Sometimes you are the Angel in someone's life. Sometimes other people are your Angel. I truly believe that because I have had some Angels in my life. That's why I always pay it forward.
For instance I have a friend I have known since elementary school. She wrote on Facebook today a story about how she helped out a homeless, hungry, young 'kid.'
She wrote:'Leaving my commercial kitchen, a young man approached me wanting to know if I had anything he could eat. ... I found some apples and cheese (for him). He sat on the curb and had eaten the apple by the time I had backed out.'
Today, she was his Angel.
My friend reached out about resources in her community and she prompted her friends to do the same and help homeless children.
On the other hand: Nearing the end of the month, (of which I am always out of money), I had to humble myself and go to a food pantry yesterday. (Luckily there are a lot of resources in my town.)
The thing is, food pantries seldom distribute any fresh produce!
It is no wonder obesity is such a problem. It is too expensive to eat healthy. Say I had a family of five, I could spend $2 on cheap hamburger, and $2 for Hamburger Helper and feed my family.
Or I could spend $4 on fresh strawberries and have enough for one snack for the children.
Anyway, I digress... I was at a friends' business today where she sells fresh-picked, local produce. For $5 you can get a smaller (than the large) tub of strawberries. I was venting to her about not being able to have fresh produce yada yada yada lol.
There was a man sitting on a bench there, who asked me for $1 for gas. I (reluctantly) gave it to him. (I say reluctantly because I have $14 to last me eight days.)
The man, who turned out to be the produce man, told me to take a tub of strawberries! Tears just burst from my eyes because this stranger let me buy all those strawberries for $1! How lucky am I! Today, he was my Angel.
Even kindness can be as small as smiling at someone, you will have changed that person's life.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Monday, May 16, 2016
Broken ties are too far-gone
My niece had a rite of passage this weekend. She follows in a generations-old profession in our family: Nursing. Her great-grandma, grandma, mom and dad and uncles and aunts are also Nurses.
My niece graduated with her Associates of Nursing, and I heard, she is going into Emergency Medicine to start. I am so very proud of her.
She had her pinning ceremony last weekend, and I wasn't invited.
The pinning dates back to the 1860s when beloved nurse Florence Nightingale presented her hardest-working graduates with a pin. By 1916 it became standard in the U.S. to give each nursing graduate a medal of excellence and a pin. The ceremonial pin depicts the medal, badge, and cross to bear Nurses are committing their lives to with dedication.
The Medal of Honor depicts the respect Nurses have "for the miracle of life and finality of death." The Badge of Courage is for "everything nurses do on the front lines fighting death and disease with courage and commitment." And the Cross to Bear is for the Nurse's dedication "long after others have given up hope and are long gone," according to http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/nursing-pinning-ceremony-rite-of-passage-for-graduates/ Pretty hefty stuff.
I always thought I would be there celebrating her life. But I'm not.
I didn't actually meet my second niece until she was two years old. She stole my heart.
Being a Journalist, my career has taken me to 18 states in the last 30 years. During a lull I was able to be a big part of her life, and her brother's until he was three years old.
I was there off and on as she grew up. I genuinely liked her. I always made it a point to always speak to her (and my other nieces and nephews) on the phone. It wasn't enough.
I was running in and out of people's lives - oblivious to the bonds I was breaking.
It has not helped I'm estranged from most of my family by choice.
Still, I am perplexed on how it has come to this.
Being the second oldest of three sisters, they each first had a girl and then a boy. I never had children of my own - my only regret in life.
I wanted to be the quirky, fun Aunt, and always dreamed of being there for my nieces and nephews - even if their parents weren't.
During the years I lost my personal connection with my nieces and nephews. I thought once they get older, they will, on their own, pursue a relationship with me. I was wrong.
I had sent cards and gifts throughout their lives and found one sister never passed my gifts on to my niece and nephew. Another strongly discourages a relationship with me; and other sister does not approve of my lifestyle, which makes her uncomfortable. (However, she has been gracious enough to encourage her children have a relationship with me, of which I am grateful, even though she doesn't.)
Still I always thought I would be there for my nieces and nephews. I have to come to terms with the fact is I wasn't.
Now that I can, and am here for them, it's too late. My oldest niece is getting married this summer. I am not invited.
I waited too long. Those broken ties may be too far gone.
My niece graduated with her Associates of Nursing, and I heard, she is going into Emergency Medicine to start. I am so very proud of her.
She had her pinning ceremony last weekend, and I wasn't invited.
The pinning dates back to the 1860s when beloved nurse Florence Nightingale presented her hardest-working graduates with a pin. By 1916 it became standard in the U.S. to give each nursing graduate a medal of excellence and a pin. The ceremonial pin depicts the medal, badge, and cross to bear Nurses are committing their lives to with dedication.
The Medal of Honor depicts the respect Nurses have "for the miracle of life and finality of death." The Badge of Courage is for "everything nurses do on the front lines fighting death and disease with courage and commitment." And the Cross to Bear is for the Nurse's dedication "long after others have given up hope and are long gone," according to http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/nursing-pinning-ceremony-rite-of-passage-for-graduates/ Pretty hefty stuff.
I always thought I would be there celebrating her life. But I'm not.
I didn't actually meet my second niece until she was two years old. She stole my heart.
Being a Journalist, my career has taken me to 18 states in the last 30 years. During a lull I was able to be a big part of her life, and her brother's until he was three years old.
I was there off and on as she grew up. I genuinely liked her. I always made it a point to always speak to her (and my other nieces and nephews) on the phone. It wasn't enough.
I was running in and out of people's lives - oblivious to the bonds I was breaking.
It has not helped I'm estranged from most of my family by choice.
Still, I am perplexed on how it has come to this.
I wanted to be the quirky, fun Aunt, and always dreamed of being there for my nieces and nephews - even if their parents weren't.
During the years I lost my personal connection with my nieces and nephews. I thought once they get older, they will, on their own, pursue a relationship with me. I was wrong.
I had sent cards and gifts throughout their lives and found one sister never passed my gifts on to my niece and nephew. Another strongly discourages a relationship with me; and other sister does not approve of my lifestyle, which makes her uncomfortable. (However, she has been gracious enough to encourage her children have a relationship with me, of which I am grateful, even though she doesn't.)
Still I always thought I would be there for my nieces and nephews. I have to come to terms with the fact is I wasn't.
Now that I can, and am here for them, it's too late. My oldest niece is getting married this summer. I am not invited.
I waited too long. Those broken ties may be too far gone.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Society says Liars are Okay
Why doesn't it matter if presumptive Republican nominee 'the' Donald Trump lies?
Everyday since Trump has announced his candidacy for our nation's highest office President of the United States, he has been caught in a lie, whether it be about releasing his taxes, flip-flopping on proposed policy, disparaging remarks about Women, Latinos, the Disabled, failed businesses, or marriages, past remarks and being the 'mysterious' Mr. Miller in an interview in which the recording, and the reporter said it was Trump! WTF?
A lie is a lie is a lie. Period. Nothing more simple than that. Fess up or shut up. Don't lie - because the No. 1 reason is You Will Be Caught. And Trump has been caught over and over and over. Not many people seem to care. How sad is that?
I am throwing up a bit as I say this but Trump could be our next President.
The dictionary defines liar as "deliberately untruthful, deceitful, false?" That seems to be okay with followers of Trump, and mainstream media.
His lying doesn't seem to factor in on the Republican process for choosing its next "President."
Okay, there are documented cases in which Presidents from Washington to Obama have lied. Usually it was about foreign policy not discussed in those periods of America's history, and certainly not subjected to the 24/7 news period.
Hell, the 'revered' President Ronald Reagan lied about trading hostages for weapons in the Iran-Contra affair during my U.S. Navy service service in 1986. Consequences of Reagan's lie have reached past decades. Those 'said weapons' are being recycled and reused by Isis in its Middle East War.
Still, it is not okay. My father, also a Navy Veteran doesn't get recognition of his service during the Bay of Pigs because President John F. Kennedy lied about having any military involvement in the area.
Liars have most definitely factored in my 30-year career as a Journalist. Sources or bosses lied to my face. I am the most naive person, and still have the pollyanna affect that makes me believe people - something I hope to never lose.
However, lying to my face is the most offensive thing a person can do to me. Oh sure, we lie all the time about niceties: Saying we are fine when we are not when someone asks, or saying someone looks great, when in fact they don't.
But it still is mind-blowing to me Trump is in this race to start with; and now that is it acceptable he is a Liar? Trump should, at least, release his taxes! The Democratic candidates have.
May God(dess) grant us Peace.
Everyday since Trump has announced his candidacy for our nation's highest office President of the United States, he has been caught in a lie, whether it be about releasing his taxes, flip-flopping on proposed policy, disparaging remarks about Women, Latinos, the Disabled, failed businesses, or marriages, past remarks and being the 'mysterious' Mr. Miller in an interview in which the recording, and the reporter said it was Trump! WTF?
A lie is a lie is a lie. Period. Nothing more simple than that. Fess up or shut up. Don't lie - because the No. 1 reason is You Will Be Caught. And Trump has been caught over and over and over. Not many people seem to care. How sad is that?
I am throwing up a bit as I say this but Trump could be our next President.
The dictionary defines liar as "deliberately untruthful, deceitful, false?" That seems to be okay with followers of Trump, and mainstream media.
His lying doesn't seem to factor in on the Republican process for choosing its next "President."
Okay, there are documented cases in which Presidents from Washington to Obama have lied. Usually it was about foreign policy not discussed in those periods of America's history, and certainly not subjected to the 24/7 news period.
Hell, the 'revered' President Ronald Reagan lied about trading hostages for weapons in the Iran-Contra affair during my U.S. Navy service service in 1986. Consequences of Reagan's lie have reached past decades. Those 'said weapons' are being recycled and reused by Isis in its Middle East War.
Still, it is not okay. My father, also a Navy Veteran doesn't get recognition of his service during the Bay of Pigs because President John F. Kennedy lied about having any military involvement in the area.
Liars have most definitely factored in my 30-year career as a Journalist. Sources or bosses lied to my face. I am the most naive person, and still have the pollyanna affect that makes me believe people - something I hope to never lose.
However, lying to my face is the most offensive thing a person can do to me. Oh sure, we lie all the time about niceties: Saying we are fine when we are not when someone asks, or saying someone looks great, when in fact they don't.
But it still is mind-blowing to me Trump is in this race to start with; and now that is it acceptable he is a Liar? Trump should, at least, release his taxes! The Democratic candidates have.
May God(dess) grant us Peace.
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