Another 'Eggplant' Adventure

After writing the entry the other day about car troubles, I started thinking about something that happened with 'the Eggplant' van.  It is an event that remains in our memories, and still we consider it a rather amazing one.

We'd been away on a trip to I-forget-where. On the way home to Long Island, we decided to first take a detour from our normal route, so that we could ride past my daughters former home in upstate New York. There had been a flood in the area not long before, and I wanted to let her know how their first house had fared, even though there was a new owner there now.  Just as we neared New Paltz, the 'Eggplant' did it's thing, and lost power, causing us to pull over to the side of the road. (I think this might have been the very first episode of many, but honestly, I don't recall.)  Mike got out of the van, went to the front hood, and opened it.  He leaned in, looking around.

Knowing my husband is not an ace mechanic  and that he was probably bewildered by this turn of events,  I began to pray.  "Lord, Mike doesn't know anything about cars, and we don't have a cell phone to call anyone for help...even if we knew who to call in this area. Please step in and show us what to do."  I hadn't finished asking when there was a truck behind us....a tow truck!  In that area, they have a crew of hired tow truck/mechanics who ride the highway keeping watch for drivers who are having car trouble.  He told us that he had a shop, but it was closed, being Sunday afternoon, but he could tow it over there and he would take a look at it in the morning. He asked where we'd like him to take us....and hearing that we were not familiar with the area, he offered to take us to a motel. We didn't have a lot of choice, so we agreed.

When we got to the motel, (a good one of a chain brand), he went inside with us and told the woman at the desk of our problem, and he talked her into giving us the 'truckers discount.'  We thanked him, took his card, and settled ourselves and our luggage into the room. Mike went to get dinner in the restaurant which was a part of the property, and I made a few phone calls to inform family of our plight.  I also called the church I had been to recently....one that I was considering making my church home.  I asked the pastor there to ask the congregation to pray for us, that we might get the car fixed affordably and get home without any trouble. After a short chat, and the assurance that the people would pray that night in the service,we hung up.

The next morning, the tow truck driver came back and picked Mike up, to go to the shop with him. I spent a lot of time praying about the finances, since we were carrying very little money, being the end of our vacation.  Hours later, Mike walked in, all excited and close to tears. He said, "You'd better call that pastor again...."  I asked him what was up. He answered, "You'd better call him and tell him to thank everybody for their prayers!  The mechanics couldn't find anything wrong, nothing showed up on their diagnostic computer, they took it out for a long ride, they drove it up to 70mph, and nothing sputtered or anything. The best part is, he wouldn't charge us a dime!"  

There are some who don't believe that God knows everything that happens, or that He rescues those who are in trouble. Some people think we make our own luck.  I don't believe in coincidences...I don't believe that the tow truck driver just 'happened' to be there at the right time. I believe that God sent him...just at the right time. I believe that God heard my pleas for help, and that He answered. I believe that God sees, and knows, and rescues, and protects.  In that occurance, He did all of that and got us home safely, as well, without further incident.  I believe...and I'm grateful.

Something Fishy

Being raised in a small, seaside town had a lot of advantages. One of those is the fact that you can always get fresh seafood.  Every local person knows at least 5 fisherman, clammers, or scallopers. Many of them will sell their goods for less, or actually bring you something for free.

When I was a kid, we used to eat bluefish, when it was in season, until it came out of our ears. Sometimes we'd get a bass, but not often. Occasionally a bunch of blow fish (bottle fish) would make their way to the doorstep, or some clams for Mom's clam pie that none of us kids would touch! Once there was an eel....and I believe Mom had that cooked outside! She didn't eat it, and neither did anyone except Grampa, and maybe Dad.  When it was scallop season, my uncle would go to the creek and catch as many as he could, and then his 'openers' would sit in a circle in the yard shelling them. (I can remember Mom wrapping a long strip of clean rag around her hand to protect it from the sharp shells.)
I'd run around trying to steer clear of the yellow jackets which invariably would swarm around the buckets.)  Part of the pay at the end of the day would be a big jar of scallops that Mom would take home, bread, and fry for dinner.  I wasn't partial to scallops in those days, but I'd give my eye teeth for some today!

These days, I'm wishing I had some fresh fish. The foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains don't offer much in the way of fresh fish, and certainly not salt water fish.  Yes, we can go to the grocery store...or to a restaurant...and get cat fish, salmon,  talapia and shrimp. They're all good, but they've been shipped to us, which means 'frozen'.  While I'll eat the stuff, it in no way compares with having something that's just been caught and cleaned and cooked in the same day.

We've been planning for some time to take a ride to the coast. It's four or five hours from here, so we'd make it a weekend or a few nights' visit.  Last night when we were talking about it, I had such a hankering for fresh fish that I vowed I'd eat it every single night of our time in Charleston, or Myrtle Beach...or whatever seaside spot we end up in! 

I guess you never really know what you had until it's gone, do you?  Someone hit the nail on the head with that saying! Shrimp cocktail....fried scallops....broiled fish... I'm just salivating thinking how I want something fishy!  The waiting for it will be well worth it, and I will enjoy it to the hilt!  Maybe we won't wait for Springtime in Charleston... I might just start packing my bags now!

Car Trouble

After reading a friend's blog about road assistance when her car broke down, I remembered a couple of instances when we needed help with broken down cars.  I'll share what happened with one of these vehicles of our past.

Seven or eight years ago I owned a Plymouth Voyager van which I referred to as "the Eggplant" because of it's dark purple color.  It was, overall, a good car, but toward the last days of my ownership, it began to give me fits. It would be operating just fine when out of the blue, it would lose power. The engine was running, but the car wouldn't respond to the gas pedal and I'd have to pull over to the side of the road, turn it off, and wait. When it got ready, it would start again and behave just the way anyone would expect it to.  These episodes happened without warning  and at random.....sometimes it was days, sometimes months between these events.

Each time we experienced one of these stubborn moods of the Eggplant, we'd take it...or tow it....to our mechanic. We had practically rebuilt the darned thing by the time we decided that it was time to stop pouring money into it endlessly, only to find the problem still existed. Eventually we figured that was IT. Enough was enough. My stepson took the van, and had very little trouble with it. I guess it just didn't like me.  Well, the feeling was mutual by that time..... I didn't like it very much either!

Off to the City...

Cities have never been a big draw for me. Before we moved here, my experience with cities was mainly New York City. I was not intrigued by that place, and didn't like the idea of having to go there for any reason, except the rare trip at Christmastime, which we did maybe once every five or six years.

When I was young, I had more interest in visiting Manhattan. Being a small town girl, it seemed that it offered far more than my little area did....and it was true! It had so many cultural events, rock concerts, sporting events, etc. There were a few occasions when I attended some of those things with friends' families, or my Girl Scout troop, or the school. Though I enjoyed the events, I was always full of fear about the City.

As I grew older, I avoided the visits whenever I could. We had to skirt the outer limits of NY city whenever we drove anywhere. That was more than enough for me. The fumes made me choke, the traffic scared me, the sad souls sleeping in doorways or peering through high and grimey windows of run down buildings, made my heart sink. NY city is too big for me, too full of seedy characters and crime, and too many crowded streets full of people who bump into you and look right past you.  I hated the city.

I'm a real country girl, I guess. I don't need all the hustle and bustle that comes with a city. I don't care if I go to professional stage shows or concerts, I just as much appreciate the local theaters or church cantatas. 

That being said, yesterday we had to go to a city that is about half an hour from us, for a doctor's appointment. The office was actually outside of the city, and when we were finished with the doctor, we decided to check out the area.  We've lived here for five and a half years, and have never before been in the fairly large city of Greenville. 

We wove our way through the narrow, clean streets, discovering some interesting shops and restaurants. We found the  Zoo and the Children's Museum, making notes on addresses, for future trips with the kids. It was a pleasant visit, even though we didn't leave the car. We have to return to the doctor again in a few weeks.  I think we'll explore the offerings of Greenville on foot next time....and it is something actually I'm looking forward to!

Germies

It's nearly the end of January, and even for this area of the southern region, it's been unusually warm. Last year, on January 11, we had six or eight inches of snow which practically shut down the area for a week. This year, we've had some days with temperatures in the high sixties. A few days of that, then a sharp drop into freezing temps or highs in the 40's.

There has been a lot of sickness all over the country too, judging by the posts on social networks. I don't wonder! The germs may catch a chill, but they haven't frozen to death yet!  Two weeks ago we went to church, and the congregation was low in number. Most of those who were in attendance were coughing, sneezing, blowing their noses. I was healthy that week, and felt a little annoyed that so many of those who were in such shape had chosen to go to church with all those germs.  Suffice it to say, later that week I got sick. I'm not saying I picked up something that someone at church had come with, as it appeared that theirs were colds. Mine was not. I had a fierce stomach bug that laid me out for better than a week.

Still, when one is sick with anything, my feeling is that it's kinder to stay home for the sake of others, and probably for your own sake as well.  We're pretty careful during flu season, choosing to stay away from crowds and restaurants and big stores as much as possible. We keep our hands washed and wash our dishes in the dishwasher because the water is hotter.  We try to protect ourselves from illness, and if we have something, we definitely steer clear of people.

We don't like germies....and it is my hope that the weather will get cold and stay cold long enough to  eradicate the little buggers. 

Window Shopping

Sometime before Christmas, we began a discussion about purchasing a flat screen TV. The events that led up to this conversation all centered around a very heavy, mahogany  cabinet which houses our old 21 inch TV.  The cabinet is a two piece thing and the top alone takes three men with muscles of weight lifters to move when the need arises.  We (translated "I") purchased it in a thrift shop about seven or eight years ago because the wood is lovely, and because it has doors to hide the electronics away. However, the doors are rarely closed, and it is not easy when we want to move the TV to another part of the room. It's time for that cabinet to go.

The TV, too, is a rather weighty item. The thing is not easy to transport, as it's a slippery, metal box with no handles anywhere. It would be fine if it could just sit somewhere and never need to be moved, but we find that we're moving it quite often. If our cable doesn't function correctly, the company's answer is to reset it by unplugging it from the TV and the wall recepticle, and then replugging. That means fighting with the television to get access to the back of it. Arg! I've had enough, and I guess my husband has too.

So, we began to explore the idea of a flat screen. They're lighter can sit atop a less bulky cabinet or table. Because we're not up on all the technology today, we've read everything we can get our hands on regarding these new-fangled machines. My husband even bought a subscription to Consumer Reports, in order to get their take on things.  We finally decided to go to some of the stores and check out the TVs, armed of course, with the Consumer magazine and a headful of numbers and questions.

We would look only at sets with numbers like 1080 and 120 HZ and fully HD.  Easier said than done. Oh, they are there....but they are attached to screens the size of a drive-in theater and cost much more than we want to spend. I don't happen to want a 42" screen in my living room. I don't want to hang it on my wall either. I also want a clear picture ...with no 'ghosts' following an action shot, which is more likely with a 60HZ than a 120, the speed of reset, apparently. We do not want a plasma...we want an LED, rather than an LCD, as the latter will soon be phased out. 

January is apparently the month to buy a flat-screen TV. The Christmas sales are finished and the stores are attempting to clear the floors of the lower-priced models, so that they can raise the prices again for Superbowl watchers.  Time is drawing near, and the sales will soon end.  I'm thinking that we're going to lose out on this year's flat screen TV sales.  Maybe we'll try again next year, but I fear that by then, we'll have to have new numbers, letters, model ideas, sizes, and information. 

I wonder how many more years we have left in this cumbersome old model? 

Gone, But Not Forgotten

Years ago I spent a weekend at a Woman's Retreat with some of the women in my church.  We were each asked to bring an item that was special to us, and to be prepared to tell why it was dear to us.  It could have been anything at all, and looking back on it, I wish I'd taken a photograph or something that could have been replaced.

Instead I took something that was absolutely irreplaceable. It was...a small circle of 14k gold g iven to my mother at my birth by a family friend who owned a jewelry store.  The little 'bangle' bracelet was given to me at some point, I don't remember when Mom gave it to me. I almost wish she hadn't,
for then it would still be somewhere where I could find it.

When my first daughter was born, she wore the bracelet, as did each of her three younger sisters. I think I have photos of all the girls at young ages, wearing it on their chubby little arms. I remember speaking at the table, surrounded by the other ladies, telling how my babies had worn one of my first gifts. I recall saying that, like a plain gold wedding band, the tiny circle of gold reminded me of love ...the love from one  friend to another, the love of a mother for her daughters, and how I hoped that the bracelet would one day be worn by my future grandchildren.

When I was finished speaking, I put the bracelet in the pocket of my slacks....or that's the way I remember it now.  When I went back to the room, I couldn't find the bracelet....anywhere.  The women helped me search and retrace my steps from the meeting room, through the driveway, back to the room. We looked for as long as time allowed, and finally it was time for us to leave.

With a heavy heart, I returned home without what I'd dreamed would be an heirloom. All these years later, a weight grabs my chest when I remember that weekend. My bracelet is gone...but not forgotten, but the love of a friend, the love of a mother, and the love of this grandmother for her young granddaughters remains.

It's Gone....

It's rare that I lose things.  Well, let me clarify that. I often misplace things, but not forever.  Usually it's a case of putting something somewhere and forgetting where, only to find it again sometime.  I do r
remember two things, though, that I've loved and lost. I hate to think that I am so materialistic that it would bother me, long after the fact, so let's call it 'so sentimental' instead.

My grandmother had a  long,oval-shaped silver pendant with a natural and unpolished turquoise stone in it. I remember her wearing it in the days when we lived with her, so it was prior to my being eleven years old.  She would wear her housedress and apron in the morning, but after lunch each day, she would climb the stairs, lie down for an hour or so, and come back downstairs wearing a nice dress and jewelry.  It was then that she'd sometimes wear the necklace, which I believe was a gift from her eldest daughter who used to travel the world.

After Grandma passed away, the pendent became mine. I don't remember how that came to be, but I think that the world-traveler asked if I wanted it. At any rate, it was a cherished possession, both because it was my grandmother's, and because it was silver and turquoise....my favorite combination for jewelry.  I wore the piece often and had many comments on it, as it was an unusual piece.

One day I realized it was gone. I have no idea where, but it was gone. I searched the jewelry boxes and the top of the bureau that held them. I searched the floor around it. I hunted in the bed, under all the furniture, even the closet floor and pockets of clothing.  I even dug through the contents of the vacuum bag.... all to no avail. Finally I had to admit to myself that I'd lost it. (I probably pulled a turtleneck over my head, without removing the chain, which I have done more than once in my lifetime.) It was gone...and gone for good.

It's out of my hands...gone from my possession, but not my thoughts. I think of it often, and wish I'd been able to find it and continue to wear it in loving memory of Grandma. Sigh.

Prejudice...

Recently we watched the much-talked-about movie, "The Help."  I'm not big on going to the movie theater, nor is my husband, so we enjoyed viewing  it on a new dvd in the comfort of our own living room. I'd heard many comments and critiques on the film, so I expected it to be a good watch. I wasn't prepared, however, for the emotions I felt while sinking into the depths of the story.

I found myself on a roller coaster. Anger grew in me with the treatment the help endured at the hands and mouths of the snotty, wealthy, employers. Yes, I know....it was 'like that' in the fifties and sixties in the south.  I took all of that into consideration, but still, my ire was real. No one should have had to endure such degradation because of the color of their skin.

Tears fell when lies were invented in order to cause a loyal housemaid to lose her job.  Watching a child beg her only loving care-giver to stay, when the woman was dismissed, broke my heart.  Knowing a husband was physically abusing his wife was disturbing to me. Retaliation by the other-wise placid workers made me laugh. And....I applauded the bravery of the domestic workers, as well as the writer herself, for their courage in telling their stories in a day when so much was at stake.

Having been born and reared in a small, northern town, I grew up and went to school with a group of children...the majority of whom were born and reared there as well. There was a small percentage of African American students, the children of those whose parents attended school with my own mother and father. We all knew each other. We all got along. I don't remember any racial trouble among us. In fact, the first I remember hearing of  discrimination was in the sixties, when the race riots were taking place in Birmingham and Selma, Alabama, and the killing of Medger Evans took place in Mississippi.  The whole idea that people were being treated in such a manner was appalling  to me. I felt so strongly about the subject, I used the topic for my term paper for history class. It was truly a heartfelt project for me. I needed to get out what I felt, and the result was a very good grade...probably the highest I'd ever earned, especially in history class.

I still feel strongly about discrimination. I don't care whether it's aimed at those who are from a different country, skin color, or any other reason. It, to me, is equal to the bullying of one child against another in school, but far more ridiculous because it is adults who are so narrow-minded and hurtful.

I realize that it was fictional film, however, it held more truth in the story than most of us would want to admit. Never have I been so enraptured by a movie. I'm sorry that this story HAD to be told, but I'm glad that it was, because  it sparked the thoughts in me that have been somewhat docile lately. It has prompted me to remember..... we're all here, sharing the same terra, breathing the same air, and biding our time. Let's all try to be a little kinder to each other.

The Mind is....

a curious thing.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The brain is a  rather small organ with many parts that have different functions. I'm not going to get 'all scientific' on you, because I don't really know much about it, really.  I do, however, know that it's a pretty remarkable little thing.

It has the ability to wake you up and get you moving. It has the capacity to stop your physical and mental movement, as well, given the right circumstances. (or should I say 'wrong' ones?) It remembers the things you've learned in life, and has the ability to let things of lesser importance to slink back and sit on a shelf somewhere where we can't locate it again.  The brain can help us to think of new things and remember old memories.  It can be enhanced by practicing what we know, routine and exercise. While we can remember every detail of a teen prank, we can forget/ before we enter a room, why we were going there.

What surprises me is how the mind has the ability to create and dream up things, all on its own.... as in dreams in slumber. We have no way of directing those things while we sleep....they seemingly just come along and take off on their own.  Take, for example, the scene that played behind my eyelids this morning as I slept.  It's a bit of a jumble, but it seems that a friend of ours was babysitting for my granddaughter, who was catching fairies on the end of a teaspoon. The next thing I knew, I was watching for a dark pick up truck, and about to encounter a meeting with Chuckie Maresca and some of his daughters, when we would run into each other at the Long Island Fair. Now, you don't know 'Chuckie', and I don't either, really, having not seen him or heard from him since I was seven years old!
I've not given him more than three thoughts since then, and those were just memories of our antics as grade schoolers. That is what amazes me. Why would my mind drag a childhood name from the archives, and grow him into a man with daughters, all of whom I'd run into at a fair I've never once attended? 

The brain, with all of its workings and wonders, is a wonderful mystery to me. With all the happy memories,  the unpleasant ones,as well, the lessons learned, and the many other things it holds, I truly enjoy the creative activity that it shows me. I'll never understand it....but I do enjoy it!

Waiting...AGAIN.

It seems like I'm always waiting for something.  Most recently, I was waiting to dismantle the Christmas decorations and get them all put away. What was I waiting for? Well, my husband who was aka Santa to many little people, and bigger people, for over 25 years, happens to love to stretch the season for as long as he can get away with it. So, patiently I waited, sneaking down here a wreath, there a nativity, hoping he would tire of the tree in the corner. And then....I got sick for  a week. 

So, currently, there is still the huge tree in the living room, and a smaller one which was in the sunporch, to unclothe.  I did undecorate the kitchen one and pack those things up, but the sunporch is full of odds and ends of garland, lights, and boxes in which to pack the Santa collection, the snow men, and all the ornaments. Waiting.

Some time ago, I wrote that there was a lovely group of ten women who had responded to my invitation to create a circle letter. The first complete round went quite well. I received the envelope full of their letters within a fairly short time. I wrote my second letter and mailed the envelope of mail out to the woman who followed me on the list. That was in May. It is now January 12, and I'm still waiting to read the other women's second letters. I'm quite a patient woman....really, I am.... and I understand how some things can get in the way of life. But I also think that when you know there are people waiting for you, for any reason, if you can't do what is expected, that you should be considerate enough to communicate the problem to your friend(s).  At this point, I'm very disappointed in this letter business, and am considering bowing out of the group. 

I really hate to wait for long periods of time. When you make an appointment, is it unreasonable to expect to have the other party (ie doctor, hair stylist, etc) service you within fifteen minutes? When you place an order with a wait person, is it beyond reason to get your meal in a timely fashion?  I don't think so.

Sometimes a wait provides you with a pleasant diversion from something else, but rarely.  Most of us have schedules that demand us to be on time somewhere else. Children need to be picked up from school on time, employees need to be at their jobs when the boss deems it, others expect us to be where we are supposed to be.

This, of course, may be my own quirk, but I don't like causing other people annoyance or inconvenience, and I don't enjoy waiting....at all.

I'd Like to Move It, Move It...

This morning, I was engaged in a conversation with a friend about today's kids and their technical abilities. It just overwhelms me.

With all the talk from medical people and others in the know about our over-weight children, one would think that eyes would be opened wider as to why.  Our kids spend the majority of their time in front of one screen or another all day and evening.  Their 'recreational' time is spent playing video games, their conversational time is interrupted by texts from other friends, their family time is spent in a room full of others on computers, phones, kindles, nooks, ipods, etc. I have no qualms in saying how annoying this can be to those who desire to talk with them. 

In no way does this apply just to children. We are all guilty of spending too much time on keyboards, staring blankly at screens. (I wonder what it's doing to our eye sight?)  It does seem, however, that kids are more interested in the technical stuff than in spending time outside, enjoying some physical activity, or even in playing with toys of any kind. Technology IS their toy of choice.

I know there is some educational value in the "plugging in" to computer games and other electronics. SOME is the key word, I think, and as in all things, it depends on how you use an item as to how much real value that item will be to you.   WII Fit was a good idea, having been the brainstorm to get 'dormant' people up and moving again. Still, for those who are able, I don't think there's anything as beneficial as going outside in the sunshine, running around, and being a real kid! 

Where is the room for imagination? Everything is thought out for today's kids. Perhaps that is the reason that movies today are mostly (poor) remakes of great old ones. No one has the ability to think up new things. How sad.  I wonder what kind of books (to never be put on paper, but rather published to some electronic thingamabob) will be put out in our future?

I know that I'm also 'dormant'...not so much by choice, but because of a hip/back situation. I long to be more active, to dance and be able to walk longer. I love to see kids doing what I can no longer do.  I'm also a 'fossil' and I believe in the provision of toys that inspire some creative thinking. Paper and paints, and clay for art projects and crafts, dolls, tea sets, dress up clothes for role playing, interactive board games for sociability. These are all 'sit down' types of activity, for quieter indoor play, but there are bikes, hula hoops, soccer balls, and the like for outdoor activities. I love to encourage hop scotch and team games and races. One of the older grandchildren is a first year cheerleader, so I asked to see all of her  routines...it got her away from her cell phone/computer and up and moving!

All that being said, it's time for me to get up and moving. I think I'll see if I can stretch and wiggle a little. After three days of being sick, I can use it....even if it's just a little.

Another Thing To Do...

Uhoh...I've just discovered another way to spend time by myself....aka another excuse for not getting something accomplished.  It's called "Words With Friends". It's a game, similar to Scrabble, which I love. Words and I have always had a 'thing' for each other, and I can play this quite well. 

I'm not sure that there is any valid excuse for playing games instead of getting something done, but if you believe psycologists and the like-minded, older minds should be active, doing crossword puzzles, etc. in order to slow the aging process. So, let's chalk up this game...and Text Twist 2 to that endeavor, shall we?

Seriously, I do get things done. Perhaps not as much as I'd like, because I need some more muscle than I am capable of using, and sometimes that isn't available to me without pleading, begging or nagging. I figure it's going to get done, in due time, so unless it's a immediate emergency, why turn myself into a whip-weilding wench, demanding that a job get done 'right NOW!'  My husband keeps himself busy, and is a very giving and caring soul  who does a lot for me and my Mom,  who worked all of his life and is now retired. He doesn't need to spend his retirement years dealing with a  wretched wife. So, as I say, unless it has immediate need, I mention the job, and we get to it 'eventually'.

So...in the time I spend NOT being that wretched wife, we spend time together enjoying ourselves. Sometimes we spend time alone...he reads voraciously... educating himself, or just enjoying his books. I spend time on my crafts, my computer, and now with some of these games.  We are each happily ensconced in our pleasures of Senior Living.

Unless we take up swimming at the 'Y' or begin Yoga classes, we may not be in the best of physical shape when we leave this earth, but we'll both be happy...and hopefully with brains kept in tact by the exercising of them with reading and word games!

A Book?

His blog said, "I'm just an average Joe"....and I thought when I read that, "what a wonderful opening line" for the book he was speaking about writing...or not writing. I could totally understand the 'yes, I might...no, I can't' thinking about composing such a work.

For years, probably since I was a teenager who wrote sloppy love poems with some truth and some fiction involved, people who have read my words have suggested that I put them  together in a book form. It appears that many can relate, in some way, to the feelings evoked by the words I put into prose or poetic form. Someone once told me that my words touch places in the heart that everyone feels. I suppose that's why some authors and poets make a great living at their craft, but there are also many out there that people just 'don't get'. That's why there's a popular term for them....'starving artists.'

Perhaps the reason I've never laid it all out there and put those feelings into the hands of the public is that I don't believe in myself enough. Or, maybe it is that I'd rather keep some of those feelings in some private place, allowing only those I trust with my emotions to read them. Then, of course, there is the fiction that has been injected into much of my writing. That needs to be considered, because if it is taken as fact, there could be judgement cast upon my character....or my sanity....depending upon what is being read and who is reading it.  There's also the issue that was brought up by my blogger friend...whether I have anything interesting to write about. That may be the most crippling of all excuses for not writing a book for public consumption.

After all...."I'm just an average Joe...."

A New Year...A New Day...A New Beginning

As the New Year approached, I began to think of things I might want to change during the coming days.I focused on my home...ideas I'd like to accomplish in the rooms, one by one. But as I attempted to create these visions in my mind, other things kept pouring into my head...fast and furiously.

I realized that I'm really quite content with my home, and my life. That doesn't mean that changes won't come.  Things constantly change in our lives, sometimes by our choice and sometimes without a choice.
It occured to me that we all  need changes, in order to grow in various ways.

Sometimes we see things in ourselves that we don't care much for. Those things need to be examined and altered to be more what we'd envision ourselves to be. It's not always easy to do that, but in reality, our lives most often bring a series of things that would inspire us to grow to be better people. I realized in all this time of reflection, that we have opportunities each minute to make changes for the better.

Whenever we find ourselves faced with decisions, we make a choice. Whenever there is a fork in the road, we find we must choose one over the other. Sometimes we make the right choice, sometimes we don't. We always have a chance after making the first choice, to decide that it might not have been the best one, and we can change our minds and choose another option. However, we must realize that every choice brings it's consequences and/or its rewards. Even if we realize a mistake was made, and turn to a different decision, the effects of the first choice may follow us for a time.  When given the chance, it's a good idea to put a lot of thought into things before we make a decision. I've learned from experience that it doesn't hurt a bit to try to see into the future, to predict what result any decision might bring with it. Of course, there's no telling what tomorrow will bring, but a little forethought is never a bad idea.

So here we are, folks...faced with a New Year....a New Day....a New Beginning. This year will bring many, many choices and decision-making options. May we all dip deep into our wells of past experiences and those of others who've walked the paths before us, and draw up buckets of smart thinking. May we find ourselves a little wiser in the days ahead than we were in the days past. 

Happy New Year, my friends!