I'm a buttoned down person. I don't like to hurry so I'm usually ready well ahead of time for whatever is coming up.
But we know that life is full of interruptions.
Experts will tell us that the trick is to keep our priorities straight. But the thing is, the priorities can change in an instant.
You can be on the most important work project imaginable but when the babysitter calls saying your child has a high fever everything changes.
Of course the trick is to have ultimate priorities.
There's a story about Jesus when he's on his way to heal a little girl and gets stopped by a woman who asks to be healed.
He had to interrupt a healing for a healing.
In the 70s I had a surprise pregnancy that seriously interrupted my plans. Turned out to be one of the four or so best things that ever happened to me.
My Boyfriend and I have really cool plans for this weekend including seeing old friends and a special party.
My daughter in another city is having a baby any day now. If the baby comes this weekend and I hop on a plane - it will be one of the best interruptions of all.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Last Hurricane
My Real Husband died in late 2004, at home, in a hurricane. It was the middle of three major hurricanes in a row that visited my city. Prior to that it had been over 30 years since this area had seen one.
The next year Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. We were vicariously re- traumatized.
A week or so later I received a call. A family of five had fled New Orleans and was in our city. Would I coordinate helping them get on their feet?
They had nothing. Just prior to the hurricane they'd taken one of the children (with a high temperature) to the hospital. The doctors there told them to get out of town immediately. They ran home and packed an overnight bag. The five of them drove 100 miles to a motel to ride out the storm.
They never returned. Their home, their business and all of their belongings were gone. Their income was gone.
The only thing I can compare what happened to the people in New Orleans to, is being war refugees.
I interviewed this family. It was heartbreaking. They were staying with a friend it very tight quarters.
I got on the phone with my church friends. Within 48 HOURS we had a home (rent free for 3 months) and enough furniture and supplies for them to move in.
These wonderful friends, mostly from my Sunday school class, eventually furnished the whole house. Including linens, dishes, pot & pans, etc. Everything. And we let the family know that these things belonged to them. They could keep everything but the house.
They were overwhelmed. Working with this family was a joy. Mom found a job teaching. Dad was a barber. It took longer to get licensing issues squared away.
The children were enrolled in school. The little boy adjusted. The teenage girls were devastated and never did really get over it.
They cried themselves to sleep and begged their parents to let them go back, visit their neighborhood and go to the mall with their friends just one more time. But there was no neighborhood, no mall and no friends left to visit.
A few months later dad made a trip back to survey the damage. The girls asked to have one thing from their rooms. There was nothing. What was left of the house was awash in filth and bacteria.
Months later, when they were ready to rent their own home they moved into my friend's condo. He told me they were great tenants.
Yesterday I called my friend, the landlord, to check up on my New Orleans friends before giving them a call.
He said they were gone. They went back home to New Orleans to rebuild.
I wish you well, my New Orleans Family. You helped us heal from our own hurricane wounds just as we helped you.
The next year Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. We were vicariously re- traumatized.
A week or so later I received a call. A family of five had fled New Orleans and was in our city. Would I coordinate helping them get on their feet?
They had nothing. Just prior to the hurricane they'd taken one of the children (with a high temperature) to the hospital. The doctors there told them to get out of town immediately. They ran home and packed an overnight bag. The five of them drove 100 miles to a motel to ride out the storm.
They never returned. Their home, their business and all of their belongings were gone. Their income was gone.
The only thing I can compare what happened to the people in New Orleans to, is being war refugees.
I interviewed this family. It was heartbreaking. They were staying with a friend it very tight quarters.
I got on the phone with my church friends. Within 48 HOURS we had a home (rent free for 3 months) and enough furniture and supplies for them to move in.
These wonderful friends, mostly from my Sunday school class, eventually furnished the whole house. Including linens, dishes, pot & pans, etc. Everything. And we let the family know that these things belonged to them. They could keep everything but the house.
They were overwhelmed. Working with this family was a joy. Mom found a job teaching. Dad was a barber. It took longer to get licensing issues squared away.
The children were enrolled in school. The little boy adjusted. The teenage girls were devastated and never did really get over it.
They cried themselves to sleep and begged their parents to let them go back, visit their neighborhood and go to the mall with their friends just one more time. But there was no neighborhood, no mall and no friends left to visit.
A few months later dad made a trip back to survey the damage. The girls asked to have one thing from their rooms. There was nothing. What was left of the house was awash in filth and bacteria.
Months later, when they were ready to rent their own home they moved into my friend's condo. He told me they were great tenants.
Yesterday I called my friend, the landlord, to check up on my New Orleans friends before giving them a call.
He said they were gone. They went back home to New Orleans to rebuild.
I wish you well, my New Orleans Family. You helped us heal from our own hurricane wounds just as we helped you.
Where Shall We Walk Today?
This morning my Boyfriend and I headed for the "Birds of Prey" sanctuary. This is a place kind of close to my house that cares for injured or sick raptors - birds with talons. These are owls, eagles, hawks, ospreys, kites, etc.
About seven years ago I got up one morning and looked out my front door to see a tiny fury rectangle huddled against the base of a tree. I wouldn't have known what it was except for two eyes as big as quarters staring back at me. A baby owl had fallen out of a great Live Oak.
I called "Birds of Prey." A woman arrived, scooped him up and put him in her pocket. I later learned that happens a lot.
Anyways, we had a great time walking through the grounds, looking at these magnificent birds, many close to extinction.
They're at the top of the food chain in their world so we can learn a lot from them since we're supposedly at the top of our food chain.
We were also reminded of the importance of wet lands in Florida. Why? Wet lands are the kidneys of Florida, filtering waste from our waters. I hope Florida doesn't ever have to go on dialysis.
If or when the birds recover enough they're released back into the wild. We didn't see that happening this morning but we did see a little video narrated by Ed Begley, Jr. (one of our best tree huggers) showing birds being released. They were thrown in to air by human beings. Quite moving.
We saw a little old owl that had been imprinted so he could never be released. But he looked happy.
I'm going to pretend that was my owl - the one that fell out of my tree.
About seven years ago I got up one morning and looked out my front door to see a tiny fury rectangle huddled against the base of a tree. I wouldn't have known what it was except for two eyes as big as quarters staring back at me. A baby owl had fallen out of a great Live Oak.
I called "Birds of Prey." A woman arrived, scooped him up and put him in her pocket. I later learned that happens a lot.
Anyways, we had a great time walking through the grounds, looking at these magnificent birds, many close to extinction.
They're at the top of the food chain in their world so we can learn a lot from them since we're supposedly at the top of our food chain.
We were also reminded of the importance of wet lands in Florida. Why? Wet lands are the kidneys of Florida, filtering waste from our waters. I hope Florida doesn't ever have to go on dialysis.
If or when the birds recover enough they're released back into the wild. We didn't see that happening this morning but we did see a little video narrated by Ed Begley, Jr. (one of our best tree huggers) showing birds being released. They were thrown in to air by human beings. Quite moving.
We saw a little old owl that had been imprinted so he could never be released. But he looked happy.
I'm going to pretend that was my owl - the one that fell out of my tree.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
What Do You Do All Day?
Most of my close friends are retired. Two of my Power Rangers are still at it, one is a professor at the university, another is a V.P. for a national group of professionals.
I don't know how they do it. I no longer have that kind of stamina.
Some of my working friends, mostly men, still say occasionally "How can you stand not working? What do you do all day?"
This weekend we were invited at sorta the last minute to go to dinner and see a play with close friends. What a nice evening!
Saturday morning we met my Fake Parents, as usual, at 7:45 A.M. for breakfast at a picturesque little restaurant on my favorite street of all the streets in the world. Afterwards we took our two mile walk by running errands in this beautiful little village.
This morning I taught a class, then attended church service, then lunch on with friends, then two laps around the lake.
Most every day involves two hours of reading, two hours on the computer, one hour exercising and one hour playing cribbage.
I still do the work I love. I just don't do it as often or for money so it's not stressful. It's a blessing.
Oh, and the lady who comes in to clean my house every week: That would be me.
Oh, and the person who oversees my finances: That would be me.
When somebody needs me I feel so good when I'm available and able to help out.
But sometimes I just sit and look out the window.
Life these days is more about BEING than DOING and I'm grateful.
I don't know how they do it. I no longer have that kind of stamina.
Some of my working friends, mostly men, still say occasionally "How can you stand not working? What do you do all day?"
This weekend we were invited at sorta the last minute to go to dinner and see a play with close friends. What a nice evening!
Saturday morning we met my Fake Parents, as usual, at 7:45 A.M. for breakfast at a picturesque little restaurant on my favorite street of all the streets in the world. Afterwards we took our two mile walk by running errands in this beautiful little village.
This morning I taught a class, then attended church service, then lunch on with friends, then two laps around the lake.
Most every day involves two hours of reading, two hours on the computer, one hour exercising and one hour playing cribbage.
I still do the work I love. I just don't do it as often or for money so it's not stressful. It's a blessing.
Oh, and the lady who comes in to clean my house every week: That would be me.
Oh, and the person who oversees my finances: That would be me.
When somebody needs me I feel so good when I'm available and able to help out.
But sometimes I just sit and look out the window.
Life these days is more about BEING than DOING and I'm grateful.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Decision Making
My Boyfriend and I saw an excellent movie the other night. But I'm not recommending it to you because it's raw and you might be offended. It takes place in Boston's underbelly but could be about any large segment of people who live in all of our big cities. People we don't want to hang out with or even think much about.
The movie's called "Gone, Baby, Gone." A frivolous sounding title but the movie is anything but frivolous. It's about making decisions and then having to live with them.
It was directed and (screenplay) written by Ben Afleck who, in my eyes, has totally redeemed himself professionally with this movie.
Every adult character has to live with the decisions they've made. Were they "right" or "wrong?" Who knows.
A friend of mine called the other day, totally freaked out because her young teenage son had done something really stupid and they were scrambling to "fix" the situation.
For as long as I've known this couple they've been conservative Christian parents who's main parenting goal is to have their children "mind." The children must have respect for authority at all times.
My main parenting goal was to produce "decision making" adults. Learning to make decisions and then to live with that responsibility is a lot harder than doing what you're told.
Sometimes authority needs to be challenged but you need to pick your battles and accept the consequences.
My friend said, "I don't want them to make decisions, I want them to do what's right."
Some of the time I don't know what's right. I wish the world was black and white but I constantly find myself in some grey areas.
To me the movie, "Gone, Baby, Gone" is not so much about a kidnapped child as it is about adults making choices. Some clearly wrong, but others, I'm not sure.
The movie's called "Gone, Baby, Gone." A frivolous sounding title but the movie is anything but frivolous. It's about making decisions and then having to live with them.
It was directed and (screenplay) written by Ben Afleck who, in my eyes, has totally redeemed himself professionally with this movie.
Every adult character has to live with the decisions they've made. Were they "right" or "wrong?" Who knows.
A friend of mine called the other day, totally freaked out because her young teenage son had done something really stupid and they were scrambling to "fix" the situation.
For as long as I've known this couple they've been conservative Christian parents who's main parenting goal is to have their children "mind." The children must have respect for authority at all times.
My main parenting goal was to produce "decision making" adults. Learning to make decisions and then to live with that responsibility is a lot harder than doing what you're told.
Sometimes authority needs to be challenged but you need to pick your battles and accept the consequences.
My friend said, "I don't want them to make decisions, I want them to do what's right."
Some of the time I don't know what's right. I wish the world was black and white but I constantly find myself in some grey areas.
To me the movie, "Gone, Baby, Gone" is not so much about a kidnapped child as it is about adults making choices. Some clearly wrong, but others, I'm not sure.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Lillian's Son
I'm a huge fan of Jimmy Carter's. As far as I'm concerned, he's the bomb.
Although I shouldn't use the word bomb to describe him because he, like me, is a peacenik.
Do you remember years ago when his mom, Lillian, retired from being a nurse in a rural Georgia community? She could have done so many cool things since her son was a super star. But she signed up with the Peace Corps and spent two years in India.
The lesson that "there's always work to be done" wasn't lost on me.
Of course I didn't like waiting in those lines at the gas station in the 70s.
Most ex-presidents make a ton of money. This hasn't been Carter's goal. He used to make furniture in his workshop but since he made about one chair a year that wasn't real profitable.
Like many people, I've occasionally had difficulty articulating my beliefs - about my faith, social issues, government, etc. I don't like arguments and I don't like negative talk.
TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE FOR!
A couple of years ago I was getting ready for a long drive. A friend lent me Carter's book on tape, "Our Endangered Values." As he began talking I thought "That's exactly what I believe." Then I tried hard for the next eight hours to find something we disagreed on. It didn't happen.
When I got home I bought the book and read it carefully. We were together on every chapter. Trust me, this doesn't happen often.
Jimmy has a movie coming out. Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme made a documentary when Carter was publicizing his VERY controversial book on the middle east.
It's coming to main stream theaters. Look for it. You'll be a better person for seeing it whether you agree with him or not.
Although I shouldn't use the word bomb to describe him because he, like me, is a peacenik.
Do you remember years ago when his mom, Lillian, retired from being a nurse in a rural Georgia community? She could have done so many cool things since her son was a super star. But she signed up with the Peace Corps and spent two years in India.
The lesson that "there's always work to be done" wasn't lost on me.
Of course I didn't like waiting in those lines at the gas station in the 70s.
Most ex-presidents make a ton of money. This hasn't been Carter's goal. He used to make furniture in his workshop but since he made about one chair a year that wasn't real profitable.
Like many people, I've occasionally had difficulty articulating my beliefs - about my faith, social issues, government, etc. I don't like arguments and I don't like negative talk.
TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE FOR!
A couple of years ago I was getting ready for a long drive. A friend lent me Carter's book on tape, "Our Endangered Values." As he began talking I thought "That's exactly what I believe." Then I tried hard for the next eight hours to find something we disagreed on. It didn't happen.
When I got home I bought the book and read it carefully. We were together on every chapter. Trust me, this doesn't happen often.
Jimmy has a movie coming out. Oscar winning director Jonathan Demme made a documentary when Carter was publicizing his VERY controversial book on the middle east.
It's coming to main stream theaters. Look for it. You'll be a better person for seeing it whether you agree with him or not.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Ferris Wheel
A little over a mile from my home is a huge Catholic church and school. Every year they have a carnival. It's a big deal. For days we see the rides coming in on big flatbed trucks. At night you can see the lights from the Ferris wheel for blocks and blocks.
Unlike some carnivals, everything at this three day event always looks clean and new.
For 12 years, at this time of year, I've driven by the carnival at night and and wished I was there having fun. It never happened. I could have invited a friend or family member to go with me but I never did.
Besides, for many of those years, I would have either had to push a wheelchair or make complicated arrangements to get out of the house alone.
This past Saturday night my Boyfriend and I walked to the carnival at the Catholic church. It was jammed with people. Truly a mini version of a state fair midway.
We rode the Ferris wheel.
When we first met in Chicago two years ago, after several months of a daily pen pal relationship, one of the most romantic things we did was ride the giant Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier.
This one was smaller but it brought back great memories. And what a view we had!
We waited in a long line. It was fun watching people on the scarier rides. The young couple in front of us helped my Boyfriend take a picture of me with his camera.
Lots of yummy junk food all around. We shared a Dove Bar ice cream. Then we walked home in the warm rain.
Unlike some carnivals, everything at this three day event always looks clean and new.
For 12 years, at this time of year, I've driven by the carnival at night and and wished I was there having fun. It never happened. I could have invited a friend or family member to go with me but I never did.
Besides, for many of those years, I would have either had to push a wheelchair or make complicated arrangements to get out of the house alone.
This past Saturday night my Boyfriend and I walked to the carnival at the Catholic church. It was jammed with people. Truly a mini version of a state fair midway.
We rode the Ferris wheel.
When we first met in Chicago two years ago, after several months of a daily pen pal relationship, one of the most romantic things we did was ride the giant Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier.
This one was smaller but it brought back great memories. And what a view we had!
We waited in a long line. It was fun watching people on the scarier rides. The young couple in front of us helped my Boyfriend take a picture of me with his camera.
Lots of yummy junk food all around. We shared a Dove Bar ice cream. Then we walked home in the warm rain.
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