Speaking Up

While sorting through many belongings and papers, I have come across a lot of "stuff" from our family's history.  Some of it has been challenging, remembering tough situations that we have survived.  Some of it has been impelling, re-sparking my conviction of true principles.

A letter I wrote to the editor is a combination of both.  I wrote it in 2003 after attending township meetings where I watched politics at work.  I couldn't take the dishonesty and felt a need to speak up.  Those township meetings were the beginning of some eye-opening events where I learned many things, but especially that things are not always as they are portrayed.  Since then, I have kept my eyes open to the bigger picture surrounding each circumstance.  You might say I am paying more attention "to that man behind the curtain."

I share part of that letter here:

From my teenage years, I remember Billy Joel singing a song titled “Honesty.” I can still hear the words..."Honesty is hardly ever heard, but mostly what I need from you."

Being raised in a community where honesty was valued and practiced, I was saddened that anyone would feel they “hardly ever heard” honesty.  I couldn’t imagine such a world.

As I have done business with some members of [the] community and watched the political arena, I no longer need to imagine a dishonest world, because it is reality.  Though money and power seem to be controlling forces, they don’t need to be, and we shouldn’t allow it.  Deceit and greed create confusion.

Unethical politicians will do ANYTHING to win, even breaking the law through intimidation, extortion, blackmail and racketeering (commonly referred to as “status quo”).  This behavior is wrong no matter to what political party one belongs.  The public shouldn’t dismiss this kind of behavior with “That’s politics!” and law enforcement officials and those in law-related fields should know better.

It gives a bad name to anyone who wants to make a difference in the political process.

People deserve truth from public officials and those who back them financially.  Since perception isn’t necessarily reality, we need to elect those who have respect for truth and won’t disguise it just to win elections.

Let’s not forget the lessons of September 11, 2001:  There are those who want to destroy our way of life—many who work within our established system of government.  Our families and freedoms are important and both are worth fighting to protect.  The daily choices we each make can help preserve or prevent our freedom.

Make sure you vote, and be careful for whom you vote because, good or bad, we all have to live with the consequences!  We want to leave a better society for our children—not one filled with corruption or confusion where honesty is “hardly ever heard.” 

We need to return to good principles.  We need to start with honesty.  It is essential to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” 

I have learned there is value in speaking up, not only for ourselves but for others.  Life is too precious to allow others control over our every move.  Freedom to choose for ourselves is what this country is built upon.  I believe it is also part of our purpose in life.  (Interesting to note that the more laws that are made, the less free we become.)

It is important to be aware of what is happening in the world around us.  However, when news and political processes are followed too closely, it is easy to lose hope.  Changing communities and focus has restored hope to my life.  I feel gratitude knowing that there are many good people left in the world, and there is much good still happening.  You have to look for it.  If you seek it, you will find it.

Ten Ways to Love

Love seems to be the topic of the week, so I thought the following list was appropriate to share.

It looks like I have some work to do!

 10 WAYS TO LOVE

Listen without interrupting (Proverbs 18)

Speak without accusing (James 1:19)

Give without sparing (Proverbs 21:26)

Pray without ceasing (Colossians 1:9)

Answer without arguing (Proverbs 17:1)

Share without pretending (Ephesians 4:15)

Enjoy without complaint (Philippians 2:14)

Trust without wavering (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Forgive without punishing (Colossians 3:13)

Promise without forgetting (Proverbs 13:12)

 

Fathers are Special

With Father’s Day coming, my thoughts have turned to my own father, who was a strong father figure to me.  I looked to him for leadership and guidance in my life.  He worked hard even when he wasn’t feeling well.  (For many years, Dad suffered from malaria which he picked up while serving during World War II.)  Dad was observant and sensitive.  He loved people and put their needs before his own.  He taught his children to show respect for others, especially our own mother.  He taught me that joking about others was hurtful, because there was always a little truth in the joke to make it funny.  I have many good memories of him.

Dad loved art.  His father and oldest brother were artists who painted with oil.  Another brother was a sculptor.  When I was in elementary school, dad took up woodworking – carving, inlay and overlay.  He was very good at it.  Later in his life, Dad also started oil painting.

Always willing to share his talents, Dad came to my elementary school several times to share his love of woodwork.  The whole class made simple wood overlay pictures (at Dad’s expense) that they could take home.  I still have mine.

In his front shirt pocket, Dad carried a checkbook, paper and pen.  As a grandpa, whenever the grandkids came over, he would hold them on his lap and they would take everything out of his pocket and draw on it.  This gave him great pleasure!  He loved his grandchildren and would play with them for hours.  If he could, I’m sure he would make the rounds to visit his great grandchildren and play with them.

One time while playing with my children, Dad made up a song about Mr. Potato Head:  “I’m Mr. Potato Head.  My life is full of dread.  My ears are on backwards, my nose upside down.  In place of a smile, I’m wearing a frown.  I’m Mr. Potato Head.”

Dad was creative and his heart was full of love!

This leads me to another man in my life, whose heart is as big as the great outdoors...my husband and father of our beautiful children.  His concern is almost always to help others be happy.

From Van, I have learned about perseverance, making the best of current circumstances, learning to relax in stressful situations, and overcoming challenges.  Our life together has not been easy, but Van always keeps pushing along in spite of the weight he carries (and sometimes the load is pretty heavy).  My heart is full of gratitude for all he endures.

Fathers are So Special!

A New Day

The last couple weeks have flown by.  The end of school is full of so many activities that I find myself having difficulty accomplishing all that I want to do.  It is a new day and a new beginning.

While sorting through papers that I have kept for a very long time, I came across a poem.  It apparently had deep meaning for me nearly three decades ago.  In reading it again, I found this poem still has great significance for me.  Enjoy!

Finish every day and

be done with it.

You have done what you could.

Some blunders and absurdities

no doubt crept in;

forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day;

begin it well and serenely

and with too high a spirit

to be encumbered with

your old nonsense.

This day is all that is good

and fair.

It is too dear, with its hopes

and invitations,

to waste a moment

on the yesterdays.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remembering Mom

May 30th – traditional Memorial Day – was my mother’s birthday.  Most of her life, she shared her birthday with family, celebrating and making visits to cemeteries to remember those who had passed on from this life.

Today, I remember her and miss her.  She would have been 89 years old. 

I loved my mom!  What a great example she was of kindness, selfless love, and service.  She had a heart of gold, and spent her life trying to help others be happy.  I remember my dad describing her as “near perfect.”

Mother was a strong woman, and very capable.  She did suffer at times with low self-esteem, and often worried that she wasn’t good enough.  She worked hard, raised 6 children, and volunteered at church, not to mention that she was often checking in with her mother and siblings to make sure they were all doing well.

Since I was younger than her other children by almost 5 years, I spent a lot of one-on-one time with Mom.  Granted, we were often attending meetings, visiting relatives, working side by side.  I was her tag-along, and usually spent time observing or playing quietly so as not to disturb other important matters.  I learned a lot from Mom, especially by her example.  Those memories are very special to me now. 

Mom taught her children to recognize right from wrong and to do what is right.  She taught us to be observant, helpful, polite, good, and most importantly to be kind.  She would often sing songs to help teach her lessons: “Let’s Be Kind to One Another,” “Let us Oft Speak Kind Words to Each Other,” and “Kindness Begins with Me.”  Our mother was slow to offend, quick to love and forgive.  Oh, how the world could learn from her simple lessons!

Come on over to my place!

Some writers write blogs.  I am no writer.  Some people write blogs about specific areas of expertise.  I am no expert.  Some blogs are creative and fun, like cooking blogs.  (They make me hungry.)  I don’t think of myself as either creative or fun.  I am a “jack of all trades, master of none.”  I do think a lot, enjoy helping people, and can be very opinionated at times.  We’ll see where this goes…

I’ve decided to name my blog, “Linda’s Place,” inspired by my dad and uncle.  Now there is a story!

When I was a young child, I told my dad I wanted to have a lemonade stand and make some money like the other neighborhood children.  My dad, being the creative man that he was, decided to make me a lemonade stand.  Not a small cardboard stand.  Not a small table with a poster board sign.  My dad made me a large wooden stand from plywood, complete with a fold-down counter and fold-out sides.  A sign hung down in the middle which read “Linda’s Place.”  (I wish I had a picture.)  When Dad showed it to me, my uncle and his family came to visit.  As my uncle got out of his car and walked over to my stand, he asked, “Is this Linda’s Place?”  I smiled timidly saying “yes.”  Then he asked, “Are you Linda from Linda’s Place?”  To this day when I see my uncle, he always asks, “Are you Linda from Linda’s Place?”

So, this is my place.  A place to write my thoughts and feelings, or spill my “mindless chatter.”  A place to share insights from life’s lessons.  A place to express my deeply held convictions and opinions.  A place to clarify my goals and hold me accountable.  A place to improve my perspective.  A place to make lemonade out of lemons.

You are welcome to join me in my journey.  Together, we can inspire each other, open our hearts and minds, expand our vision, and increase our understanding.  This, in turn, will heal our deep wounds, help us recover from hardship, and hopefully, strengthen our relationships.

I have always wanted a place where my family can come for comfort, where visitors feel welcome and empowered, where all who enter feel love and peace.  A place that encourages growth and positive change.  That is my goal.  This is my place…Linda’s Place.

Come on over to my place!