May 2010

All the symbolism of Spring.
"Yesterday's failures are Today's seeds, 
that must be diligently planted to be able to abundantly harvest
Tomorrow's success."
-Unknown

In The Blink Of An Eye

And, so, it begins. The youngest, and our only son, begins his journey toward his adult life. It is hard to believe how quickly these years have passed. 

The old saying "And then I blinked" has never had more meaning than at this moment. I am thankful and blessed to have had this wonderful boy in my life.

I pray that his future journeys are safe. 

And, dear Jacob, remember that along your path of life you may experience detours. Don't be frustrated and impatient, embrace each one. These unplanned adventures may be your greatest moments.

Blink Of An Eye

by Michael Mcdonald and George Perilli

Child, as I look in your eyes

You know my life seems like a minute

There I find living proof

Of all the wonder life holds in it

In the past I thought I had to learn

Any good that comes from this life we're living

Here and now, let us realize

That this life is a gift and it's already been given

Someday when you stand in the middle

Like it or not you're gonna look both ways

You're gonna find that time is a riddle

Where days turn into years

And years into the blink on an eye

Child, once I saw a man on the TV

Lead a nation up a mountain

He said, children, look over yonder

The flame of truth is burning brightly

Sometimes you look so far, there's only so much time

Only so many of us are gonna get there

Here and now is all we really have

But if we can make it count

We got no reason to worry

You're gonna walk that mile

You're gonna be that number

You're gonna make that journey

Just like the good book says

There's a time to be born, a time to cross over

You can be sure it's in the blink of an eye

Corporate Watch Dog-Old School

Once in awhile, just to irritate my sister Kelly, I stray from my sentimental and sappy format to go crazy, political. So, consider this your warning to click away now, so as to not ruin your day.

This is Clara.
Clara can't be bought off by your corporate dollars.
Clara isn't impressed by your smooth talk Mr. Lobbyist.
Clara won't back down from you sleazy, lawyer types.
Clara clearly recognizes our politicians on the take.
Clara never lets greed or lust for power influence her decisions.
America needs more Claras.

Looking at Clara I am reminded of those old lessons every mother and grandmother taught. Don't lie, don't cheat, and always wear clean underwear. And, there was definitely no room for selfishness.

Imagine telling Clara, "I'm sorry, but I need you to loan me the last dollar you have otherwise I won't get my multi-million dollar bonus, on top of my multi-million dollar salary this year. I know it is my fault that I ran my business into the ground, but if I fail what will become of you?" Clara would hand him a hoe, and instruct him to work for it.

Or, picture explaining the health care debate to Clara, "I know that your next door neighbor's daughter needs surgery to live, but that is her problem for being poor. I must protect my own self-interest with the health care lobbyists." Clara would have explained to him the meaning of charity back behind the woodshed.

All these lessons from childhood, seem to have been lost somewhere along this journey.  We have thrown away our history books, deregulated big business, elected morally corrupt politicians, given corporations the same rights as citizens and angrily declared to not compromise! (because that is what TRUE americans do).

So, instead of doing the right things, we argue like school children. Pouting in our corners because we can't have our way. In the meantime, the world seems to be disintegrating around us.

If Clara were here today, she would smack our heads together and tell us to get over ourselves. She would find us a project that would force us to work side by side. And in the end, it would teach us that we are in this together.

The death of 11 oil workers and the slow, suffering death of our Gulf Coast is the unfortunate lesson of not having the right watch dog over corporations.

If we had a Clara, she would stand watch over BP employees to make sure they worked quickly to repair their error. (Not that this would have EVEN HAPPENED on her watch) She would drag the big shots from their corporate offices to the shoreline, hand them shovels and tell them to start cleaning up their mess. After they were done, Clara would load them up in the back of a slow-moving wagon (so passerbys could wave and say their peace) and drive the corporate officers straight to the prison gates.

This is Clara.
And she approves this message.

In memory of the Deepwater Horizon employees and their families.

A prophacy from Chief Seattle:

"Our God is the same God. You may think that you own him as you wish to own our land, but you cannot. He is the Body of man, and his compassion is equal for the redman and the white. This earth is precious to him, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The whites, too, shall pass - perhaps sooner than other tribes. Continue to contaminate your bed, and you will one night suffocate in your own waste. When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hills blotted by the talking wires, where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone. And what is it to say goodbye to the swift and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival."

CLICK HERE. What BP doesn't want you to see.

CORPORATE BLOCKADE. "But it's not BP's land." OR, IS IT?

Be a Clara, stand up to Corporations.

 

Say "Cheese"

The Budweiser Clydesdales made a guest appearance today in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan helping local business, and Budweiser distributor, Fabiano Brothers kick off its 125th Anniversary celebration.
I have to admit it, I got sucked in by their show. These beautiful creatures appeared to enjoy their visit as much as we did.


Waiting to begin, it looks like they might be talking about the crowd.

Something like, "look at these crazy people, you would think Michiganders had never seen horses before".

But then, the show begins:

A Perfect Day

A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.

-Author Unknown

So, what does a good day of fishing mean?

For my husband, I believe it is Heaven on Earth. 
Can I get an "Amen"?

The definition of mother.

Edna P. Newberry

April 25, 1915 -November 13, 1998

Some women are born to be mothers, and yet for many reasons circumstances prevent them from the opportunity to have their own.  I believe fate finds them a role to share the love they have to give.

My Aunt Edna was one of those women. She stepped into the role of mother when her sister died unexpectedly at the age of 20.  She embraced the role of grandmother (or second mother as my sister liked to tease her) to my sisters and I.

We even had a special word for her, Hant. It was reserved only for her "daughter" and her "granddaughters" to use. I've never met anyone else called by that, and that is how it should be, she was THAT SPECIAL.

She has been gone now almost 12 years, but the memories of her still linger. 

The smell of smoke from a fire reminds me of her house warming on a cool morning. 

Add the smell of coffee brewing, and I'm transported back in time to her kitchen on a Sunday morning. I even have a small dog that reminds me of her little chihuahuas Trouble and Shrimp. (Luckily, though, I never picked up the smokin' thing.)

I thank Hant everyday for the lessons about life and love she shared with my mother, my sisters and I. I know she continues her diligent watch over us from Heaven, seated at her comfy kitchen table.

More than baseball.

There are no words I can say that haven't already been said. The best writers in the world have already penned the most moving eulogies about Ernie Harwell. All I can do is add to the chorus of voices that are honoring him today. 

During my childhood, Harwell was THE VOICE of Tiger baseball.  The power of his storytelling was so vivid, that I can still see Cash rounding third and heading for home. And, I still THINK I SAW Bill Freehan hit that grand slam home run in the bottom of the 9th against the Red Sox. 

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Harwell during what had to be one of thousands of stops on a BCBS of Michigan campaign. I found him to be as engaging and spirited in person as he was on the air. 

Harwell truly enjoyed talking to everyone. This man, who had seen Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth play, witnessed "the shot heard around the world", and hung with baseball royalty, was unpretentious and down to earth. He practiced what he preached, "To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

While baseball was my introduction to the wonderful man, my admiration for Harwell goes beyond the press box and the ball diamond. To me, he represented all the good characteristics human beings are capable of: passion, courage, humility, optimism, perseverance and humor. 

For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
-Song of Solomon 2:11,12