Today, I went to UVA’s graduation for the Class of 2024, which included mygranddaughter, Georgina. Of course, I went. But when I woke up this morning and saw that it was raining, Ithought about skipping the part at “The Lawn.” The forecast was for rain tocontinue all day. Well, it did continue, but I went anyway. Two of my other grandchildren had spent the night at my house, and we allwent out to dinner with the graduate and her parents…
I realize as I write this that I am speaking into the winds of change that have already swept the country. My voice echoes and becomes indistinguishable with that fierce gale, blowing our country away from its values. The subject of my futile attempt to awaken people is the total lack of morality today. A complete turnaround from the 1950s when I was growing up. Today, it is considered modern to sleep around. There is no shame in losing one’s…
Building brain cells occupies my mind these days. As the years take their toll, it behooves us to find exercises for our mind, body, and spirit. I love a challenge, but I know my limits to some degree. For instance, learning a new language is far down my list, as I have never had much luck with that. Now, I have discovered Mah Jongg. And it is exactly like learning a new language! But it’s more fun for me because…
I learned on Saturday that I no longer cry when I hear wedding vows between a young woman and a young man. Age has made me wiser, calmer, and more realistic. Weddings are so beautiful and moving; women love them. While most men seem to wish they could avoid going altogether. Marriage is full of ups and downs. Some are so small you barely notice, and others are as strong as earthquakes. I believe in Marriage. Taking Marriage vows is…
He is Risen! Easter is the most important religious holiday for Christians. But I did not go to church on Easter. This made me feel momentarily guilty, but on the other hand, my gratitude to my Higher Power was demonstrated differently. Family! Ours is large and boisterous and full of love for each other. Not everyone is so blessed. It seems to me that gathering those relatives together to celebrate Easter is undoubtedly the right spirit to have. We are…
There is a story about a teacher who took a live fish out of its bowl of water, and then left it on the desk. The teacher told the children they would be expelled if anyone left their seat. Then he left the room. The poor fish gasped and twisted with a classroom of children watching, as it flopped around…All of the children sat and watched as the fish struggled, gasping for life, wanting to be back in the water….
One of my earliest memories is of my mother sitting in the chair next to her bed and holdingthe black receiver of the telephone. I heard her say, “Operator, I need “Long Distance” can you get me a Leesburg Virginia number ….” Leesburg was less than forty miles away. But it was a long distance, andit was the operator who made all long-distance calls. If the call was far away, the operatorwould call you back when she got the connection….
In the late 1940s, when our family was still pretty young, my parents rented a house inDelray Beach, Florida. Every winter for three years, we would go down there for six weeksand stay in a magical house owned by the “mysterious” Dr. Koch (more about him later).The house was directly on the water, a few miles from town. There were no neighbors oneither side.The house was built in the style of the famous Addison Mizner, who designed houses in theSpanish…
Cancer! The word is terrifying. Cancer is on the rise. And the medical establishment plays on our fears. A friend of mine asked her doctor about using an “alternative” treatment. Her doctor told her that he would no longer be her doctor if she opted to use the alternative treatment. That is blackmail. She was forced to choose. She is dead now. But she chose the doctor and his protocol. My friend fought pancreatic cancer for two years before she…
My mother, Ruth Elizabeth Hale, liked men. She had a great desire for admiration. She feltit was necessary as a young person to have a boyfriend to enjoy life. And she was a magnetfor members of the opposite sex. Men adored her. Mother’s first real love affair was with a man named Edward Wheeler. His father was asenator, and a friend of my mother’s father, my grandfather. Mother’s father liked thefamily. When they began their relationship, my mother was 17,…
Character is built by making small decisions every day. There is no BIG decision that does it. Changing anything about oneself is difficult. Benjamin Franklin did it and he is much admired. Of course he was a genius which probably helped. Still it is often desirable to make changes. Stopping a bad habit like smoking or drinking could be the change you need. Or it might be organizational skills or time management that you are after. The point is that…
We were so powerful before they told us we were victims. In past centuries, women always knew that they were the powerful ones in the equation. They passed this knowledge down to their daughters. The men were stronger and faster and more bold. However, between women and men, women had the power, and the men knew it. Without us, there would be no human race. We had the babies. There was a saying; “The hand that rocks the cradle rules…
Someone put up a meme about a whole field of sheep all wearing red MAGA hats as far as the eye can see . And the sheep were all raptly listening to a wolf dressed up in a sheepskin. The implication was that Donald Trump is the wolf and his “followers” are the sheep. After seeing the meme, I wrote; “That is funny!!! I see the humor. It is OK to make jokes about each other. But, seriously, Trump supporters…
The other day, while looking for a sweet movie to watch with my youngest grandson, a suggestion popped up that interested me: “That Touch of Mink.” I knew it was not something my grandson would enjoy. But, I am a Cary Grant fan, and my curiosity was aroused. My memory of that movie was pleasant but vague. Then, I noticed a warning in the description of the movie. It said, “This film reflects the standards, language, and attitudes of its…
What a year it has been! I am so happy living here in Charlottesville, VA. My children say it is my “reward.” It is, in some ways, the best time of my life. Isn’t it strange how that works out? I will be 82 in January, and that number shocks me. I once thought that was old. And, of course, it is ancient to my grandchildren. Even my own children worry about me in a way they never appeared to…
