Time To Go
It’s been a full life but it’s time to go.
My legacy is the successful raising of
Three sons who are now strong men.
In terms of worldly possessions I have none
of consequence. No diamond jewelry, no stocks
or bonds. No hidden treasures for them to find.
My body hurts, chronic diseases weigh me down.
Though my mind is still strong it too will go.
So I say farewell to life as I knew it. I look forward
To my new life with God. Thank you Jesus.
It is amazing to watch the Olympics. I marvel at the energy, physical ability and spirit of all the participants.
It doesn’t matter which sport I’m watching, I see the same thing… a personal dream, struggle, conditioning, sacrifice, possible injury, proper diet, belief in self . Coaches and family are vital as supports for the athlete.
In the cross country today, the racers crossed the finish line and collapsed in the snow because of the extreme physical exertion. Yet they are so beautifully conditioned they were back on their feet and ready to go again in minutes.
When I am busy/tired enough to lay down - I’m through for the day. Major shopping does me in for the rest of the day and night.
Now that I have crossed over from action to watcher I do have a couple of observations . The main one is wondering what these superb athletes are doing to their joints, bones and muscles. At the ages they are now, all it takes is rest, massage, sauna or jacuzzi to allay pain and problems. But what about when they are 65, 75 or 80? How will they feel then?
I ask this not to be petty or jealous. It is just because I used to play competitive tennis and was active in swimming as both swimmer and teacher. I can’t say what caused it but I have plenty of aches and pains. My arthritis is very bad (joints), also neuropathy (nerves). I have a knee that needs replacing (cartilage and bones). Yet I was not in sports that stressed my body the way many of these winter sports do.
How much of these problems are due to previous physical activity and how much due to aging? Good question for which I have no answer. But when I look at these superb athletes I can’t help wondering if they too are bringing pain into their future.
It’s funny how looking forward we never see some things. And looking back we wonder why we didn’t see them before. I think that falls into the “that’s life” category.
the guy who got on a plane with a bomb in his shoe?
Did you know his trial is over? Did you know he was sentenced? Did you see/hear any of the judge’s comments on TV or Radio?
Didn’t think so..!!!
Everyone should hear what the judge had to say. Read the rest of this entry »
I don’t want to get too political but as part of my update, I have had to notice the Tea Party Convention going on this weekend. I hope it is a group of activists here who sincerely want what is best for the US.
It is not necessary for us to have a third party if we have active people all across the country who will help us get the old politicos out and get fresh, idealistic blood i the Congress. We’ll see what happens.
The weather is certainly attracting attention everywhere. The plains, the East and coastline are getting record snowfalls and wind gusts are raising record drifts. A friend in Indiana who lives in a rural area said some cars are buried in drifts so high that they can’t be seen. Then when the really big snowplows come along they push the car into the ditch with the snow. Strange global warming, isn’t it?
Then again, Vancouver is having to import snow for the Olympics; seems they have had such a mild winter they are fresh out of snow and ice. A friend there says spring flowers are beginning to grow!
Interesting but strange world we live in, isn’t it?
We recently heard the State of the Union address by President Obama. Usually this is the time for the President to talk about all the great and wonderful things that are going on in the U.S. with secondary mention of issues to be dealt with in the coming year.
This was President Obama’s first address after a year in office. Not much good could be said about our economy, job situation, health care or anything else. Except of course we are sending massive aid to Haiti after the terrible earthquake and devastation there. Aid which may not be fully appreciated because it came from America.
As a common, ordinary citizen, I talk to people in all types of situations. Invariably when I bring up a topic the person is upset or fed up with the government regarding it. This includes the joblessness, the lack of medical care, desperation of former taxpaying citizens who are losing everything, the trillions of dollars in debt, especially the aid emphasis on the “Big Guys” like GM, AIG, Banks, and other Power Brokers. Not only are people fed up, they are demanding change. Congress votes itself pay raises, yet those on Social Security are denied cost of living (Cola) benefits for two years. Retirees are the same people who contributed a portion of their entire working life earnings for Social Security, yet now they are treated like people who are stealing from the government. Actually the government stole from them by using those dedicated SS funds for government purposes.
Now I am hearing more and more people questioning why the US Government can spend billions of dollars on Haiti but ignores the plight of many of its most faithful and loyal taxpaying citizens at home. Why it can spend trillions of dollars on the Big People, yet has no dollars to help little people put their lives back together. Govt offers of financial aid to buy a new car or a house? Who can buy such big ticket items when they don’t have jobs, food for their families, shelter to live in today?
Yes, there are people who live stable lives with job security and regular income. But there are THOUSANDS MORE who have neither, or who are about to lose their small businesses due to the recession. In fact, many of the large businesses are offering large discounts just to get people in the doors.
A lady I know saw this story recently on
“I was watching Animal Planet last week and there was a dog rescue program on….A man called the rescue place and asked if they could take his dog because he had lost his job, his house and he was trying to get to New Jersey where he had been promised a job.(I believe he was in California) He had a camper on his pick up truck. (The kind of camper that fits over the bed of the pickup) The battery had gone dead in his truck….he had run out of money and although he loved his dog, he just could no longer feed him or care for him.
“The people from the dog rescue visited him and met his dog. They honestly did not want to take his dog from him because he had lost everything else and dearly loved his dog. They raised money for this man and then they each pitched in $200.00 giving the man a grand total of $1,100.00 PLUS a big bag of dog food for his best friend.
“Now the man could get his new battery for the truck, and start on his way to New Jersey, hopefully to have the new job he was promised.
I noticed the man also wore a wedding band, so it appears his family was with family or friends while he and his dog took the journey from California to New Jersey.”
“I couldn’t help but cry when I watched this, thinking of the money that is being poured out to Haiti right now while our own people are going without. His story is only one in thousands here in the USA right now….
“I wonder if our government are proud of themselves This is also something we have to bring to the attention of politicians. WE come first…whatever may be left over can certainly be given out to other countries, but take care of our own first. I think that each and every one of them in government needs to step out of their lives and trade places with one of our homeless or nearly homeless families right here in America. Let them see first hand what it’s like to struggle….”
As is so typical today, it is not our government that is helping individuals like this man; it is other people who still have jobs, who understand the despair of people who are forced to give up all they have, including a beloved pet, because of undeserved circumstances. It is groups of citizens, neighbors, local churches, volunteer organizations, police, firemen who stop to pick up and help their fallen neighbor. The list goes on and on of those who give generously to others in need. I even saw a local grocery that was selling bags of food to be given to local food banks; buy one and the store will pass it on.
All this describes the generous compassionate nature of ordinary American citizens. These are the people whose ancestors settled and built our proud America. But that is not enough. President Obama said in his speech that he was aware of a lack of trust by citizens in our government. He is so correct. We do not trust him, the Congress, lobbyists or power brokers who now rule Washington, D.C.
We require, no, we demand change!
’Tis that time again, when I’m both GLAD and SAD:
GLAD that I’m here to celebrate another birthday;
SAD that another year adds to the growing pile.
Truly, GLAD outweighs the SAD designation. It is a time to reflect, to remember, to weigh accomplishments and recall joys of the past.
Now that would be one long post, so I will deal only with remembering (memories). Of course memories also begin in the present, so:
Yesterday for the first time I wore a blond wig that my son told me looked Marilyn Monroeish (not me, the wig). I thought I looked like Blondie from Dagwood and Blondie. Remember them? I got the wig from my dear friend Cheers (of whom I wrote earlier ). She is now deceased, but years ago when I visited her she offered it to me and I refused. So she put it in my suitcase and I found it when I got home. Little did we know that she would soon be diagnosed with cancer and might need it herself.
My memories of Cheers are so special; I treasure and laugh at each one of them.
Those memories took me to Justin of Australia, Cheers’ dear friend who became mine as well. We made plans to visit him when we got rich, until then we communicated with him regularly by telephone and email. He had set up the technical part of The Seniors Playground with Cheers and carried it for her on his Broad Band until he passed away. Another treasured memory of one I still miss. He had a beard like Moses and Cheers always said she wanted to run her fingers through it! Her Playground is still active under its present owner, Snowlady. I have formed close ties with many people on there.
Cheers and Justin led me to another website where I met Denis in Ukraine as well as Andy, an Englishman now living in Japan. Andy is the one who set this site up for me and I consider him a mentor and friend - even if he is 25 years younger than me.
When a person has lived as long as we have, the memories can go on endlessly. Memories which include who and what we were. Now we must not lose sight of who and what we are:
Once I was young, naive, hopeful. Red hair flashing
in sunlight; big smile lighting freckled face.
Now suddenly I’m old…red hair faded. Wrinkles and lumps
where trim young flesh once existed. But I’m still here!
I am the same person, just wiser, more experienced,
“mature”. My body got older but my heart did not!
Dreams still reside in a future unknown; hope rests within
my breast foreshadowing new experiences, new places, new ideas.
If so, why do I feel out of place…am I truly an anachronism in
youth’s new day? A fossil buried in senior flesh?
No! I have children, grandchildren, friends and new interests .
Life is not over, it is merely slower and follows a different path.
Be patient and grateful my soul, for each new day, for beauty all around,
for the many blessings of a young life lived in an old body.
~An old body which still has many days and miles to go.~
My granddaughter asked me what it was like to be old.
So I told her…
“Put cotton in your ears,
and pebbles in your shoes,
Put on rubber gloves,
Smear vaseline over your glasses,
And there you have it:
Instant Old Age.”
Many of my internet friends live in northern climes. They are particularly weary of the weather with snow, ice, freezing fog, rain, sleet, and ice again!
But there are hopeful signs that winter may be over soon. People in various areas of the central and eastern U.S. along with parts of Canada are reporting temperatures over freezing. One lady in Vancouver (where the Winter Olympics are to be held) reports spring flower buds are popping out. So plans are being made to truck snow in to the mountains. Perhaps they should get some snow from Flagstaff area where they got FOUR feet of snow. Hard to believe.
No matter how dreary or cold it may be, winter will come to an end. For those of you who might be suffering from winter blues, particularly we Seniors who have the stuck-in-the-house winter blues, enjoy this little reminder.
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=2185550634448&source=jl999
This link will not open directly; run your mouse across it and copy it, then put the url in your browser. I think you will like it.
P.S. This is a wonderful source of animated and creative cards.
I Believe…
Just because two people argue,
Doesn’t mean they don’t love each other.
And just because they don’t argue,
Doesn’t mean they do love each other.
I Believe…
We don’t have to change friends if
we understand friends change.
I Believe…
No matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while,
and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe….
True friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I Believe….
You can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe…
It’s taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.
I Believe…
You should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.
I Believe..
You can keep going long after you think you can’t.
I Believe…
We are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.
I Believe…
Either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I Believe…
Heroes are the people who do what has to be done,
when it needs to be done,
regardless of consequences.
I Believe..
Money is a lousy way of keeping score..
I Believe…
My best friend and I can do anything or nothing,
And have the best time.
I Believe…
Sometimes the people you expect to kick you
when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.
I Believe…
Sometimes when I’m angry,
I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe…
Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had,
and what you’ve learned from them,
and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.
I Believe…
It isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others;
Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I Believe…
No matter how bad your heart is broken,
The world doesn’t stop for your grief.
I Believe….
Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
But we are responsible for whom we become.
I Believe…
You shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
I Believe….
Two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I Believe…
Your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don’t even know you.
I Believe…
Even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you–
you will find the strength to help.
I Believe…
Credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I Believe…
The people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.
I believe…
The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of anything.
“I Believe” Music Video by Frankie Laine
http://www.berm.co.nz/cgi-bin/video/play.cgi?–j7wvtOi1s
An internet friend of mine just sent me a message and part of it said “growing old ain’t for sissies.”
Well, I sure agree with that. Today went to eye doctor for checkup?
You have to understand that this is rather a project. First of all he lives in another state and drives about 50 miles to get here. We have no good opthalmologists here, only a very good optometrist whose office he uses twice a month. Also, because I am visually disabled I have to take a special bus to get there. No public transportation locally. (Yes, I do live in rather a hole).
Anyhow, he is a very good eye doctor, did my cataracts, and gained my trust. So I had told him I’d be willing to have a steroid shot in my eye if necessary, in spite of a VERY bad experience I had with another doctor in another town.
Well, he gave me a steroid shot in my right eye today. Frightening to think of anyone sticking a needle in your eye. He did it twice, once for painkiller and then again for the shot. I know, because I could feel the eyeball move under the pressure. (yikes!)
Left me with a big black blob in my eye which proceeded to start leaking down the eyeball. He said it would take a couple of days to be fully absorbed; gave me eye drops to use for a week.
Actually it wasn’t as bad as it sounds; but hope you never have to go through it.
As we said, getting old ain’t for sissies.