I’m happy Election Day is almost here. Not because I am looking forward to exercising my right to vote…but because I am tired of the mud-slinging and overall negativity that has completely overtaken my world. My mailbox is overflowing with junk mail that gets straight into the recycle bin. TV is unwatchable, and my email is full of political spam. The only thing presented is how terrible the “other” candidate is and there are very few solutions being offered.
Yes, it’s difficult to know who to vote for if all you go by is the ads. It makes me just want to say “why vote?” And in fact, I’ve heard many people around me say that they are so turned off by the political climate in our world today that they may not vote this year.
We can’t let that happen.
We take the right to vote so for granted in these United States. For women, especially,it is crucial to remember how valuable is our right to vote. It took until 1920 for women to attain that right, and other countries, like Russia, women got the vote before we did. When Woodrow Wilson took office, women protested in front of the White House asking for their right to vote and many were arrested for "obstructing traffic" and thrown in jail. During the infamous “night of terror” which began on November 15, 1917 guards at the Occoquan prison were given an order by the warden to teach a lesson to all the women that had been imprisoned there for picketing for their right to vote. More than 30 women were arrested during this time and for the many weeks of their incarceration the only food and water they had was infested with maggots. Dora Lewis was put into a dark cell and thrown up against an iron bed that knocked her out cold. Later affidavits mentioned that she had been, dragged, beaten, choked, kicked and swung around by her hair. Lucy Burns was handcuffed with her hands above her head, beaten by several guards and left for the night gasping for breath and almost bled to death. There are so many more stories of women who paid the price for simply “protesting” for their right to vote. For OUR right to vote.
It would take 3 more years for women to win the vote, but can you imagine the triumph these women felt? And can you imagine how they would feel today witnessing the apathy and lack of participation so many have for this hard-earned right? We should be grateful for ourselves and for our daughters and their daughters after them and honoring their fight by never missing the opportunity to vote.
If you believe everything in the news it seems there is nothing right going on in this country, but the fact that we have the right to express opinions (yes even the negative ones) campaign and protest and then vote in itself what is right and good in our country. Across the world in countries like Iran, the elections are a joke. People risk their lives to go to the polls, and once there, they often vote out of fear, because if the person they really want in doesn’t get elected, they are afraid of the repercussions of their vote. In our country, the only consequence we suffer are frustrations of unfilled campaign promises, or disappointments that our candidate didn’t get in, or if he or she did, that they are stifled by the process so that it takes forever to get something done.
But eventually, it can get done. There are good men and women running for office. There are Issues of importance that affect our communities that need our involvement. Whether it’s a school levy, a controversial issues we about a right to legalize pot, gay marriage, abortion or to raise or lower our taxes our vote can and does make a difference. Especially on the local level.
It takes a little effort, but we can do research on each candidate and issue on the ballot. Most candidates do have websites that outline their philosophy and position in most of the issues we are voting on. There are various newspapers and news organizations that present their “endorsements” and you can at least go and read their reasoning whether you agree on it or not. Political blogs can present varying points of view on an issue you may be struggling with.
The League of Women Voters sponsors valuable non-partisan websites to help educate you on the candidates and issues and you can type in your city and state to get to your local issues. Here’s a link to the National Website:
http://www.lwv.org/Elections/index.html
Here’s the link to the Akron Area. http://www.lwvaa.org/
Do the right thing. Vote.
*research on the suffrage movement from http://hubpages.com/t/16fd0a
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
The Benefits (are there?) of Being Single
“I never thought I would be single at my age”
Most of us 40 to 50 something singles probably feel this way. If you never married you wonder how time got away. If you are divorced, you really did believe the “until death do us part” line when you said it. And if you are widowed, you didn’t expect death to “part you” this young. No one thinks it will be their family affected by cancer, divorce, loss or single- parenthood and that they would be single or alone at their age. That happens to other people.
As the youngest of 7, I’ve always had people around me. When I left for college I had roommates in a dorm, then roommates in an apartment, and then even though I had a couple years of living in an apartment by myself after starting my career—I always had people around. Mine was the crash place if someone couldn’t drive home or a temporary home for people needing a place to stay. My boyfriend and soon-to- be husband was around quite a bit, too. Then came marriage and kids. Not a lot of alone-time.
But I have it now. And I’m learning to appreciate it. I mean I do get lonely sometimes, but after 8 years being single and now with the kids out of the house I’m doing a lot of eat Pray Love type of contemplation without traveling to 3 countries that begin with "I".
I’ve done a lot of dating over these several years and I’ve found that life and relationships look different now than they did in my 20’s. I know what I want. And most importantly, I know what I don’t. I’m now feeling pretty comfortable in my own skin. I’ve also learned it really takes a long time to feel comfortable in your own skin.
Being single gets a bad rap. I’ve read article after article quoting study after study indicating that married people live longer, and that single people who live alone are prone to depression and other health ailments. But I don’t know if I buy all that. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against marriage. I had a good marriage. And I have people in my life that I look at with admiration and a little bit of envy because they have loving, long-lasting, seemingly happy marriages. On the flip side, however, I watch some of my friends negotiate through some not-so- happy relationships and I relish in the fact that there are some benefits of being alone. Or at least, being alone until you fit the right fit. Right...not perfect.
I don’t believe in the perfect fit.
No one fits like a glove. There will be something about everyone that will drive you crazy. So short of infidelity or abuse…I believe that acceptance of the fact that annoying habits, thoughtless moments, and ill-tempered behavior happens with everyone is crucial in any relationship. We accept it with our kids, and many of our friends, so why not our significant other? To leave someone with the goal of a finding “the perfect match” somewhere else is crazy. They may not do one the thing that your spouse does that you just can't stand, but you can bet they’ll do something else that might drive you just as crazy…or worse. “The beast you know is better than the one you don’t” as my Dad use to always say.
I heard a great song the other day by a country artist Joanna Smith. She is lamenting that all her girlfriends are getting married. She says she doesn’t want to be "nobody's ball and chain", or nobody's "reason for poker game" or nobody's "baby get me a bud light!"
And I don’t either. I'm not going to be that woman whose husband can’t have their own hobbies, nights out, or friends without getting nagged. And I'm not going to be that woman who can't do the same without having it start a fight. I have friends (men and women) who are in relationships where they are always walking on eggshells. They can’t do anything, go anywhere or have a life without fear of starting a fight. Life’s too short for jealously and mistrust, so if I see even an inkling of that or any other controlling behavior in a man—I run.
Right now I like that I make and spend my own money. I can spend it on myself, my daughters, my grandson or my friends and don’t have to ask permission or beg forgiveness. I can go away for a weekend, stay out late or sleep in and not worry that or some other some small thing is going to set off a fight. I can have a beer, a martini, or a cigar...and not have anyone be mad at me. Is there a danger in no accountability? Perhaps. But I do have 2 daughters that regularly remind me of my faults :-).
I am not jaded. Nor an I a pessimist…in fact, I am cautiously optimistic that someday I just might find someone to hang with who has a pretty similar perspective on life and relationships. But in the meantime-I believe the burdens we experience happen so that we can learn life lessons.
I have been blessed with a burden…and I’m learning to accept and do my best to enjoy exactly where I am in life. And acceptance of our current situation is really the only way to feel content.
Most of us 40 to 50 something singles probably feel this way. If you never married you wonder how time got away. If you are divorced, you really did believe the “until death do us part” line when you said it. And if you are widowed, you didn’t expect death to “part you” this young. No one thinks it will be their family affected by cancer, divorce, loss or single- parenthood and that they would be single or alone at their age. That happens to other people.
As the youngest of 7, I’ve always had people around me. When I left for college I had roommates in a dorm, then roommates in an apartment, and then even though I had a couple years of living in an apartment by myself after starting my career—I always had people around. Mine was the crash place if someone couldn’t drive home or a temporary home for people needing a place to stay. My boyfriend and soon-to- be husband was around quite a bit, too. Then came marriage and kids. Not a lot of alone-time.
But I have it now. And I’m learning to appreciate it. I mean I do get lonely sometimes, but after 8 years being single and now with the kids out of the house I’m doing a lot of eat Pray Love type of contemplation without traveling to 3 countries that begin with "I".
I’ve done a lot of dating over these several years and I’ve found that life and relationships look different now than they did in my 20’s. I know what I want. And most importantly, I know what I don’t. I’m now feeling pretty comfortable in my own skin. I’ve also learned it really takes a long time to feel comfortable in your own skin.
Being single gets a bad rap. I’ve read article after article quoting study after study indicating that married people live longer, and that single people who live alone are prone to depression and other health ailments. But I don’t know if I buy all that. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against marriage. I had a good marriage. And I have people in my life that I look at with admiration and a little bit of envy because they have loving, long-lasting, seemingly happy marriages. On the flip side, however, I watch some of my friends negotiate through some not-so- happy relationships and I relish in the fact that there are some benefits of being alone. Or at least, being alone until you fit the right fit. Right...not perfect.
I don’t believe in the perfect fit.
No one fits like a glove. There will be something about everyone that will drive you crazy. So short of infidelity or abuse…I believe that acceptance of the fact that annoying habits, thoughtless moments, and ill-tempered behavior happens with everyone is crucial in any relationship. We accept it with our kids, and many of our friends, so why not our significant other? To leave someone with the goal of a finding “the perfect match” somewhere else is crazy. They may not do one the thing that your spouse does that you just can't stand, but you can bet they’ll do something else that might drive you just as crazy…or worse. “The beast you know is better than the one you don’t” as my Dad use to always say.
I heard a great song the other day by a country artist Joanna Smith. She is lamenting that all her girlfriends are getting married. She says she doesn’t want to be "nobody's ball and chain", or nobody's "reason for poker game" or nobody's "baby get me a bud light!"
And I don’t either. I'm not going to be that woman whose husband can’t have their own hobbies, nights out, or friends without getting nagged. And I'm not going to be that woman who can't do the same without having it start a fight. I have friends (men and women) who are in relationships where they are always walking on eggshells. They can’t do anything, go anywhere or have a life without fear of starting a fight. Life’s too short for jealously and mistrust, so if I see even an inkling of that or any other controlling behavior in a man—I run.
Right now I like that I make and spend my own money. I can spend it on myself, my daughters, my grandson or my friends and don’t have to ask permission or beg forgiveness. I can go away for a weekend, stay out late or sleep in and not worry that or some other some small thing is going to set off a fight. I can have a beer, a martini, or a cigar...and not have anyone be mad at me. Is there a danger in no accountability? Perhaps. But I do have 2 daughters that regularly remind me of my faults :-).
I am not jaded. Nor an I a pessimist…in fact, I am cautiously optimistic that someday I just might find someone to hang with who has a pretty similar perspective on life and relationships. But in the meantime-I believe the burdens we experience happen so that we can learn life lessons.
I have been blessed with a burden…and I’m learning to accept and do my best to enjoy exactly where I am in life. And acceptance of our current situation is really the only way to feel content.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Songs That Make You Feel Something
I just love music. I'm not a musician or a song writer, but I feel I have the heart and soul of one because I there are times I can just FEEL a song so deeply. Since I was young I have always found that a song that could somehow express what I couldn't to describe where I was in my life. And sometimes no lyrics are needed to soothe my soul. Man...there's nothing like a sweet, soulful guitar riff...Or the sounds of a simple acoustic solo piano piece.
There are just those songs that were there for me when I needed them. Songs that describe a situation where someone was able to get inside your head and express what you can't, making you feel so not alone, and proving that we are all probably more alike than different.
You've been there, right? Your first heart break. That one coming-of-age summer. A family vacation. A party song.
I've been loading my ipod with songs from my collection from all eras. From Jackson Brown and Van Morrison to 80's rock to Eric Church and Miranda Lambert songs. Yesterday I had my ipod playing on shuffle when a song came on that I could totally relate to right now. At this exact point of my life. It's a song from several years ago, mid 1990's, by Trisha Yearwood. It's one of those cool album cuts that may not have been a huge chart hit, but it sure hit me yesterday.
At this point in my life, I'm getting use to the fact that I don't have the same responsibilities I use to when it comes to my role as a parent. For the last 8 years I spent my time and energy on my girls, and my work. As a single parent, supporting my family financially and emotionally had been my focus. "I need to get them through high school. I'll start thinking about what I'm gonna do in 4 years", I'd think. So I'd save for school clothes. Car insurance. College. No risk taking. Moderation has always been my philosophy.
So now, with both girls out of the house I've started to think more about what I want to do next. There's sort of a freedom that I am realizing I have and it is both scary and exhilarating at the same time. So, when this song came on yesterday I didn't expect it to hit me the way it did, but it did. And I hit replay like 3 times and decided this will be my new theme song...at least for now.
I thought I'd share :-). But you gotta go look it up on itunes and listen. It's so much better set to music.
I Want To Go Too Far performed by Trisha Yearwood
Everything in moderation, that's the way it's always been
Never gettin' out of control - never hanging it out
Always reelin' it in
I saved my money for a rainy day
But now I've had enough of playin' it safe
I wanna go too far, I wanna go too fast
Somebody draw the line so I can blow right past
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
I'm the one they all depend on
Sensible, predictable, and strong
But every now and then,
I feel like I've played that role too long
I need to rock the boat, I need to speak my mind
Just this once let it all unwind
I wanna go too far, I wanna go too fast
Somebody draw the line so I can blow right past
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
I've gotta set this spirit free
That's hiding here inside
I feel like a bird in a cage
It's time for me to fly
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
Album: Thinkin' About You
Songwriter(s): Kent Robbins, Layng Jr Martine
Release Date: January 1, 1995
Label: MCA Records
Is there a song that fits a place you've been?
There are just those songs that were there for me when I needed them. Songs that describe a situation where someone was able to get inside your head and express what you can't, making you feel so not alone, and proving that we are all probably more alike than different.
You've been there, right? Your first heart break. That one coming-of-age summer. A family vacation. A party song.
I've been loading my ipod with songs from my collection from all eras. From Jackson Brown and Van Morrison to 80's rock to Eric Church and Miranda Lambert songs. Yesterday I had my ipod playing on shuffle when a song came on that I could totally relate to right now. At this exact point of my life. It's a song from several years ago, mid 1990's, by Trisha Yearwood. It's one of those cool album cuts that may not have been a huge chart hit, but it sure hit me yesterday.
At this point in my life, I'm getting use to the fact that I don't have the same responsibilities I use to when it comes to my role as a parent. For the last 8 years I spent my time and energy on my girls, and my work. As a single parent, supporting my family financially and emotionally had been my focus. "I need to get them through high school. I'll start thinking about what I'm gonna do in 4 years", I'd think. So I'd save for school clothes. Car insurance. College. No risk taking. Moderation has always been my philosophy.
So now, with both girls out of the house I've started to think more about what I want to do next. There's sort of a freedom that I am realizing I have and it is both scary and exhilarating at the same time. So, when this song came on yesterday I didn't expect it to hit me the way it did, but it did. And I hit replay like 3 times and decided this will be my new theme song...at least for now.
I thought I'd share :-). But you gotta go look it up on itunes and listen. It's so much better set to music.
I Want To Go Too Far performed by Trisha Yearwood
Everything in moderation, that's the way it's always been
Never gettin' out of control - never hanging it out
Always reelin' it in
I saved my money for a rainy day
But now I've had enough of playin' it safe
I wanna go too far, I wanna go too fast
Somebody draw the line so I can blow right past
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
I'm the one they all depend on
Sensible, predictable, and strong
But every now and then,
I feel like I've played that role too long
I need to rock the boat, I need to speak my mind
Just this once let it all unwind
I wanna go too far, I wanna go too fast
Somebody draw the line so I can blow right past
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
I've gotta set this spirit free
That's hiding here inside
I feel like a bird in a cage
It's time for me to fly
I wanna spend too much, I wanna stay too late
I'm gonna roar too loud, I'm gonna be that way
I wanna play too hard, I wanna go too far
Album: Thinkin' About You
Songwriter(s): Kent Robbins, Layng Jr Martine
Release Date: January 1, 1995
Label: MCA Records
Is there a song that fits a place you've been?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
LeBron: a hometown girl's perspective
I think of myself as an optimist. I really do view life with a glass half-full perspective, and sometimes that view, in hindsight might make it seem as though I view the world through rose-colored glasses. Which may be why I thought, no, I was SURE LeBron was staying. I didn't think he'd stay over the money, hell, he'd make tons no matter where he went. I figured he'd stay because it was about legacy. I thought there's no way he can leave the area where he grew up, where the fans adored him, where he had an opportunity to take all the years of disappointment Cleveland fans have endured and turn it around and be the ultimate hero. Where he could be to Cleveland as Jordan is to Chicago. In leaving, he'd never achieve that legacy.
But maybe, at 25, you don't think about legacy. Or, how to get one may look a lot different at to him than to many of us who have lived twice as long. Clevelanders may have pinned their dreams on LeBron, but maybe that's not fair, because maybe that dream wasn't his dream. Being on a championship team playing with 2 or 3 other champions as good or better than he is must be his dream. Having the opportunity to build a team that creates a dynasty by winning multi-year championships clearly brings him closer to his goals that playing here does. And although my view is that winning in Miami with other superstars won't be as sweet as winning in Cleveland, that may not be the view from his world.
To so many, LeBron's "Decision" took him from one of the most loved to one of the most most hated in just a few hours. I've heard it expressed that he is second only to Art Modell right now as the least popular in Cleveland. He has been called a narcissist, an ego maniac, selfish, disloyal and worse. And maybe it's my Pollyanna attitude popping up again, but that saddens me.
I'm a mom with kids not far from LeBron's age. I've thought about my kids, who love their hometown, but want to grow and experience different things. If, after doing their thing for 7 years they want to go somewhere else...I would want that for them. LeBron James is still a very young man you know. A really talented really rich young man, but he still doesn't have that much life experience; and the experience he does have has been sheltered and so extreme from his humble beginnings. It may be hard to remember that he was raised under less than ideal conditions with no father figure or male role model until he got to St V and came under the mentorship of a caring coach. Most of us know more than enough about his mother.
And so, what do we expect? Aren't we at somewhat at fault for pinning all of one city's hopes, dream and expectations on this one person? This "kid" who spent his first 15 years in one living situation and then from 16 on was hurled into another. Hailed as the next Jordan since his rise at St V, LeBron has been courted and coddled. Then, at 18 he signs on in the NBA, and is given almost complete control at calling the shots. Who, at the age of 18, 20 or 25 would do much better epecially when making millions upon millions? We called him "the King", painted his face 20 stories high on the side of a building, elevated him to the height that there is nowhere to go but down. And we're surprised? I'm surprised he has been as together as he has been this last 7 years. No one is giving him any credit for anything good right now.
He really is just a young man who happens to have some amazing talent as a basketball player. That doesn't make him a smart business man. It doesn't make him mature. It doesn't make him a savior. For God's sake he's not curing cancer. He hasn't negotiated peace in the Middle East. What a surprise that once again, making any one person a role model, especially a sports figure is a recipe for disappointment.
And yes, I'm disappointed. I get that his leaving not only puts our Cavs in a major rebuild mode after being one of the best teams with the best record in the NBA this past season. I get that the local restaurants and bars will suffer if the games don't sell. But we've been experiencing this in Cleveland with the Browns and Indians for so many seasons, we somehow do survive. And we will this time.
I've also heard the total opposite expressed: "with all the problems we have in this world, who gives a crap about LeBron!" It is absolutely true that we have plenty of real stuff to worry about: the war, the oil spill, crime in our streets, no money inn our schools. Poverty everywhere while we watch some 25 year old kid--one of many overpaid sports figures fret about where they are going to make their next zillion. But still, sports in their many forms can offer an escape from the problems of the world for a short time in the same way other hobbies and distractions can. Sports can teach so many life lessons in how to be, in in many more cases these days, how not to be.
I can still find a lot of good things to say about LeBron. He gave us 7 great years. He sold tons of tickets and bolstered the Cavs, the Cleveland economy and Dan Gilbert's pocket book for these past years. He got paid a lot, but he helped make a lot too. And for the past week has given the media something to talk about making my morning show prep easier. But he has also has done a ton of charity work including his annual bike-a thon and work for the boys and girls clubs. I'm from Akron, and I graduated from the same high school he did, I live 2 doors down from one of his best friends from high school, and watched him play basketball with that St V gang from the backyard. He was always gracious and polite to me, and nice to my daughter and her friends. I'm still proud to say he is from my hometown. I'm still a LeBron fan.
I wish he had stayed, but I wish him well. I still want him to call Akron his home town. I hope he keeps his house in here. I hope he still spends some of his millions here. I hope he raises his family here instead of South Beach, and I hope he stays out of trouble, as he seemingly has been able to do for these past 7 years. And finally, I hope the Cavs and the fans will focus on the team instead of one player. Which can end up being a very good thing.
But hey, I'm an optimist.
But maybe, at 25, you don't think about legacy. Or, how to get one may look a lot different at to him than to many of us who have lived twice as long. Clevelanders may have pinned their dreams on LeBron, but maybe that's not fair, because maybe that dream wasn't his dream. Being on a championship team playing with 2 or 3 other champions as good or better than he is must be his dream. Having the opportunity to build a team that creates a dynasty by winning multi-year championships clearly brings him closer to his goals that playing here does. And although my view is that winning in Miami with other superstars won't be as sweet as winning in Cleveland, that may not be the view from his world.
To so many, LeBron's "Decision" took him from one of the most loved to one of the most most hated in just a few hours. I've heard it expressed that he is second only to Art Modell right now as the least popular in Cleveland. He has been called a narcissist, an ego maniac, selfish, disloyal and worse. And maybe it's my Pollyanna attitude popping up again, but that saddens me.
I'm a mom with kids not far from LeBron's age. I've thought about my kids, who love their hometown, but want to grow and experience different things. If, after doing their thing for 7 years they want to go somewhere else...I would want that for them. LeBron James is still a very young man you know. A really talented really rich young man, but he still doesn't have that much life experience; and the experience he does have has been sheltered and so extreme from his humble beginnings. It may be hard to remember that he was raised under less than ideal conditions with no father figure or male role model until he got to St V and came under the mentorship of a caring coach. Most of us know more than enough about his mother.
And so, what do we expect? Aren't we at somewhat at fault for pinning all of one city's hopes, dream and expectations on this one person? This "kid" who spent his first 15 years in one living situation and then from 16 on was hurled into another. Hailed as the next Jordan since his rise at St V, LeBron has been courted and coddled. Then, at 18 he signs on in the NBA, and is given almost complete control at calling the shots. Who, at the age of 18, 20 or 25 would do much better epecially when making millions upon millions? We called him "the King", painted his face 20 stories high on the side of a building, elevated him to the height that there is nowhere to go but down. And we're surprised? I'm surprised he has been as together as he has been this last 7 years. No one is giving him any credit for anything good right now.
He really is just a young man who happens to have some amazing talent as a basketball player. That doesn't make him a smart business man. It doesn't make him mature. It doesn't make him a savior. For God's sake he's not curing cancer. He hasn't negotiated peace in the Middle East. What a surprise that once again, making any one person a role model, especially a sports figure is a recipe for disappointment.
And yes, I'm disappointed. I get that his leaving not only puts our Cavs in a major rebuild mode after being one of the best teams with the best record in the NBA this past season. I get that the local restaurants and bars will suffer if the games don't sell. But we've been experiencing this in Cleveland with the Browns and Indians for so many seasons, we somehow do survive. And we will this time.
I've also heard the total opposite expressed: "with all the problems we have in this world, who gives a crap about LeBron!" It is absolutely true that we have plenty of real stuff to worry about: the war, the oil spill, crime in our streets, no money inn our schools. Poverty everywhere while we watch some 25 year old kid--one of many overpaid sports figures fret about where they are going to make their next zillion. But still, sports in their many forms can offer an escape from the problems of the world for a short time in the same way other hobbies and distractions can. Sports can teach so many life lessons in how to be, in in many more cases these days, how not to be.
I can still find a lot of good things to say about LeBron. He gave us 7 great years. He sold tons of tickets and bolstered the Cavs, the Cleveland economy and Dan Gilbert's pocket book for these past years. He got paid a lot, but he helped make a lot too. And for the past week has given the media something to talk about making my morning show prep easier. But he has also has done a ton of charity work including his annual bike-a thon and work for the boys and girls clubs. I'm from Akron, and I graduated from the same high school he did, I live 2 doors down from one of his best friends from high school, and watched him play basketball with that St V gang from the backyard. He was always gracious and polite to me, and nice to my daughter and her friends. I'm still proud to say he is from my hometown. I'm still a LeBron fan.
I wish he had stayed, but I wish him well. I still want him to call Akron his home town. I hope he keeps his house in here. I hope he still spends some of his millions here. I hope he raises his family here instead of South Beach, and I hope he stays out of trouble, as he seemingly has been able to do for these past 7 years. And finally, I hope the Cavs and the fans will focus on the team instead of one player. Which can end up being a very good thing.
But hey, I'm an optimist.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Never Too Old
I'm a new grandma. I thought when I said those words I'd be, well...old!
Or at least older. Although I guess I need to face the fact that 50 isn't exactly young, it always seemed to me that the term grandma should apply to someone much older than me. But here I am, a grandma, and so far, it's pretty cool.
I've heard many say that one of the great things about being a grandparent is that you get to love and spoil your grandchild and then you get to give them back. I was thinking as I held my grandson in my arms that it's almost like a "do-over". I can make up for any mistakes I made with my daughters with him. My favorite Bill Cosby bit had him wondering what happened to his parents when they became grandparents. He was sure they weren't the same people who raised him, because they were too nice! He described them as "old people trying to get into heaven"
In my first few weeks of grandma-hood, 2 emotions have hit me the hardest and surprised me with their depth of impact, but I have struggled to find the best words to describe them. Love and Pride seem so obvious and overused that and I wish I could come up with different words. But like the first time either of my baby girls were placed in my arms, the powerful wave and depth of the emotion I felt was completely indescribable. My child, this miracle that I grew inside my body, was now out of me and a real person. My husband and I were completely responsible for this tiny human being who was now so completely dependent on us.
Time to grow up!
And now, my child has a child, a further extension of us, and the realization that our family will continue into future generations has me again feeling a range of emotions. Sad because my grandson will never know his maternal grandpa; yet at peace knowing he carries his name, his genes, and now his legacy. The knowledge too, that I can have some small part in the nurturing of this baby is an honor and a blessing like nothing I have known before.
The pride part comes with watching my daughter and her husband bond as a new family. It is so difficult to have them living so far away, but in these few years away I've watched her grow into this amazing young woman, and now mother. She has adopted an wonderfully healthy lifestyle and has educated me on so much. An excellent cook, she has influenced me to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle and taught me some amazing recipes. Having never lived in the city, I am now learning as I live vicariously through her experiences in San Francisco. Walking to shops and stores; taking public transportation, experiencing a city full of life and hustle and bustle that although I'm not used too, I am learning to appreciate. And now, with my youngest daughter just moving to Chicago, I'll be adding to my learning experiences through hers.
Watching my girls grow up and turn into these amazing young women has left me in emotional disarray. I miss them so much, and I am realizing a part of my life, especially my parenting life has passed now. Now, I watch as it is their turn. And while I still know I have much to offer and they still have much they can learn from me...I am coming to the realization that my role as a parent will continue to evolve, but happily that there is a new phase of life I have in front of me. Exciting, scary, sometimes lonely...but I am excited about the lessons still to learn, for all of us. They say that when you stop learning you stop growing, and I think that's probably true...except to grow old.
And that knowledge somehow makes me feel... well....YOUNG!
Or at least older. Although I guess I need to face the fact that 50 isn't exactly young, it always seemed to me that the term grandma should apply to someone much older than me. But here I am, a grandma, and so far, it's pretty cool.
I've heard many say that one of the great things about being a grandparent is that you get to love and spoil your grandchild and then you get to give them back. I was thinking as I held my grandson in my arms that it's almost like a "do-over". I can make up for any mistakes I made with my daughters with him. My favorite Bill Cosby bit had him wondering what happened to his parents when they became grandparents. He was sure they weren't the same people who raised him, because they were too nice! He described them as "old people trying to get into heaven"
In my first few weeks of grandma-hood, 2 emotions have hit me the hardest and surprised me with their depth of impact, but I have struggled to find the best words to describe them. Love and Pride seem so obvious and overused that and I wish I could come up with different words. But like the first time either of my baby girls were placed in my arms, the powerful wave and depth of the emotion I felt was completely indescribable. My child, this miracle that I grew inside my body, was now out of me and a real person. My husband and I were completely responsible for this tiny human being who was now so completely dependent on us.
Time to grow up!
And now, my child has a child, a further extension of us, and the realization that our family will continue into future generations has me again feeling a range of emotions. Sad because my grandson will never know his maternal grandpa; yet at peace knowing he carries his name, his genes, and now his legacy. The knowledge too, that I can have some small part in the nurturing of this baby is an honor and a blessing like nothing I have known before.
The pride part comes with watching my daughter and her husband bond as a new family. It is so difficult to have them living so far away, but in these few years away I've watched her grow into this amazing young woman, and now mother. She has adopted an wonderfully healthy lifestyle and has educated me on so much. An excellent cook, she has influenced me to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle and taught me some amazing recipes. Having never lived in the city, I am now learning as I live vicariously through her experiences in San Francisco. Walking to shops and stores; taking public transportation, experiencing a city full of life and hustle and bustle that although I'm not used too, I am learning to appreciate. And now, with my youngest daughter just moving to Chicago, I'll be adding to my learning experiences through hers.
Watching my girls grow up and turn into these amazing young women has left me in emotional disarray. I miss them so much, and I am realizing a part of my life, especially my parenting life has passed now. Now, I watch as it is their turn. And while I still know I have much to offer and they still have much they can learn from me...I am coming to the realization that my role as a parent will continue to evolve, but happily that there is a new phase of life I have in front of me. Exciting, scary, sometimes lonely...but I am excited about the lessons still to learn, for all of us. They say that when you stop learning you stop growing, and I think that's probably true...except to grow old.
And that knowledge somehow makes me feel... well....YOUNG!
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