Family and Friendship

Wise Moms

Edited and updated May 12, 2019.

Backstory

This week’s musings are about your mother and the place you held in her heart. It’s all in how you look at it. This may present some new perspectives.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Wise Moms – #499

There is a time in life when your mom is not so smart. It’s the age when you know much more than she does. She is so out of it; and you are so cool . . . except for that one time that she was right. Or was it two times . . . or maybe three.

Then the years fly by and your mom somehow gets magically wiser. As you progress to the stage of a young mother yourself, you understand for the first time what your mom was all about. So she wasn’t trying to stifle you . . . she wanted to protect you. She didn’t want to make your life a living hell . . . she just wanted your room cleaned.

And know that when she is no longer here on earth with you, your mom will still linger – in your heart, your words and deeds. You’ll find yourself saying something she said . . . or voicing the exact same cautions that she did. You’ll cry at the same kind of movie. Memories of what you shared will make you smile – or laugh out loud.

You see, a mother isn’t just on hand until you’re 18, or until you’re through college or until you marry. A mother is forever. Treasure yours while she is here and remember her when she’s gone, for she is never far away. Her love and her teachings still guide you.

When you need her, you’ll feel her essence, her warmth, her glow. You don’t have to be able to see her. You can feel her in your soul.

Thanks to all the mothers remembered with love.

P.S.

We like to repeat this show at this time of year, as a reminder of the role mothers play, forever.

[Show #499]

Be There

(Edited 3-24-19)

Backstory

Remember the days when “Party” was a call to arms? All aboard, and the louder the music, the better. Then we kind of settle down. Favorite get-togethers involve smaller crowds, family; people whose company we enjoy. After that comes the time when you may decide not to accept every invitation. It gets involved to get ready, arrange to get there, attend and get back. If you’re tempted to skip it, consider this.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Be There – #603

Recently, I told you about the surprise birthday party in my honor. It lasted one afternoon. But the aftermath is what I want to share with you, because that event had a life of its own. It was like seeing a movie that keeps repeating in your head.

For weeks, I went to sleep remembering a vignette or a conversation or a hug shared that afternoon. I knew the memories of that day would be with me forever.

But the good part is that it gets to play over and over WITH OTHER PEOPLE as well. Every time I get together with a friend who was there, or a relative who helped plan or run the event, the warm rush of affection happens all over again. I hear what THEY took away; entirely different from what I did.

So the gift provided by the folks who planned and attended that surprise party did NOT fill just one afternoon. It became another story that is part of my life. How precious!

So I have a suggestion for you. If you are invited to a surprise party . . . or any such event . . . GO! Make the time, go out of your way to get there. Does it matter if you are in the crowd? Yes, it does.

You are giving the gift of time and sharing, to someone you care for, who no doubt loves you in return. The scope of the gift you provide by your attendance is immeasurable. It will pleasure the person honored with happy memories and provide stories to tell, for years to come. Don’t miss it. Be there.

P.S.

I just got one of those printed books that pile together all the photos posted on your Facebook page for the past year. Being someone who always forgets to take photos, I was delighted to see all those that others had posted on my page. What an easy, simple way to keep the memories of all those special events that were important enough to share with friends.

[Show #603]

The Sunshine Poem

Backstory

Some of the stories you hear on Consider This are written by someone else. Mason Jars by Amy was featured recently and had a tremendous response from listeners and readers. This week, we feature another piece by a listener. I wonder if Suzanne will remember this poem, written decades ago. Listen in.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

The Sunshine Poem- #455

Suzanne sent in a little poem that she wrote on May 10, 1991. For whom was it written? See what you think. It goes like this –

Grant me a little bit of sunshine,
Promise me a little bit of hope.
Have faith in me,
Even though you might feel that I’m wrong.
For if you stand behind me,
I know I can be strong.
And if you stand beside me,
I know I can succeed.

A beautiful intercession showing someone how important they are to the writer. A cry for understanding and acceptance. The words seem to echo what we all desire from someone we care for.

Listen again and let the words sink in.

I don’t know for whom the poem was written. But I can tell the person must be special to be called on to play such an important role In the life of the writer.

It was written more than 20 years ago. I hope Suzanne went on to write out more such thoughts. They are well worth considering

P.S.

Musing on Suzanne’s poem, I hope that the person she addressed did indeed stand behind her and beside her. It sounds like that person gave her strength and confidence. What a blessing to have someone like that in your life. I hope Suzanne was so blessed.

[Show #455]

Losing a Friend

Backstory

I was a busy young executive working my way up the ladder. Landed a VP job in Washington, DC and I was on my way! Needed some help though; someone stable in the office to keep things moving and wrap them in a bow at the end. Someone who could keep pace with my busy schedule and keep me pointed in the right direction. Someone who would prevent me from being swept away with too many priorities or my own ego. Turns out she was just the one to do that.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Losing a Friend – #649

We had worked together, years and year ago. When I left our mutual employment, we maintained the friendship from a distance. We’d catch up, a couple of times a year and it was like we had talked just the day before.

So her call today was most welcome. But her voice, somehow, was different. Just as joyful, but somehow serious as well.

“I am dying,” she told me. Matter of factly, straight forward. No embellishment. A simple statement.

I knew she was battling one of those unfair and deadly diseases. But they had kept it at bay; until now.

“I’m not afraid,” she told me. “I’ve done right during my life, I know the Lord, and I am ready”. She was headed to hospice.

My first thought was that I had to go and see her. Then I thought better of it.

We had not been in the same room together in 32 years. I had an image of this tiny, exuberant blonde lady with the beautiful blue eyes.

The right direction now was to let us both keep our images of our young and eager selves.

There are lots more phone calls. They get more difficult as the days roll by. She has less stamina and coherence. But here we are together, keeping our friendship fresh and bright, right to the last day.

On one phone call, when we say goodbye, it will be goodbye for good.

P.S.

It happened today. Something occurred and my first thought was that i had to share it with my phone friend. She would understand and laugh with me. Oh yes, I remembered, she can’t do that anymore. She is all bundled up in my warm memories of the time we shared, and I can still imagine her laughing with me. So I shared the incident with her anyway, silently, and laughed out loud, for both of us.

[Show #649]

Sharing Something of Value

Backstory

Someone shared the Chinese proverb with me. I have always found wisdom in words from the orient. Is it because they are exotic? Or simply bubbling with insight? In any case, I started thinking about what kinds of things have value to others, to me. This story came from those musings.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Sharing Something of Value – #450

The Chinese have a saying – “When someone shares with you something of value, you have an obligation to share it with others.” You could apply that to many things – knowledge, money, gratitude, even smiles.

Imagine considering it an obligation to smile at someone else, every time someone smiles at you. The question is whether a smile is something of value. What do you think?

I remember hearing that a smile is an instant face lift. And indeed, a smiling face is so much more attractive than one with a frown drawn on it.

Watch attractive elderly women. They know the secret of the face-lifting smile. You will rarely see them without a smile on their lips. And you can’t help thinking how lovely they are.

What else do you receive of value that should be shared?

We Americans are generous with sharing our wealth; from donations to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, to funding of Wounded Warrior to individual help provided anonymously when we hear there is a need. To those who receive much, much is expected.

We seem to have learned the Chinese lesson well, although it never hurts to be reminded.

P.S.

Different times form different values. Living through the depression as a young adult, my grandmother found value in making things last. Even when times changed for the better, she continued to save string in a ball. Her notes were written on the backs of used envelopes. Drippings from this morning’s bacon fried green tomatoes for dinner. Sure is different from today’s use-and-discard approach.

[Show #450]

Toy Library

Backstory

I could hardly walk through the room, for all the toys spread around. Looking at the broken plastic pieces, I could just imagine how much all this cost. But there was so much; it was overpowering. How best to organize toys and help children to appreciate them? We explore all that in this week’s story.

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Toy Library – #346

Have you ever counted the toys your kids have? A well-known parenting guru suggests that the overabundance of toys possessed by kids today is not a blessing. He claims that an average American child has 150 toys. Think what that means in a family with 3 or 4 kids.

Overstimulation from the media, video games and noisy toys are creating chaos. The way out is to weed out your kids’ stuff.

Reduce the chaos and introduce calm. Give away outgrown toys: discard broken ones and pack a lot of the rest away.

There are coaches who get paid to come into a home and reduce the abundance. They remove as much as 75% of the children’s clothes and toys. You can do the same thing. That will reduce the clutter.

Then introduce the calm. Set up a schedule for watching TV or playing video games, rather than having both run 24/7 at will. Get rid of noisy, flashing toys. They actually do the playing for the child. Instead, provide toys that challenge the child’s imagination.

Create a veritable library of toys, to be checked out, played with In those periods of calm you created, and returned. Sounds like quite an improvement.

P.S.

Toys Are Us just went out of business. One analyst said it was because kids would rather watch a YouTube video of kids playing, than play themselves. Playing is how we learned to imagine: how we learned to treat others; how we learned about the consequences of making a bad decision. How shall we replace those experiences in today’s world of busy thumbs and digital screens?

[Show #346]

« Previous Page