"A Ball, A Racket, and Hope

I was so impressed when I heard Serena include these word in her speech today. What humility, what simplicity for such a gifted athlete. It was a thrill to see her win her 19th Grand Slam, but more than that, it was a joy to watch her and Venus grow into the women athletes they are. Close sisters, with different styles, one lean, one thick. Heir parents did it their way, protected and supported them always. Serena said it was the first slam without a parent present, but she knew that they supported her and she credited tgem for everything she has become.

Sometimes people think they need riches, or some other external stimuli for happiness and success. What is more important, is having someone who believes in you, coupled with a belief in yourself. Most times, I life, all it takes is a ball, a racket, and hope. That is what we concentrated inthe past before others tried to define what we needed. In the last, poor people rarely thought of thems lves as poor because they were rich in family, just as Serena stated. Everyone was in the same boat, until someone told them they were poor,and defined them as such. The Williams' parents never bought into that, and trained their daughters better than any tennis academy could have.

I never want to forget that all it really takes is a ball, a racket, and HOPE,

The Randomness of the Dollar Tree, and Life's Trees

Wow, I did not realize that I had not written a blog since Thanksgiving. We were very busy over the holidays with eleven people in our house. It was marvelous having our entire primary family with us, and of course, having the grandchildren is always a treat. We had not celebrated Christmas in our home for five years, interrupted by our Thanksgiving cruises. We are so grateful for the love our children and grandchildren continue to show us as we march up this aging ladder.

This past Thursday,after my yoga class, I went to the Dollar Tree store to buy cards (they have the BEST cards, some two for a dollar, and others one for a dollar. I had told my husband my itinerary (as we both always do), and he met me there--how sweet). As I was getting ready to check out, I noticed that they had an entire rounder of Mardi Gras themed items. That is the theme of our Family Reunion, this summer in New Orleans. I took pictures of everything there, and when I got home, I called our daughter (the chairperson), and my sister to find out if I should by things. Of course, they said yes, so the next day,after my brush painting class, I hurried back to the same store, and spent almost $100.00. It would have cost three or four times that much at a regular store. I bought decorations, masks, centerpieces, horns, coins, glasses (eye), and everything else that looked useful. Today, I went to another Dollar Tree, and they had different things, so I bought a view more there.

The thing about the Dollar Tree, is that it is very random. You never know what you might find, and you never know how long it will be there. You have to have the spirit of carpe diem, each time you enter the store. It is the same at my favorite 99 Cents store. I am a part of a FB group, called VOF (Vegan on Friday), and each time I am in those stores, I am looking for something vegan--surprisingly, I found canned vegan vegetable soup at the 99 Cents store, once again a random find.

It occurs to me, that the randomness of those stores, parallels the randomness of life. So many friends are becoming ill, and passing away, that it reminds me of how random illness can be. One day well, the next day sick. It is the ultimate lesson to us of how we control nothing. Loss is probably the most difficult thing as we climb the aging ladder, but once again, it illustrates the circle of life.

Last week, I was asked to speak at a memorial service, but the interesting thing, is the person is still alive, but counting her days. She even read what I am going to say, and found joy in that. That was not random strength--that was something deep within her which gave her the courage to ask, as well as the courage to read. She told me she wasn't freaked out, but clearly I was. I have written and given many speeches, but never one like that. The words came easily to me in the middle of the night, I got up, and made notes--then I could not go back to sleep. The next day, it took less that five minutes to write what I would say. I find it so easy to do that for someone I love-I never have to write, what one of my friends calls my "In Between The Lines Speech." Her illness just randomly came upon her, and her courage, in the midst is quite something.

Carpe Diem--seize the day, both in our lives, and in the Dollar Tree Store!