Anyone that knows of the Anne Frank story should read this.
Miep Gies held on to her humanity in a time and place in which humanity barely existed.
Here's the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34814027/ns/world_news-europe//
Miep Gies dies at age 100
Anyone that knows of the Anne Frank story should read this. Miep Gies held on to her humanity in a time and place in which humanity barely existed. Here's the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34814027/ns/world_news-europe//
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Something about watching televised ice skating and gymnastics makes me nostalgic. I don't know what it is, but I do know that it ties in with some of the best times of my childhood and some wonderful memories, which aren't always easy to access. It brings back memories, even the skating of the non-competitive variety, which is what I'm currently watching.
It's been a while, though, and I don't know m any of the up-and-comers. My loyalties still mostly rest with the old timers, m any of whom are no longer in the sport. Those like Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Brian Boitano, Michelle Kwan, Elvis Stoiko, Dorothy Hamill, the teams fo Tanith Belbin/Benjamin Agosto and Ekaterina Gordeeva/Sergei Grinkov, Sasha Kohen, Victor Petrenko. There are several more, but they escape my memory right now- and some I simply can't spell or pronounce correctly! Some o fthem are a bit more recent than others, of course. And of course, I've saved the very best for last- my very favorite skater, Scott Hamilton! I don't think anyone is as great as him, and I was devastated when I heard he was sick, and then later, retiring. Every dog has thier day, though, and all good things must come to an end. Some of my best memories are of watching Scott Hamilton do things on the ice that the other skaters- even the best- could only dream of doing. These days, I don't watch the skating- or gymnastics- as much as I used to, but when I do I am always taken back to those days of memory. I will always treasure what these unknown strangers have given to me. I don't think many of them realize or understand what part they play in the lives and memories of so many people, as opposed to the movies stars and starlets, tv actors and actresses, and the music stars. Happy New Year, Everyone!
Out with the old, in with the new! Not only are we beginning a new year, once again....... but we are beginning a new decad, as well. I hope the new year, and the new decade, is kind and full of blessings for each and every one of you! Welcome to my new nephew, Bryant Hunter Bradley! He entered the world safe and healthy on Dec. 20th, 2009. He weighed 6 lbs and 2 oz.
He looks just like his daddy! A very good friend of mine has a young niece that has just suffered a terrible and tragic loss. I don't know her niece, and she doesn't know me, but I can't help feeling for her very strongly. So this is for Tahsa.
The Stages of Grief Sometimes things happen beyond our control and we lose those we love in life. We are full of anguish yet empty inside unable to get past the strife. The grief is over-powering everything around guilt and blame take root in the heart It's hard to believe that the world didn't stop and from others you feel apart. Denial is the first that enters the soul 'It didn't happen', your heart must say, 'yesterday was just fine, nothing wrong, how could he be gone today?' Anger is next and takes denial's place You shout, 'someone's to blame! it's somebody's fault, probably mine, but someone must shoulder the shame.' 'He was too young, he was too kind it shouldn't have happened to him, how could he do such a thing to himself? Did death pick him on a whim?' Bargaining follows, you must make a deal surely there's something to trade? 'What wouldn't I give to turn it around, to not feel so afraid?' 'I'll be kind, I'll pray to God in going to church I'll never slack, I'll never say a mad word to him, but please let him come back.' Depression is fourth taking it's place dulling the world to gray It hard to move on after what's happened it's hard to greet each new day. The grief takes hold, not raw anymore but settled into constant pain it affects everything you do and think with no happiness to attain Acceptance is the last stage of grief, the understanding coming slow That maybe the world is still moving on and you can rejoin the flow. Sooner or later we all tragically learn that a part of life is death and true healing comes the very first time you take your second breath. That breath that comes after you've grieved so long but you finally raise your head and realize that though you lost a love you yourself aren't dead. You must live your life to celebrate the time together you had and realize that you can be happy even while you're sad. You'll never get over what happened you'll know it forever-more you'll cry for him through-out your life but you'll remember him as before. You'll remember the times you had with him, when you played and lauged and fought, but you'll remember him with happiness and heal more than you ever thought. Tammy Boyd Okay, here's my finished effort. It was a good thing to do to keep busy when I was too dizzy to get out of bed or watch tv or read, but not quite sick enough to sleep. It kept my mind busy and kept me from being too bored, lol. I'm going to make a matching little baby beanie in the same teal and off white (actual colors: Ocean and Ivory). I used The Caron brand crochet yarn, it's much softer than Red Heart or most others except for specialty yarns, which can be a little expensive.
I made the size slightly bigger than the pattern called for so the baby can wear them for a month or two, hopefully. I have the same pattern for toddler size, which is really just extra stitches around. This is a picture of an online crochet pattern I'm going to be following to make a pair of baby hightop booties. This is what they are supposed to look like, lol. I'll post pictures of my finished version when I'm done- I hope they look the same! Just yesterday evening, my brother found out that his soon to be first baby is going to be a boy. The boys are beginning to outnumber the girls in our family now, but that's okay. A question for anyone reading: What is your definition of a 'mixed blessing'? Our family has recently been given a mixed blessing. We found out a few weeks ago that one of my younger brothers is expecting a baby with his fiance. It's his third try; his first was aborted behind his back (he is no longer with that woman), and his second, with his current fiance, was miscarried last year. Now she is pregnant again. The whole family has been cautiously excited, hopeful for the new baby, which will be Sean's first child if it is carried to term, but we have all been afraid to hope too hard. Nobody wants to temp fate, so to speak, or to be as disappointed as the last two times if something happens. And of course, that's to say nothing of how devastated, once again, Sean would be. This morning, we were informed of the mixed blessing, and how ironic- in a sad way- that it happened on Father's Day. As it turned out, Sean's fiance was carrying twins. Now she is only carrying one. We don't know the gender of the surviving baby, because the pregnancy is only four months along, and that seems to be a long time left to be too hopeful as of yet. And here's where the mixed blessing comes in. And mixed feelings on my part. I know from experience the emotional turmoil that comes with losing a baby, especially if the coming baby was badly wanted and already loved, and my heart aches for the mother. Speaking for myself, I am upset and very disappointed for my brother and his fiance for their loss. I'm also very disappointed for my family, who all- including me-wanted this pregnancy to work out well. But then, thankfully, there's the surviving baby to think about. Despite the loss, I'm grateful that one has survived so far and that, according to doctors, the baby seems to be as healthy as any in the fourth month, with no forseeable problems. Again, I'm afraid to be too hopeful, but it's looking good, and I'm awaiting this baby with as much, maybe more, anticipation than before, because of the loss of the twin. The problem is, I almost feel guilty for still having some hope, even though one was lost. My feelings are bouncing back and forth between happy, sad, empathetic, hopeful and guilty. Not to start sounding all new age, but I'm worried that any negative feelings, like sadness, guilt or any other possible ones will affect the so-far surviving twin. And part of the reason for my own sense of guilt is the fact that I'm almost glad. Not that one of the babies was lost, but because I keep thinking that, if it was going to happen anyway, pre-determined by a higher power that another baby wouldn't be born, at least it was twins so one of them would be left. Does that make me a bad person, I wonder? Because I am one of those people that believe a soul is born the minute a baby is concieved. Each one of them was a niece or nephew, my brother's son or daughter. If both twins had been born, what if, the Lord forbid, something happened to one of them when they were older? Obviously the loss would feel much greater, but would I still feel the same? Would I be thankful that something had happened to only one? I don't think so, because they wouldn't be unknown souls by that point. I have other nieces and nephews and the thought of something happening to any one of them is unbearable. What are right now quiet souls in a womb would have been children that had grown in the family and had personalities of their own, people that I spent time with; that makes any loss much greater, though it doesn't diminish my feelings now for the lost unborn twin. In the long run, it's all up to God, or whatever higher power is believed in by any individual. It's just up to us to work through the feelings and emotions on our own. And I have just been hit with a disturbing idea. I have been making a blanket for the baby, before we knew there were two. I had started it cautiously, a little worried about the validity of some superstitions. One of those is 'acknowledging an unborn baby too soon is bad luck'. In fact, my brother hadn't even wanted any of us to know yet, because of that superstition, but you know how things get around in a close family, even from states away. My worry is this: Which baby was the blanket being made for? The lost baby, or the survivor? |
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