I LIKE ME!!!!!!!

First thing every morning I make a pot of coffee, get me a cup and sit down at the computer and read the newspaper.  I think I got this habit of reading the newspaper from Dad.  Seemed he always had a newspaper in his hands or beside his chair.  I always considered him a very smart man and once asked him if the reason he knew so much was because he read the paper each day?  He answered and said what  made him smart was he knew not to believe anything he heard or read and only half of what he saw.  Of course, what he was trying to teach me was to use the brain given to me by the good Lord above, to have a little "common sense".  Dad was always informed on current events, while my first readings were of Jesse Outlar and Furman Bisher on the sports pages.

 I've found sometimes common sense is a hard thing to use.  Oh sure,  it seems to get easier as you get older but sometimes I still have to STOP and THINK.  And sometimes even when I STOP and THINK,  I still make the wrong decision.  I sometimes get upset or frustrated with my kids and grandchildren about the things they do.  I try to keep my mouth shut and let them learn from their  mistakes, but all the while am saying to myself, "What in the world are you thinking?"  And then I think back to when I was young and remember some of the things I did and I know my  Dad was thinking "what is going on in that head of yours?" 

I wrote a few days ago about my Mom saying "It's hard to get old,  there aren't any old sissies."  Well I believe this statement true,  but it brings to mind another Question.  Is it harder to get old or be young?   Being young is hard too.  And if you really think about it,  it may be harder than getting old.  I'm 63,  just had a birthday  last week, and listen to this.....believe it or not,,,,, I know who I am.  I know who I am and I'm happy with that person.  I may not think like you do on all the issues of today,  I may not act like you all the time,  I may not enjoy the same things as you but that's OK.  I'm happy with me.  I'm not afraid to express my opinions just because you may disagree with me.  You may not like my handlebar mustache,  but it makes no difference to me....I like it and I'm gonna keep it.  I don't feel the need to fit-in with every other 63 year old.
I know there are things I can do and have finally realized there are things I can't do. One of the hardest lessons for me to learn, and it's still hard to admit today is that the world doesn't revolve around Wesley.   Makes me think of my niece when she saw the Police Lady directing traffic at her school,  telling this car to go and this one to stop, and then to go.  All of a sudden little Mae looked up at Terri, her mom at asked  "Who does she think she is?   Does she think she runs the whole world?"  I had to learn I didn't run the whole world.

One of the things I learned was I couldn't live my children or grand children's lives.  As much as I would like to...IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.   There's an old African Proverb that says "It take a village to raise a child".  I know...there are a lot of people and maybe even Hillary herself that wanted us to think this was a Hillary Proverb but it isn't.  But over a lifetime I've learned it's true.  I may not be able to live the life's of my children or grandchildren or nieces or nephews,  but....but....I can help raise them...I can be an influence, because it does take a village   WOW I say......"what an opportunity"......but then I  STOP and THINK........What a responsibility. 

I love family.  I love just being around them.  I love being around them as a group like parties and weekend retreats and vacations and I love being around them individually.  But I must remember,  just as you must remember,  these children weren't just put here only for my enjoyment.  They were put here for a purpose,  for a reason and I need to help them be prepared  when they find that reason.

Yes,  I'm happy with me.  I honestly like me, although I'm not perfect.  And I realize I like me in part because of the village that raised me.  I think they did a pretty darn good job even if I do say so myself.

God,  Please help me to STOP and THINK  more often as my grandchildren grow.......Amen