If you have ever read any Winnie the Pooh stories, you are familiar with his little donkey friend, Eeyore. Eeyore is a slow moving little guy, with a very deep voice, who just never seems to be happy. He constantly worries about everything and sees only the negative in situations. Well, it has come to my attention recently that apparently more and more people are deciding to adopt Eeyore's disposition and to them I say RELAX!!
Someone please tell me when it became the norm to answer the somewhat rhetorical question "How are you?" with a litany of all the woes of the world? Really? Are we to the point that there is nothing positive in our lives? Or, are we so pathetic that we want everyone to feel sorry for us, so we need to disclose all the bad things in our life? Wow, I hope not!
I have seen this Eeyore syndrome front and center in a couple of cases over the past few weeks. As you may know from my previous posts, my daughter-in-law is pregnant. It's her first time, so you really don't know what to expect. What has really surprised me is how many people feel compelled to share their horror stories from their own pregnancies with her! WHY?? What does that accomplish except make her worry and wonder if it will happen to her! Being pregnant isn't easy and every pregnancy is different. You're a ball of raging hormones! Your energy is being zapped, your emotions are wild and killing a fly can send you into fits of tears! Knowing this, if you've ever been pregnant, I have to ask why women insist on sharing the worst moments of their own pregnancy with others. It's like having a bad experience becomes a badge of honor! Who had the longest labor? Who had the hardest time delivering? Who had the most scares during their pregnancy? WHO CARES?? You created life - what a miracle - that's all that matters! I do know if Eeyore was a girl, he'd love being pregnant just so he could complain all the time and be applauded for the effort!
I recently reconnected with a friend from years ago. She found me on Facebook and we started with the usual pleasantries since it's been about 10+ years since we've been in contact. I simply asked, "How are things in your world?" Wrong question to ask!! I heard about a divorce, her move back in with her parents, she hates her job, hates the city where she lives and is depressed because she doesn't have any friends to go out with. Really? I can't imagine why no one wants to be around her! Eeyore would LOVE to be with her!
Finally, I'm shopping the other day and having a ball buying things for the anticipated grandbaby. I was so happy and having so much fun. I got to the checkout and mistakenly asked, "How are you today?" Oh my ... did I get an earful! She was tired, didn't want to be at work, didn't have time for breakfast so was hungry, her register wasn't cooperating and oh, did I find everything I needed? She smashed my good mood in a heartbeat! I couldn't wait to get out of that store and I promise I'll go to another register if I shop there again and she's on duty.
The point of all this is just this - everyone has problems. The world is a tough place these days. Sometimes doing your job isn't fun, that's called reality. But, do we have to foist our own woes on everyone else? Is it so hard to find something wonderful happening in your life? Did you wake up this morning? Then celebrate that! For heaven's sake, you're alive, you're breathing, you have the opportunity to make today anything you want it to be! It's easy to worry about everything, but does that change anything? Nope! Does sharing everything bad in your life with someone else make it any better? Nope! You might feel better for a minute or two, but probably nothing really changed. You'll share the same bitter remarks with the next person you meet as well and what does that accomplish?
If you're in a service role, put your woes away for the time you meet the public. Try smiling! If you are reconnecting with old friends and your life hasn't been so great, ask yourself why before you dump on that friend. Assess how much of your pathetic life is the fault of your attitude. If you know someone who is doing the toughest job on the planet - creating life - then shut up about your trials and tribulations when you carried a child and share the great moments of pregnancy and delivery. It's really not all that hard. If you walk away from a conversation thinking "Wow, that person is a bummer", ask yourself how many people walk away from you saying the same thing.
Trust me, Eeyore is an adorable little guy physically, but his attitude sucks. But you know what? We don't all have to be Eeyore's. Don't be a donkey - RELAX! We'll all be a lot happier in the long run.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Baby Pictures
I had the most incredible experience today - I watched an ultrasound of my future grandson! What amazing technology! I know I sound old and dated and all that, but remember, we didn't have ultrasounds when I was pregnant with my sons. We never knew the gender before the birth and we had to actually count the fingers and toes the first time we held our child. There was no "preview" of size or parts or size of parts! We just waited with anticipation and enjoyed the surprise.
Anyway ... I was fortunate today to have been invited by my son and daughter-in-law to accompany her to an ultrasound. I'm familiar with the technology and I've been awed by it in the past, but let me tell you, there is NOTHING like seeng your grandchild in the womb. It puts a huge jolt into your system and you just sit and smile like an idiot! I guarantee today wasn't much fun for Sarah, but I can't remember such a feeling of undiluted joy!
Now, as things go, our little boy was very relaxed today. In fact, it appeared that he couldn't have cared less what was going on. He was lying on his back with one hand behind his head. His other hand was up close to his head, sort of like he was signaling for a taxi or a waiter. At one point he had his little legs crossed at the ankles and I have a darling picture of his teeny-tiny foot! It's about the size of my thumb, but you can clearly count 5 toes - no guesswork necessary!
We viewed the top of his head, followed his spine, measured his thigh and then hovered over his heart. Oh my!! What a miracle to see a heartbeat!! And to hear it as well! I could have watched and listened to that for hours. And then he turned ever so slightly and we saw his beautiful, sweet face! It brought tears to my eyes then and does again now as I write. It makes him so real ... a child of my child. Abolutely amazing! I thought being a mom was about the coolest thing ever, but I'm thinking this Grandma stuff could easily eclipse that feeling - sorry boys, but it's something you can't explain!
Anyway ... it was a day to witness God's greatest creation and gift to us, a child! I have always said and taught that we should cherish each moment with our children. They are on loan to us from God and only He chooses how long we get to be together. So to have experienced seeing this little guy while he's still in there baking, is something that will live in my heart and my memory forever. Sarah - you honor me by allowing me to see this miracle, thank you a million times over. Andrew and Christopher - I love you with every fiber of my being, but you'd better prepare yourself - there's a new kid in town and he's stealing pieces of my heart!!
Anyway ... I was fortunate today to have been invited by my son and daughter-in-law to accompany her to an ultrasound. I'm familiar with the technology and I've been awed by it in the past, but let me tell you, there is NOTHING like seeng your grandchild in the womb. It puts a huge jolt into your system and you just sit and smile like an idiot! I guarantee today wasn't much fun for Sarah, but I can't remember such a feeling of undiluted joy!
Now, as things go, our little boy was very relaxed today. In fact, it appeared that he couldn't have cared less what was going on. He was lying on his back with one hand behind his head. His other hand was up close to his head, sort of like he was signaling for a taxi or a waiter. At one point he had his little legs crossed at the ankles and I have a darling picture of his teeny-tiny foot! It's about the size of my thumb, but you can clearly count 5 toes - no guesswork necessary!
We viewed the top of his head, followed his spine, measured his thigh and then hovered over his heart. Oh my!! What a miracle to see a heartbeat!! And to hear it as well! I could have watched and listened to that for hours. And then he turned ever so slightly and we saw his beautiful, sweet face! It brought tears to my eyes then and does again now as I write. It makes him so real ... a child of my child. Abolutely amazing! I thought being a mom was about the coolest thing ever, but I'm thinking this Grandma stuff could easily eclipse that feeling - sorry boys, but it's something you can't explain!
Anyway ... it was a day to witness God's greatest creation and gift to us, a child! I have always said and taught that we should cherish each moment with our children. They are on loan to us from God and only He chooses how long we get to be together. So to have experienced seeing this little guy while he's still in there baking, is something that will live in my heart and my memory forever. Sarah - you honor me by allowing me to see this miracle, thank you a million times over. Andrew and Christopher - I love you with every fiber of my being, but you'd better prepare yourself - there's a new kid in town and he's stealing pieces of my heart!!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Saturday In The Park
Well, today I took the advice of the hit song by Chicago and spent Saturday in the Park - well at least part of the day. And oh my, the sights to be seen!
I took a drive over to Columbus to a shopping village called Easton. It's a beautiful property with outside entrances to all the stores, and in the center there's a grassy area with benches and a fountain that really isn't a fountain, but about 25 or 30 underground spigots that shoot water in various patterns. Music is piped into all areas, so it creates a relaxing place to catch your breath or wait on those who are joining you.
After Building A Bear for my future grandson (which was a BLAST), I had time to just sit and observe - something my Grandfather used to love to do! He would go to the state house in downtown Columbus and sit for hours, taking in the world around him. I did the same today and I have to say it was actually pretty humorous. Now, imagine a day in the high 60's, a bright blue sky with puffy clouds moving overhead, a wonderful breeze rustling the trees behind you and sparrows chattering and chasing each other. You're on a bench and you observe:
A very pregnant young lady with her mammoth husband, who is several steps ahead of her and not really aware of where she is - he's on his cell phone. She is struggling to hang on to her purse, get the panel of her maternity jeans up over her belly and keep her maternity shirt down over the panel. She would pull up the panel and the shirt would come up; she'd pull down the shirt and the panel would slide down; back and forth, back and forth. You get the pciture. She was fairly oblivious to all who were around her, but everyone got quite a view as this couple progressed. The husband never did turn around! I'm totally not making fun of her - I feel for her! I remember being pregnant a million years ago and walking along as my pantyhose rolled down over my belly. It' ain't pretty and it's mighty uncomfortable!
To your right, there is a collection of children hanging on a decorative wrought iron fence watching a grouping of model trains go in and out of fabricated mountains, tunnels and trees. There are several trains, with different themes and as they come into view, this gaggle of kids chants what they are looking at: "An-i-mals, An-i-mals, An-i-mals!", followed by "Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars!" and finally when the train with the Ohio State Buckeye insignia and tiny plastic football players in and on top of rail cars, you hear, "Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes." Now, we're talking 3, 4 and 5 year olds here. I had to smile as the Buckeye train passed and there was an exchange between 2 of the younger gazers. The first said, "What's a Buckeye?" and the answer came back, "Not Buckeye, Black-eyes! Somebody must have got hurt." Ah ... true sports fans.
Now, swing your eyes to the center and rivet them on the water experience. Two toddlers are squatting down just outside the reach of the exploding water. Their eyes are round with wonder and anticipation. They're too young to know what a pattern is or that such a thing even exists. So, they glance in all directions trying to guess where the next geyser will appear. They squeal with the glee of a child that is surprised again and again and you have to wonder how in the heck they can sit back on their heels that long without falling over! At long last, one of the dads comes to retrieve his little one. Apparently he's not been paying attention to what happens here, because he turns his back on the water holes, leans over to pick up his toddler just as this Ohio version of Old Faithful does it's thing. Bullseye! A shot in the keester and adults dissolve into laughter that cannot be construed as sympathetic all around him! He is shocked, then embarrassed and finally, just takes a bow and slinks away to connect with his hysterical wife!
Actually, it was great to just sit, to see all stages of life around. Girls with the shortest shorts imagineable, boys with their tongues hanging out trying to follow without being seen. Young couples holding hands, giggling the nervous giggles of young love. And my favorite - the seniors who are also walking hand in hand, simply taking it all in. Theirs is a leisurely walk of comfort and years of knowing each other. They smile at the little ones by the water, caution the younger ones hanging on the fence to see the trains and simply shake their head at the daddy with the wet behind! One gentleman smiles knowingly, pauses and kisses his best girl on the cheek - no words needed, but volumes spoken between them.
It was a GREAT afternoon!
I took a drive over to Columbus to a shopping village called Easton. It's a beautiful property with outside entrances to all the stores, and in the center there's a grassy area with benches and a fountain that really isn't a fountain, but about 25 or 30 underground spigots that shoot water in various patterns. Music is piped into all areas, so it creates a relaxing place to catch your breath or wait on those who are joining you.
After Building A Bear for my future grandson (which was a BLAST), I had time to just sit and observe - something my Grandfather used to love to do! He would go to the state house in downtown Columbus and sit for hours, taking in the world around him. I did the same today and I have to say it was actually pretty humorous. Now, imagine a day in the high 60's, a bright blue sky with puffy clouds moving overhead, a wonderful breeze rustling the trees behind you and sparrows chattering and chasing each other. You're on a bench and you observe:
A very pregnant young lady with her mammoth husband, who is several steps ahead of her and not really aware of where she is - he's on his cell phone. She is struggling to hang on to her purse, get the panel of her maternity jeans up over her belly and keep her maternity shirt down over the panel. She would pull up the panel and the shirt would come up; she'd pull down the shirt and the panel would slide down; back and forth, back and forth. You get the pciture. She was fairly oblivious to all who were around her, but everyone got quite a view as this couple progressed. The husband never did turn around! I'm totally not making fun of her - I feel for her! I remember being pregnant a million years ago and walking along as my pantyhose rolled down over my belly. It' ain't pretty and it's mighty uncomfortable!
To your right, there is a collection of children hanging on a decorative wrought iron fence watching a grouping of model trains go in and out of fabricated mountains, tunnels and trees. There are several trains, with different themes and as they come into view, this gaggle of kids chants what they are looking at: "An-i-mals, An-i-mals, An-i-mals!", followed by "Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars!" and finally when the train with the Ohio State Buckeye insignia and tiny plastic football players in and on top of rail cars, you hear, "Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes." Now, we're talking 3, 4 and 5 year olds here. I had to smile as the Buckeye train passed and there was an exchange between 2 of the younger gazers. The first said, "What's a Buckeye?" and the answer came back, "Not Buckeye, Black-eyes! Somebody must have got hurt." Ah ... true sports fans.
Now, swing your eyes to the center and rivet them on the water experience. Two toddlers are squatting down just outside the reach of the exploding water. Their eyes are round with wonder and anticipation. They're too young to know what a pattern is or that such a thing even exists. So, they glance in all directions trying to guess where the next geyser will appear. They squeal with the glee of a child that is surprised again and again and you have to wonder how in the heck they can sit back on their heels that long without falling over! At long last, one of the dads comes to retrieve his little one. Apparently he's not been paying attention to what happens here, because he turns his back on the water holes, leans over to pick up his toddler just as this Ohio version of Old Faithful does it's thing. Bullseye! A shot in the keester and adults dissolve into laughter that cannot be construed as sympathetic all around him! He is shocked, then embarrassed and finally, just takes a bow and slinks away to connect with his hysterical wife!
Actually, it was great to just sit, to see all stages of life around. Girls with the shortest shorts imagineable, boys with their tongues hanging out trying to follow without being seen. Young couples holding hands, giggling the nervous giggles of young love. And my favorite - the seniors who are also walking hand in hand, simply taking it all in. Theirs is a leisurely walk of comfort and years of knowing each other. They smile at the little ones by the water, caution the younger ones hanging on the fence to see the trains and simply shake their head at the daddy with the wet behind! One gentleman smiles knowingly, pauses and kisses his best girl on the cheek - no words needed, but volumes spoken between them.
It was a GREAT afternoon!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog TALES
My gang range in age from 4 - nearly 10 years. I have 3 males and 2 females. Samson is the oldest and he is a sturdy, black pug who is gaining more salt than pepper in his coat. He has lost most of his bottom teeth, but that doesn't stop him from eating,drinking or attempting to smile occasionally. He moves a bit slower than the rest of the gang, but he gets where he needs to go in his own sweet time. Sweetie is next in line and she is the matriarch of the bunch. She rules the roost and the other 4 know it! She is a pretty little thing, and her sweet face is only interrupted by a tongue that is about an inch too long for her mouth, so she simply lets it hang out. Quite fetching really and oddly enough she has no clue it hangs out all the time.
Sherman is next in line and he is an offspring of Samson and Sweetie. He's rather high strung and gets jealous quickly if any of the others take up residence in my lap. Jewels is the doll-baby of the troop. She is a sleek black pug that has a face that resembles a baby seal. She is quiet and very calm, probably as a result of being deaf. And while being deaf may seem sad, she's the happiest pug ever - nothing disturbs her! She can lay down next to a running vacuum cleaner and fall instantly asleep because her world is Q-U-I-E-T! Trust me, there are days that I envy her! She and Sherman were mates when I was breeding pugs and their offspring is Tug, my fifth pug.
Tug is the real character of the lot. At some point in his puppy days, he must have dreamed of being a kangaroo because I gotta tell you, this pug has "ups". He can jump straight from the floor to the center of the kitchen counter with no problem. He often greets me with a jump into my arms at shoulder height, always trusting that I'll catch him. Sometimes he's right! And like any baby in a family, he expects to get his way in every situation.
Together, they are a creative little group and I imagine two of them standing by the garage door and three of them standing in the window watching me pull away each day. Then, likely, one of them yells, "All clear, she's gone!" And that, my friends is the signal to Tug to check out the counter tops to see what's there to be investigated! In my mind's eye, I can see him jumping up and down and reporting to the others, who are on the floor, "Ok, we've got a loaf of bread." Jumping again, "And I see a bag of something, hold on." Lands and jumps up again, "Yep, it's the jackpot - Cheetos!" At this pronouncement the others are probably drooling and barking and running circles around each other. Tug knows his job - get the Cheetos - although loaves of bread are his personal favorite!
Now, I happen to know Cheetos are the favorite pick, because I have returned from work to find a bag on the floor with only the hind end of a pug sticking out. No pug head is visible - it is deep in the bag. With a slight cough or exclamation, the bag is quickly shed and the front half of the pug emerges. And where a black muzzle and mask would usually be - two bug eyes protrude from a very orange face. Now, with Tug, he thinks that he can get away with this whole shenanigan simply by avoiding meeting my eyes. He is completely clueless that he has orange Cheeto fuzz all over his face. So he looks quickly away, peering ever so slowly out of the corner of his eye to see if I'm still looking at him. This happens two or three times before he relents, lowers his curly tail and slinks over for my forgiveness. He alone is taking the blame - the others have totally fled the scene, leaving Tug holding the bag (so to speak).
Over the years, I have discovered pugs with their noses stuck in peanut butter jars, sleeping on a large pile of individual shoes from various pairs, investigating the bottom shelf of my pantry and once - sitting IN the refrigerator as I was disposing of some fuzzy green food! Right now, as I write, they are all piled up together snoring for all their worth. It's a bit noisy, but there is a rhythm to the breathing and I can identify each one by their own pattern. And while they may seem self-centered and totally ornery, they are generous in their affection and they willingly share. On one business trip, I opened my suitcase to find a small stack of dog biscuits. Apparently they were worried I wouldn't eat while I was away. No reason to worry there!
Of course, my family and many friends think I've lost my mind having 5 pugs. Maybe I have, who knows? But I can say this - my life is never dull and if I choose to diet, they'll help me ... all I have to do is leave the junk food close to the edge of the counter!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)