Proof We Are Not Forgotten

A couple of days ago I wrote about "Life's Most Precious Moments". Well, it's funny that my oldest son would make the following post on Facebook:

      "[For a brief time] My curfew was the street lights and Mom didn't call my cell, she yelled "time to come in". I played outside with friends and not online. Video games were still just video games and not a lifestyle. If I didn't eat what my Mom cooked, I didn't eat. Hand sanitizer didn't exist but you could get your mouth washed out with soap. Re-post if you drank water from a hose and survived."

We as parents sometimes wonder if our children really listened to us as they were growing up. We often wonder what memories of their childhood they do remember. So, for me to read this posting by my son on Facebook--it made me feel misty-eyed and all warm and fuzzy inside!

Like I said, "Life is too short. Cherish all of the memories with your children." Because if you cherish the time/moments with your children, maybe, just maybe, they'll remember those same moments. they might just post those memories for all the world to see!!!

Basic Needs of Survival

I remember when I was a kid. My parents would tell me that the only things they were responsible for providing me was food, shelter and clothes. They usually said that to me when I was being a bratty little girl, whining to get the new Barbie mobile home and the pool with the backyard furniture or not wanting to do my chores!! None-the-less, food, shelter and clothes were the only 3 things I was taught that I needed in order to survive. Everything else was extra. Survival is a natural instinct for most people. Research of what the basic needs for survival are: food, shelter, clothing, transportation and health care. I'm not in total agreement about transportation and health care as a necessity for survival; I guess I'm just old fashioned when it comes to needing the absolute basics.

Shelter is needed to shield us from the outside elements. Clothes are needed to keep us warm and presentable. Food is needed to keep us healthy and strong. But has anyone ever thought about how your memories can be used as a survival tool? I know it sounds weird but if you think about it, memories are the home movies of our lives. Memories make us who we are. I know that memories are good and bad. Most of the time we want to forget the bad memories. However, it is the bad mixed with the good memories that make us strong. It's how we learn right from wrong. Our memories are nothing but past experiences that we all must go through in order to survive.

Learning right from wrong is not the only part of our memories that we should remember. We should also remember the laughter, the tears, the pain and the joy. It's the combination of all of these experiences and emotions in our memories that help us to survive. Even though my father has been gone for 10 years, the memories from my childhood, adulthood and his passing have all made me strong with that warm-fuzzy feeling inside!! Think about it...the stability of our mental health is a very essential component to our survival. Don't you think?

Surviving Life

Life is like a poker game. You are dealt either a good or bad hand. With the hand you are dealt you will place a bet with the hopes of winning or you will fold because you know you just can't win. And with the latter, even bluffing may not be such a good idea. But do you know how many people go through life "bluffing" when their life is falling apart? I am one of those people.

Ever since my father died in 2001, my life has been a long, drawn out poker game. Basically, I have been bluffing just to get by. You are probably asking what am I talking about? Well, I have to continuously put a smile on my face, for all to see, while I am crying on the inside, ready to explode at any moment. But I don't explode because I know I must keep this smile on my face so others don't feel obligated to have to ask "What's wrong?" or "What can I do to help?".

You see, in many cases, people really do not want to know what's wrong because they don't care. Knowing this I turn all of my depression, sadness, frustration and anger inside. Doing this allows me to keep the smile on face so nobody will feel obligated to act like they care about what is wrong with me. Before you even ask, no I haven't found an outlet for any of this frustration. Because I am not working (I haven't worked in over 3 years) I sleep all day. This is my way of not dealing with messed up, long, boring, nothing accomplished day!

I have one good friend who says I should write a book about the mishaps and tragedies of my life. What do you think?