Category Archives: Gratitude
A Necessary Truancy
“Is this Amanda?”
Yes.
“I have your son in the health office – he says he has a headache and is nauseous”.
(refrain from asking if she means to imply he’s making others feel sick, you grammar nazi! Besides, there are now two definitions for ‘nauseous’)
“Would you like to speak to him?”
Yes please.
Nic get’s on the phone.
Me: What’s going on?
Nic: I don’t want to be here – I’m having a really bad day”.
I’m seeing this in my head:
And this too:
OK.
Honesty really racks up the points in my book. Honesty will earn you respect, and today earned me using my lunch to leave work, drive to his school and collect him.
I didn’t need the details yet, he told the truth and from the tone of his voice I got it.
Sometimes, we just want to go home. We’re done. We want comforting and to be surrounded by comfort.
I pulled up to the school and sprung him. I got the scoop about what possibly could have ruined his day in the whole hour and 20 minutes he was there. I won’t share the details – that’s not fair to him, but suffice it to say – he was in fact having a pretty crappy day.
Yes, he needs to learn to ‘decide to be happy’ to ‘soldier on in the face of adversity’ and to ‘not take things so personally’. But he’s 17. I’m in my 40’s and am still honing those skills.
When you’re a teenager, sometimes it does feel like your entire world is crumbling down around you, and you just want a time-out.
I am SO very grateful that my son can be honest with me. Oh, I know. I’m not so naive as to believe that he tells me everything, and nor should he. But when it really counts – we’re close enough that he trusts he can tell me the truth and not regret doing so.
Our ride from his school to our house was filled with conversation, observations, lessons and advice. Of course I stressed the importance of not missing anymore school – about not letting people ruin his day. That he can’t run away from every problem. About resentments – how futile they are. Metaphors flowed. “Nic, resenting them is like taking poison and expecting them to die!” Concerns were soothed, smiles were exchanged and I felt so very blessed.
No. He’s not my little boy anymore. No, I can’t save him from the world. But today I could give him a chance to regroup. To feel loved. To take a breath and collect his thoughts and I could take a rare opportunity to share some wisdom and experience with him.
When my grandson or granddaughter calls him years from now having a bad day, I hope he picks them up. Figuratively and literally. And I’m pretty sure he will. Because this young man who I am so lucky to call my son – is a kind-hearted, sensitive, funny, bright, loving soul.
All that being said, if he hadn’t told the truth, his butt would have stayed at school. 😉
Liebster Award – thanks Merbear!
Hey Merbear264 thank you for nominating me for the Liebster Award. 🙂 You can visit Merbear264 at her blog http://knockedoverbyafeather.wordpress.com/
This award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers that a blogger feels should get some recognition.
Rules are, first, I am to thank the person who nominated me. (Of COURSE I would do that anyway!) Thank you Thank you Thank you! 😉 Directions at the very end for my nominees.
11 things about myself:
1. I’m a ‘legal alien’ here in the U.S.
2. I love banana flavored things, but not real fond of bananas.
3. I love cherries, but despise cherry flavored things.
4. I don’t do ‘croutons’. To me, a crouton is nothing more than a piece of toast that was forgotten about, hardened, got cold and then someone grabbed it out of the toaster anyway and ate it! EWWWWWW!
5. I can wiggle my right ear. OK, you have to watch really carefully, but I can.
6. Fluent in the old Italian finger spelling manual alphabet. (Signing)
7. I must have a box of Good & Plenty’s next to my bed every night. I’ll wake up some mornings with little pink or white marks on me from rolling onto a candy coated shell.
8. I went skydiving for my 16th birthday – static line, not tandem. I refused to hit any of their altitude points either, I steered around in sheer delight! The sky was MINE!
9. My favorite flower is the daisy.
10. Most of my favorite songs end up on some ‘worst ever songs’ list. (lol! Hey – ‘We built this city’ rocked! and so did ‘Seasons in the Sun’)
11. I was almost sold in Afghanistan when I was 9 years old.
Questions from Merbear264 for me to answer:
1. Fact or fiction? UG! Both – Fictional books, Factual documentaries.
2. What is your favorite animal and why? The naked mole rat. Only mammal that lives in a colony like ants, or bees – with a caste system and a queen. Plus they’re adorable.
3. Do you think being rich would make you happy? NO!!!!!!!!!!! NO NO NO NO.
4. Are you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning, or grumpasauras rex? I’m cheery – but my tail doesn’t bush until mid morning.
5. What is your favorite dessert? Neapolitans! You know, those puff pastry delights with the squiggly chocolate design atop the white icing? No? Here …
6. What is your favorite thing about blogging? Other than having a creative outlet, getting to interact with people from all over the world.
7. Do you like reality TV shows? Yup – especially Top Chef & Face Off
8. If you could have lunch with one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be? Dalai Lama!
9. What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Tied between Raisin Bran Crunch and Kix
10. Do you believe that love is all we need? Yes I do.
11. Chocolate or vanilla? Possibly strawberry? Strawberry! In a cone please.
Blogs I nominate:
I honestly don’t follow many blogs that have less than 200 followers. SO! I nominate the following blogs that I love, if you don’t qualify, don’t participate I guess (and you can’t nominate me back):
The Return of the Modern Philosopher
Belly Button Blues
Candycoatedreality
The Why About This
iwords
Here are YOUR questions:
1. It’s true! December is the end of the world, who are you hanging with that day?
2. Favorite movie (OK, just keep it to three top ones)
3. You have to look and peck at the keyboard or are you touch typing?
4. You’re caught in the rain, are you mad?
5. Rather be freezing or overheated?
6. Favorite teacher and why?
7. You didn’t get a pardon – what’s your last meal going to be?
8. Best pick up line in your arsenal?
9. Something you do that you swore you’d NEVER do when YOU were a grown up!
10. Time your alarm is set for?
11. Favorite sound?
There are 4 steps to receiving this award..
- List 11 things about yourself.
- Answer your nominator’s 11 questions.
- Choose up to 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and ask them your own questions.
- Inform your nominees of their award nominations.
“See you when I get back when you get back”
Every weekday.
6:00 a.m. Alarm goes off.
6:10 a.m. Take breakfast in to my sleeping teen.
6:15 a.m. Sit outside with my first cup of coffee and look up at the stars. (Is that a satellite or a plane? What is that?)
6:30 a.m. Teen has eaten and arisen and is checking his Facebook with 10 minutes left to get ready for school.
6:40 a.m. I see my son out the backdoor, give him a quick hug and he says those words to me. “See you when I get back when you get back”.
I stand on the back porch and wave. It’s dark outside, so I’m mostly waving at my sons shadowy outline – and it waves back. When I can’t see him anymore I go into the house to grab another cup of coffee and watch some more news before getting ready.
7:00 a.m. Get ready myself.
I mentioned yesterday to a friend that I feel like I’m stuck in the movie ‘Groundhog Day’ lately. And I do. But, this morning routine I’ll keep.
This morning routine means.
6:00 a.m. I am still alive, and I have my hearing
6:10 a.m. We have food and my son is safe
6:15 a.m. Serenity
6:30 a.m. The electric and internet bill is paid
6:40 a.m. My son still hugs me, still talks to me …
7:00 a.m. Blessed to have a job to get ready for!
Thank You Veterans!
Yesterday was fun and games, but as my son and I entered one of the shops there was a veteran collecting for the VFW. I put a dollar in his collection tin and he said ‘Thank you’. “No,” I said, “Thank YOU for serving”.
I took the beautiful poppy he handed to me and walked freely into that store to record the silly video pieces I have the freedom to distribute onto the internet.
I really am so very grateful to those who have, and to those who continue to serve their country.
One of my favorite movies, well – it’s a mini-series actually, is ‘Band of Brothers’. I’ve watched it SO many times. I never fail to tear up when the actual men are recounting parts of their story. One of my favorite lines, and I’ll end it with this, is:
I treasure my remark to my grandson who asked, “Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” Grandpa said, “No… but I served in a company of heroes”.
The shut up Buddha
My desk Buddha – he reminds me to shut up. Or put more sweetly, to think before I speak, because I have a habit of saying what’s on my mind, out loud, a lot.
I thought he’d help.
Now I look at him from home, he looks like he could also be reminding me to stuff my face with fun food too! I don’t talk with my mouth full, so I suppose either way, both should help with keeping my trap shut.
Did a lot of speaking today – mainly to my boss about how important it is that we observe Veterans Day by closing Monday. I’m not going to lie, I really just wanted a three-day weekend.
Wait! Before I come off like a thoughtless, shallow, ingrate – let me just say, I am grateful every day to those who serve.
I tell every Veteran I do a loan for ‘thank you’ and then grill them about their experiences etc. Nothing better than hearing someones story first hand.
I’m also thankful all year and not just on Thanksgiving. (Don’t get me started on Thanksgiving though – that’s one holiday I wouldn’t mind working on. Celebrating taking someone’s land and spreading disease. YAY!)
Well, all my campaigning failed as I was told ‘See you Monday!’ as my boss left. Although, I know he’s only coming in for a couple of hours. Nice. LOL!
And because it’s Friday here’s another picture for you taken on the way home. I stopped on the parkway to take this and was almost struck by at least 3 speeding cars! (no lie) But you’re worth it. You’re welcome. 😉
I didn’t alter this at all. It was a gorgeous black and white shot just waiting to be captured.
Debauchery Soup 