Letting go .....

One of my grandsons started kindergarten last week. I got a call from my daughter telling me all about that first morning. Like me, she cried when the school bus came to whisk him away. That same afternoon, a friend of mine stopped by and was crying because her youngest had started college and was now a few hours away from home. From kindergarten to college, it was never easy to "let my kids go". I can remember every heartache in saying those goodbyes. Unfortunately, it never got easier. There are times I would give anything to have my kids young again and living with me. The only thing that helps is knowing how happy they are now as adults and living their own lives. For those of you who haven't had to "let go" yet, I can assure you it won't be easy but you will adapt. We may not like it but we all do.

Neal E. Boyd

If you have not watched America's Got Talent, you need to go to their website and check out Neal E. Boyd. This gentleman is unbelievable. He is an insurance salesman and has one of the most wonderful voices I have ever heard. Neal is a very humble man with a great love for his family. I have never been a fan of opera but if he ever comes out with a CD, I will buy it immediately. Give yourselves a treat and hear what this man is all about.

Back to this Senior Citizen stuff ...

I was thinking today about this senior citizen thing. It really began when I turned 55. All I heard about from people older than me were the discounts they got once they reached senior citizen age. Our one grocery store in town gives a 5 percent discount on Tuesdays to senior citizens. It took me a couple of weeks to remember to tell them I was "of age" and the cashier gave me that glorious 5 percent discount. Now this cashier was not, and is still not, a very friendly gal. I had tried numerous times to entrap her into small talk or a smile but, alas, no luck. (Doesn't it irk you when you try to be nice and the person on the receiving side totally ignores you?) A few weeks later, on a Tuesday, I went to another cashier and reminded her that I was a senior citizen. (I had given up trying to buddy up to the other gal.) This other cashier looked at me oddly and asked how old I was. I told her 55. She then proceeded to tell me that the discount was given to people 65 and older! So now becomes the big question ... did the unfriendly cashier think I was 65 years old? I don't think I want to know! Needless to say, I avoid her checkout as much as I can ! :)

Give your parent an extra hug

While on vacation, our host at the cottages in Canada, lost her father. She stopped at my cottage when I called out the door to invite her to dinner. She was crying and I asked her what was wrong. She had just come from the nursing home and the doctors told DiAnne that her father would probably not last more than a few days. He died that evening. When I arrived home from vacation, I got word from my daughter that her mother-in-law's mother had passed away the evening before. Having lost both my father and my mother, I could immediately relate to how DiAnne and my daughter's mother-in-law felt. Losing a parent is one of the hardest times in a child's life. It does not matter how old that child is. For those of you who read this and have a parent or parents living, give them an extra little hug next time you see them. You have no idea how very lucky you are.

I so miss my Mom

Last week I looked for a gold chain that had one of my Mom's favorite rings and a gold half moon. My Mom died 8 years ago but most of the time it feels like yesterday. Anyway, I couldn't find the chain. I have gone from frantic mode to a deep sadness because that chain, ring and half moon were favorites of hers and it held a huge sentimental part of me. Last night I couldn't fall asleep. I had looked everywhere. I even, today, called the last motel that Alan and I had stayed in to see if someone had found it in our room. I was gently told that nothing had been turned it. My Mom often talked about how, when she died, she would send me "messages". I would be horrified that she was even hinting that she wouldn't be here forever and she would laugh like crazy and continue with her "message" talk. Tonight I again went to the bathroom drawers where I toss some of my jewelry. I know I had looked there at least a dozen times in the past week. Again nothing. I was crying and was "asking" my Mom to please help me find it. My eyes were red and I hurt like it did the day she died. I opened one of the drawers AGAIN and noticed Christmas jewelry. I pulled the jewelry out and my breath caught. My gold chain, ring and half moon was there. I know some of you will never believe my Mom had anything to do with me finding it. But I know that my Christmas jewelry is kept in a different drawer and that I never put every day jewelry there. If some of you reading this think I am goofy, so be it (because I actually am most of the time) but, tonight, my Mom touched me.

Thanks Mom. I miss you so much.