15 more posts
Since I have had this blog, my goal has always been to write more posts each year than the year before. If I am to do that, I need to do at least 15 more. But I have a problem. I can't just write stuff to write stuff. I want it to have a point or a message or both. Maybe my expectations of myself are way too high. To quote the late Harry Niilsen "A point in every direction is the same as no point at all...dig?" So what is the point. I write something, then let it simmer for a bit, and then rewrite, post or kill it. Maybe I am too picky but I don't want to write about how bad my life is...it really isn't - I have a lot to be grateful for. I won't write about work. I like to write about running but sometimes I find myself repeating things - or at least I think I am repeating things...maybe that is okay though. It's not like this blog has 1000 followers or is clever or has a theme to it. Mostly it is about stuff that no one probably cares about but some peeps might find amusing or slightly irritating?
I did think of writing about honoring the memory of my mom and dad. Every time I hang out with old people, appreciate the smell of rain, visit my hometown, or am kind to animals I honor my dad. I honor my mom by being friendly to people in grocery stores. I honor them both by being generous when I don't have to - the "throw it in the cart" mentality that came from my mom's shopping trips with my kids. Billy or Kseniya would say, when we were in the old Ben Franklin store "Look at this, Grandma - I like this". They never asked her to by anything - she with not much money at all but willing to give what she had.
"Throw it in the cart", she would say.
I thought of this yesterday when I was in line at Target, buying a jacket I really didn't need . A woman in one of those scooters, and wearing oxygen (a nasal cannula) was in front of me. She and her daughter or granddaughter, age 9 or so, were trying to decide which of their purchases to put back from a large grocery cart filled with mostly food. The grandma didn't have enough cash and her credit card wouldn't work. I felt my mom's presence for a second and I said to the cashier "How much does she need".
"About $25" she said.
"Throw it in the cart", my mom whispered. That was the exact amount of cash that I had in my purse so I handed it over. It seemed like the right thing to do and the cashier, and the grandma were so surprised. The grandma wanted me to give her my name and address but I didn't want her to pay me back. I hoped she would remember and do the same for someone else and add to the good Karma in the world. I don't share this because I want "Oh your so nice" comments. I share it to honor my mom who would have done the same thing and taught me to do this when I could. And it felt really good to do it - made me feel happy because she was so genuinely happy. What a gift from my mom.
I also thought about writing about how angry I get over perceived or real slights we get as we get older. There are people who think anyone over 50 have nothing much to offer anymore. But that seemed too much like whining so I nixed that idea.
One thing I know for sure is that I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have all of my kids come home for the holidays. They seem to like spending time with us, their parents. They even seem to like each other which I don't think is all that common. I also feel lucky and grateful to be able to run after breaking my leg and to have completed my annual St. George marathon. I have the pleasure of a new grandson and watching him develop and can look forward to someday running a 10K with him and taking him to the cookie store, like I used to my own kids.
Okay I think for once I won't let this one simmer - and will just put it out there. Only 14 to go, but I won't force them.
I did think of writing about honoring the memory of my mom and dad. Every time I hang out with old people, appreciate the smell of rain, visit my hometown, or am kind to animals I honor my dad. I honor my mom by being friendly to people in grocery stores. I honor them both by being generous when I don't have to - the "throw it in the cart" mentality that came from my mom's shopping trips with my kids. Billy or Kseniya would say, when we were in the old Ben Franklin store "Look at this, Grandma - I like this". They never asked her to by anything - she with not much money at all but willing to give what she had.
"Throw it in the cart", she would say.
I thought of this yesterday when I was in line at Target, buying a jacket I really didn't need . A woman in one of those scooters, and wearing oxygen (a nasal cannula) was in front of me. She and her daughter or granddaughter, age 9 or so, were trying to decide which of their purchases to put back from a large grocery cart filled with mostly food. The grandma didn't have enough cash and her credit card wouldn't work. I felt my mom's presence for a second and I said to the cashier "How much does she need".
"About $25" she said.
"Throw it in the cart", my mom whispered. That was the exact amount of cash that I had in my purse so I handed it over. It seemed like the right thing to do and the cashier, and the grandma were so surprised. The grandma wanted me to give her my name and address but I didn't want her to pay me back. I hoped she would remember and do the same for someone else and add to the good Karma in the world. I don't share this because I want "Oh your so nice" comments. I share it to honor my mom who would have done the same thing and taught me to do this when I could. And it felt really good to do it - made me feel happy because she was so genuinely happy. What a gift from my mom.
I also thought about writing about how angry I get over perceived or real slights we get as we get older. There are people who think anyone over 50 have nothing much to offer anymore. But that seemed too much like whining so I nixed that idea.
One thing I know for sure is that I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have all of my kids come home for the holidays. They seem to like spending time with us, their parents. They even seem to like each other which I don't think is all that common. I also feel lucky and grateful to be able to run after breaking my leg and to have completed my annual St. George marathon. I have the pleasure of a new grandson and watching him develop and can look forward to someday running a 10K with him and taking him to the cookie store, like I used to my own kids.
Okay I think for once I won't let this one simmer - and will just put it out there. Only 14 to go, but I won't force them.
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