YESTERDAY... continued

My two oldest, Linda and Dwight, started shopping for me

when I was too busy doing all the myriad things

that housewives and mothers do.

I had taught them how to look for bargains, and

they learned quickly . They would go to a Mom and Pop store

on Eastland Ave. there in El Sereno  where we lived,

called Johnny's Market, and get several items, and then

they'd sometimes go to a produce market

on Valley Blvd. to get fresh fruit and vegetables.

They took Dwight's little red wagon, and came home

with lots of food, more than what I'd had on the list.

Think they told me they stole some of it ...

not right away, of course, or they'd have been punished.

Most of the trouble they got into was unknown to

their Dad and me...either they were very clever

at hiding that fact, or we were too naive .

I had these two also go to the laundromat, as

you already know, from my re-telling of  the tale

of Dwight fooling his sister into doing that

dangerous stunt of getting into the dryer and him

turning it on !!

Don't know how Linda managed to hide her bruises

from us...she must have made up something

about falling, maybe.

Whatever she and Dwight told us, we must have believed.

As with all their other adolescent antics, they

waited a lot of years, before telling us the truth .




To be continued, at a later date.


I hope you're not bored to tears just yet .

More stories coming, but this old gal

is galling asleep, so must  listen to my body,

and save the rest, until later.






I love ALL my large family and circle of friends

Now, as always, and hope your lives are fulfilling

and happy.

Remember to continue counting your blessings,

I love you all.




D

YESTERDAY

It was only yesterday that three little towheads were romping about

Happily playing the games that children play

Not a care in the world. As it should be.

A few years went by like this

The three children grew into young manhood

and young womanhood

In those growing years, they experienced many things,

some good, some not so good

They learned many things on their own

Without the help of either of us, their Mom and Dad.

They learned how to swim, how to ride bikes

How to acquire things, without paying for them.

We were poor, and being kids, they figured out ways

to get what they wanted.

We didn't know any of this, until years later...

I was shocked at some of the things they had done

But, as they told me when all grown up, it seemed funny

and we laughed together, at some of the funniest things.

When Dwight related how he tricked his sister, Linda,

into climbing into the laundromat dryer, his way of

telling the story was so hilarious, I laughed until I cried !

Then, there was the story of how all three of them would go

into a local Mom&Pop store, and steal candy, chips, etc.

the two older ones, that is...they wouldn't allow

their little sister,  Candy, to take anything .

UNTITLED


Why is it that we women
Put a hand to our chest

When hearing of a tragedy,
Or what might be one
Our hand flies to our chest.

What does this mean ?

Could it be because that's
Where our heart is ?

The heart, wherein resides love,
When those we love
Are threatened, or we even
Think they are in danger,

We feel it, in our heart,

In our throat, because we
Cannot swallow the thought
That something awful
Has or Might have happened

Sometimes, our hand flies
Up to our mouth
As if to hold in
A scream.

ROUND-TRIP TICKET

Before we come to Earth

we are given a round-trip ticket

so that, when we finish our sojourn here,

we can go back Home .

We come here to this planet

full of excitement and expectations.

Upon our birth as a human being

we embark on our life's journey.

This is a wondrous place,

full of adventure, things to see and do .

People are mostly kind, but

we soon learn that some are not.

It's up to us to decide how

to handle Life's vicissitudes .

Do we enjoy it, get satisfaction from it,

or do we allow it to defeat us,

destroy our spirit ?

Do we learn as we go along;

do we figure out the best path to take,

or do we huddle within ourselves

and hide from the realities of life ?

It behooves us to learn quickly and adapt

to the changes that come, often unexpectedly .

It isn't easy; there are many obstacles

in our path. We have to either go around

or leap over them .

We have lessons to learn while here

in this Earth school .

Only when we have completed them,

will we use the 'Return' part of our

Round-trip ticket, and go back

to where it all began...Home .

This was written 3 days ago, the day

I wrote 'Life's Illusions', after hearing from my son

about his declining health.

I have written before about the fact

that we live here for just a short while, then

go back, return that life to the One who gave it

to us, but that phone call from Dwight, started

me thinking of it again, about the fragility of life,

and how it can be gone in a millisecond .

All the silly bickering, and pursuing riches, and

power are so foolish. As we've heard so many times

in this life...'you can't take it with you', so why

put so much time and energy in chasing after

those ,oh, so temporary things ?

Our time is best spent in loving and being loved,

and showing that love at every opportunity .

Love is what lasts, even beyond death.

I love all my children and grandchildren

and great-grandchildren. I love the children

whom my late husband and I 'adopted in our hearts'.

and all my close and distant relatives, and friends.

I believe that was God's purpose in sending

us to populate the Earth, to spread His love

to all mankind and to all His creatures .

I love you all, now and forever.

D

March 14, 2012

MY LOVERS

He fills the gaping orifice

With tantalizing sweetness

Then glides smoothly, down

A long tunnel,

Ending in a cavernous space

Where he lies with me

Locked in embrace for a long,

Long time, before he decides

To leave me, never to return.

I sorrow for my lost love,

But soon, there is another

Lover, taking his place in my

Affections, and the caresses

Begin again.

Before long, that lover decides

To leave me, also, then another

And another. They stay for just

A short while, then tear themselves

away from me, and leave.

There are many; I'm never

At a loss for lovers.

But why, oh why, do they always,

Always leave me ?

Wrote this back in 1997, August 1st.

Don't know what prompted me to

write it, but here it is.

Can you answer my question ?

If so, please leave a comment. If not, also,

please leave a comment. Be honest, now.

I love all of you, my sweet family

and friends.

Be kind to yourself, and everyone else.

We all have to live on this planet,

hopefully in peace.

Count your many blessings. I do.

D

PERFECTION

What is perfection ?

Who's to say exactly what constitutes perfection ?

We all seem to strive for this ideal...to be perfect, in our work, our marriages, our

child-rearing abilities, etc.

We feel that, in order to be accepted by society, we need to have all the latest fashions,

appliances for the home, new cars, etc.

Why do we invest so much time and energy into aiming for perfection ?

We are fine, just as we are !

None of us has ever been, or ever will be perfect.

We are human, and humans, with all our complexities, and screwed-up personalities

cannot be perfect.

It's different things to different people...shallow people think that if we can't have the

latest whatever, or one is not pretty or handsome, according to their ideas, then we

fall short of perfection.

We are all perfect just the way we are...just the way we look, talk and walk .

We are just as God made us, and he doesn't make mistakes, and those who think otherwise are sorely mistaken.

Look in the mirror...that's perfection . That's who you are. That's who your family

and True friends love...the real you, not some artsy-fartsy, phoney, plastic-enhanced

person. but you, the one in the mirror.

None of us will ever attain the kind of perfection that society demands . Their idea of 'perfection' is skewed !

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, someone once said . If those with whom we associate see nothing but our flaws , then they are not true friends. If we don't measure up to their standards of living, and of beauty, then we are not worth their time to bother with us.

Those who love us see beyond those things, and look into our hearts , and feel the love we have for them, and that is beautiful, and that is perfection.

May we all keep loving one another, no matter what we have or don't have, no matter how we look as we get older. Love never gets old, never changes.

I love all of you, my sweet family and friends, always will.

Keep loving each other.

D

LOVE LOST

Seeing, not with the eyes, but

With every beat of the heart

Feeling, not with touch, but with

The soul's yearning

Wanting, with every nerve a-tingling

Yet, unsure,

Turning, walking away,

Unfulfilled

Never knowing he, too,

Yearned

And felt, and wanted,

But, lacking the courage

To reach out...

Sadly, he watched as she

Walked away.

Two souls, never knowing

What might have been

Never tasting

The love that was waiting

This is a departure for me,

something I haven't tried before.

Not feeling really comfortable

with this style, but, seeing

the success of others, thought

I'd give it a try.

What do you think ? Should I

do more like this, or stick

with what seems to be

what you like, what has worked,

so far, anyway.

Let me know what you

honestly think. I value your

criticism.

Love you all. Keep being

kind to each other, always.

D