LIfe is a Battle

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Fri, 03/25/2011 - 00:24.

The "Battle of Life" was a poem that a girl in my 8th grade class wrote. The poem got passed around and it was pretty deep for a 14 year old girl to be writing and beyond mature for her youthful age. At the time, it went over my head a bit. In retrospect, that young girl was ages beyond her peers.

By fourteen, she had obviously experimented with sex, drugs, and alcohol. I can remember her bringing "fuzzy navels" to gym class on Fridays. I recall it stinking and all the "in crowd" hurrying off to the bathrooms to "have some" .   She always wore too much make up and they called her pumpkin face.

Of course, she loved to bully folks herself. . . Even brought scissors to school on the last day to "cut my hair".... but luckily one of her "insiders" had the wherewithall to "snitch her out" before it was "too late".

When I think about the sense of love and security that I knew at home (despite our family's trials & tribulations); I actually feel bad for her. Back then, I dealt with her venomous crap daily. I loved school and enjoyed excelling in my course work. So, her failing grades and chronic disruptions to our class work  really made enjoying school frustrating that year. She was always throwing a fit, causing a ruckous, or picking on someone. She was a pretty big girl in 8th grade and threw her weight around intimidating the other kids. Every time you turned around there was a distraction to the classwork.

Now I am a mom and I pray to prevent my child from being surrounded by kids that don't have an appreciation for their education. She loves learning now and is eager to do well. Yet, I am starting to hear the stories about school that are simply making me question things...

Parenthood is such an amazing experience. It can be scary sometimes... and then again everyday is full of priceless blessings. I know them well and keep trying to do my best amidst the challenges.

I keep reminding my child that it's okay to agree to disagree and everyone is allowed to have an opinion. I remind her that not everyone has to like something because she does. I also teach her to respect differences and appreciate the good in folks. She's an amazing child and I am totally appreciative that God Blessed me with her...

As she grows into her own little person, I pray that she will never hurt others and that she is always considerate. I pray that when others attempt to be mean to her, that she responds with the grace of a queen.  She's seen her share of heartache (Lost her grandma who spoiled her rotten at 4 and her dad at 7....) 

Anyhow, tonight I am counting my blessings and going to bed and hugging my baby girl tight! LIfe is too short to keep working to improve a city that has marathons left to run in order to truly be something positive for families....

Despite my blessings; I realize that the stresses of caring about a community that is out of control and of living in a city full of pollution, corruption, and constant turmoil is taking years off of my life. Since life is a battle; I know in the depths of my soul that it's time to move away and enjoy fresh air and family away from here.

It's spring time and she cannot even ride her bike down the street....too dangerous. While Spring Fever runs through her veins, her frustration with living on lockdown because I worry so much about her even playing out in the front yard is disrupting her childhood.

I want to hear her childhood laughter across a meadow as she runs and plays with her friends. I want to see her laugh until she cries because life is good. I want to feel safe and happy that life is not chronically being disrupted by the chaos of the world outside our family. So, I know I must change the venue all the same.

I cannot wait until school is over this year...I think I am going to take her to the country! 

God does not promise tomorrows.

( categories: )

Angel, If I may---you are

Submitted by greatboldworld on Fri, 03/25/2011 - 15:58.

Angel,

If I may---you are wrong.  God does promise tomorrows.  And, you must teach your daughter this.

YOU, are a child's mother.  She comes first.  Make no apologies to the city you love.  Trust your instincts.  Yes, it's Cleveland's loss.  There have been about 600,000 of them over the decades.

This morning, a Starbucks was robbed downtown.  Last night, a 64 year old woman was injured when a car chased by police crashed into her on Superior, downtown.  The city could be in its death throes.  You and Your child must take precedence.  You both have a right to a here and now.  YOU have the duty of helping to build your daughter's future. 

The girl you described from your youth was making her own choices.  So did you, and I.

Do not despair.  That is what the enemy wants.  He is a liar and a murderer.  There is a God of holiness who loves you and those you love more than you can know, or understand.  Teach your daughter right things.  Beware teaching her the equality of all opinions.  Do not be afraid to name "evil". 

Recall those who loved you with everything they had.  Forgive them their mistakes.  Perhaps, try to understand their own battles and early lives.  Do find comfort in eternal, universal love and truth.  Your child's grandmother taught you these things, even if they are not always right in the front of your thoughts. 

Life is hard and unfair.  When the creator was finished, he pronounced all creation "good".  Your life, is such an incalculable good.  Know that.  Act on it.  Teach it.

A odd song ends--"well, you make your choice at this time, the great bold world or the slide, to the depths of decline".  You will choose well.

God Bless You and Yours

GBW

Despair

Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 08:22.

Thank you for your blog entry Dianna--as we both know each other as REAL people.  I can sympathize with your
plight.  It's a REAL concern.  We are losing good people in our region.  Folks are fed up.

We need accountability and some real sense that our local leaders are not just crafting a lifeboat for their own families' needs.
If we are building a life boat here in NEO, it's going to have to be big enough for all of us.  We are going to need an ARK and that ark has got to be liveable for everyone.  We can not throw the young, the old, the infirm, the crazy, the ugly...overboard.

GBW...Brave Old World....WDM: Have you seen your mother...?

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 16:06.

Interesting....

Lyrics:

Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow The Rolling Stones (Jagger/Richards)

 

 Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow
The Rolling Stones
(Jagger/Richards)

Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have you had another, baby, standing in the shadow?
I'm glad I opened your eyes
The have-nots would have tried to freeze you in ice

Have you seen your brother, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have you had another baby, standing in the shadow?
I was just passing the time
I'm all alone, won't you give all your sympathy to mine?

Tell me a story about how you adore me
Live in the shadow, see through the shadow,
Live through the shadow, tear at the shadow
Hate in the shadow, and love in your shadowy life

Have you seen your lover, baby, standing in the shadow?
Has he had another baby, standing in the shadow?
Baby, where have you been all your life?
Talking about all the people who should try anything twice

Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have you had another baby, standing in the shadow?
You take your choice at this time
The brave old world or the slide to the depths of decline

 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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Good catch, Kid When I was

Submitted by greatboldworld on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 16:36.

Good catch, Kid

When I was younger, I thought I was hearing "great"....both work, but "brave" seems better.

Did you have any help on that?

GBW

Help....GBW

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 17:18.

GBW:

1) My Uncle....he used to love the Rolling Stones and made all us kids learn to appreciate them....

2) When you mentioned 'song'...I correlated it and made a "Google search of the lyrics" you cited and it brought me back to this song above.....

3)...Help....is always a google search away in our world these days! Smiles....

 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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"Help me if you can, I'm

Submitted by greatboldworld on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 18:43.

"Help me if you can, I'm feeling down.  And I do appreciate you being around."

Lennon/McCartney

Beatles win.

Thanks, kid,

Sweet Dreams...gotta go.

 

"Made you?"  Well, they

Submitted by greatboldworld on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 18:33.

"Made you?" 

Well, they might be an acquired taste for some.  He must have been a smart guy.

No choice....

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 11:30.

I can remember "Uncle" watching us and having to help him clean his apartment while he concurrently listened to the "Rolling Stones" and the "Beatles" ....he would edumacate us on the great music or his time....smiles. I don't guess that I ever thought about having him change the music much because it was also funny watching him do the "air guitar" and listening to him "sing along" with some comical anecdotes along the way..... He was smart in his own way....everyone is..... I think he outgrew his family long before they outgrew him! 

 

 

 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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"Having to" help him? 

Submitted by greatboldworld on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:38.

"Having to" help him?  There are child labor laws, you know.

Let's speak precisely.  I don't know that everyone is smart in his own way.  If we mean to say that everyone has some minimal mental capacity, well, okay, as far as that goes.  But, no, everyone is not "above average", even in these grade-inflated times.

And, I don't know how you can outgrow people you love.  Is it growing to move beyond love?  Maybe we can do it with a favorite shirt, but with loved ones?  Besides, this kind of description or explanation smacks of Dr. Phil and a simplistic way of categorizing people that sells complex human identities and experiences way short.  And, conversely, do you suggest that a family could outgrow one of its members?  Just sounds odd.  Also, sounds like something from a daytime soap "Oh, John, we've just outgrown each other?"  ("WTHeck?  We have?", thinks John.)

I hope you  are reading good things, because you have a knack for writing.  Read.  Write.  Think.  Know.  Feel.  Live.  Love.  Laugh!

Grow.

GBW

Outgrowing a Family....

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 12:42.

Well, some of those kin who got formal educations got frustrated with their less than formally educated kin and they turned up their noses and "moved forward".... and never looked back...even to attend funerals of siblings and parents....

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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Are you sure about that

Submitted by greatboldworld on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:06.

Are you sure about that conclusion?  Is it glib?  convenient?  What about the links in your chain?  From "formal education", to "frustrated with" to "turned up noses" to "moved forward" to "never looked back".  As to funerals unattended.........what thought of events prior to them have you given?  What knowledge of what facts do you have?  What was the real state of affairs in the long chain of events between you, your family and "those kin".......over the many years before those deaths?  What had you  done along the way?  And what had "those kin" done?  Did your kin have their own challenges, setbacks, difficulties, heartbreaks, sadnesses, or tragedies?  Would you know of them?  Did you?

Unconditional Love for family and friends

Submitted by savcash on Thu, 03/31/2011 - 17:47.

[It is common misconception that love is developed with unconditional love and understanding. Well that is one kind of love. But how come there is often so much friction in our family relationships? People are always saying, "oh, my sister and I, we fought like cats and dogs". Friction in relationships is an opportunity to realize our differences and accept that although we can never fully understand each other, nonetheless we accept and love each other.] http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/family/love-poems.asp

 

Says it pretty well about family love. The idea many harbor tho, is that you can and should change someone.

Actually, letting them free to be themselves is all it ends up to be in the end anyway :) Betty

 

 

The problem is, America is NOT a Democracy - it is a Republic! As our Founding Fathers established, can we keep it?

My conclusion is simple...their choices are theirs alone....

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Sun, 04/03/2011 - 11:20.

I have had to recognize that my opinions, my feelings, and my observations of "their" choices seem not to matter in "their" world.
 

What I do know is that the person I was referring to often spent great deals of time projecting his ideas of what others should be doing upon them and judging them for not living up to "his" ideas of what should or should not be.

We are all guilty of some short sighted ways, communications, or actions. We all make mistakes. I have come to realize that whatever made him do whatever he did had nothing to do with me personally. Yet, I do have an opinion of that type of deliberate choice to miss your brother, sister, and father's funerals.... But I guess that's between him and his God...not me and mine! 

 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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Would the deceased have been

Submitted by greatboldworld on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 11:56.

Would the deceased have been at "this person's" funeral? Be honest. What was their track record? Do you know it? What was their track record with this person? Did they call? write? visit? anything? Were relations a two-way street?
And, which is it--that he harped on folks and dipped with his advice ("judging"), or that he "moved on"? They don't sound consistent. Did he really harp, or urge you to act morally and educate yourself and to work hard? I remember a woman who said "Opinions are like a__h___s, everybody's got one". Is your opinion fair and honest? Informed? Self-justifying, at all?

GBW....

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 09:12.

I also have listened to his surviving relatives "mourn" his absence in a forgiving and completely lost and confused manner that makes them deeply sad about why he completely "discarded" them and does not communicate with them... Perhaps he might realize that he has "sentenced" them by completely shutting them out of his world and denying them either true communication or closure as to his reasons and rhymes. While they may not have always been a perfect family; his siblings miss & love him despite any history.... Perhaps he should call them and let by gones be by gones... Enough pain has transpired to get the point across to the few who remain alive and living... As God does not promise tomorrows.... It's just my ahole opinion! 

Hey, smile.... take a visit back to the skeleton you once knew as "Cleveland" and see the billions in downtown development that is ongoing.

P.S. Weinemen's burned & got tore down last year. The lot & building sat vacant, deteriorated, and vandalized for years before the CMSD bought it, it burned, and was torn down.

 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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Sometimes, "two cents" is

Submitted by greatboldworld on Thu, 04/07/2011 - 08:48.

Sometimes, "two cents" is not just two cents.

Weinmann's gone?  I'll never get anything fixed around here again.

Sometimes, "two cents" is priceless...

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Tue, 04/12/2011 - 13:34.

....I saw my aunt this weekend....found her reading a book in her backyard and talking about a "Doll" she had found at "UNCLE'S" years before he moved....and how she was going to remake the doll.... Wow how she needed a smile added to her day. Maybe her long lost brother will someday give her a call or visit her..... 

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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Honesty...

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Sun, 04/03/2011 - 00:06.

1) Would they have went to his funeral had he died before them....ABSOLUTELY and without question, regardless of "Track Records."

2) Call, write, or anything....impossible...he left no forwarding contact info when he moved forward...

3) It's both...before he left, he harped and then he "moved on"... Hardly inconsistent...just separate periods.

4) My opinion is mine...just like those assholes.... Fair or not is simply a matter of opinion to be reasoned by whoever wants to....I really don't care and you're right,mom told plenty of folks that! Honesty would be even more comical here...but, I'll leave the "honesty" out for sake of being "fair" in my self justifying opinion of this matter... Smiles.

As far as "informed".... it's all a matter of opinion as to what's important in life. My opinion of someone "like that" trying to give advice about morality, hardwork, and education is quite simple....first you must lead by example to be respected enough for me to actually take you seriously.... While he was my "uncle" and I have some varied fond memories of  a couple interactions; the rest is really not worthy of discussion. I hope he found whatever he was looking for in his life when he moved on... God Bless Him....

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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"DOPRAH".....

Submitted by ANGELnWard14 on Sat, 04/02/2011 - 23:41.

like the day he flew home from AZ to round up all the grandkids and hang out with us watching OPRAH....before we were all told that our Grandma had died....and he made jokes about "DOPRAH!" .... he was hurting and we all sensed something....but he was very good to keep us all collected and laughing amidst the most terrible loss he probably ever knew... In retrospect, that must have been unbelievably hard for him to do....

Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"

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