Home at last

I grew up in a mid-sized town on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. When I was a kid I had friends who lived next door, across the street and around the block. As a teenager my friends lived a little further away, but still in the same basic area.

Kearns was often looked down on by those in neigbhoring cities as the "wrong side of the tracks." But it was my "wrong side of the tracks". It was where my friends lived. I could walk around all over it and encounter people that I knew. When the town had a parade I was either in it or waving to my friends who were. It was home.

A couple years after high school I decided to serve as an LDS Missionary. No, they aren't all white shirt and tie wearing young men. I was sent to serve in Virginia and the surrounding area. I was there for a year when I was sent to a very small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Pembroke, like most small towns, is a place where everyone knows everyone. Though I was an outsider I lived their long enough to get to know the people in that town. I could walk into the bank, the hardware store, the five and dime store, or anywhere else in town and know the people and they knew me. I loved being in Pembroke. It felt like home to me.

Though I felt like Pembroke was home, I longed to return to my hometown of Kearns. I longed to see the people who had always been there.

There is a saying that you can never really go back home after leaving it. That may be true in some ways. At least it felt that way upon my return to Kearns.

A couple days after returning I tagged along with my mom to the local grocery store. As we walked into the store I felt that I was an outsider in my own home town. I knew absolutely no one.

The following Sunday as I walked into church I saw people I recognized, yet so many others that I did not. People had grown older. Children were older and taller. People had moved away and others had moved in.

I was not back home very long when I got married and moved to Colorado. We lived there for a couple years and though I had a few friends there, I took every opportunity to return to Utah that I could. When my husband was offered an chance to gain employment back in Utah we jumped and in no time we were back, but living in the county south of the Salt Lake Valley.

We were still close enough to visit family but far enough away to be on our own. In Orem I had a few friends, but they all lived very close to me. Orem was a small city. I tried to fit in but it was still so big. So much of it was unfamiliar to me. I spent most of my time with my young children. We would go to the local parades each year and not see a single sole we knew.

A few years later we moved to a fairly good sized city of West Jordan. I got involved in the parent organization at the local school and felt that I knew a few more people than I had in Orem. We lived there for nearly 10 years yet, my sphere of friends and acquaintances was still rather small and remained very localized.

Then, needing a bigger house, we moved out to a fairly small city of Herriman in the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley. My children were getting older and I had more opportunities to get involved. I got involved in the local parent organization at the school. I joined the local choir. I helped out with the local cub scout round table. I got to know many of the parents of my teenagers.

We have been here a mere 5 1/2 years, yet I feel that I know people all over this little city. People know who I am and I know who they are. My teenagers tell me that they cannot take me anywhere without running into someone that I know. It can often take an extra half an hour to get my grocery shopping done because I have to talk to someone I haven't seen in a few days. We have to catch up on everything. I walk into one of the local fast food restaurants and the young gal behind the counter is the daughter of one of my friends. I even know the librarian at our local library.

Herriman is now home at last and I love it.

Life's Mantra

A friend of mine teaches at Utah State University. He gave his students an assignment to come up with some songs that they would consider their "life" trak and write it. They also included with their paper a CD of the songs that were chosen.

I decided to do it as well.

These are songs that mean something to me in a real way. At some time or another most of these songs have been written about by me on this blog. I believe that the first song has not been used, but that is a mere oversight. So, I include in here the posts that describe these songs, and where necessary, a bit more about them and how they apply.

Collin Raye--In This Life

Though I have not written about this song in the past it does not mean that it has any less significance in my life. I have met many people in my life who may not be present in my daily life yet have previously been a significant part of it.

For every mountain I have climbed
Every raging river crossed
You were the treasure that I'd longed to find
Without your love I would be lost

Let the world stop turnin'
Let the sun stop burnin'
Let them tell me love's not worth going through
If it all falls apart
I will know deep in my heart
The only dream that mattered had come true
In this life, I was loved by you

I cherish the memory of their love...whether present or not.

Miley Cyrus—The Climb

I wrote of this most recently.

There's always gonna be another mountain

I have never been a fan of Hannah Montana. In fact, I have been known to roll my eyes when the youngsters around here get giddy at the sound of her name. But my heart has been tugged on by a song by the very same Miley Cyrus.

I think about my oldest son. I think about the mountains he seems to have in front of him. I think about the mountains I keep climbing. I think that perhaps when I have completed the task before me that I will be able to relax or to take it easy. But there will always be something else...not because someone else puts it there, but because there will always be another mountain I'm gonna want to make it move.

The Climb lyrics
Songwriters: Alexander, J; Mabe, J;

I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it"

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I'm not breaking

I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going

And I, I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on

...

Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby
It's all about, it's all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa

John Denver--Country Roads

Almost Heaven

One night while watching and listening to some music videos on Youtube I was taken back, as I often am, to some place in the past. I have been accused of being nostalgic and even hopelessly romantic. I am likely guilty of such. There are previous blog entries right here on Paperclippings as evidence--especially when music is involved.

Such was the case that night--as I listened to John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads. I was transported to a hill in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia--a mere rocks throw from West Virginia. It was the summer of 1988 and I was among a small gathering of people in the backyard of some local folks when someone pulled out a guitar and began to play. As the lyrics filled the air, I was swept up in the moment.

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze.

All around me were those mountains and I could feel the antiquity of the land as the wind blew gently through my hair. I felt like I belonged to this place.

Country roads, take me home
To the place, I belong
West Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, Country Roads

Ahh... Life is good!

Lee Ann Womack--I Hope You Dance

This one reminds me all the time of getting out there and just doing...being active and living life. I once asked my husband how it was that he knew how to do so many things. His response was that he just did them. I have taken that to heart. But I also realized that I had already started to do that to a degree.

Just before my senior year in high school began I decided that I was going to enjoy that year. I was going to make it a point to say hi to everyone in the halls and to find some way to compliment them as I passed them. I gained so many friends and had the most enjoyable year. It does not mean I was free from heart ache, but I was living life to the fullest.

As an adult I have made it a point to be involved. I have been a PTA President at a local elementary school. I have served on the board of the Salt Lake Mothers of Twins. I currently serve on the district cub scout round table staff and am the Council PTA President over 9 local elementary PTAs. People ask me how it is that I know so many people. I know so many people because I have served along side them.

When opportunities come my way, I do not hesitate to jump right in and dance.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed,

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin',

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.

Mike and the Mechanics—The Living Years

When given the opportunity, you might say, to say one last thing to someone who was once a friend, this song came to my mind very powerfully. I had only one chance and I had to get it right.

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thoughts
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid thats all we've got.

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defense.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts.

So don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be okay.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

It was with these words that I realized I no longer held any hard feelings. It was about forgiveness.

Mike and the Mechanics— All I Need is a Miracle

http://paperclippings.blogspot.com/2005/06/music-and-memory.html

In the mid to late 1980s a young 13 year old girl in my neighborhood was found dead in some bushes not far from her home. Her throat had been slit. When the news hit the next day it didn't sink in much. I wasn't paying much attention to the story and didn't recognize her name.

Later that day I was watching the news when they showed her picture along with the story. Not only did I know her, but she was the younger sister of a girl who had gone to school with me. It was then that I was hit with a powerful feeling of grief for the girl and her family. This was just too close to home.

Sometime in the next couple days I heard a song on the radio that seemed to speak to the occasion. I heard Mike and the Mechanics singing "All I Need is a Miracle".

I said "go if you wanna go,
Stay if you wanna stay"
I didn't care if you hung around me
I didn't care if you went away

And I know you were never right
I'll admit I was never wrong
I could never make up my mind
I made it up as I went along

And though I treated you like a child
I'm gonna miss you for the rest of my life

All I need is a miracle, all I need is you
All I need is a miracle, all I need is you
All I need is a miracle, all I need is you

I never had any time
And I never had any call
But I went out of my way just to hurt you,
The one I shouldn't hurt at all

I thought I was being cool
Yeah, I thought I was being strong
But it's always the same old story
You never know what you've got 'til it's gone

If I ever catch up with you
I'm gonna love you for the rest of your life

All I need is a miracle, all I need is you (all I need is a miracle)
All I need is a miracle, all I need is you (all I need is a miracle)
All I need is a miracle, all I need is you

From that day on whenever I heard that song on the radio I was swept back to that day when I saw that young girl's face on the TV screen. I can totally forget about her and about the song. Then I will hear the song on the radio and I see her face and remember.

Michael Buble—Lost

For me, this song speaks of the need to be there for one another. We are not alone. If you want to have friends...be a friend.

Can't believe it's over
I watched the whole thing fall
And I never saw the writing that was on the wall

If I only knew
Days were slipping past
That the good things never last
That you were crying

Summer turned to winter
And the snow it turned to rain
And the rain turned into tears upon your face

I hardly recognized the girl you are today
And god I hope it's not too late
It's not too late

'Cause you are not alone
I'm always there with you
And we'll get lost together
Till the light comes pouring through

'Cause when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
When your world's crashing down
And you can't bear to fall
I said, babe, you're not lost

Life can show no mercy
It can tear your soul apart
It can make you feel like you've gone crazy
But you're not

Things have seem to changed
There's one thing that's still the same
In my heart you have remained
And we can fly, fly, fly away

'Cause you are not alone
And I am there with you
And we'll get lost together
Till the light comes pouring through

'Cause when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
When the world's crashing down
And you cannot bear to crawl

I said, baby, you're not lost
Mmm yeah yeah, yeah yeah
I said, baby, you're not lost
I said, baby, you're not lost
Ooh yeah yeah,
I said, baby, you're not lost

and finally,

Tim McGraw-- Live Like You Were Dying

This song goes back to the thoughts associated with "I hope you dance". In early 2006 a good friend had just learned she had breast cancer. She had just turned 40.

In the words of Tim McGraw---

"He said I was in my early 40's,
With a lot of life before me,
And a moment came that stopped me on a dime...."

My mantra for life is to live life to the fullest, forgive everyone, be a friend and don't forget to
appreciate God's wonders. Life is short.

Forgiveness

What do you say to someone who says that you may write one last time but that they will not respond? For a year and a half I contemplated this very subject because I was given that directive as a long time friend had walked away.

I knew that I could not waste words. I knew that I had one chance. Then I heard a song that I had heard many times before. But this time I really heard it.

The following are from The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics:

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thoughts
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid thats all we've got.

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defense.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts.

So don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be okay.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

When I heard these words I realized that I no longer held any hard or ill feelings toward my friend. I knew what I had to say.

This past November I penned the words from my heart and sent them off. I wondered if they would even be read or if they would be tossed to the side without a look. But I knew that I had to send them anyway.

This last Saturday I got a Christmas card in the mail. It didn't say much. But is spoke volumes. It didn't even say how they were doing. But as I think more and more about that card I realize that my sadness has also gone away. My friend had read my words. My friend had responded.

I may not get more than a Christmas card in the years to come, but I have not completely lost my friend.

I have learned that with a little bit of forgiveness it is not the bitterness that lasts.

City of Heroes...and friends

Warning: If you don't play the game you might not care. If you do play the game...you still might not care. Read on if you want.

I recently convinced a friend to join in the fun on City of Heroes. I have been playing for over a year now and thought this friend would enjoy the game, as well.

Well, he brought another friend along with and I have found them to be hilariously fun. Just this week I had to walk away from the computer to take care of family stuff. This picture shows what I came back to find. They had their characters jump up on the torch sconces near the entrance to a room. I quickly snapped a screenshot because it was so funny.

All their in-game banter has been increased with the addition of Teamspeak to our gameplay. :)

My friends and I are famous....sorta.

In the Jan 8, 2008 edition of The Escapist Magazine there is an article about my local group of friends and me. It was written by one of our own at the request of the Magazine. In the article I am one of the friends who came along later. These are the friends I mentioned in my blog entry "The good things in life." The picture to the right is the cake mentioned in the article. Yes, that is a cake.

"The opportunities created by the internet and advances in multiplayer games have increased the number of nights we're together again, and we've played everything from StarCraft to EverQuest and most recently City of Heroes, where every Tuesday we patrol the streets of Paragon City and bring safety to the unwashed masses."

"...John is crafting plans for world domination, which requires minions and a machine with lots of buttons and levers. Kelly claims the position of head minion, and the rest of us are the staff. We figure world domination should be simple as compared to planning a raid or running a task force. Now we just have to figure out which mobs to camp." Read more...

So, we are, like, famous or something...

An addendum...Read what Tungstens Bathtub, Tales of the Rampant Coyote and The Rabid Paladin wrote on this as well.

A New Year

Now that Christmas and the New Year celebrations have come and gone I would like to voice some thoughts I have had over the last couple weeks.

Our family was the recipient of some anonymous Christmas giving. First of all someone did a variation of the 12 days of Christmas for us. Each day a bag was left by our door or mailbox with a note explaining how it applied along with an ornament to match the day and something to go with that day.

Day 1: "On the first day of Christmas a friend left for me...the pears, but no partridge or tree..." (In the bag was a bunch of pears.)

Day 2: "On the second day of Christmas a friend gave to me...turtles and doves of course :)" (In the bag was found a bag of turtle chocolates and dove chocolates.)

Day 3: "On the third day of Christmas a friend gave to me... well... what the French Hens are drinking this time of year." (The bag had three bottles of sparkling grape juice.)

Day 4: "On the fourth day of Christmas a friend gave to me... Calling Birds??" (The bag included a very noisy toy bird that sang some Christmas song.)

Day 5: "On the fifth day of Christmas a friend gave to me... Golden Rings." (It was two boxes of Cheerios.)

Day 6: "On the sixth day of Christmas a friend gave to me Six geese a-laying." (This was a nice fuzzy warm blanket.)

Day 7: "On the seventh day of Christmas a friend gave to you "swans" swimming." (The bag included these funny 'rubber' ducks that lit up when we pressed on them.)

Day 8: "On the eighth day of Christmas a friend gave to you something for your milk." (We got some chocolate milk mix.)

Day 9: "On the ninth day of Christmas a friend gave to you some music to dance to." (It was a CD of Christmas music.)

Day 10: "On the tenth day of Christmas a friend gave to me the thing that scared the lords into leaping." (We got a toy Christmas monster from the Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer movie.)

Day 11: "On the eleventh day of Christmas a friend gave to me what the pipers were piping." (The bag included several recorders for the kids to play.)

Day 12: "On the twelfth day of Christmas a friend gave to me...well.. ok..so drummers are guys..and you know how much guys like "fart" jokes...so ...Merry Christmas." (In the bag was 'noise putty'.)

Then on Christmas eve another neighbor left a bag of presents...one for each child in our home. We have suspicions about who may have left these things on our doorstep. But we are letting them have their reward of doing these things for us anonymously. To them I say, "THANK-YOU!!"

Other things that have been on my mind...

As I contemplated the new year and what the previous year has brought me I am found with mixed emotions. Though a old friend has fallen by the way-side (with much sadness) I have gained new ones. There is no way the new ones can replace the old...however...I am EVER so grateful for the new as I have come to care about them as I did the old.

So, to all those I call a friend, here is a toast to friendship.

PS: and that toast includes all those who have continued to be a friend....from the past on into the future.

It's ABOUT TIME!!

I just want to congratulate two very dear friends [ ~J and Drake] on their engagement...

...to each other.

Here's to HAPPINESS!!

Maya and the Kitten

A few days ago I blogged about a cute little kitten that some friends of mine had rescued.

Then, a few days later, in a blog post "Darwin Scores a Near Miss" by a friend of mine I added a comment about a dog owned by another friend.

Here's another one for you. We have some friends who have a dog...a big dog. I am not a very big fan of dogs, but this one is an exception.

Every week three weeks we meet at their house (we actually rotate which house to be at for Saturday night game night.) So, every three weeks this dog gets to see her people. I say HER people because she most definitely CLAIMS us.

She will actually get ahold of your hand and put it on her belly to be rubbed. She doesn't pay much attention to my hubby because he is allergic to dogs and never pays much attention to the dog.

BUT, IF you pay any attention to her she will be your best friend...at least it seems that way. At least one thing can be said for this dog. She has won MY heart.

Well, the dog (Maya) and the kitten (Miles) met face to face Saturday night. Maya is a rather big dog. Miles is only 4 weeks old.

The friends who are taking care of the kitten brought it with them to our regular Saturday night "game" night. As the kitten was being passed from one adult to another (we still can't get enough of this kitten) Maya noticed this little creature. She knew she had seen the kitten but failed to see who ended up with it.

Maya began doing circles about the room trying to locate it. After a few minutes of this she finally located the kitten. Her jaw began to chomp uncontrollably at the thought of having that kitten in her mouth.

After some calm discussion with the dog she was convinced, to a degree, to just sniff the kitten rather than eat it. She trembled as she sat there with her nose to the kitten (with an adult guarding it.)

All was fine until my friend, who owns the dog, held the kitten. Oh, Maya just couldn't deal with this. She acted as if she had been betrayed. She whined and did more circles about the room.

She finally had to be put in another room to keep the kitten safe. Poor, poor Maya.

The Rescue

Some friends of mine found themsleves the proud caretakers of a very precious kitten. This two week old kitten had been found in a nearby ditch by some neighbor kids. The kids brought the kitten to these friends in hopes that they would nurse it to health. Apparantly, someone had tried to drown a litter of kittens and this one managed to survive.

Last night they brought this cute little kitten with them to a social gathering at our house. It had to be fed every two hours and couldn't be left at home.

For me, this was a little taste of heaven. I LOVE cats and more particularly kittens. My attraction to kittens goes way back. My mom recorded, in a 'baby book' that my first word was not 'mommy' or 'dadda' but kitty'. My first sentence was "Where's the kitty?"

The guy I married is allergic to the creatures and so I have not been able to own one of my own since. So, when these friends asked if they could bring the kitten over, I was elated.

Unfortunately, I had to share this kitten with nearly every other adult in that room. Ah well, nothing's perfect.

Life moments

Earlier this week I had just climbed into bed. As I lay there looking at the ceiling the tears fell. These tears were a mix of happiness and sorrow.

At about 2 pm that day I had just arrived on the 6th floor of a local hospital when I learned of the passing of a family friend. I had been asked, by the daughter of this good man, to come and sit with her mom as she sat in vigil at the side of her dying husband.

Rather than sit with her mom, as I had planned, I was now there to help console other family members as they arrived at his bedside. I was available with my cell phone to contact others who were needed at that time.

I was also able to witness some very tender moments with the family as they said their preliminary goodbyes to their husband, brother and father.

As I lay in my bed that night I was overcome by gratitude for the opportunity to be there with them.

The good things in life

This last weekend a group of friends my husband and I hang out with went on a camping trip. We had been planning this event for over a month. The date was figured out, the campsite secured, food assignments were handed out and the weather cooperated.

After dinner we gathered in a circle with all the kids to sing songs and hear stories. At one point I got up and walked to the back of the group and watched. "Life is good," I thought. Everyone in our group has had some trouble or other over the years. Some have had more problems than others, but here we were, all together, in a great big circle of support. We like being together.

In recent weeks as I have dealt with the loss of a friendship, I look to this group and feel an overwhelming gratitude for their friendship. To say that I love them doesn't quite speak to the warmth and total acceptance I feel from them.

“If we learn to appreciate more of what we already have, we will find ourselves having more to appreciate.”

—Michael Angier

Life is good!

In Memory of Velcro the Cat (1987-2007)

For more than 19 years my parents have had a cat by the name of Velcro. Velcro got its name because it would stick to us like "velcro" and made the sound of it when we pulled him off.

Velcro was born in 1987. We cannot remember exactly when he was born, but we know that it was between summer of 1987 and Thanksgiving of the same year.

Velcro died today, April 23, 2007. He had lived longer than any other cat they had owned and his health was deteriorating to the point that the only humane thing to do was to have him put to sleep.

Velcro was an interesting cat.

In his younger days he would make himself "available" to the grandkids in exchange for the good cat food.

One of his favorite places to perch was on my sister's head--or anyone's head--but hers was his favorite. He loved to run his paws through human hair.

Velcro sat on my son's head one day watching him eat a bowl of cereal.

He had learned to say "Hello." It was sort of a "yewo."

In his later years he thought he was on an equal with my youngest brother of about the same age. In fact my brother is just slightly younger than this cat. Velcro and my brother had a rather interesting sibling rivalry. My brother would complain that the cat would not stay out of his room. "Mom," he would say, "would you tell Velcro to stay out of my room while I am at school." In turn, Velcro would sneak into the room any chance he got, just because he could.

I am sure there are many stories that will be told about this cat for years to come. He will be missed.

The Lover or (Poet) in me...

I came across this blog entry of mine that had never been posted. It was written back in March of 2006. I regulary pay a cross country visit to another blog. This was the results from one of those silly online tests. I had posted the results in the comments of that blog. The following is the discussion following that comment. I find the discussion very interesting in light of resent events in my life.

"The Lover (or Poet) is a rare type. (S)He has a rather
contradictory nature. He is completely unselfish and generally regards others
above himself, yet somehow in his effort to please, often ends up doing things
that appear completely self-centered. The Lover loves people and strives for
acceptance, but at the same time withdraws from the world. Lovers are authors,
artists, philosophers, and musicians. They live unorthodox, unconventional, or
even chaotic lives. Lovers experience the highest highs and lowest
lows."

... Awesome. So, what do you think? Would you say that describes you?

Kelly said... There are a number of things that strike as 'sooo true'.

unconventional: ya...I wear paperclips for earrings and um...pink tennis shoes.

Many of the things I do often look like they are self serving...perhaps they are...but I do them because I want to help someone. Then we get into the whole idea of helping others for no other reason than to make them happy...but then...that makes me happy...so it benefits me...so where's my motivation? Would I help them if they were my enemy? still the idea...if I help my enemy wouldn't that have the possiblity of turning them into a friend or at least not as much of an enemy.

okay...now I am rambling...

Take a chance on saying you're sorry

I found this article that really speaks to some things in my life. The words of a Chicago song come to mind.

It's hard for me to say I'm sorry.
I just want you to stay.

After all that we've been through,
I will make it up to you. I promise to.
And after all that's been said and done,
You're just the part of me I can't let go.

Column: Take a chance on saying you're sorry - Opinions

...addendum...when I say I let someone down...it doesn't mean I take credit for their actions. The sad part is that something that was once very good, is lost.

Tribute

This post is dedicated to a friend who just learned she has breast cancer. This friend is just barely 40.

In the words of Tim McGraw---

"He said I was in my early 40's,
With a lot of life before me,
And a moment came that stopped me on a dime....

Good Luck, my friend!!!! My prayers are with you.

Addendum: She survived!!