It is officially "Father's Day" and I have thoughts.....I am going to get those thoughts out for my own therapeutic purposes, so if you don't care, don't read it...
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Father's Day Musings
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Happy Birthday, Curley!!
Most anyone who reads this knows me well enough to know that I was a "Daddy's Girl" and that my daddy was abruptly taken away from me on November 4, 1995, when I was only 16 years old. But, what you may or may not know is that today would have been his 57th birthday. It's hard to imagine my father knocking on 60's door, but I really wish I could. I wish I could have Alyssa bake him a special "Happy Birthday Grandpa" cake and have her to sing to him before she gave him the Harley t-shirt she picked out all by herself, because anyone who knew my dad knows that that would be EXACTLY what he wanted!! But, life had other plans for me and my daughter. We won't get to wish him the typical "Happy Birthday", because, where he is, he'll never get any older. Regardless of how many times we pass June 15, Curley will always be 43 years old.
A little background--my parents met in 1975 and got married June 4, 1977. Since my mother passed away when I was 10, I don't remember much about their relationship, firsthand, but I do know the mess my father was after she was gone. He managed to pull it together to the point that his children didn't readily recognize his pain, but now that I'm an adult and can think back and analyze things in a way I was incapable of as a child, I can see that he never fully got over her. It was the kind of love that people search for. Another thing that anyone who knew my daddy could tell you is that, no matter where life took him after her death, he was never the same person and he always longed for her.
I always seem to dwell on what I'm missing by not having him in my life any longer. It's never dawned on me, until right now, that it's not all about me. Granted, my father didn't take his own life--he wouldn't have done that--and I know he didn't WANT to die. He loved me and he loved my sister with a fierceness that I only hope I can mirror for my own daughter. I'm grateful to have been loved like that when there are so many uncaring fathers out there. So, am I being selfish to wish he were here? Shouldn't I be happy that he was reunited with my mother and has been living in a better place for the past 13 1/2 years?
I often say (on those silly surveys and what-have-you) that if I could bring anyone back from the dead, it would be my father...but would that be fair to him? Would he want to be resurrected into this life where he can return to feeling the pain of my mother's loss? I highly doubt it. It's not that the love of his two daughters and granddaughter wouldn't be enough--I believe it would be. But, we're old enough now to take care of ourselves and likely wouldn't need him as much as we had, anyway. So, he would, once again, be lost and racked with grief. I'm not 100% sure I'd do that to him, even if I could...but, since I can't, it's a moot point anyway, right?
There are a million things that I wish I could say to him and a million things I wish he had been here to see. I'm still brought to tears whenever it hits me that I'll never see him on this earth again. I'll never hear the sound of his Harley pulling up in the driveway. I'll never hear him fuss at me because my room is a wreck. I'll never hear him joke about how I'm "not allowed to date until I'm married". We'll never go out to eat Mexican food again and he'll never go with me to shop for new clothes. He never got to teach me how to change the oil in my car or change a flat tire. Those were things on his "to-do" list that he left behind.
I have very little more than pictures to remind me of him. I can't remember his voice anymore or the way he smelled after he'd been out in his shop, working on his Harley. I remember his favorite songs and I remember amusing anecdotes, but I can't remember what he sounded like when he laughed at them. I remember how, even when I was a teenager, he would hold my hand as we walked into a store or wherever and say that they "still fit". I didn't really get it until I had my own daughter to hold hands with. I think if I'd known he was going to leave me, I would have taken pictures of his hands, so at least I could remember them. I bet they'd "still fit".
My father was truly my best friend and I think about him every day. I miss him every day that I breathe and, as long as I live, no matter where I am or who comes in and goes, he will ALWAYS be the most important man I've ever had in my life.
I love you, Daddy...I hope you have a Happy Birthday...say Hi to Mama for me! :)
4am Musings
Don't Hate Me Because....oh, wait....You Can....It's Cool.....
There are just certain types of people I can't tolerate:
1. Entitled people--These are the people who think that the world, their parents, their siblings, the government, random strangers, etc, ALL owe them some debt of gratitude JUST for being born. These will be your people who sit at home all day, drawing welfare checks, food stamps, medicaid, etc with no intention of getting a job and justify it with "my dad (mom) paid into it, so I'm just getting what they put in". And, that, my dear, would be WRONG!! Dad (or mom) paid in, so YOU should get off your sweet ass and get a J-O-B (oh, the horror!) and let dad (or mom) reap the benefits of their hard earned tax dollars....but, they likely won't, because they're decent people...too bad THAT apple didn't fall closer!
2. Self-righteous people--These will be the ones who are forever pointing out YOUR faults while seemingly overlooking any of their own....also known as hypocrites. They think "I don't want you in my life because you did (insert cardinal sin here) and I would NEVER do a thing like that, so you suck and I'm perfect". If you want to spot one of these, ask around for people who have ousted family members with little to no "just" cause, other than "you hurt my feelings when I was 12 and you were 16 and 22 years just isn't long enough for me to get over it!"
3. Blamers--The mantra here is "it ain't my fault". "Did my life turn out worse than someone else's? Well, it's not because of MY choices, it's just because they were 'lucky' and I wasn't." Always an excuse....always someone (or something) else to blame to defer responsibility and avoid having to own up to the consequence of an action. These will be the same ones with kids who are seven shades of screwed up, who, rather than saying, "I might could have taught them values or been around for them more", will say "well, I didn't have the money when they were growing up that other people had" or "if he'd had TWO parents instead of a broken home, he might have turned out better"....well, folks, "luck" didn't make Bill Clinton, son of a single mom (once widowed, once divorced from a man who was a gambling drunk), into our 42nd President. "Luck" also had little to do with Oprah Winfrey, who was born into poverty in backwoods Mississippi, EARNING a scholarship to college (even after getting pregnant at 14) and becoming one of the most successful women ever. Billy Bob Thornton, Jay-Z, Walt Disney, and, the list goes on, really....for every excuse someone can come up with for their failures, there is at least ONE person who was strong enough to rise above that same circumstance (and usually worse ones) and become a success story, rather than a statistic. If you fail at life, or if your kids fail at life, there's really no one to blame but the person who wasn't strong enough or dedicated enough or smart enough to change their stars. No one's path is predetermined and if you think it is, then you've already failed. If you accept your life as "it is what it is", then it'll never get better, but you can't blame anyone but yourself for settling for less. Suck it up and either own your mediocrity or work to change it!!
4. Braggers--On the opposite end of the spectrum, are the people whose parents DID have money and they feel that this makes them "better", somehow, than the person who didn't grow up affluent. Granted, there are certain opportunities that are afforded to people with more money....that's a given. But, that doesn't automatically mean that your life will turn out better or that you're superior to a person who has achieved the same level of success as you but actually had to WORK for it, rather than have it handed to them because of "daddy's influence". Decisions still have to be made and consequences (good or bad) still have to be faced, regardless of having money or not.
5. Closed-Minded People--Just because you have a way of doing things doesn't make it the "right" way and certainly not the "only" way. Just because you don't like something, doesn't mean that it's "crap" to the people who do. There's a reason for chocolate and vanilla and that reason is pretty easily comprehended (by someone of average intelligence, anyway)....it's VERY possible for two people to not like exactly the same things and neither person be "wrong"! What a remarkable concept!! I don't like rap music, but I'm not going to tell someone they're "weird" because they do. I don't understand Japanese anime, but this is my daughter's most recent obsession. It took a minute for me to come to terms, but I now can express to her that, if that's what she's into for the moment, more power to her. I will even watch an episode or two periodically, just so that I can get a feel for the tastes of my favorite human on the planet. I don't like watching TV much and I like corny westerns even less than that, but I have been known to sit through a few and not even complain (much). It's always a good idea to broaden your spectrum just a little. I like that I can tolerate just enough of other people's likes to where I can say I've experienced most things. And don't even get me started on social issues!!! I can't even begin to explain the exasperation I experience when a conservative blasts a liberal (and vice versa) over their opinion. The only thing that accomplishes is fueling anger and hatred and makes both sides look like a couple of closed-minded douchebags. My opinion is just that...and opinion....it's neither right or wrong (if it is, then it stops being opinion and starts being fact, which is a different topic, altogether). Everyone has the basic right to express any opinions but if they can't do so in a way that is constructive and respectful, then I will exercise my right to ignore the hell out of them. No need to fuel that fire! It won't change a mind. You have to be adult enough to respect a difference of opinion and accept that your way isn't the only way! Common sense, people!
We all have our faults and personality "quirks" and we can ALL be any one of those things in a moment. It's they stop being occasional lapses in good sense and start becoming "who you are" that it's a serious problem. Please don't let these toxic traits become you!!
$35????
Let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time, there was a 10 year old little girl. This little girl had a wonderful life with two loving parents and a little sister. There were dance lessons and birthday parties and pretty homemade dresses and big family Christmases and vacations every summer. After a few years, the little girl's mother wasn't feeling very well, so the little girl's grandfather urged her mother to go to the doctor to find out what the problem was. Mother balked at the idea, saying that it was going to cost her $35 to go and it just wasn't worth spending the money....it would pass. But, it didn't pass, so after awhile, she was forced to go to the doctor. But, by then it was too late. It was cancer and it had spread. Back in those days, medicine wasn't quite as advanced as it is today and not as much could be done. So, this little girl's super smart, insanely talented, loving, devoted mother was taken from the world after only 32 years. Not too many years later, her father was also taken suddenly, at only 43, leaving the girl, now a teenager, and her younger sister alone. Years passed, mistakes were made, ties were severed, and sisters no longer speak. The once "little" girl, now grown, has a daughter of her own who has no grandma, no grandpa, and no aunt. It's not the end of the world for them, and she knows that, but there's a certain sadness that looms over her for what "should have been".....and all might have been prevented for a measly $35 doctor visit.
I said all that to say this: I don't want pity. I don't want anybody to EVER feel sorry for me. I just want people to understand! I'm not bitchy and difficult because it makes me happy to be that way. I don't want to bring others down or "drown" them. I want people to stop and think before they call someone "crazy" or tell them to "get over it" (they probably would have already done that if it were that easy). I want them to realize that, while they might think they would handle it differently, and maybe they would have, I am constantly suffering. I don't grieve every day and I don't dwell on my lost parents or anything else. But, there's just no way you can face so much so young and bear the brunt of it alone and come out undamaged. People need to have compassion and realize that everybody is affected by tragedy in different ways. Some come through relatively unscathed, others live with the pain every day and, still others don't know HOW to deal with the pain and will either choose to numb the pain with drugs and/or alcohol or some other "coping mechanism, or they will chose to end the pain altogether the only way they know how and end their own life. Who am I (or you) to judge someone for the way they hurt, even if they don't (didn't) handle it the same way as you or someone you know who went through the same situation?
My entire point is, be compassionate. At the very least, if you can't say something to uplift another human being, at least don't be the reason they fall further. Keep your mouth shut. It's that simple!
Friday, August 04, 2017
It's been a LOOOOOOONG Time.....
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Tuesday Ponderings
1. State your name: Rebecca
2. State the name that your parents almost named you: Veronica
3. Which of your relatives do you get along with the most? my daughter
4. What was your first job? I was an office assistant at the power company
6. Did anything embarassing happen this week? Not that I recall....
7. Do you miss your ex? Not sure...haven't shot yet....haha!!
8. Do people praise you for your looks? Not much
9. What is your favorite color of clothing to wear? I don't really have a favorite
10. How do you wear your makeup? Um...very carefully???
11. What are some of your nicknames? Beck....Becka....Mommy....
12. How many bedrooms are in your house? 2
13. How many bathrooms? 1
14. Do you have a job? Motherhood is a full time job and I don't care what anyone else says!!
15. Do you get motion sickness? Any horror stories? I don't, so no...no horror stories...
16. Do you work out every week? Um....
17. Did you brush your teeth this morning? Yep
18. Have you ever kissed someone you never saw again? Hmm...probably....
19. Have you ever sang in front of a crowd? Sure...used to live for it!
20. What kind of bathing suit do you wear? I try not to....
21. Do you like your eyes? I suppose
22. Do you think you are pretty? That depends on what day you ask....
23. Who was the last person you talked to in person? Lisa
24. How far can you throw a baseball? From my hand to the spot it lands
25. Are you single? I'm not
26. Do you want kids? Most of the time....but I have her ALL the time, so I should get used to it! :)
27. What eye color do you find sexiest? No particular color
28. What celebrity do you think is hot? Oh wow...Shemar Moore....Bradley Cooper....Matthew Gray Gubler...etc...
29. Last movie you saw in theatre: HA! Michael Jackson: This Is It (yeah, it's been a minute)
30. Are you dating the same person you dated last year? I'm not dating anyone....I'm married
31. Has someone you were dating ever cheated on you? Probably, but I never could prove it...
32. Have you ever watched the Superbowl all the way through? Sure
33: Have you kissed someone whose name starts with a ‘J’? Yep
34: What do you like to do in your spare time? Depends on my mood
35: Do you have a facebook?Yep
36: What’s the cutest thing someone’s ever done for you? My daughter does cute things for me all the time
37: Who was the last person you texted? Tori
38: How many boyfriends/girlfriends did you have? Not that many
39: How do you look right now? Like nine shades of shit
40: Who’s the person who first comes to your mind when someone mentions “love”? My daughter and my husband
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Questioning It All
Friday, December 14, 2012
In Shock
So today, in a Connecticut town, 20 children woke up this morning, got dressed and went to school. Their parents sent them off, confident that they'd have a great Friday and would see them when school got out. At some point, a nutjob with a gun changed that plan. He walked in to an elementary school, shot, and killed 20 children of various ages and 6 adults. The children who survived will have to live with the horror of seeing their peers gunned down for no reason. I am left to wonder, what can we do? People have turned this onto a political issue, some calling for tighter gun control and some defending the 2nd amendment rights they hold dear. I honestly don't know what side I'm on, and it doesn't matter. Tonight, I'm focusing my prayers on the families of the children who likely have gifts under the Christmas trees at their homes that will go unopened. I will pray for the surviving children who will likely have their dreams interrupted by vicious nightmares that their heartbroken parents can't make go away. I will pray that, one day, we will be able to send our kids to school without having to fear that they'll never come home. My hearts go out to all the people affected by this senseless tragedy.