Remembering the Past

I went to the library last night and picked up books in different genres. I was thinking how lucky we are that we can go and peruse the whole library and just check out whatever reaches out to us. No fees, unless, of course, we fail to return them on time.

I like to read several books simultaneously, otherwise I'd never get anything read! I am enjoying a book by Charlene Baumbich entitled DON'T MISS YOUR LIFE! She writes about "MPs" that is, "memory portfolio." She encourages us to think about childhood memories and how they brought us, for the most part, hopefully, joy. I hope to begin my journey into recalling some past events.

John had a "light up the world" smile too!

I was a tomboy and I began to think of a particular little friend of mine. He was a black kid and his name was John Frazier. However! John being quite the character didn't simply go by John Frazier. He was a happy go lucky kid and found joy in all things. He embellished his name by telling us that his real name was, (and I have left some of the names out because I simply cannot recall them!); anyway, he liked to tell us that his name was really: "John Frazier, Jr. George, Jackson, Sam Featherweight Calhoun Brown the 3rd."  I still laugh when I remember him and I amaze myself that I can even recall that much about what he said his name was, but he would always proudly proclaim that this was indeed his whole and given name. (wink)

So, wherever you are out there in this big world of ours "John," I hope you are still enjoying life and all of its wonders. I think though, that if you were not given the best in life, that you still made the best of it because that's just how you were! Thanks for the fun memory!

A Year in Type

It is hard to believe that I have had my blog for one year already. 

It's hard to believe that many things have happened in a year, some even life changing, but there it is.  Who is this blog for? Is it for me? I started it so that I could write about my life and how it changes in, sometimes, small, imperceptible ways that I may not even notice. And yet, I have to admit that there are times when I find it hard write about anything.

I, like many others, see only the mundane when, really, there are so many marvelous things and can be written about. Maybe it's the news and the sensationalism of the bad that make us feel that unless something is "happening" we aren't really living.

I happened to watch a TV program called Catfish which is all about people who create fake personal identifications. Some people, not content in being who they are, create a fake personal image and then using this fake persona create relationships with other people. What irks me is that the people who do this don't seem to really care that they have pulled others into their little web of deceit. Some have many fake identifications and manage to carry on with hundreds of innocent and unsuspecting people. One would think that there would be some sort of penalty, money-wise or jail time for these big fakers, but I don't think there is. Apparently, all one need do is apologize. Some of these relationships, much like that of Manti Teo (currently in the news) have gone on for years and years!

It takes us all to put it together.

Yes, it can be tough to be real in this world that is so full of advertisers throwing so much at us that it make us feel less than what we are. Our teeth aren't white enough, our hair isn't manageable enough, our figures not perfect enough, the list goes on. In this view, there are so many things that we seem to lack that we begin to judge our true selves and that which makes us unique. I think that, that is why when someone ordinary, like you or me, does something extraordinary it is looked upon as something extra special. In reality, we are all capable of doing great things in our own lives even if it means just volunteering or helping others. I have to look around and learn this too. It can be puzzling trying to find our true self, but it's got to be worth the effort!

Bottom line, I am learning to be happy to be me and I am glad that you are you. If we are friends then there is something that has drawn us to each other, there is something that we have found unique about the other one for us to call the other "friend." Thank you for being my friend!! I value your human-ness and your reality. 

Shine on with that extraordinary light of yours! 

So! On to year number two. By December 2013 many more things will have changed in our lives. I hope that there are not too many bad, sad or scary things, life can be tough at times, and that's the hard truth.