What Do You Really Need?

Have you noticed there are valuable lessons to be learned when the economy sinks into oblivion?

Those dollar bills are not just pieces of paper taking up space in your wallet – ye gads, they are really worth something! I actually saw a lady stop and pick up a coin on the sidewalk and a small child pick up a penny. That’s amazing! Some stores are starting to offer layaway plans again and even the National Banks of moms and dads and grandparents are looking for bailouts.

In the midst of all of this, will we learn a lesson? We tell the Government they must have more oversight, and make sure they are spending taxpayer’s money wisely. I agree, but at the same time, until recently, not many of us would have ordered a hamburger instead of that steak we wanted. Restaurants are cutting portions now so they can reduce prices and stay in business. Without super sizing everything we eat, maybe we will quit super sizing our bodies and become healthier.

It is not easy to face reality. For too long the saying “I want what I want when I want it” has been what most people lived by. Just for the record, I am 84 years young, I never had granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, a separate sew/craft room, a play room for the kids or their dad never had a guy’s room, we just all lived together in the whole house, enjoyed each other’s fun and laughter, suffered with each others aches and pains and always picked up coins on the street and valued each dollar bill. Sound dull? Maybe so, but the ice box in the kitchen and the staples in the pantry were always in abundance and every time we were able to upgrade our life style, we knew the joy of accomplishment came by living with what we could afford and not obsessing over what we could not afford.

Young people take note. A house or car you can’t afford will not give you love, offer you warm arms when you are ill or share dreams with you. Be patient, life is not a quick spin around the block – life is a journey to be taken slowly with wonderful surprises at every turn in the road. Don’t waste a minute of it.

2009 Awaits You, Are You Ready?

In just a few hours a new year of challenges and opportunities will begin for each of us. Are we prepared to give it “our best shot”?

We are faced with world problems the likes of which most of us have never before experienced. It will take the best of us to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities. We must be Spiritually, Mentally and Physically Ready for what the future holds.

To be Spiritually Ready does not necessary mean to resolve to go to church every Saturday or Sunday, although that can’t hurt. Spiritually Ready means so much more. Are we ready to embrace, respect, and accept our fellow brothers and sisters? To acknowledge that we are one entity of this earth and we need the best from each of us regardless of our race, religion or national origin?

To be Mentally Ready does not mean to resolve to read a book of the month, although that can’t hurt either. Mentally Ready means to be prepared and aware – ready to take advantage of the opportunities we may encounter to make our world a better place for all. Ready to walk through the doors that are open and realize that a closed door only means that the possibilities on the other side have not yet been discovered.

Physically Ready does not necessarily mean to resolve to diet those extra pounds away, although that is a worthy goal. Physically Ready means to nurture your strength, your resolve and your stamina so that the body is prepared to do the bidding of the mind and soul.

Strength of soul, mind and body will make you steadfast and will not allow opposing forces to intimidate you nor change who you are.

Considering all the challenges we face, we need a lot of heroes. Every hamlet, every town or city, every state, every neighborhood needs a hero. We need thinkers, we need doers, and especially we need dreamers. And, more than any thing else, we need to reclaim our positive outlook, to remember the greatness is in each and every one of us.

So on this New Years Eve resolve to be a beacon of light for our future. In total darkness, one candle will light a room.

Food for Thought and Talk

Once again families are preparing to celebrate another Holiday Season. Gifts are bought and wrapped, the house is filled with the aroma of special foods, and kin are gathering. Somehow it all comes together like magic, as family members, young and old share this time once again. Throughout the day we may anticipate a call from those absent members who live a distance away or we might remember a member who is no longer with us.

However, I add the following for thought, because this happens much too often.

For families so blessed to still have senior parents or other relatives with them, I ask you to honor their presence. Many families have at least one elderly member who has lost touch with reality, perhaps a bit or perhaps a lot. And, as we age, hearing is not as acute as it once was and it is hard to understand numerous conversations at one time, especially when delivered at a rapid fire pace. I ask that at some time during the festive day, you take a minute to direct conversation to the elderly in your family, especially if they have become the silent member in the rocking chair.

Think about it, if you don’t hear well and don’t comprehend the conversation, the alternative is to just close your eyes and nod off. The fact that an elderly family member may not seem connected to stories or conversation does not give anyone permission to ignore that person. Everyone wants to be a part of things, including the senior members of the family.

Look around the gathering and give special notice to those elderly grandparents or other family members who do not seem as connected to the conversation as the younger members.

I believe it is called respect. Acknowledge their presence now rather then, perhaps, having to acknowledge their absence next holiday season.

My WOW Moments (Numbers 1 and 2)

Roscoe Turner

It is a common thing many of us elderly folks find ourselves doing. In the quiet times of our life we reminisce about the past. Invariably, the things that come to mind easily are the events that made the deepest impressions. I call them my WOW moments. The things that pop up may surprise you – for me, a myriad of moments surfaced!

My first WOW moment came when I was 10 years old. I entered a short story in a school paper called “The Weekly Reader”. My story was about airplanes. I titled it “The Great Silver Bird”. In 1934 we probably observed two or three airplanes a month flying through the skies. I was so amazed by aviation. My story was a regional winner and the prize was to meet Roscoe Turner, a WWI flying ace. I was the shinnng star of Califonia Elementary School and much admired by the boys, because flying was not considered a ‘girl thing’. When I met Mr. Turner, he made me a member of the Roscoe Turner Flying Club and told me I had won a short flight over the city and Ohio River. Can you imagine the excitement, fear and anxiety that pulsed through a skinny 10 year old body, whose mother shook in fear as the WWI vintage two seat airplane took off from Bowman Field? I am sure we shared the thought that I would never return in one piece. Of course I did, and I was sure I would become a second Amelia Earhart.

I had a lull in WOW events until I was in my early teens. It happened when I went to the neighborhood cinema, the Oak Theater. The movie was Bolero, staring George Raft and Carole Lombard. In the movie they danced the Bolero on a raised round circle above the floor. When he appeared on that circle I was awestruck. I had never seen a more beautiful man in my young life. He became the standard of what every hero, lover, man of the world should be. Like magic Carole Lombard was tossed off the circle and I replaced her.

I have never been without his picture in my home. At this moment in time I have his autographed photo hanging in my condo bedroom. He never had a more devoted fan. On a trip to Los Angeles I was determined to go to the Valley where he lived and try to get to see him. I “chickened” out. Regret in life #1.

Keep checking my blog. Numbers 3-10 will eventually surface, I am sure.

Bloom where you are planted

This statement was made by Hillary Clinton during the campaign. It settled into a niche of my brain and has stirred me to consider the following analogy as I look out my window at the trees along our street in downtown Louisville.

They are not the biggest trees, almost saplings, planted just a few years ago and struggling to exist. I am sure they would have liked to begin their life on a grassy knoll in suburbia, extending their young branches heavenly to blue skies, warm breezes, rays of sun and gentle rain drops. But that was not to be their destiny.

Their destiny led them to the streets of a downtown city with all its exhaust fumes from traffic, abuse to their limbs by tall standing SUV’s and delivery trucks that scrape their overhanging young branches, the sparse wind and rain that has not been deterred by the tall buildings and the occasional beautification “expert” who assumes their branches need trimming.

In spite of the deterrents to become a mighty tree, these small saplings provide us urbanites spots of green in our concrete jungle, a promise of shade by our benches, and a holding place – for each small tree is decorated with Christmas lights to remind us that even the smallest entity can bring cheer to those of us that share this Main Street.

The trees remind me that each one of us, when we arrived on this earth, were placed where we were meant to be at the time, and for some years our care, nurturing and pruning is in someone else’s hands. As we mature, just as the tree grows and extends its arms to shade the weary who choose to rest on the benches beneath it, waves its beautiful green leaves in the spring and glorious hues of browns and gold in the fall and lights up our holidays with sparkling lights, each of us can bloom where we are planted.

The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves. Check your ledger of life from this past year and vow to smile more often, be more respectful of others, do some good deed each day for someone – even a compliment or pleasant greeting may salvage a person’s downward spiral. It is never too late to Bloom where you are planted.

At What Cost?

The horrific news of the last few days in India and New York connected in my mind in a way almost too similar to comprehend. I wonder if the two connected for anyone else as they did for me…

I am sure sitting in a restaurant, a synagogue or a hotel room and seeing determined humans storming through the doors in your direction with only one goal – to do you harm – must be terrifying.

To be on the inside of a department store and see several thousand humans determined to be the first to get through doors that, at most, could only accommodate seven to ten bodies at one time must be terrifying.

Death waited beyond all those doors. I don’t mean to equate terrorists to Christmas shoppers but the same result happened. Death.

You may say there is a big difference between a terrorist attack and shoppers literally fighting to be the first to get a bargain at an advertised sale. You might say there is a big difference between the numbers of deaths each act caused. That may be true, except the slain citizens in Mumbai are no more or less dead than the young clerk who was trying to protect a pregnant lady in that department store. One family will grieve just as much as another.

One’s loss is no greater than the other.

I do understand the difference. The terrorists were out to do bodily harm, spurred on by a hatred or mistrust of countries, religious sects or governing entities. The department store death (a miracle there was only one) was caused by mob misbehavior, a me-first attitude at all costs, and a greed factor that invades bargain hunters at this time of the year – and we forget the significance of the season. Was that electronic gadget, that flat screen TV, that one of a kind toy worth that young man’s life or was it just as useless as the deaths in Mumbai?

All but one of the terrorists are dead. Will the winner of the mad rush to get to the department store bargain first enjoy the rewards of their conquest? Will anyone, the first through that door or the last, stop to think about how much of a bargain they really got in their mad dash to be the “first to grab the prize”?

Auto Bail Out Debacle

I am not an expert on the in and outs of the auto industry, however I can read and understand what I read and also, I have a certain amount of common sense.  The subject today is whether or not to bail out the Big 3.

I understand – the auto industry is much to blame for their own problems – for one, in their refusal to develop fuel efficient cars, rather, bowing to the greed-ridden oil companies to build cars bigger and more fuel dependent.  The unions, with their demands of more concessions from the industry, share in the problem along with upper management and their perks that bordered on obscene including huge bonuses, golden parachutes and unlimited fringe benefits. I am not in favor of across the board bailouts, however, I believe the experts realize that to let the auto industry collapse will cause a domino effect that will be devastating to our economy. I suggest Exxon provide the bailout money: after all they encouraged the auto makers to make bigger cars and to make them heavy gas guzzlers.

But, although the greed and ignorance of all involved make us very angry, it is not in the country’s best interest at this given time to let the auto industry go belly up.  It means over 30 million jobs will be lost, and thousands of small businesses that provide parts and assistance to the industry will close and those workers may all lose their jobs.  Add this – if each worker has to cut their grocery allowance for their family by 50% supermarkets will lose at least 10 million dollars. Then, factor in all the other normal beneficiaries from a paycheck and the ripple effect is enormous.

So all you decision makers take note:  do the bailout but with very definite guidelines of expectations – of the types of vehicles they must begin to make by a certain time, of the rate of pay for workers, and of a scaled down pay scale for the CEO’s and other management types.

Sometimes bailouts are absolutely necessary for the greater good.  If you did not live during the last depression of the 1930’s you really have no idea how sad and depressing it was. I did live through it and I would not want any provider to experience what my mother went through raising my brother and me. These bailouts are loans – or should be.

I have so much faith in our incoming President, Barack Obama, and those who will be his support team. We will survive this, we must have faith, because these are times of challenge but also times of opportunity. Let us not fail; there is more at stake then most of us realize.  We all are going to have to share in the solutions just as we have shared in the gifts we have been given living in this great country.  Take heart, yes we can!

Well done my son

I needed twenty-four hours to respond to the awakening of a great part of our country. It was too emotional for me to act quickly. That I and others in my age bracket should live long enough to see this actually happen was truly beautiful. This year, this month, this day, this minute will be noted in history around the world as the exact moment the United States made so many wrongs – right. God bless Barack Obama, keep him safe. We need him to guide us and renew our faith and hope in this great country.

To all those who supported him, I would love to wrap my arms around you and give you a big hug. To those of you that did not support him because you truly thought John McCain was the better candidate, I respect your decision. To those of you that know deep down you did not vote for Barack because he was black, I pity you – for that form of hate will only consume you and render you a part of the problem of racism, and not a part of the solution. But even you cannot tarnish this glorious happening and in four years when I am 88, I can say well done my son, well done.

Buy that lettuce and those tomatoes!

I received an e-mail that I am sure is circulating around the country because it had strong political overtones.  It is far too long to include the piece here.  It is about the feelings of a teacher in a school in California.

The entire e-mail was a tirade on what immigrants (especially those ungrateful tomato and lettuce pickers) and the poor are costing the rest of us.  She cited free school lunch, rent subsidies, free medical benifits, and on and on.  I have never read a most spiteful, angry, opinionated, piece in my life.  She would not teach a child of mine because that goes against everything I tried to teach my children.  She does not belong in a classroom.  She should change professions, maybe join the border patrol, get an AK47 and take them out before they reach our side of the border. If she attends church the message of love, respect and “we are our brother’s keepers,” is not reaching her.

I am a descendant of immigrants just as I am sure many of you are – and that probably includes the teacher in California.  My grandfather was of German descent having been born in Austria, and my grandmother was of English descent.  When they arrived by steamer in New York, they were given medical care, food coupons and housing coupons to stay at a local church refugee holding place.  While there, they were given free counsel as to where they wanted to relocate in the United States.  After scanning the cities that were extending open arms to immigrants, they chose Louisville, KY.

In a few years , with the help of the Episcopal Church and the city of Louisville, they were provided all necessary help to get established as Louisvillians.  My grandfather or grandmother never forgot the helping hands of New York City  and Louisville, Kentucky.  Boat after boat arrived the same way with immigrants  with the same need: a helping hand.

Our country was built to be great by the immigrants who came to our shores and migrated to the cities and towns across our land.  I am proud to be the granddaughter of two of those immigrants.
When we lose our compassion for those less fortunate then ourselves we become a self-serving population.

Hate is the most costly commodity a country can have. Thank goodness we still have the right to buy those tomatoes and heads of lettuce!

A Christmas Memory

The trees along our downtown street are lit with tiny white bulbs.  I look out my third floor window and memories come floating by.  I heard today a very necessary way to shop for Christmas was being resurrected this year.  Layaway for Christmas.

I was 9 years old, it was the beginning of the end of the depression years.  You had to drop your Christmas hints in July because money was hard to come by, therefore, my mother, like most everyone, would use the layaway plan to shop for that special day. You shopped for Christmas gifts in July, put a dollar or less down and they were held in layaway until Christmas week.  From July to December you had to make a payment every week in order to have them paid off before Christmas.

My brother and I would start saving our pennies and nickels in mid-summer so we could shop for our aunts and uncles, close friends, each other and especially our mother.  Come December we gathered up our change and walked downtown, about two miles to a store named Jefferson Dry Goods.  In the store’s basement they had tables: one was a two cent table, one a three cent table , one a 25 cent table and if we hit it lucky there would be a penny table.  We had our list, with our money pretty well figured out. We clutched our list and our money and it took us hours to spend about two dollars. Warren Buffet never felt as rich as we did on our Christmas shopping day.  I remember we bought our mother a pink flowered apron off the 25 cent table. She wore that apron just about everyday.  In 1937, the great flood came.  The water flooded our house and washed many things blocks away.  We found mother’s pink flowered apron hanging on a tree branch a block from our home.  We brought it home, she washed it and continued wearing it until her death in 1941.  Today the pink flowered apron hangs in my daughter’s kitchen as piece of kitchen art……and so here I am some 74 years later, having wonderful Christmas times with my children. However, I wish I could walk one more time around those tables clutching the pennies and nickels and feel the excitement and Christmas joy my brother and I felt on that shopping day, even though it was a depression Christmas- that never crossed our mind.

Don’t despair. Times are a little rough but go forth, layaways are back. Shop the best you can, choose your gifts to give with love, and maybe, just maybe it will be a Christmas you will remember when you are 84 years young.