I was sitting in the symphony concert yesterday. I was excited to get into the Christmas spirit with the beautiful music and festive décor. I'm not going to lie I choked a little bit at the cost of the tickets, but I am a firm believer in supporting the arts so there we were on a rainy cold afternoon in an auditorium filled to the brim with people.
I hadn't noticed him before the intermission. Either he had slept through the first part or he was a perfect angel either way I was blissfully unaware of his presence. However, during the second half a young boy was on my last nerve. If he wasn't kicking my chair he was pulling my daughters hair. If he wasn't jumping up and down screaming THAT TICKLES!!! he was talking loudly to his parents. I was completely annoyed that his adults did not see it necessary to remove him from the situation.
Then I thought about it.
I also get completely annoyed that people automatically hand devices to small children therefore eliminating the growth of a child's imagination. If a child is soothed by an electronic device they never teach themselves how to be content with nothing. It is a huge pet peeve of mine.
This child, while somewhat annoying, had been brought to an event above his maturity level and was being made to be entertained by purely the event that he was at. He was not being handed something to distract him, he was being taught to self entertain. Bravo mom and dad Bravo!!
It is funny how if you will take a few minutes to look at a situation from every angle you become way less offended by little things and the world seems just a little brighter!
Monday, December 19, 2016
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Things I want to remember
One of these days when I am older if I am blessed with grandchildren there are some things that I want to remember so I am going to put them down here. These are more for me than for you....
1. I want to be the fun creative grandmother. I want to take my grandchildren to things at the library and get them a library card and have a special library bag (My mother always made mine with a holder for my library card.) I want to do this on a specific day as to give my grandchild's parents a constant each week so that they will be able to plan for appointments or grocery shopping or whatever strikes their fancy.
2. I want to know my grandchildren so well that I don't have to ask what they would like as a gift. I want to buy them something that they will enjoy but that they didn't even know existed. I will not give my own child money and instruct them to buy something for my grandchild and put my name on it.
3. I want to have my grandchildren over for regular sleepovers so that their parents can plan toward that and know that they will have that time to themselves.
4. I want to plan family trips that I fund. I want for both children and their families to meet my husband and I at a particular location and just enjoy each other away from the hustle and bustle.
5. I want to bake with my grandchildren. I will not stress about the mess. I will allow for crazy creativity rather than needing everything to be perfect. I will know then that the memory of making the cookies is what will remain unless of course you act the fool over the fact that an entire gallon of milk...slipped.
6. I will wear the bathing suit. I will know that if I am old enough to be a grandmother no one is looking at my body. They are just impressed that I am involved in my grandchildren's lives.
7. I have always said that I will be the grandmother that rides the roller coasters but the problem is I am having trouble riding them now. I am afraid that by the time I have grandchildren if I am blessed to have some I won't be able to at all, but I stand in the line with them and then walk through just like I do with my kids now. You still get the bonding time in the line!
I am sure that there are many other life lessons that I want to tell older me. This is just today's batch.
1. I want to be the fun creative grandmother. I want to take my grandchildren to things at the library and get them a library card and have a special library bag (My mother always made mine with a holder for my library card.) I want to do this on a specific day as to give my grandchild's parents a constant each week so that they will be able to plan for appointments or grocery shopping or whatever strikes their fancy.
2. I want to know my grandchildren so well that I don't have to ask what they would like as a gift. I want to buy them something that they will enjoy but that they didn't even know existed. I will not give my own child money and instruct them to buy something for my grandchild and put my name on it.
3. I want to have my grandchildren over for regular sleepovers so that their parents can plan toward that and know that they will have that time to themselves.
4. I want to plan family trips that I fund. I want for both children and their families to meet my husband and I at a particular location and just enjoy each other away from the hustle and bustle.
5. I want to bake with my grandchildren. I will not stress about the mess. I will allow for crazy creativity rather than needing everything to be perfect. I will know then that the memory of making the cookies is what will remain unless of course you act the fool over the fact that an entire gallon of milk...slipped.
6. I will wear the bathing suit. I will know that if I am old enough to be a grandmother no one is looking at my body. They are just impressed that I am involved in my grandchildren's lives.
7. I have always said that I will be the grandmother that rides the roller coasters but the problem is I am having trouble riding them now. I am afraid that by the time I have grandchildren if I am blessed to have some I won't be able to at all, but I stand in the line with them and then walk through just like I do with my kids now. You still get the bonding time in the line!
I am sure that there are many other life lessons that I want to tell older me. This is just today's batch.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Hope in the ashes
There have been wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains. Last week 87mph winds caused the fires to become a massive inferno that destroyed businesses, homes and took the lives of several people. This is a horrible sad time for our community.
A news person, trying to get "the story" made some insensitive remarks about what could have been changed so that the lives would not have been lost. People were outraged! People spoke of petitions and how she needed to lose her job over her insensitive remarks. The thing is though she was just doing her job. She was trying to get the whole story, to be a voice for the lives that were lost that no longer have a voice. Her only crime besides being highly insensitive was her unfortunate love of turtlenecks.
The mayor handled the situation beautifully. He said that we were not going to take on the role of Monday morning quarterback. He told the woman that once they had a chance to sit down and review they would visit what could have been done differently but for now they had to keep moving forward.
Why is it that we find ourselves to be experts on everything? It drives me insane when in a football game the officials review a play on film. They look at the play from several different angles, in slow motion over and over again and then make their decision from that information and armchair quarterbacks everywhere want the head of the referee on a stick. Well. Sherlock. The referee made his call in real time, from his one perspective so if it took you 3 minutes of review to decide whether or not his foot was in or out could you give the guy a break?
Absolutely it is a horrible situation that these lives were lost but no one could have predicted that the fires would have ignited in such a manner. No one can see the future. Accidents happen. Sometimes life is not fair. You can always find the good side and the bad side in any situation. The story that needs to be reported about these fires is the one of Goodwill. People from across the nation have offered help. We have come together to help these families that have lost loved ones.
The world is not a horrible place. There is still good in the world. This Christmas remember to love those around you and find the good in everything.
A news person, trying to get "the story" made some insensitive remarks about what could have been changed so that the lives would not have been lost. People were outraged! People spoke of petitions and how she needed to lose her job over her insensitive remarks. The thing is though she was just doing her job. She was trying to get the whole story, to be a voice for the lives that were lost that no longer have a voice. Her only crime besides being highly insensitive was her unfortunate love of turtlenecks.
The mayor handled the situation beautifully. He said that we were not going to take on the role of Monday morning quarterback. He told the woman that once they had a chance to sit down and review they would visit what could have been done differently but for now they had to keep moving forward.
Why is it that we find ourselves to be experts on everything? It drives me insane when in a football game the officials review a play on film. They look at the play from several different angles, in slow motion over and over again and then make their decision from that information and armchair quarterbacks everywhere want the head of the referee on a stick. Well. Sherlock. The referee made his call in real time, from his one perspective so if it took you 3 minutes of review to decide whether or not his foot was in or out could you give the guy a break?
Absolutely it is a horrible situation that these lives were lost but no one could have predicted that the fires would have ignited in such a manner. No one can see the future. Accidents happen. Sometimes life is not fair. You can always find the good side and the bad side in any situation. The story that needs to be reported about these fires is the one of Goodwill. People from across the nation have offered help. We have come together to help these families that have lost loved ones.
The world is not a horrible place. There is still good in the world. This Christmas remember to love those around you and find the good in everything.
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