There was a little girl whose parents could not always afford food. At night she had a hard time sleeping because she was hungry. Often she got out of bed and waked her mom in the middle of the night to say she was hungry. Her mom would get up, fix her a big glass of tap water with a little sugar stirred in and tell her if she drank it when she woke up in the morning she wouldn't be hungry. Hunger was their family secret. "If you tell anyone," her parents warned, "you will be taken from us and have to go live with strangers." It wasn't all the time that the month lasted longer than the food but to a child that experience lasts a lifetime. How do I know about this little girl and her horrible family secret?
I face her in the mirror every morning. Yes, the little girl was me and with the exception of this blog I've kept the secret.
Some may be surprised at how many people mask a lot of things. I'm talking about being judgemental about those that need health care. I'll bet people walk around sick and in pain and pretend that everything is fine because they are embarrassed that they have no insurance. Not being able to afford going to the doctor is no more a character flaw then not being able to afford to buy food. Greed and mistrust has eroded our humanity, stripped us of compassion. People that are suspicious of others taking advantage of the system most likely are guilty of doing so themselves.
THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Growing Pains
A friend of mine blogged that she no longer felt comfortable in her own skin. Her kids are grown and gone and the stay at home work she does no longer works.
It's called growing pains and it took me a while to wrap my mind around this concept.
Each time my life changed I had to grow and change with it. Actually our life's circumstance define who we are at that moment. If we aren't flexible enough to morph we become lost souls. I can't tell you how many times I have re invented myself.
I turned in my eighty's disco clothes for a breast pump. Discarded that then came the car pool, then there was Debra the volunteer, the socialite, community activist, on and on, now writer.
What I am saying is change is the one constant thing in your life. Roll with it. Don't know what is coming next? Neither do I, but I am open to any possibility.
I will share this with you. On mornings that I wake up and my mind draws a blank, I know something new is about to catch my fancy but don't know exactly what that might be. I lie face down on the carpet, hands stretched out and say (sometimes out loud, sometimes to myself) "here I am Lord, use me, let thy will be done". In a short time I am on a new adventure.
My husband doesn't look at this as growth, he says "You wake up in a new world everyday, how sad that you can't find one thing and stick with it." I say, "oh glorious me, look how I soar!"
How do you handle growth spurts?
It's called growing pains and it took me a while to wrap my mind around this concept.
Each time my life changed I had to grow and change with it. Actually our life's circumstance define who we are at that moment. If we aren't flexible enough to morph we become lost souls. I can't tell you how many times I have re invented myself.
I turned in my eighty's disco clothes for a breast pump. Discarded that then came the car pool, then there was Debra the volunteer, the socialite, community activist, on and on, now writer.
What I am saying is change is the one constant thing in your life. Roll with it. Don't know what is coming next? Neither do I, but I am open to any possibility.
I will share this with you. On mornings that I wake up and my mind draws a blank, I know something new is about to catch my fancy but don't know exactly what that might be. I lie face down on the carpet, hands stretched out and say (sometimes out loud, sometimes to myself) "here I am Lord, use me, let thy will be done". In a short time I am on a new adventure.
My husband doesn't look at this as growth, he says "You wake up in a new world everyday, how sad that you can't find one thing and stick with it." I say, "oh glorious me, look how I soar!"
How do you handle growth spurts?
Friday, April 6, 2012
FEAR...What's yours?
To a younger Debra, appearances were very important. My life centered around being accepted by people. Well we all know the truth to that way of thinking. You can never measure up to the scrutiny of others. With maturity I grew out of that fear. Eventually a different fear evolved. The fear of self judgement. I didn't measure up to my own expectations.
I feared I didn't turn out as well as I should. I feared that I wasn't the best mom. I feared getting older and losing my health and having to be dependent on someone. I feared I would outlive my money. I feared not being able to remember who I was. I feared losing my mate and my friends.
Fear could be a life changer. Actually it could paralyze and keep you from living your life. I have found the courage not to give in to fear. In doing so I've come to terms with some things I can do to minimize my fears. I eat healthy and exercise. My writing has become my mental stress buster and a way to keep my mind sharp. Getting older means facing age related problems but that doesn't mean becoming a victim to them.
Instead of entertaining my fears I entertain myself with the company of friends and the companionship of my loved ones. I've forgiven others for any trespasses against me and more importantly I've forgiven myself for past mistakes, transgressions and failures.
Peace has become my biggest ally against fear. What do you fear most? How do you conquer your fears?
I feared I didn't turn out as well as I should. I feared that I wasn't the best mom. I feared getting older and losing my health and having to be dependent on someone. I feared I would outlive my money. I feared not being able to remember who I was. I feared losing my mate and my friends.
Fear could be a life changer. Actually it could paralyze and keep you from living your life. I have found the courage not to give in to fear. In doing so I've come to terms with some things I can do to minimize my fears. I eat healthy and exercise. My writing has become my mental stress buster and a way to keep my mind sharp. Getting older means facing age related problems but that doesn't mean becoming a victim to them.
Instead of entertaining my fears I entertain myself with the company of friends and the companionship of my loved ones. I've forgiven others for any trespasses against me and more importantly I've forgiven myself for past mistakes, transgressions and failures.
Peace has become my biggest ally against fear. What do you fear most? How do you conquer your fears?
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Economic Slavery
Banks and colleges have teamed up to enslave college kids to debt. Students are enticed threatened and harassed to activate a credit card in the guise of a student I.D.
I know because I recently took college classes and to my amazement had to firmly choose "no" to many offers to activate the credit card portion of my I.D. card.
You will lose refunds if you don't activate your credit/debit card the prompts warned. It is easy and much faster if someone wants to send you money if you activate the credit card, you are told.
Finally after punching "no" several times, you are asked to give your name and address so the sponsoring bank can mail you a letter confirming you didn't want their credit card.
Can you imagine putting that kind of pressure and temptation on a kid fresh out of high school? Do you know what kind of debt students can acquire along with those student loans? What do you think will happen when all these college kids start defaulting on loans and massive credit card debts? And you know they will.
We are already a country in debt, our economy shattered, dollar devalued, gas prices climbing, and now banks are going after fresh meat. I think these higher learning institutions should be made to show common sense and responsibility. What can we do to stop greed? Let's all have that "financial responsibility" talk with a young person and help them to see there is a new form of slavery in America, and it's called "debt".
I know because I recently took college classes and to my amazement had to firmly choose "no" to many offers to activate the credit card portion of my I.D. card.
You will lose refunds if you don't activate your credit/debit card the prompts warned. It is easy and much faster if someone wants to send you money if you activate the credit card, you are told.
Finally after punching "no" several times, you are asked to give your name and address so the sponsoring bank can mail you a letter confirming you didn't want their credit card.
Can you imagine putting that kind of pressure and temptation on a kid fresh out of high school? Do you know what kind of debt students can acquire along with those student loans? What do you think will happen when all these college kids start defaulting on loans and massive credit card debts? And you know they will.
We are already a country in debt, our economy shattered, dollar devalued, gas prices climbing, and now banks are going after fresh meat. I think these higher learning institutions should be made to show common sense and responsibility. What can we do to stop greed? Let's all have that "financial responsibility" talk with a young person and help them to see there is a new form of slavery in America, and it's called "debt".
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
DEBRA
To All my hard working A-Z Challenge bloggers. I thought it was time to get to know the REAL
DEBRA. So click on my name in yellow below and have a laugh on me! You deserve it
DEBRA. So click on my name in yellow below and have a laugh on me! You deserve it
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Creative Economics
Did you know it takes 500 miles, 400 gallons of gas and countless stops and lots of hands to get food from the farm to your table? It's no wonder people are sick and broke from high produce prices.
I am pretty proud to say my food comes from me. We grow our own veggies and have over a dozen fruit trees, and plenty of vines that grow watermelon, cantaloupe etc; I "can" my winter supply of fresh vegetables, then I use what is left to barter for what we don't grow.
We also trade produce for meat from rural neighbors that raise animals the old fashioned way, hormone free, grazing on grass and hay.
The secret I am sharing with you is this. We are in dire straights and if we don't get creative, things will not turn around. We can blame Obama, bailouts, or whatever but we can turn things around one person and one idea at a time. Having a job is great, a degree or two better, but recent turn of events prove if we are going to get financially stable we got to do things differently. I mean really differently.
You need to find a creative niche not only to feed yourself safe food but to add another source of income to your household. You don't need much to start your own little garden and it's a great family/ friend activity. Extra veggies can be gifted to the elderly neighbor down the street or your local food bank. Neighborhood veggie stands teach kids good nutrition as well as provide an excellent opportunity to get some exercise and family bonding time.
Start small, you can grow just about anything in a pot or an herb window sill garden. What do you think?
I am pretty proud to say my food comes from me. We grow our own veggies and have over a dozen fruit trees, and plenty of vines that grow watermelon, cantaloupe etc; I "can" my winter supply of fresh vegetables, then I use what is left to barter for what we don't grow.
We also trade produce for meat from rural neighbors that raise animals the old fashioned way, hormone free, grazing on grass and hay.
The secret I am sharing with you is this. We are in dire straights and if we don't get creative, things will not turn around. We can blame Obama, bailouts, or whatever but we can turn things around one person and one idea at a time. Having a job is great, a degree or two better, but recent turn of events prove if we are going to get financially stable we got to do things differently. I mean really differently.
You need to find a creative niche not only to feed yourself safe food but to add another source of income to your household. You don't need much to start your own little garden and it's a great family/ friend activity. Extra veggies can be gifted to the elderly neighbor down the street or your local food bank. Neighborhood veggie stands teach kids good nutrition as well as provide an excellent opportunity to get some exercise and family bonding time.
Start small, you can grow just about anything in a pot or an herb window sill garden. What do you think?
Monday, April 2, 2012
Black White Indian French
In a check out line at the grocery store I saw this amazingly beautiful young girl. The only word I could mentally think of to describe her was "exotic." When it came time for her to check me out I was compelled to ask her ethnicity. She looked up at me with these incredible doe eyes and quipped, "I'm the same as you." I didn't expect that answered and it showed. "I'm B.W.I.F she said nonchalantly, Black White Indian and French.....like you."
It was revolutionary for me to hear this young woman speak so boldly and honestly about my ancestry, our ancestry. She was spot on. We are people of color, all colors. It is freeing to not only recognize yourself in others but embrace it.
I have always seen myself in others. Not in denial of the history of America but as a silent observer of shames of the past. In the white woman at the hair salon with hair kinkier than mine, we steal quick glances at each other, an unspeakable knowing. I see myself when I look into a pair of blue eyes surrounded by blond hair and a face characterized by thick lips and an even wider nose.
If I don't say anything I blend in perfectly with my Native American friends. In New York on a subway I look like a myriad of folks from all over the world as well as all over America.
Yes my grandmother spoke creole french and broken English. Her hair sandy blonde, her eyes transparent green. A proud defiant black woman.
Just as I am reminded by a new generation of my place in America, just as I replaced the mindset of "thinking outside of the box," with "there is no box," I am fully aware that there are no black people or white people. There are only people.
Black history is really American history. Those boxes labeled black, white, Hispanic, and Asian are for people in denial. If we all delve deep enough into our hearts, found and accepted the truth, the only appropriate box to check would be human !
It was revolutionary for me to hear this young woman speak so boldly and honestly about my ancestry, our ancestry. She was spot on. We are people of color, all colors. It is freeing to not only recognize yourself in others but embrace it.
I have always seen myself in others. Not in denial of the history of America but as a silent observer of shames of the past. In the white woman at the hair salon with hair kinkier than mine, we steal quick glances at each other, an unspeakable knowing. I see myself when I look into a pair of blue eyes surrounded by blond hair and a face characterized by thick lips and an even wider nose.
If I don't say anything I blend in perfectly with my Native American friends. In New York on a subway I look like a myriad of folks from all over the world as well as all over America.
Yes my grandmother spoke creole french and broken English. Her hair sandy blonde, her eyes transparent green. A proud defiant black woman.
Just as I am reminded by a new generation of my place in America, just as I replaced the mindset of "thinking outside of the box," with "there is no box," I am fully aware that there are no black people or white people. There are only people.
Black history is really American history. Those boxes labeled black, white, Hispanic, and Asian are for people in denial. If we all delve deep enough into our hearts, found and accepted the truth, the only appropriate box to check would be human !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)