It's My Sister's Birthday Today
Ok, so I'll always be 6 years older than her but I'm taller and I can paint and I understand color theory! And poor Peggy had to stay at home for 13 more years after I left. Peggy (Margaret Louise [nee]O'Neall) is a Beautician. I will not forgive her for living in California all those years and not doing my hair for me. But then it forced me to learn to do my own, think of the $$ I've saved all these years, and I do mean ALL!
Happy birthday Peggy!! I love you. It's also a day of sad memories. I was widowed with five children to care for when my husband was killed by a drunk driver, hit head-on on his way home from work. Today would have been his birthday also. He was a good man and a wonderful father. I think I would have been a very different person perhaps if he hadn't come into my life. I had four children when we married and had been through a terrible marriage and divorce. I had no intention of marrying again and along came Gary.
He would mow my lawn, drive me to get groceries, offer to lend me money. He had been in the service during my divorce. I lived in the projects next door to his mother. (See, I know what it's like to be poor!) He would bring me groceries (sometimes flowers), he would mysteriously come up with a rug that no one wanted, his aunt didn't want the set of dishes he brought one day. He stalked me until I gave in.
He was a gentleman and my life changed for the better because of him. He moved us out of the projects into a home. He so wanted a child of his own and when Von was born he was sooooo proud! Gary had a great deal of artistic talent, I did too but it wasn't developed yet. Our son Von is an artistic wonder and has a Graphic Design business. Von was 9 months old when his father was killed. Happy birthday Gary........and Von, he loved you dearly!!
Sometimes the things I write about in my Blog are personal, funny, happy times and sad, terrible times. Please understand that it isn't an attempt to garner sympathy, rather, the intent is to give you cause for thought regarding how you handle adversity, unhappiness and difficult times in your life. No, I wasn't smiling and happy through the bad times, I cried and was miserable, I was a good wife and mother, kept a clean organized home, could cook, wasn't stupid (I don't think!) I couldn't understand how someone could marry you father children and then not care about you. I wouldn't see him for days on end, he wouldn't work and we ended up living in the projects.
I also was very much alone with no family support. But I learned that God loves me, as He does you, and I can actually say that there are times I have a hard time believing it was ME that lived through it all. Working nights, taking care of the children during the day and catching naps whenever I could. Washing clothes in the bathrub by hand and hanging them on a wooden clothes rack to dry. Washing the floors on hands and knees. Babysitting for food money.
Don't let other people's actions determine what your reaction is going to be. Keep a soft heart, don't be too quick to respond to anger and irritation, remember that others are going through hard times too, share more often, don't be afraid of what people will think of you if you share some of the bad times. On the other hand, don't be afraid to vent or complain as long as you don't make a habit of doing it daily! If you expect to be hurt at times it seems it doesn't hurt that much when it happens. Don't say "Why me?" Why not?
Trust that God will see you through, He's faithful! Above all, develop a sense of humor it can energize your soul and makes it so much easier to traverse the bumps of life. I love humor, jokes, funny stories, my friends and co-workers, no, I don't mean they're jokes. Listen more, talk less, ask people questions about themselves, you'd be surprised what you learn.
Use your talent for good, be proud of your accomplishments. If your parents are still alive tell them how much you love and appreciate them. If they weren't good parents - make something up!! If nothing else you'll shock them! (see what I mean about humor?) Hey dad, not a good idea storing all that homemade bottled beer on their sides in the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard. Sounded like the Fourth of July, smelled like yeast and hops for months and it isn't easy getting beer stains out of all the linens that were in the drawers below.
Hey, living with an alcoholic has it's humorous side too. Some fun some not. For instance: Fun - a bathtub full of cucumbers during pickle canning time, Not - dad vomiting every morning before he left for work, Fun - watching the lid of the pressure cooker fly across the kitchen, chicken and broth hitting the ceiling and everything else in the vicinity, Not - not being able to laugh!!! Fun - overhearing some of his off-color jokes, Not - never daring to voice how you really feel, Fun - watching dad turn the sod in the 4'X10' flowerbed with his newly purchased Sears & Roebuck rototiller so he could plant asparagus (couldn't do it without a rototiller), Not - dad in the auditorium balcony at my graduation ceremony, drunk and yelling, Fun - cleaning the house for mom and visiting when dad wasn't there.
I made up my mind that the memories of the bad times will always be there, but then, so will the good memories, so why not make the good memories the ones you enjoy the most and find humor in the bad? It took me years to come to the conclusion that I - am me, not who he said I was (I won't repeat that), besides it wasn't true. My worth doesn't come from someone else's opinion of me it comes from God. The same is true for you.
I hope this post served it's purpose. You are special, you are loved and you have something to share with the world and everyone in it.......don't miss the opportunity!!
God bless,
Later
Carol
Let's see.......which poem should I post tonight? I had forgotten this one but it fits.
WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Carol Glitschka 2/2002
WE LIVE EACH DAY IN WISHES
WITHIN CONTRAINTS OF TIME
BENDING TO DEMANDS OF LIFE
UNTIL WELL PAST OUR PRIME.
TALENTS GONE UNTENDED
YEARNING FOR RELEASE
TRIED AND SADLY SET ASIDE
FRUSTRATION TO INCREASE.
DREAD AT THOUGHTS OF FAILURE
FEAR CLUTCHES AT THE HEART
INSPIRATION STAYS A WISH
AND NEVER GETS IT’S START.
IF YOU’RE AFRAID TO FAIL
YOU’LL NEVER TAKE A DARE
BUT IF YOU WANT SUCCESS
THEN YOU’LL HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
Happy birthday Peggy!! I love you. It's also a day of sad memories. I was widowed with five children to care for when my husband was killed by a drunk driver, hit head-on on his way home from work. Today would have been his birthday also. He was a good man and a wonderful father. I think I would have been a very different person perhaps if he hadn't come into my life. I had four children when we married and had been through a terrible marriage and divorce. I had no intention of marrying again and along came Gary.
He would mow my lawn, drive me to get groceries, offer to lend me money. He had been in the service during my divorce. I lived in the projects next door to his mother. (See, I know what it's like to be poor!) He would bring me groceries (sometimes flowers), he would mysteriously come up with a rug that no one wanted, his aunt didn't want the set of dishes he brought one day. He stalked me until I gave in.
He was a gentleman and my life changed for the better because of him. He moved us out of the projects into a home. He so wanted a child of his own and when Von was born he was sooooo proud! Gary had a great deal of artistic talent, I did too but it wasn't developed yet. Our son Von is an artistic wonder and has a Graphic Design business. Von was 9 months old when his father was killed. Happy birthday Gary........and Von, he loved you dearly!!
Sometimes the things I write about in my Blog are personal, funny, happy times and sad, terrible times. Please understand that it isn't an attempt to garner sympathy, rather, the intent is to give you cause for thought regarding how you handle adversity, unhappiness and difficult times in your life. No, I wasn't smiling and happy through the bad times, I cried and was miserable, I was a good wife and mother, kept a clean organized home, could cook, wasn't stupid (I don't think!) I couldn't understand how someone could marry you father children and then not care about you. I wouldn't see him for days on end, he wouldn't work and we ended up living in the projects.
I also was very much alone with no family support. But I learned that God loves me, as He does you, and I can actually say that there are times I have a hard time believing it was ME that lived through it all. Working nights, taking care of the children during the day and catching naps whenever I could. Washing clothes in the bathrub by hand and hanging them on a wooden clothes rack to dry. Washing the floors on hands and knees. Babysitting for food money.
Don't let other people's actions determine what your reaction is going to be. Keep a soft heart, don't be too quick to respond to anger and irritation, remember that others are going through hard times too, share more often, don't be afraid of what people will think of you if you share some of the bad times. On the other hand, don't be afraid to vent or complain as long as you don't make a habit of doing it daily! If you expect to be hurt at times it seems it doesn't hurt that much when it happens. Don't say "Why me?" Why not?
Trust that God will see you through, He's faithful! Above all, develop a sense of humor it can energize your soul and makes it so much easier to traverse the bumps of life. I love humor, jokes, funny stories, my friends and co-workers, no, I don't mean they're jokes. Listen more, talk less, ask people questions about themselves, you'd be surprised what you learn.
Use your talent for good, be proud of your accomplishments. If your parents are still alive tell them how much you love and appreciate them. If they weren't good parents - make something up!! If nothing else you'll shock them! (see what I mean about humor?) Hey dad, not a good idea storing all that homemade bottled beer on their sides in the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard. Sounded like the Fourth of July, smelled like yeast and hops for months and it isn't easy getting beer stains out of all the linens that were in the drawers below.
Hey, living with an alcoholic has it's humorous side too. Some fun some not. For instance: Fun - a bathtub full of cucumbers during pickle canning time, Not - dad vomiting every morning before he left for work, Fun - watching the lid of the pressure cooker fly across the kitchen, chicken and broth hitting the ceiling and everything else in the vicinity, Not - not being able to laugh!!! Fun - overhearing some of his off-color jokes, Not - never daring to voice how you really feel, Fun - watching dad turn the sod in the 4'X10' flowerbed with his newly purchased Sears & Roebuck rototiller so he could plant asparagus (couldn't do it without a rototiller), Not - dad in the auditorium balcony at my graduation ceremony, drunk and yelling, Fun - cleaning the house for mom and visiting when dad wasn't there.
I made up my mind that the memories of the bad times will always be there, but then, so will the good memories, so why not make the good memories the ones you enjoy the most and find humor in the bad? It took me years to come to the conclusion that I - am me, not who he said I was (I won't repeat that), besides it wasn't true. My worth doesn't come from someone else's opinion of me it comes from God. The same is true for you.
I hope this post served it's purpose. You are special, you are loved and you have something to share with the world and everyone in it.......don't miss the opportunity!!
God bless,
Later
Carol
Let's see.......which poem should I post tonight? I had forgotten this one but it fits.
WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Carol Glitschka 2/2002
WE LIVE EACH DAY IN WISHES
WITHIN CONTRAINTS OF TIME
BENDING TO DEMANDS OF LIFE
UNTIL WELL PAST OUR PRIME.
TALENTS GONE UNTENDED
YEARNING FOR RELEASE
TRIED AND SADLY SET ASIDE
FRUSTRATION TO INCREASE.
DREAD AT THOUGHTS OF FAILURE
FEAR CLUTCHES AT THE HEART
INSPIRATION STAYS A WISH
AND NEVER GETS IT’S START.
IF YOU’RE AFRAID TO FAIL
YOU’LL NEVER TAKE A DARE
BUT IF YOU WANT SUCCESS
THEN YOU’LL HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
posted by Poetessa | 7:36 PM
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