Usually one of those cakes that you baked right in the box that it came in. Betty Crocker had just come out with that new fangled idea about that time.
We were FAMILY. We were "THE FAMILY!". No one understood that but us. And no one probably cares to this day.
THE FAMILY has kind of fallen to the by way over the past 29 years since the class of '78 and '79 GRACED the flagpole. I randomly email with Denise Beck (Burford now). I've lost track of some of the other folks - tho Cyndi and Keith live over here in Atlanta - which means we could (and do) live about 70 miles apart. We are more likely to run into one another at WalMart in Oxford than at a high school football game for one of our children over here.
I feel for Cyndi and Bernie (her mom) and their family tonight. I remember Tubby (her dad). He was different, from somewhere up north and he worked for the FAA. That was always intriging to me. Most of all I know she loved them both dearly.
And I'm yet again reminded, that the time for creating a life is now. What are you doing today to make your life, your families life meaningful and special? What will you be remembered for? Oh sure, I have years and years of life left in me. At least I should, we never know. But everyday must be made special. Everyday I and we together must create LIFE!
No matter how our days are numbered, family and the life we create are really what's important. We can't just let 29 more years pass and have someone read about me or you in the Lawrenceville Daily News one sunny morning. We must be about the business of life and investing in one another and in ourselves.
Embrace your FAMILY tonight and in the days coming. Invest in you and those you love and hold dear. It's never too soon to start or keep going or to do more. It's all part of creating your life. Eat together, laugh together, hold one another up, and let those times together be the basis of your life. Create a life - yours!
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In memory of William (Tubby) Herron - 3 generations to carry on in the life he created with and for them.
In memory and honor of those who have created and shaped my life so far. I am amazed by you all and always mindful of where we've been and where you've directed.
In dedication to those who I am so fortunate to share this life. You are my world and my notepad!
LIFE IS GOOD! ;-) - forever my favorite tshirt of all time.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Keeping it in perspective
Last night the movie Crash was on television. I was kind of in and out of the room but had seen it before. It's a very intense movie with random peoples lives crossing and intertwining in even more random ways but it puts alot of thoughts and feelings into perspective and makes you reflect on yourself, your feelings, and the way you react to things.
No doubt 2007 will go down as the year when more things "broke" or "failed" or "quit working" or "wore out". It's been almost amazing - the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the siding on the west end of the house that's still rotting away, the Rodeo's leaky tire and later it's transmission, the Camry's brakes, the ratty old Honda's who knows what check engine light that hasn't even been investigated yet, the shower pan in the #2 bathrooom... it goes on but those are the ones that come to mind. It's been the year alot of things went crazy.
But in perspective, it's not been negative in many other ways. For the most part it's been pretty good so far.
So I put it in perspective. I went ahead and bought "Water for Elephants" at Target since 51 people are on the waiting list at the library. I went ahead and took my dragging rear to the gym tonight to walk the elliptical for the first time in way too long. I bought some Ball Park franks and some healthy wheat buns to go with them. Fat free Pringles to boot.
I am forever examining life. I think it's one of my things. So today was a day of putting things in perspective. I'm not going to crash into anyone or allow life to come crashing down, I'm going to be respectful of others and when I see them I'm going to realize that I might have no idea what they are dealing with today. Come what may, I'm going to endure. And thrive. It's all in your perspective!
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-- I barely got started on "Water for Elephants" - more to come. Book Club meeting in early November on that one.
-- The yard looks like someone lives here today. Rain in the forecast could provide much needed water for some greening and will probably bring down 10,000 pine needles - oh well!
-- 30 minutes on the elliptical for the first time in way too long. Was much more painful since I was out of practice and I weighed 11 pounds more than a recent low I had a couple of months ago. Mmmmmm, gonna have to deal with that!
-- No crashing, put it all in perspective, control what you can, let the rest of it go. Examining life is what I do. Cope.
--- I've decided to blog more (again, yes, I know I said this before) but I've decided to blog more and to not just wait on "profound" thoughts and moments because honestly, it's all profound!
No doubt 2007 will go down as the year when more things "broke" or "failed" or "quit working" or "wore out". It's been almost amazing - the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the siding on the west end of the house that's still rotting away, the Rodeo's leaky tire and later it's transmission, the Camry's brakes, the ratty old Honda's who knows what check engine light that hasn't even been investigated yet, the shower pan in the #2 bathrooom... it goes on but those are the ones that come to mind. It's been the year alot of things went crazy.
But in perspective, it's not been negative in many other ways. For the most part it's been pretty good so far.
So I put it in perspective. I went ahead and bought "Water for Elephants" at Target since 51 people are on the waiting list at the library. I went ahead and took my dragging rear to the gym tonight to walk the elliptical for the first time in way too long. I bought some Ball Park franks and some healthy wheat buns to go with them. Fat free Pringles to boot.
I am forever examining life. I think it's one of my things. So today was a day of putting things in perspective. I'm not going to crash into anyone or allow life to come crashing down, I'm going to be respectful of others and when I see them I'm going to realize that I might have no idea what they are dealing with today. Come what may, I'm going to endure. And thrive. It's all in your perspective!
------------------------------------------------------------
-- I barely got started on "Water for Elephants" - more to come. Book Club meeting in early November on that one.
-- The yard looks like someone lives here today. Rain in the forecast could provide much needed water for some greening and will probably bring down 10,000 pine needles - oh well!
-- 30 minutes on the elliptical for the first time in way too long. Was much more painful since I was out of practice and I weighed 11 pounds more than a recent low I had a couple of months ago. Mmmmmm, gonna have to deal with that!
-- No crashing, put it all in perspective, control what you can, let the rest of it go. Examining life is what I do. Cope.
--- I've decided to blog more (again, yes, I know I said this before) but I've decided to blog more and to not just wait on "profound" thoughts and moments because honestly, it's all profound!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Controlling What I Can
Life never ceases to amaze me.
Today everything was out of my control and I've learned that I really like to be in control. It's a quiet, silent, almost invisible kind of control. You might not even know that I need to have it but I've learned that I do.
I couldn't control anything. I wanted to be off work today but I was too busy to take the day off and risk being behind and swamped the rest of the week. So I trudged to work on the 6:40am bus to avoid having to stay late tonight and to keep from enduring the 2 1/2 hour trip home like I had yesterday.
Yesterday... no control! 5:40pm bus never showed up, on the phone with dispatch to complain for about 20 minutes when two buses. TWO! Show up at 6:10pm. Me having had 30 precious evening minutes wasted. No control! Traffic was horrible, a tanker stalled along the HOV wall on I-85. Traffic backup went forever. It was literally 2 1/2 hours from the time I left my desk and arrived home. No control! Just sitting and fuming and foaming.
Car repairs have been the angst of the past month. Nothing I can do about it, we have to have our cars. No control over what has happened and you know I think I have handled it all as a necessary evil and I'm making it thru. Makes me wonder if I'm falling back on one of those really good coping skills I have - remember I either (1) Sleep thru it or I (2) Pretend it's not happening.
No control but I'm coping... uh huh.
So my resolve for today. I'll leave work at 4pm and control something that I can. My yard. I came home, I mowed with the bagger on and sucked up a ton of pine straw. It looks slightly groomed now. I blew down the driveway and sidewalk despite darkness settling in before I was quite ready for it. I had to stop right in the middle of mowing to go get gas for the mower. I really hate doing that and try not to let that happen but it did.
Again, no control over pine straw falling in the yard, or needing gas or the sun setting but by golly I mastered the yard and hey I can even walk down the sidewalk to my car in the morning without risk of falling over a pinecone in the morning darkness. Or worse yet, barefoot as I walk out there sometime and just a sticker or something nearly takes me to my knees.
I have good resolve tonight. I got me some real honest to goodness yard therapy and when the sun rises tomorrow on yet another out of control day that I'll need to tame, I'll see just how good it all looks!
As for everything else I need to control, handle and deal with? Yep, I got it under control - I'm going to bed!
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Much love to those who check in on me and share your days with me, together we can do anything! ANYTHING!
And to those who need someone to listen and share, I'm here for you too.
Today everything was out of my control and I've learned that I really like to be in control. It's a quiet, silent, almost invisible kind of control. You might not even know that I need to have it but I've learned that I do.
I couldn't control anything. I wanted to be off work today but I was too busy to take the day off and risk being behind and swamped the rest of the week. So I trudged to work on the 6:40am bus to avoid having to stay late tonight and to keep from enduring the 2 1/2 hour trip home like I had yesterday.
Yesterday... no control! 5:40pm bus never showed up, on the phone with dispatch to complain for about 20 minutes when two buses. TWO! Show up at 6:10pm. Me having had 30 precious evening minutes wasted. No control! Traffic was horrible, a tanker stalled along the HOV wall on I-85. Traffic backup went forever. It was literally 2 1/2 hours from the time I left my desk and arrived home. No control! Just sitting and fuming and foaming.
Car repairs have been the angst of the past month. Nothing I can do about it, we have to have our cars. No control over what has happened and you know I think I have handled it all as a necessary evil and I'm making it thru. Makes me wonder if I'm falling back on one of those really good coping skills I have - remember I either (1) Sleep thru it or I (2) Pretend it's not happening.
No control but I'm coping... uh huh.
So my resolve for today. I'll leave work at 4pm and control something that I can. My yard. I came home, I mowed with the bagger on and sucked up a ton of pine straw. It looks slightly groomed now. I blew down the driveway and sidewalk despite darkness settling in before I was quite ready for it. I had to stop right in the middle of mowing to go get gas for the mower. I really hate doing that and try not to let that happen but it did.
Again, no control over pine straw falling in the yard, or needing gas or the sun setting but by golly I mastered the yard and hey I can even walk down the sidewalk to my car in the morning without risk of falling over a pinecone in the morning darkness. Or worse yet, barefoot as I walk out there sometime and just a sticker or something nearly takes me to my knees.
I have good resolve tonight. I got me some real honest to goodness yard therapy and when the sun rises tomorrow on yet another out of control day that I'll need to tame, I'll see just how good it all looks!
As for everything else I need to control, handle and deal with? Yep, I got it under control - I'm going to bed!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much love to those who check in on me and share your days with me, together we can do anything! ANYTHING!
And to those who need someone to listen and share, I'm here for you too.
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