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The object of my post today is not to debate the matter of equality. We are all aware that inequality exists everywhere. Rather, it is to get your response to the question of equality in America.
When my daughters were little, I attempted giving to them equally. If one of them received a new dress, the other one was the recipient of a new one, as well. I never wanted either of them to feel she was less or more important to me than the other. I still don't.
A great debate looms over our country today, over inequality of rights. I'm not going into that discussion, just mentioning a few. The races; the sexes; rich people versus poor people; education: are all in a period of flux. You can probably name a few more.
These inequalities have been around forever. Don't expect them to change. That does not mean, however, that people won't continue with group and individual campaigns in their wars for justice.
Do any of these get your knickers in a twist? Are you doing anything to change any of them? If so, would you like to share?
Monday, April 6, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Defining Moments
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Defining moments in our lives quite often occur without warning, and also our awareness at the time.
The moment when you get a gift, or are hired for a job - the day you meet your future mate - or when you get into your car for a routine trip down to the grocery and are hit head-on by another car. All of those can be defining moments influencing the rest of our lives.
For me, one of my most recent life-changing moments was when I was offered a big kitty cat who needed a home. By big, I mean an eighteen pound one. She is named Bella and now has the run of my home and tries to boss me around, as well. I gave her the name Bella, because it is Italian for beautiful, and she is.
She loves to sit herself on my quilting as I try to stitch it on my sewing machine. She loves being near me, and is never very far away from me. She has changed my life tremendously. Now, I talk to her instead of to the television. We communicate quite nicely.
Do you have a "Bella" in your life?
What were some "Defining Moments" in your life?
Defining moments in our lives quite often occur without warning, and also our awareness at the time.
The moment when you get a gift, or are hired for a job - the day you meet your future mate - or when you get into your car for a routine trip down to the grocery and are hit head-on by another car. All of those can be defining moments influencing the rest of our lives.
For me, one of my most recent life-changing moments was when I was offered a big kitty cat who needed a home. By big, I mean an eighteen pound one. She is named Bella and now has the run of my home and tries to boss me around, as well. I gave her the name Bella, because it is Italian for beautiful, and she is.
She loves to sit herself on my quilting as I try to stitch it on my sewing machine. She loves being near me, and is never very far away from me. She has changed my life tremendously. Now, I talk to her instead of to the television. We communicate quite nicely.
Do you have a "Bella" in your life?
What were some "Defining Moments" in your life?
Friday, April 3, 2015
Compassion
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One of the leading characteristics of Jesus Christ is that of compassion. Dr. Spurgeon, the great evangelist says that when Jesus looked on the sorrows of mankind, his inner being was agitated with deep feelings of pity and compassion. (my translation).
I believe that today's society is deeply lacking in compassion for one another. It is simply easier to condemn or to look the other way when we see situations that could use some sorrow and pity; some understanding could only help.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the phrase, "He was moved with compassion" occurs five times. Each time, Matthew is speaking of Jesus' love and caring for other human beings.
Think how much sorrow He must feel as He sees the world as it is today. People everywhere still in need of healing, angry with one another, hungry for power, all the way from school children bullying one another to adults killing each other, up to countries that can't get along with one another.
Even with the advance of modern medicine, electronics, communications, and bigger and better war machines, compassion is still sadly lacking. Go figure! Man is still fallen.
On Sunday, Christians everywhere celebrate Easter, the day when Jesus came back from the death for mankind's sake, after conquering sin and the grave. His heart broke as he hung on the cross. He is still full of compassion for the lost and dying world. Jesus saves!!!
One of the leading characteristics of Jesus Christ is that of compassion. Dr. Spurgeon, the great evangelist says that when Jesus looked on the sorrows of mankind, his inner being was agitated with deep feelings of pity and compassion. (my translation).
I believe that today's society is deeply lacking in compassion for one another. It is simply easier to condemn or to look the other way when we see situations that could use some sorrow and pity; some understanding could only help.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the phrase, "He was moved with compassion" occurs five times. Each time, Matthew is speaking of Jesus' love and caring for other human beings.
Think how much sorrow He must feel as He sees the world as it is today. People everywhere still in need of healing, angry with one another, hungry for power, all the way from school children bullying one another to adults killing each other, up to countries that can't get along with one another.
Even with the advance of modern medicine, electronics, communications, and bigger and better war machines, compassion is still sadly lacking. Go figure! Man is still fallen.
On Sunday, Christians everywhere celebrate Easter, the day when Jesus came back from the death for mankind's sake, after conquering sin and the grave. His heart broke as he hung on the cross. He is still full of compassion for the lost and dying world. Jesus saves!!!
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Boredom Valley
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Have you made the claim lately of being bored? Shame on you!
Boredom is not a word or feeling with which I am well-acquainted. My mind is a busy place, and quite often my daughters claim they think it must be a scary one as well. Ha ha.
I don't believe there should ever be an acceptance of the statement, "I'm b-o-o-o-r-e-d! There's nothing to do!"
Children, and adults as well, should have more that can occupy time and minds than at any time before.
If there is nothing to do with hands, there is creative thinking. There are books to read, radios, CD's, magazines, yes, even the Comics to look at, and understand, even if one can't read them.
It seems there are few who don't have access to modern media of some kind. There are always things to learn, new horizons to explore, minds to expand.
Call a shut-in you know, if you can't get out, and cheer them up. It'll cheer you up as well.
Write! For goodness sake, record ideas, memories, songs.
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, because most of you reading this are writers. (Smiley inserted here)
A mind is a terrible thing to waste! Hey, I think maybe I've heard that expression someplace before, haven't you?
Have you made the claim lately of being bored? Shame on you!
Boredom is not a word or feeling with which I am well-acquainted. My mind is a busy place, and quite often my daughters claim they think it must be a scary one as well. Ha ha.
I don't believe there should ever be an acceptance of the statement, "I'm b-o-o-o-r-e-d! There's nothing to do!"
Children, and adults as well, should have more that can occupy time and minds than at any time before.
If there is nothing to do with hands, there is creative thinking. There are books to read, radios, CD's, magazines, yes, even the Comics to look at, and understand, even if one can't read them.
It seems there are few who don't have access to modern media of some kind. There are always things to learn, new horizons to explore, minds to expand.
Call a shut-in you know, if you can't get out, and cheer them up. It'll cheer you up as well.
Write! For goodness sake, record ideas, memories, songs.
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, because most of you reading this are writers. (Smiley inserted here)
A mind is a terrible thing to waste! Hey, I think maybe I've heard that expression someplace before, haven't you?
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Auntie Em
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I, too, like Dorothy, had an Aunt Em. However, we called her "Auntie", but, being Southern Country, we pronounced it as "Ain'ty".
Now, Aunt Emmaline was born back in the 1870's or thereabouts, and wore the long black dresses of that era. I, being born in the 1930's, knew her mostly in the 1940's through the 1950's.
She was my Mama's aunt, and her daddy's sister. Auntie was a caregiver and "stayed" with people who were ill. She carried a doctor's black bag with her and, I suppose, fancied herself equal pretty much to a doctor. Auntie was a diminutive woman, only about five feet tall, I believe.
Occasionally, Mama would receive a letter bearing tidings of a coming visit from Auntie.
Auntie had a wry mouth (twisted to one side) and an extra little finger on one hand. Quite often when mealtime was over, she would shake that extra little finger and speaking from that wry mouth, tell a leftover that she was having it for supper. I reckon maybe she was telling us as much as she was the leftover.
When bedtime came, it fell to me to share my bed with her. When she came to visit, I got very little sleep because she sounded like a buzz saw.
Do you have any "Auntie's" in your acquaintance?
I, too, like Dorothy, had an Aunt Em. However, we called her "Auntie", but, being Southern Country, we pronounced it as "Ain'ty".
Now, Aunt Emmaline was born back in the 1870's or thereabouts, and wore the long black dresses of that era. I, being born in the 1930's, knew her mostly in the 1940's through the 1950's.
She was my Mama's aunt, and her daddy's sister. Auntie was a caregiver and "stayed" with people who were ill. She carried a doctor's black bag with her and, I suppose, fancied herself equal pretty much to a doctor. Auntie was a diminutive woman, only about five feet tall, I believe.
Occasionally, Mama would receive a letter bearing tidings of a coming visit from Auntie.
Auntie had a wry mouth (twisted to one side) and an extra little finger on one hand. Quite often when mealtime was over, she would shake that extra little finger and speaking from that wry mouth, tell a leftover that she was having it for supper. I reckon maybe she was telling us as much as she was the leftover.
When bedtime came, it fell to me to share my bed with her. When she came to visit, I got very little sleep because she sounded like a buzz saw.
Do you have any "Auntie's" in your acquaintance?
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Arlissa - Day 209
Marie, who was the shy one in the group, gazed over at her newly found sister sympathetically, and walked around to where she was getting ready to rise from the chair.
Holding her arms out, she embraced Arlissa.
She didn't have to say anything; her actions spoke louder than words.
Hugging her in return, Arlissa whispered, "Thank you, Marie!"
That seemed to have broken the dam, and the whole family gathered around her, hugging and welcoming her into their fold. All questions were left in the dust for the time being. It was enough that she was with them, the rest of her family, at last.
Granny would be leaving the hospital soon, and Arlissa would have family that she had sought for so long. The empty places in her heart would be filled.
Love would come in its own time; in fact, she was sure it could very well be on its way to her in the form of one young highway patrolman. She'd just have to wait and see.
For now, she was happy, just to be Arlissa Jane Hinton O'Hanlon.
(The end)
Holding her arms out, she embraced Arlissa.
She didn't have to say anything; her actions spoke louder than words.
Hugging her in return, Arlissa whispered, "Thank you, Marie!"
That seemed to have broken the dam, and the whole family gathered around her, hugging and welcoming her into their fold. All questions were left in the dust for the time being. It was enough that she was with them, the rest of her family, at last.
Granny would be leaving the hospital soon, and Arlissa would have family that she had sought for so long. The empty places in her heart would be filled.
Love would come in its own time; in fact, she was sure it could very well be on its way to her in the form of one young highway patrolman. She'd just have to wait and see.
For now, she was happy, just to be Arlissa Jane Hinton O'Hanlon.
(The end)
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Arlissa - Day 208
"Well, that is the other news I wanted to share with you. I just found out recently that you all are my half-brothers and half-sister. Rosie was my twin sister. Thanks to your mother, I was able to verify it. She loaned me the family photo album with Savannah's photo and also it had a letter tucked in between two of the back pages that told me a lot, too. It was from our father."
They all stared at her, hearing her words, but having great difficulty believing them.
Their father and her father were the same man.
"But, when, how? What happened?"
The siblings turned to their mother.
Zeb asked, as their spokesman, "Mom. Would you explain to us, please? How could something like this happen? You've never said anything to us to indicate that Rosie wasn't yours."
"Oh, Zeb! She was mine! Not by birth, but I couldn't have loved her more if she had been born by me. When Seamus brought her to me, he said the mother didn't want her. I knew she was his, and I believed him. She became mine, too. I wanted no difference made between you all, so I never said anything otherwise. Please believe me."
Jake looked at his wife.
"How come you've never shared that information with me?"
"It just never seemed important enough to say anything. Rosie was my child in every sense of the word that mattered to me. It broke my heart when she left a few years ago and we never heard from her."
Arlissa sat there, wondering how they were going to receive her into the family...or if they even were.
Zeb turned to her again, and asked, "You never suspected that we were related to you? Did you know that our Pa was your father, too?"
"No, my Granny never let on. She promised my Ma on her deathbed that she'd never tell me that your Pa was mine. My Ma didn't want me to know. I don't know why. Maybe it was because she found out he had married since they broke up. There is so very much I still am not sure of."
The suspense of whether they were going to welcome her into their family was beginning to wear on her nerves. So far they had not been making any overtures of being glad.
Should she just leave and let them discuss the whole thing? Common sense was telling her not to hang around any longer.
"Well, I just wanted you all to know. Er...ah..."
(To be continued)
They all stared at her, hearing her words, but having great difficulty believing them.
Their father and her father were the same man.
"But, when, how? What happened?"
The siblings turned to their mother.
Zeb asked, as their spokesman, "Mom. Would you explain to us, please? How could something like this happen? You've never said anything to us to indicate that Rosie wasn't yours."
"Oh, Zeb! She was mine! Not by birth, but I couldn't have loved her more if she had been born by me. When Seamus brought her to me, he said the mother didn't want her. I knew she was his, and I believed him. She became mine, too. I wanted no difference made between you all, so I never said anything otherwise. Please believe me."
Jake looked at his wife.
"How come you've never shared that information with me?"
"It just never seemed important enough to say anything. Rosie was my child in every sense of the word that mattered to me. It broke my heart when she left a few years ago and we never heard from her."
Arlissa sat there, wondering how they were going to receive her into the family...or if they even were.
Zeb turned to her again, and asked, "You never suspected that we were related to you? Did you know that our Pa was your father, too?"
"No, my Granny never let on. She promised my Ma on her deathbed that she'd never tell me that your Pa was mine. My Ma didn't want me to know. I don't know why. Maybe it was because she found out he had married since they broke up. There is so very much I still am not sure of."
The suspense of whether they were going to welcome her into their family was beginning to wear on her nerves. So far they had not been making any overtures of being glad.
Should she just leave and let them discuss the whole thing? Common sense was telling her not to hang around any longer.
"Well, I just wanted you all to know. Er...ah..."
(To be continued)
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