The Honesty Factor

There will never be just one way to explain any given topic. If that were so, we would all be robots.  The honesty factor can be in different colors, yet with the same truth. 

Last week all hell broke loose with an issue dear to my heart. I am unable to discuss it fully on my blog. You know it is big when I can not even come up with the words. 

How many times have you had a metaphor utilized by someone to translate what they are trying to communicate?  Ministers love them in their sermons to help us achieve to that “higher” level.  Even physicians pitch them to translate science. 

How many of us have heard evidence based lingo?  We all value the meaning behind what facts are known on any given subject. The question is do we need those  facts thrown at us without some thought? 

Transfer of information always brings to mind a childhood game of whispering in one friend’s ear and then another, etc until all have heard.  What comes out at the end is always a good laugh. 

What if the transfer of understanding  goes amok? Communication 101 in college  after all is more important than even I thought.  

I am always full of questions . I wonder. I think.  I wait .  I need some answers. Maybe you do too. I hear ya.  Is a miracle around the corner? I hope. 

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to the best guy ever.  Autism does not define you my son. What I see in you is amazing love that others can not even come close to realizing in their own lives. You have no understanding of lusting for money or materialism.  You may live in a world made of your own design,  but it is better in many ways to the cruel world the rest of us live in.

I hope and pray for you and want what is always best for you. You have family all over the country and they have missed out on getting to know you.  I am grateful to the family you have in your friends. 

You are 24 years old. You have a dad and mom who will love you for as long as we are here on earth with you .  I know you love God and He will always have you until you meet Him in person . 

Easy Out

No easy out- we must stop or we will crash!

 

We need to learn to let go.  We hold onto things way too long that needs to be released.  I decided recently I need to start judging.  Yep.  You heard right. Judge.

After carefully thinking through this, I am judging it all.  How you taste inside me?  What drew me to you?   Where this will take me?  It is true good or bad and now I am OK with judging.  Watch out.  I may prematurely put you to the test.

Christmas Card Demise

He took the picture and dared me to post it!! Ok I took the dare!! I told him I look terrible in this photo. But then I thought who cares! That’s me. 

Here goes my blog post now! I hope you get offended! 

Why is it you think a Christmas message on FB is even remotely as good as getting a card in the mail? Answer that for me. 

Tip one- write a card. 

This year I wrote a newsletter. The only ones who will see it are friends that I have corresponded with via the UPS during the holiday season. That’s a treat like no other!! And no my Christmas message is not on my blog! And yes.. you can bet I bragged on my children. 

Tip two- share a note how the family is doing.

Most of all sharing about my faith in new ways is the gravy of my message.  It is the glue of my life.

Tip three-do not be afraid to put on notice what makes you happy in your life in the card or maybe what’s not going so great . I don’t mind hearing it. At least you took the time to write me. 

We all change . We are all moving forward.  What’s the alternative? I find grace to be my answer. How about you? Hope I get lots of cards this year, but I am afraid it is becoming a lost art. I guess a phone call is good, but the Christmas card is even better!!

Tip four-Take a break from all social media once in awhile and just reflect and maybe listen to Christmas music instead. My ideal music venue is the record album!!! How many of you remember vinyl? Stop you say!! Ok. Yes. I love music via my computer and radio too!! Happy holidays everyone and thank you WordPress for the snow flakes…

Maximum Contrast

Photos taken over two decades ago like the one above find popularity in their grasp of thematics such as  mother/son bonding. My autistic son is in a blue outfit that I simply adored.

Perhaps the adornment was because I love my son so much , but the cute attire was no doubt a favorite of mine. The color blue is so peaceful to me. The blue is seen in the skies. Blues are also associated with boys. 

What also comes to mind is the pictures I have taken of stellar jays. Their blue bodies are gorgeous and always a fave picture to my readers. 

I thought today a lot of why I write. My perception was I was writing for myself. Yet as my audience grew, the writing did too. I make no false assumptions here as alesiablogs is still for me. To be sure of this,however, I post this photo of one of the most important men in my life. 

Freshly pressed has been a dream of mine. Could I ever write to the level of such prestige to gain that honor ? It remains to be seen , but as I create my own art in prose, it is my dream that my  art is pleasing to myself and the reader. Today I felt inclined to please myself and show off my cute boy. Mr. Luke I adore you just the way God made you. 

My Vote

I called two friends I knew who would pick up the phone this morning. Each friend voted for different presidential candidates. It was good conversations. My friendships are a blessing. 
I am so happy for the candidate I chose. What an amazing woman.  I didn’t stay up to see the final tally as I knew my world will move on whomever was the winner. 

I so wanted a woman to be president. I want MORE for women more than ever. Recently, I was told I am only 7% of my gender as a military veteran who has full VA medical privileges.  My VA doctor also said I am better off with my medical problems to not see a VA urologist for my female issues.  It just seems so weird.

Responses around the world seem to know more about our politics then  we Americans do. My German family when I visited in July stated to me that President-elect Trump would be elected. 

Maybe this time US citizens will stop believing everything the media distorts. I turned the TV off for most of this election several months ago. However, I voted for who I believed was the best choice. 

For some of my dear friends who are dismayed, take heart to the conciliatory speech Sec. of State Clinton gave today. She encouraged little girls and that alone speaks volumes to the type of woman she is. She also quoted beautiful scripture. This is heart warming to me. 

Hillary- if you read this– I have voted mostly GOP my entire voting life.  This year – I gave you my vote. But more than ever I pray for you and that you will enjoy much needed rest and time with your family especially your grandchildren. 

Photos courtesy of Google for this post. All other photography on my blog is mine. 

Ignorance

Is it possible that ignorance is that bad ?  After the last few years, I have contemplated that word and its ramifications. 
Here is my take on life through the eyes of ignorance. The real problem is not ignorance, but it is “knowing” to what extent we do not know. 

Recently, I began a conversation with a friend about current affairs. I like to keep it brief because there are so many other topics I prefer . We decided we need to have understanding and find out as much as we can about a subject if possible . 

How do we do that?  I devised in my own ignorance a few steps to assist me.

1.   Try to gain knowledge when possible.  Go to resources you can trust for information. 

2.   Do not turn away from what you do not want to hear because you are uncomfortable with it . 

3.   Remind yourself ignorance in of itself is no excuse. 

Do not allow yourself to be bogged down by not seeking truth. Enlighten yourself. Believe in yourself. If we find truth and practice it, this will speak volumes to others.

The question is not wrapped up in ignorance when you live your life how you think it should be lived. It is a world view based off many factors. I like to think I have come a long way baby , but the truth is my ignorance still gets in the way. At least , I will acknowledge that. 

God bless all and Go Vote!

Light Coming Through

Hiding Behind the Façade. Have Wig Will Travel!

Alone. Searching for the words to say something. Anything. To Who? Radio on. No need to talk. Driving from the mall on my way home, my eyes are blinded by the sun. Visor down to help, but it still does not block the intensity of the sun beaming down on the windshield. The only answer is to slow the car to a crawl and put my hand up to the sun coming in. Finally I can see to drive. Light still coming through though.
Giving up. I am home. Sitting in my car. Alone. Waiting for the garage door to open. Driving in. Engine off. Searching for something to say. Why? No one around to talk to. Still searching for something to say. No reason to. Getting out of the car. Door opened by my gloved hand and my dog to greet me. Thank God a familiar face. Happiness. Tail wagging.
No pressure now to say anything. Alone. Going to the back of the house. Light is shining through the window. No need to block it anymore. Enjoying the light coming through now. Searching for words to say. None comes. See only the light. No ghosts to worry about. Just me. Tiny body pressing against my lower legs reminding me I am worth something.

Accepting What You Cannot Change

The Winter Season is known to bring depression. I hope my photo shows you hope in the midst of yours as it does mine.

My grandmother had a saying that just about sums up how I have felt this week. She would say, “I think I am gonna crawl into a hole and pull in the hole after me.” She lived her whole life in Western Kentucky and died when she was about 80 years old thirty years ago.
Grandmother could be a strange woman, but I know I only saw love from her. She cooked the best butter biscuits and fried chicken a little girl could ever want!
Yet, it seemed to me she suffered at times from depression. I do not know if she was ever clinically diagnosed with it, but I do wonder now about it. But you know one thing I do know is she loved me more than life itself and that was for real. Thank you grandmother.
As I struggle with the angst of my life during a season that we should be thankful, I must accept what I can not change. I recently wrote that my gut check times have become downright vomitus in nature. See this post to catch up: https://alesiablogs.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/acceptance/
I however at the time did not share about the separation I am going through with my husband of 22 years. What I tried to do is put on a good face with you to bring positive in my life when in reality it is not there.
One thing I must do though to move on from this timeframe is to accept what I can not change. We raised two beautiful sons and one of them you all know is Luke who has autism. My life’s journey brought many people through the doors of my home to assist me with him. This perhaps may have been more of a gift to humanity than I will ever really know.
Out of all the care providers that assisted me with Luke, I saw many of them leave our home and become professionals in the world of Teaching, Physical Therapy, Speech therapy, Psychologists, and last but not least Nursing. My life meant something and the lives touched have gone on to touch 100’s of others.
If you are suffering depression and you are reading my post today-know you are not alone. Your life matters. It really does. People come through your life everyday and you have no idea what you did to have made a difference. Remember it is at times the unseen that you are not aware of that is life changing.
Today I am thankful for you my reader. Happy Thanksgiving to my “blogging family” and especially those of you that really do take the time to read.
This post is dedicated to Myrtle who cooked many of my Thanksgiving meals when I was growing up.

Throw And Tell!

This son turns 20 and I turn 50. My how time flys!

Happy 50th Birthday gift to myself: Be True to Yourself….

Listening to Rod Stewart’s HOT LEGS on the radio, it reminded me of my friend that was sitting in the front row of one his concerts when the MAN kicked a soccer ball straight to him. Unknown to my friend, THAT ball was autographed by Rod. Rod was giving him a gift. What did my friend do? He kicked that damn ball right back at Rod! As my friend’s wife likes to say, “Rod’s face was dumbfounded, but my face was livid!”
I laugh just thinking about that incident. How many times when gifts are involved we think there is some kind of strange motive behind them? I can understand that because we live in such a, “You rub my back, I’ll rub your back society.” Receiving a gift with no strings attached is a feeling that some fear. People fear what they don’t know.
Listening to my inner voice, I have heard many strange tunes. I still close my eyes though. IT is my hope that the strongest pure sound prevails with breathtaking clarity. Recently I was asked why don’t I blog about my gift of understanding the things of my former occupation in the medical field? With all due respect, I am doing just that. Sharing what is in the inner works of our spirit is so much more important than any health condition. The spiritual heart needs fixing first. If it is disappointing to not always be receiving some profound word from this blogger-rest assured the truth of an ordinary life is what I am . There is nothing more. There is nothing less.
Happy Birthday to ME. 50 years is a long time. Let me celebrate who I am now. Not the identity of the past. Follow me in my newness and celebrate that which is happy. Baby comes as you are. I do.