Goodbye

Goodbye

We had a funeral to say goodbye

It was important to leave on a high

The “at” family came and quietly sat

Waiting their turn to speak with dear Pat

The “in” crowd arrived with all of their kin

Each hid behind a shy little grin

Next came the “un” twins which doubled the fun

They spoke of the time they went for a run

Nobody thought the “it” team would fit

But somehow they managed to file in and sit

There were word families as far as you could see

All of them there to support my family and me

You just do not disrupt the “an” family clan

By placing an apostrophe T at the end of can

Can with an apostrophe t? Oh how absurd!

That’s why we’re mourning this silly word.

Opening Day

Opening Day

“There’s no crying here” I heard someone say

Who sheds tears on opening day?

I look around and take in the crowd,

a sea of faces, all standing proud.

The umpire yells “Play ball,”

as the players tip hats to his call.

Before you know it, we’re in the last inning,

tied 0-0 just like the beginning.

Here he comes, my favorite player

and I don’t hear one single nay-sayer.

“Let’s go!” I shout! “You can do it!”

“Everyone knows that you can hit!”

He smacks the ball and sends it flying,

A single home-run without even trying!

The fans go wild! I say “That’s my hero.”

Now the score is one to zero.

After the game, we stand by the fence,

waiting like always with great suspense.

I want to see him really bad.

He’s my favorite player, but he’s also my dad!

Always Stop at the Lemonade Stand (Part One)

Always Stop At the Lemonade Stand (Part One)...

It's official!  Today, was "opening day" for Lemonade Stand Season!  As I drove through the busy streets just outside the city, there it was, on the corner with a big sign, a stack of solo cups and an empty pitcher.  A young boy sat waiting as his older sisters came out of the house with the replacement pitcher of fresh, cold, l-e-m-o-n-a-d-e!  As I was approaching the stand, the young boy spotted me out of the corner of his eye.  I saw him pump his fist and say "Yes!" under his breath!  He sat up straight and waited, ready to assist as I approached.  The sign on the front said "Fresh cup of ice cold lemonade."  It had a price of $0.50 next to it but that was crossed out with an X.  Underneath it was $1.00.  Apparently, they were very confident in their product, raising the price on the spot!  I must admit, they were very professional, and prompt.  Everyone was friendly and it was absolutely apparent that they loved their jobs!  I walked away with a big smile on my face, a fresh cup of ice cold lemonade and a reminder that in one corner of our world, happiness and hope are alive and well...

Where Did You Go?

Where Did You Go?

You were there when I took my first step. You were there when I said my first word.  It was your neck that I threw my arms around while I smothered your face with kisses.  When I was scared, you didn't dismiss my fears. You just held me and told me I would be alright.  If my friends weren't playing fair, you were always there!  You were beautiful. I remember always thinking that. You laughed often and you loved so much.  I was your favorite. You didn't have to tell me.  My brother said he was the favorite. Then my sister said she was the favorite. There's no way you could favor all three. Right?

When my teachers needed a room mother, it was you. You were always there. You made the cupcakes, you brought the kool-aid. It was you that my friends liked so much. When we moved, I was so sad but you were always there for me. I didn't know that you were sad too. You just kept looking out for me and making sure I took an honest path.  Suddenly, it wasn't very fun for me to see you always there anymore but you didn't let that bother you. You cared and you were there. When I told you to leave me alone. You stood your ground and didn't falter. You had courage and strength which I now deeply admire. I was angry. You were there. I was mad. You were there. I was disgusted. You were there. I was sad. You were there. I was embarrassed. You were there.

I took you for granted and pushed you aside. You had so much wisdom and so much pride. When I worked with you, I saw your true talent. You are creative and have such an amazing gift. I would turn the corner, and you were there. It made me happy. I loved going to work and seeing you. We were able to rebuild what we lost for so many years.  If I was scared, you still didn't dismiss my fears. You laughed often and I remember thinking that you were still so beautiful.  

When my children were born, you were there. You gave them love that only you could give. I watched you with them and wondered what you were like when I was that little.  You were so gentle and attentive. You were perfect.  

You were you!

You are still here but where did you go? I look in your eyes and I don't see you there. You call me by name, you tell me you love me but it isn't the same. I am fearful because I am scared I am going to lose you but you don't even realize this is how I feel. You can't dismiss my fears because you don't see them anymore. I'm not sure what you see. I wish that I could see through your eyes. I wish that I could think your thoughts and hear what you hear. I wish that I could shake you and wake you up from this 12 year fog. How can I ask for someone to come back to me when they technically never left me?  I want you to hug me like you used to. I can tell the difference.  I want you to tell me you love me and mean it like you used to.  I'm tired of being numb. I want you to wipe away the tears that fall as I write these final words. More than anything, I want you to know how much I love you.  Since you "left", my life hasn't been the same. For my own peace of mind, 

I really want to know...

Where Did You Go?

I Stood Up To You

I STOOD UP TO YOU!

I stood up to you when I said “Stop putting me down.”

You didn’t hear me. You were adjusting your crown.

I stood up to you when I defended my work.

You didn’t notice. You were being a jerk.

I stood up to you as I clinched my fists tight.

You knew you were wrong, yet you still had to fight.

I stood up to you when I replied with a glare.

You looked right through me, like you just don’t care.

I stood up to you when I said your words sting.

You didn’t respond. You just stared at your ring.

I stood up to you and asked “Why do you bully?”

You didn’t answer, but you understood fully.

I stood up to you when I said “ Hey, I MATTER.”

You looked right at me and said “I’m not paid to be kind or flatter.”

I stood up to you but it was all in my dream.

I really wish things weren’t as bad as they seem...

It's in the Cards

IT’S in the CARDS

Who is your hero?  Growing up, I remember my dad always talking about his favorite player, Stan Musial.  He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and was known as “Stan the Man” because of his character on and off the field.  My dad told us stories of growing up in Richmond, Virginia and listening to the Cards on the radio so that he could hear his favorite team’s games and know how his favorite player was doing. He said that he could picture each play in his head perfectly.  That probably explains why he is still such a great listener when we chat.  If you were to ask my dad today, who his hero was when he was a child, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that his hero was Stan Musial.  He admired him for his talent and the gentlemanly way that he handled himself on and off the baseball field.  He never said much but his actions spoke volumes.

Several years ago, we learned that Mr. Musial was going to be coming to a card show near our hometown.  This was an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up so we bought tickets for our family and of course we bought a ticket for my dad.  Probably one of the best days of my life was getting to see my dad meet his childhood hero, Stan “the Man” Musial.  We have a picture of them together from that day and I remember my dad telling him how much he admired him when he was growing up.  Mr. Musial didn’t say a lot but he smiled and was appreciative of my dad’s compliments that day.  I can remember walking away thinking about the excitement that my dad must have been experiencing when he met his hero.

Recently, my dad and I were talking about the day that he met Mr. Musial.  I was telling him how I felt when I watched them meet and shake hands.  My dad shared that while he was excited, he had been a little disappointed because Mr. Musial didn’t talk very much and he had hoped that he would talk a little more when they met.  My dad went on to tell me that he later read that his childhood hero had a speech impairment, stuttering.  Speaking in public was something that made him very uncomfortable but because of his character and his desire to be a good role model for young children, he would do it when it was necessary because that was part of the job.  Mr. Musial took his job very seriously even after he retired from the MLB.  He continued to represent the St. Louis Cardinals in a positive manner, owning a restaurant in St. Louis, staying in the area for the remainder of his life.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.  For most young children, they tend to be professional athletes and that was the case for my dad.  I will always be grateful for those few moments that we had together at a card show in Virginia.  I grew up imagining what my dad must have been like as a child and I learned a lot about him through stories from family members.  On the day that he met his childhood hero, I got to see for a few brief moments, what my dad was like as a child and as soon as I met Mr. Musial, I knew why he was “The Man.”

May I Please Have a Word With You?

May I please have a WORD with you?

I've always been fond of words. I remember learning the word personification in the third grade and I remember thinking it was the best word ever!  I love to speak metaphorically and I still love to learn new words. My brother and sister always tease me when we play Scattegories because I have a certain look on my face when I say a word that I am particularly proud of. In the fourth grade, I was the grade level representative for the school wide spelling bee and I remember what my mom said to me when I lost against the fifth and sixth graders.  She said "Well, you will never forget how to spell the word ASSOCIATION again!"  She was right just like always!  

Here's the thing about words.  There are a myriad of ways to use words. A word  can be your best friend or your worst nightmare.   There is so much power in a word. At the beginning of the school year, I had a very interesting experience with words.  There were two emails in particular that I received on the same day.  The first one said not to be offended if the emails that I sent didn't receive a reply because this person receives a lot of emails and sometimes can't get to them all.  That one didn't make me feel so good. In fact, it hurt. Is what I have to say so unimportant that I can't even receive a two word reply like "Thank you?"  A few hours later, I opened up an email from a person much higher up in the "food chain" who proceeded to tell me that the email that he had received from me was "unequivocally the best email I have ever received in the eleven years since I started working in this company."  How do you think those words made me feel?  I felt like I had won the lottery and I didn't even purchase a ticket!  :) 

 If only that childhood chant we used to say so easily were true: " Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."  Now, more than ever it is easy to hurt others with your words.  In our never ending battle to fight a society who continuously withdraws and hides behind texting and emails, we must take a stand and remember that words matter. Just like sticks and stones, words can break you if you let them...