Daughter's Eyes to Mother's Eyes
1982
Sipping coffee in her chair
She looks so tired sitting there.
I wonder if she pressed my dress~
I'm sure she did, it was a mess.
She grumbles a little from time to time
Of ungrateful children; not having a dime;
Of being tired and overworked
Not being appreciated and getting irked.
She's probably right about everything
But her praises I have yet to sing.
I see her getting older now
But still very young somehow.
Since I have grown and left her nest
I realize she's one of the best.
Best friend and mother all in one~
And I wonder what I might have done
To make her life a happier place
To let her know the love I see on her face.
I brought her home and watched her grow
I loved her more than she'll ever know.
I didn't sleep, if she was ill
I'm not sure that I ever will.
My baby isn't a child today
But a growing lady in a lovely way.
Maturity and beauty grow on her face
My baby girl in heels and lace.
I'm reflected in her youthful eyes
The days gone by, the years, Oh my!
I'm the lady sipping coffee now
I'm not old enough, I can't be-how?
Oh please, let her see me through the eyes
Of the loving daughter I have become
And let me cherish all this time
Before she leaves to live with some bum~
Who'll never be good enough for my girl
Never be able to hand her the world.
Jo
I wrote this when my daughter was 12 and my mother was 60 and I was 32. It is a simple example of Full Circle living. Every now and then I see my life events coming Full Circle, but seeing my mother and my daughter on any given day was my biggest "AHA" Full Circle celebration. It was until my daughter had a daughter and again, I saw the Full Circle moment.
BFF prompt Full Circle #198
Friday, June 1, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Bff Combination Ketchup or Relish
Since I am so far behind on the BFF posts, I thought, why not just cover them all, right? Not as easy as one might suspect, but I'm up for a challenge today and so here it is or here is comes as I haven't actually written anything yet. Topics or prompts will be bold italics for clarification.
There are a bazillion posts about life lessons and I enjoy reading every one of them and usually agree with most. I also find every now and then, life has taught me a few things maybe everyone else already knew.
Like:
1) "I love you" isn't always unconditional and isn't always forever.
2) "You can count on me" doesn't really mean you can.
3) Being a friend is forever and you can count on that.
All the other ones you've already read, yep, they're good and yep, I believe they are true and these can be added to any list you wanna make. Being an acquaintance is much easier, by the way, than being a friend.
Focus on this~~~~~~~~~
Shoes~Over there is the pair of shoes I bought for my granddaughter's wedding and I absolutely love these shoes! When I wear them I am such a lady and feel so girlie and good inside and out. Great shoes do that for me! These are great girlie shoes. Deep chocolate brown with gold crystals twisting up the top of my foot, who wouldn't feel like a dressed up girl in these?
Silly~A lot of my silly times are compliments of these two furbabies. Top shot is Sadie Jayne who just turned 11 this month. Notice the large well padded bed and even homemade blanket with her name? She pushes them all aside to lay on the hard bottom of the bed and uses the edge as her pillow. She is such a princess. I woke her up for this picture just a few minutes ago. It's nap time for princesses.
This guy is always up for a swim or a walk or a toy toss or a belly rub or a cuddle. Jake turned 12 a week after Sadie turned 11. He is almost always somewhere near me. Right now, I am in my office and he is curled up on the bed behind me. The dog bed, pillow intact for him, please. He was right behind me when I snapped the pic of Sadie, so I turned and took his, as well. We must be fair, mustn't we?
They are my silliest moments, for sure.
Looking at the calender a minute or so ago I noticed June is tomorrow! Holy Cow, May is gone already. *sigh* I wanted my summer to drag on and on and here one month of it has passed already. It just reminds me TIC TOC the clock is indeed ticking. I will not miss even one day of this long anticipated season. It is my mission this summer to be part of every single summery day and not miss one opportunity to enjoy and savor the sun and warmth. I'll even enjoy the rain this summer because my flowers do enjoy a nice shower!
As time passes, I know that we have worked hard for a long time to be where we are today and I plan to reap the benefits at every turn. I love summer.
Good Deeds are easy enough if you keep your eyes open. Are they worth bothering about? Sure they are. If you make one person smile or laugh out loud once a day or once a week, you'll be a better person. If you remove an obstacle for one person this month, you'll feel better about who you are. Every good deed pays dividends immediately directly to your heart. The best ones are the ones you don't even think about. You just do what seems to be the right thing at the moment. It's really an exercise in good judgment. Giving of yourself feels good.
All right, there we have it.
Focus on Shoes, Silly, done.
Tic Toc. done
Life Lessons. done
A Good Deed. done
All ketchuped and relish made! :)
Jo
There are a bazillion posts about life lessons and I enjoy reading every one of them and usually agree with most. I also find every now and then, life has taught me a few things maybe everyone else already knew.
Like:
1) "I love you" isn't always unconditional and isn't always forever.
2) "You can count on me" doesn't really mean you can.
3) Being a friend is forever and you can count on that.
All the other ones you've already read, yep, they're good and yep, I believe they are true and these can be added to any list you wanna make. Being an acquaintance is much easier, by the way, than being a friend.
Shoes~Over there is the pair of shoes I bought for my granddaughter's wedding and I absolutely love these shoes! When I wear them I am such a lady and feel so girlie and good inside and out. Great shoes do that for me! These are great girlie shoes. Deep chocolate brown with gold crystals twisting up the top of my foot, who wouldn't feel like a dressed up girl in these?
They are my silliest moments, for sure.
Looking at the calender a minute or so ago I noticed June is tomorrow! Holy Cow, May is gone already. *sigh* I wanted my summer to drag on and on and here one month of it has passed already. It just reminds me TIC TOC the clock is indeed ticking. I will not miss even one day of this long anticipated season. It is my mission this summer to be part of every single summery day and not miss one opportunity to enjoy and savor the sun and warmth. I'll even enjoy the rain this summer because my flowers do enjoy a nice shower!
As time passes, I know that we have worked hard for a long time to be where we are today and I plan to reap the benefits at every turn. I love summer.
Good Deeds are easy enough if you keep your eyes open. Are they worth bothering about? Sure they are. If you make one person smile or laugh out loud once a day or once a week, you'll be a better person. If you remove an obstacle for one person this month, you'll feel better about who you are. Every good deed pays dividends immediately directly to your heart. The best ones are the ones you don't even think about. You just do what seems to be the right thing at the moment. It's really an exercise in good judgment. Giving of yourself feels good.
All right, there we have it.
Focus on Shoes, Silly, done.
Tic Toc. done
Life Lessons. done
A Good Deed. done
All ketchuped and relish made! :)
Jo
Ethos~Pathos~Logos
The prompt took me immediately to "Public Speaking 101" a class I attended as a drop-in student to better help me with my communication skills. I was in no position to pay for college courses and a community college in Flint offered these classes at no charge, no credit given, supplies only basis and I jumped on it. I was looking for the education not the credits. I had no clue what any of those three things were and I had no clue what to do with them or about them. It was the first class and my first EVER college course, when the instructor laid it out on the board. Big letters of what I assumed were Greek words all over the front board.
ethos~speaker's credibility
pathos~emotional connection to your audience
logos~logic of argument
She then explained that if we mastered these three areas, we would be successful speakers. We would be able to win over our audience and impart our message with skill and humor.
Okay, I was in at that point. I got it.
Digressing here for background information~~~~~~~~~~~~
My job as an instructor to hairdressers all over the state of Michigan who were customers of the Nexxus Product Company, required that I speak sometimes to small groups and other times to hundreds of people. I went into salons for one-on-one introduction of our product line and also spoke at corporate meetings to all employees. I held workshops for a dozen or so at a time and I also did huge hair shows in other parts of the country and Canada where I would be the MC to the star cutters and stylists. Sometimes I was the star cutter or stylist. I enjoyed the MCing more. I loved talking to people about my favorite product line and imparting real and usable knowledge to them for everyday use in their careers.
Done digressing, back to class~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The class was only 6 weeks long, twice a week. I loved every minute of it. I gained such basic knowledge and then such incredible confidence, I cannot possibly explain to you how valuable this quick and info packed class was to me. Just learning the ethos, pathos and logos part of speaking to groups made all the difference. It is the basis for all GOOD speech makers.
Now on to how I used this information.
Introducing yourself, which you sometimes are expected to do, is fun. It is the place where you can impart your credibility, your history in their chosen field and your expertise. I used to say I had been a hairdresser since Jesus got his first trim. Or that my first 'request customer' was Mary. It allowed the audience to chuckle a little and stop guessing how the hell old I was. I gave it to them, very old. It also tells them I might know something about being in a salon and trying to make a living. I then would explain where I had worked and throw in a story or two about the "Unique Client" which every single hairdresser has encountered. A little blue hair humor or maybe the child who requires you to walk 10 miles in circles around your chair while bending at the waist with your head upside down while you get each and every stray hair from this continually moving target. That child's mom will require perfection from you, if not from her child. "ethos"
My second part of every class (or lecture) would be to talk about product introduction. How do you get your client to want the product you know they need. You identify their need, you offer the product and you hand it to them to read, smell or actually try. You talk about its benefits for THEM and its affordability. You never offer to remove it from their hand. You continue with your work on the hair or you move on to another product you would love them to use. The idea being, you give them the product and the information and then allow them to keep it or put it back on the shelf. Their choice. "pathos"
Now that the client is holding and sort of owning the product, they are more likely to buy it. Good job. Client now owns the product you want them to use because they will be your best advertisement in the world and with the right product and styling knowledge, you will look good. They will be happy with their look and most likely will buy the product again.
The next step is, a little tougher one, getting the product out of their bathroom closets and onto their hair.
On any return visit to the salon it is imperative to follow up with questions about how the products are performing for them. You have to know if they are using them or not and if not, why not. If the answer is that they had something else to use up, suggesting they use that for the children or the dog is the way to go. Professional products absolutely change the hair on your head. The right product for the right hair equals perfection. Drive it home. Make them 'get' it. Follow through and care about their needs. "logos"
I always ended my classes and lectures with Q and A and learned a great deal about my audience from those. Every class was better than the last because I listened to the questions and made the next class address those. This also added to my "pathos" because I was intuiting their questions and they knew that.
Just for the record...this entire page is equally appropriate to writing. Writing is nothing more than public speaking on paper and your audience is free to click off at any point. You do not have a captive audience when you write, so using these tools will undoubtedly increase your readership and probably your comments.
Now go practice your ethos, pathos and logos and reap the rewards!
Jo
ethos~speaker's credibility
pathos~emotional connection to your audience
logos~logic of argument
She then explained that if we mastered these three areas, we would be successful speakers. We would be able to win over our audience and impart our message with skill and humor.
Okay, I was in at that point. I got it.
Digressing here for background information~~~~~~~~~~~~
My job as an instructor to hairdressers all over the state of Michigan who were customers of the Nexxus Product Company, required that I speak sometimes to small groups and other times to hundreds of people. I went into salons for one-on-one introduction of our product line and also spoke at corporate meetings to all employees. I held workshops for a dozen or so at a time and I also did huge hair shows in other parts of the country and Canada where I would be the MC to the star cutters and stylists. Sometimes I was the star cutter or stylist. I enjoyed the MCing more. I loved talking to people about my favorite product line and imparting real and usable knowledge to them for everyday use in their careers.
Done digressing, back to class~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The class was only 6 weeks long, twice a week. I loved every minute of it. I gained such basic knowledge and then such incredible confidence, I cannot possibly explain to you how valuable this quick and info packed class was to me. Just learning the ethos, pathos and logos part of speaking to groups made all the difference. It is the basis for all GOOD speech makers.
Now on to how I used this information.
Introducing yourself, which you sometimes are expected to do, is fun. It is the place where you can impart your credibility, your history in their chosen field and your expertise. I used to say I had been a hairdresser since Jesus got his first trim. Or that my first 'request customer' was Mary. It allowed the audience to chuckle a little and stop guessing how the hell old I was. I gave it to them, very old. It also tells them I might know something about being in a salon and trying to make a living. I then would explain where I had worked and throw in a story or two about the "Unique Client" which every single hairdresser has encountered. A little blue hair humor or maybe the child who requires you to walk 10 miles in circles around your chair while bending at the waist with your head upside down while you get each and every stray hair from this continually moving target. That child's mom will require perfection from you, if not from her child. "ethos"
My second part of every class (or lecture) would be to talk about product introduction. How do you get your client to want the product you know they need. You identify their need, you offer the product and you hand it to them to read, smell or actually try. You talk about its benefits for THEM and its affordability. You never offer to remove it from their hand. You continue with your work on the hair or you move on to another product you would love them to use. The idea being, you give them the product and the information and then allow them to keep it or put it back on the shelf. Their choice. "pathos"
Now that the client is holding and sort of owning the product, they are more likely to buy it. Good job. Client now owns the product you want them to use because they will be your best advertisement in the world and with the right product and styling knowledge, you will look good. They will be happy with their look and most likely will buy the product again.
The next step is, a little tougher one, getting the product out of their bathroom closets and onto their hair.
On any return visit to the salon it is imperative to follow up with questions about how the products are performing for them. You have to know if they are using them or not and if not, why not. If the answer is that they had something else to use up, suggesting they use that for the children or the dog is the way to go. Professional products absolutely change the hair on your head. The right product for the right hair equals perfection. Drive it home. Make them 'get' it. Follow through and care about their needs. "logos"
I always ended my classes and lectures with Q and A and learned a great deal about my audience from those. Every class was better than the last because I listened to the questions and made the next class address those. This also added to my "pathos" because I was intuiting their questions and they knew that.
Just for the record...this entire page is equally appropriate to writing. Writing is nothing more than public speaking on paper and your audience is free to click off at any point. You do not have a captive audience when you write, so using these tools will undoubtedly increase your readership and probably your comments.
Now go practice your ethos, pathos and logos and reap the rewards!
Jo
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Sense of Self
As the sixth decade of my life unfolds, I am comfortable with who I am. I can't do many of the physically challenging things I used to enjoy and running is something my knees prefer that I forego. A couple of years ago, that bothered me, a lot. Today, I am fine with it. I do what I can as often as I can and I accept that some days, I may not be able to do much of anything. Things hurt longer now, chores take longer now and wonderfully enough, I have more time now. So that all works out just fine. Aging is a matter of believing you can, accepting it might not be as easy as it once was and it will take longer with more breaks. I'm there.
All the moral questions I used to have are gone. I feel confident in my judgment now and I never doubt right from wrong. I know what I should do and almost always do so. When I choose not to do the right thing, I know I will pay for that choice in one way or another because karma will never allow that to go unnoticed. I see a lot more gray areas now than I did 20 years ago. I find no pleasure in or need to judge anyone else. I find empathy for people I don't even know sometimes, people who have lost their way in spite of many others trying to help. Any lost soul is sad to me now. As a younger person, that wasn't something I really thought much about or if I did, I would think they were just idiots. I understand now about addiction, about losing the ability to see a sense of one's self. I understand now about being blind to reality in order to do what feels good or removes all feeling.
My own sense of self is very content. It is very solid and I now know me. I know what I should do; I know what I will do. I know how I feel about almost everything and I don't feel like I need to share all of my opinions with everyone. I will, if asked. I will, if someone might benefit from hearing it.
This aging thing isn't so bad, really. Some days I cannot believe how good life is now. Not every day, but most of them are filled with goodness. When the sad days come, they are difficult and they are heavy. My sense of self isn't questioned, it is what gets me through those days.
When I write now, I just write what is in my heart or on my mind. I don't worry that it will be perfect. I don't write for the reader as much as I write for the head clearing mental health of the author with a hope that one or a hundred readers will find something they can use or needed to hear in my words.
The sixth decade of my life is a wonderful, comfortable and serene place. I'd like to stay a while longer. It's been a rough road and now it's nearly all paved.
Jo
All the moral questions I used to have are gone. I feel confident in my judgment now and I never doubt right from wrong. I know what I should do and almost always do so. When I choose not to do the right thing, I know I will pay for that choice in one way or another because karma will never allow that to go unnoticed. I see a lot more gray areas now than I did 20 years ago. I find no pleasure in or need to judge anyone else. I find empathy for people I don't even know sometimes, people who have lost their way in spite of many others trying to help. Any lost soul is sad to me now. As a younger person, that wasn't something I really thought much about or if I did, I would think they were just idiots. I understand now about addiction, about losing the ability to see a sense of one's self. I understand now about being blind to reality in order to do what feels good or removes all feeling.
My own sense of self is very content. It is very solid and I now know me. I know what I should do; I know what I will do. I know how I feel about almost everything and I don't feel like I need to share all of my opinions with everyone. I will, if asked. I will, if someone might benefit from hearing it.
This aging thing isn't so bad, really. Some days I cannot believe how good life is now. Not every day, but most of them are filled with goodness. When the sad days come, they are difficult and they are heavy. My sense of self isn't questioned, it is what gets me through those days.
When I write now, I just write what is in my heart or on my mind. I don't worry that it will be perfect. I don't write for the reader as much as I write for the head clearing mental health of the author with a hope that one or a hundred readers will find something they can use or needed to hear in my words.
The sixth decade of my life is a wonderful, comfortable and serene place. I'd like to stay a while longer. It's been a rough road and now it's nearly all paved.
Jo
Saturday, May 26, 2012
MEMORIAL DAY 2012
Paying respect to the fallen military is second nature to many. A bowed head, a hand placed over the heart or a moment of silence at the cemetery. Nothing is quite as touching as a military funeral. Honors, well deserved, are part of every service given to the fallen.
The fallen. Isn't it odd that we use that term? Military personnel who have died doing a job they volunteered (now they are all volunteers, wasn't always the case) to perform. The basic training lead them to schooling for their specialty and then to active duty somewhere doing whatever they have been trained to do to the best of their ability and giving everything they have in service to their country. Their country, by the way, is you and me. The freedoms they serve to preserve are our freedoms as well as their own. The limits to their dedication are nonexistent. They give all. They stood for freedom. Now they are 'the fallen'. The 'fallen' gave all.
Memorial Day, is especially meant to honor, remember and salute the military men and women who died in service to the United States of America. Over the years, however, we have expanded it's meaning to cover all deceased military personnel. I believe this is as it should be. Whether a veteran died while in service or many years following, every veteran gave this country all or a large piece of the only life she/he had. At some point each became property of the U.S. Government and belonged to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or the National Guard body and soul. An agreement to be all, do all and if necessary, give all was entered into and fulfilled. Each deserves to be honored today and everyday that we walk in freedom on the lands of America.
The families of the dead are forever changed. Changed by the dedication of their loved one; changed by the loss of their loved one and changed by the support or lack of from their fellow Americans.
Imagine sending your fresh-out-of-high-school child off to the service. Imagine attending their graduation ceremony with such pride and love as to be indescribable. Imagine writing back and forth about your everyday life and the everyday life of the enlistee. No comparison. The everyday life of the enlistee is not a day which belongs to them, it is a day in which they belong to their unit, their assignment, their duty. All day, everyday this is their life. They are proud, families are proud.
Then imagine getting that visit, or call. Imagine, if you possibly can, that your child has given up her/his life for his/her country. An explosion, a bullet, an accident, something has taken your child. The U.S. Government has notified you and now you have to deal with your loss. I cannot imagine. I have a son who served proudly in Iran. His ship, the USS Independence returned without incident. Thank you, God. I cannot imagine.
Imagine loving a Veteran who returns to his life after his service is complete. Living the remaining years in marriage with children and your Vet. Through the years you see and feel the effects of the time served. You see the nightmares or deal with medical issues that stemmed from time served. You love through it all. When you lose your spouse you know it is from something that occurred many years prior, but you carry on and remember. Imagine you also have to pay the price. I cannot imagine.
My own father was an Army Veteran and maybe his early death at age 56 was somehow related, maybe not, but it doesn't matter, he is gone and my mother was widowed at an early age. She is one of so many widows of veterans who served proudly and left this earth far too soon. I cannot imagine.
Today, though I continue to honor and respect the proud men and women who have served and are now receiving and enjoying their rewards in the hereafter, I also with all of my heart and all of my soul honor, respect and admire the families they left behind.
Thank you Veterans all for your service and your dedication. Thank you mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for your strength and your contribution to the freedom of these United States.
The price of freedom is too high for some. The price of freedom is more than anyone should ever have to pay, but as long as it is necessary, may we each remember to pay proper respect.
As we play and do yard work and celebrate another 3 day week-end, please take a moment of silence or a trip to the cemetery or say a prayer for those who served and gave their lives for your free life.
God rest the souls of all who served. Amen
Jo
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
BFF Focus on FLOWERS
 |
| My favorite beautiful yellow rose bush. A gift from a neighbor who became a very dear friend. He gave me a shoot off his mother's rose bush just a year before his own passing. I love him and I love my yellow roses. ♥ |
HAPPY 1st BLOG-AVERSARY
"My Wandering Mind" is 1 year old. On May 20, 2011, I wrote my first blog on GBE2 and pushed the publish button.
I also had no idea how many friends I would find here. How many people I would connect with on a writing level and how many would enter my heart as people. I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I visit any of the three groups I have joined. BFF has three topics a week, though I don't write on all of them, I write on most of them. I read everything posted on them. The Writer's Post has one topic a week and I usually write on that one and read all who do. GBE2, my first group, I write on every week and I read all the posts on topic. I love my fellow writers and I love the support they have given me for this year. I adore the fact that my real life friends and some family have found my blogs fun or interesting or well done or whatever often enough that they come by to read quite often. I even drafted a few friends into GBE2, though they aren't writing now, I hope they'll be back. They all have something to offer and I enjoyed reading their work.
Thank you, each and every one of you who have read, commented or even pm'ed me a line of encouragement or criticism. I appreciate your time, your opinions and most of all your love and support. I am so blessed to be in the midst of such talent and good souls. Oh sure, there are some stinkers out there, but that's life, isn't it? Nine hundred ninety nine wonderful people and one not so much. It's a reality check.
So for kicks...here's the link to my first blog...May 20, 2011. I remember clearly writing it.
I had 40 views and 4 comments. Two of them were me replying. One was Beth, the group's originator and one was my sister. Thank you Beth and Pat for starting me off with something.
I was so happy, seriously. ♥
Jo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)