Author Archives: grannyo73

April 26, 2022

What would I do? It is only speculation until I have to do it. I think I would know how I would act, but unless I am face to face with a difficult situation, I cannot be totally sure. For instance, here is a scenario: Let’s say that I was stuck in quicksand. I didn’t know it was quicksand until I took a step and all of a sudden, I got that sinking feeling. Now I had two feet in this gooey icky stuff. There was no one around. I was alone somewhere in the wilderness. The sun was bright, and the temperature was about 82 degrees. It felt great to be out of doors until the quicksand was over my ankles, then I started to sweat. At first it was a bit scary to be in the predicament that I found myself in. I knew it did not make sense to scream and yell so I closed my eyes and tried to put everything into perspective. When I opened my eyes again the quicksand was up to my knees making my escape impossible. Guess what happened? My nose began to itch. I was able to itch it, but for how much longer would that be possible? The quicksand was now up to my waist. I grasped my hands behind my head so that I would be able to move my arms for a bit longer. I decided I would pray the prayer that I would pray at a time of my death. Of course, like I said, I would be unable to speculate about what the time of my death would be like, unless of course this were indeed that time. Since I am 74 and have already had a long wonderful magical life, it would be unthinkable to ask for more time. The quicksand was now around my back and chest. The good thing was that my arms had been getting tired and the quicksand was holding them up as I put them stretched out by my side, of course the relief was temporary because my arms were soon overtaken by the aggressor. I started praying, and here is what I said,” Oh mighty God, thank you for all the gifts you have given me. Thank you for my life. Thank you for sharing your miracles with me. Thank you for the love.” The quicksand was now at my neck, so I closed my eyes and continued to speak my prayer without moving my lips. “God I am at peace, knowing that I have been forgiven for all of my sins. I am at peace knowing I am loved. I know that this quicksand is not arbitrary, but rather part of the big plan. You knew it was going to happen. I must say I was a bit surprised.” The quicksand was now touching my chin.” Okay one last thing God. I love you with all my heart and appreciate everything I have ever had and am grateful to have had it. Thank you…so very very much.” Then everything went dark as ink and that is all I can remember. I am glad that the quicksand is a scenario I will probably not have to experience. I hope that whatever my last moments on Earth are, that I will end them speaking of love and gratitude. To remember forever that it is all a gift…life is a gift. Remembering that to be true, I hope I will be smiling. What would I do? Sooner or later, I will know. Sooner or later, we will all know.

Granny-o

April 13, 2022

Connect. Connect. Connect. Humans need to connect. To connect to themselves, to connect to others, to connect to nature and to connect to God. Not necessarily in the order of importance, but I am not going to be preaching. I am going to bring you back to appreciation and gratitude. You cannot have appreciation and gratitude if you do not connect. What does that mean in your real life? It means to be totally present, to be alive, to be so excited that every day is another magical experience. Life is not to be taken for granted. Every day is a gift. I have said this before over and over again, “Life is a gift.” It is so important for you to connect to that idea that it will be repeated and repeated and repeated. I had a grandmother who had immigrated to the United States when she was 14 years old. When I was a child, I heard the story of her coming to America many many times. I could pretty much repeat her story word for word. As a result, I sort of glossed it over when she started to tell it yet another time. I knew I would remember it always, but I was tired of hearing it. My grandmother has been dead for a very long time, and that being said lets you know I am much much older than I once was. I have forgotten so much of her story that I said I would never forget. If my grandmother were still alive today, I would ask her to repeat her story. I would ask her details I would listen… really listen and I would connect. Today, her story would be valued by me, but now most of her story is gone. So, my advice is for you to connect more often. Sooner or later the reality of death will enter our world again, and the stories will be silenced. Appreciate the people in your life and be grateful you have them. Connect with everyone and everything, including yourself. Your own reality could change in a blink of an eye. When I go on a walk, that is sometimes one hour long, my son says, “Enjoy.” as I walk out the front door. Indeed, when I am walking, I am so enjoying the time I have to be outside with the sun shining, and trees and flowers blooming. What a wonderful world I live in as my cartoon eyes take it all in. Sometimes I meet other people, and we say hello or stop to chat for a bit. My mailman’s name is Angel. Wow. Connecting makes me happy. Or as my son says to me, “Enjoy”… now I will say it to you, “Enjoy.” Have a most wonderful day.

Granny-o

April 5, 2022

Everything. No one owes anyone anything. not your parents, not your spouse, not your children, not your friends, and for sure, not strangers. Everything that someone does for you is a gift. You do what you do for someone else to make their life more pleasant or easier in some way. You do not do what you do in order to have someone love you. Love is a gift. So, when you do something out of love it is also a gift. When you are the giver, you can decide what to give. You cannot and should not tell people what to give to you or what to do for you. You are in charge of you, or at least you are responsible for how you respond to your surroundings. You have no say as to how another person responds to his surroundings. In the workplace it is a different animal. In the workplace people are paid to do what other people tell them to do. You might love your job, but would you be doing it if you were not getting paid? If you would do your job without financial reward, then your job is a gift that utilizes your abilities and allows you to use your God given talents. Otherwise, money is the motivation for being employed. Even if you do not love your job, if you are good at it and are valued at work, income will put food in your belly. To be happy you have to get all of your ducks in a row. Make your world a better place and the world will be a better place for you to live in. The thing to remember is, even if people do not act the way you think they should, it is not your call to worry about what they are doing. Be the person you want you to be. That should be your only concern. Be nice, appreciate others and be grateful for everything in your life. Why? Because everything is a gift. Be all that you can be, and you will be happy. Let you be a gift to other people. It is a good way to live.

Granny-o

April 2, 2022

Hero. Yesterday, I was on my first solo walk in the last 5 months. I walked in my new neighborhood because my therapist said I was a 7 out of a possible 10 in my ability to get around. She knew I would be able to be alone, with my four-wheel walker, my phone and my Life Alert button. I could walk once a day for one half mile. That was all for now. I was grateful and I was ready. Yesterday I opened the front door and walked out into the sunshine. Wow. What a feeling. As I was walking on a street, I had walked down before, there was a sign on the lawn saying, “Hero lives here.” No name no explanation, just the words, “Hero lives here.” I was wondering who of us could say they have a hero living in their home? It was like in the day when yellow ribbons on trees decorated some neighborhoods now and again. The song about yellow ribbons was written about a man getting out of prison. The man wanted to know if he would be welcomed back to his old life so many years later. So, the song said, “… Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree…” It became a symbol for soldiers coming back from the war in Viet Nam. Yellow ribbons kept on showing up. Then one day they were gone, perhaps when the war had ended. Coming back to yesterday, I wonder how many heroes live in my home. In my opinion, if you count the heads, you will know that everyone in this home is my hero. I am not totally sure about the dog. I have learned to have great affection for her, but I am not sure I would put her into the category of being a hero. Everyone here has made life better for everyone else here. Is that being a hero? My mother always said, “You cannot be a hero in your own house”. My mother was always right, but in this instance, I believe she was wrong. Appreciation and gratitude create heroes. When someone feels like a hero, he has confidence and is able to recognize and utilize his God given talents. Look at the people in your life as though you are seeing them for the first time. Look at them and see what you have for so long been taking for granted. Look at them and appreciate all the things that are unique unto each of them. Realize on a daily basis how much joy and happiness the people you love add to your life. Wow. Isn’t love grand. Your life is a gift. Create heroes and you will create greatness. Create heroes and you will be in a happy place. I met the mailman yesterday. We both said hi wishing each other well. and then continued on our own paths. As I was returning toward home, I saw the mailman again. I stopped him and asked him his name. He said his name was Angel. I told him mine. Now we each have an identity. He is now more than the mailman, and I am more than an address. He is now Angel. He is now with a name. He makes it better for each of those on his route day in and day out. Angel is more than a mailman…he is a hero. See how many heroes you can find today who decorate your life. Be happy. Have a great day.

Granny-o

March 21, 2022

It was a super dooper crazy great day on March 15th. This is the first time I have written since, so here goes. It was a super dooper crazy great day for me, not because of where I had gone, or what I had done. It was a super dooper crazy great day because I was again in the zone of appreciation and gratitude. Well that sort of makes all my days pretty much super dooper crazy great. How are your days playing out for you? You and your interpretations of your world are responsible for the success of your days. It is all you, the good the bad and the ugly. Whatever your day is like, is a result of your thinking and your actions. For instance, if you are the cook and the meal you cooked is less than delicious… it is your fault. The ingredients, the recipe, and the preparation were all your choices. The end product is your creation. You take the glory. You take the fall. Choose wisely. So, if you want to have a super dooper crazy great day… then make it a super dooper crazy great day. Sometimes life gets in your way, oh well. If things are difficult for you, then you are in charge of how you react to the problems you are having. Two people with the same problems will have different outcomes because of the way they have responded. Sometimes this even happens in families or in marriages. When there is more than one person involved it is possible, or actually probable, that there will be two solutions. The answer is not in being right or wrong, but rather the answer is to work together to come up with a shared solution. Two heads are always better than one when it comes to figuring things out. Work together when you need to be strong, when you need to be better than you alone can be. Hang in there. It is all good. It is all so good. Get on board and have another super dooper crazy great day. It is within your heart to do so. Remember, it was because you did if you do. Life is a magic carpet ride. Open your cartoon eyes and see the magic.

Granny-o

March 15, 2022

Faith and patience are great additives to your quiver. You can hit the bull’s eye every day if you have the right arrows and if you know how to use them. In many cases things do not happen in the immediacy of the moment. Inspiration is sometimes instantaneous, but the realization of inspiration often takes time, or in some cases a lot of time. In 1971 I was teaching seven and eight year olds in my New Jersey classroom about Ocala, Florida. I was so inspired about what I was teaching that I said, “I hope I can live near Ocala in my lifetime. In 2007 My husband and I moved to the Villages in Florida… eighteen miles away from Ocala. Patience. What did I say about patience? It took 36 years to have my desire come true. The other thing I learned is you better be careful what you wish for. Sometimes your wishes come true in unexpected ways. Listen to what I am saying, “Sometimes your wishes come true in unexpected ways.” When you really and truly want something, even if it is a passing thought from deep in your heart at a specific moment, it might take time to materialize. Be patient, wishes do come true. In my life, I find it is much safer to appreciate what you have, then to wish for something you don’t have. Have faith that you have all you will ever need. You were created so as for this to be true. Using what you have always makes it possible for you to continue on your journey. Your God given talents will make everything you need possible in your life. Sometimes you have to prioritize what you think is really important. I also find that for me living in the present increases my appreciation and gratitude enabling me to be happy. Don’t wish your life away. Enjoy the journey. You will get to your destination with faith and patience. Don’t rush it. Make every day the best day of your life so far. Every day is a new beginning, and every day has an unlimited number of possibilities available for you to choose. Choose carefully. Choose to see the miracles that are always there. If they are not there for you, it is your perception that hides them away from your view. Miracles are twenty-four seven. Have a super dooper crazy great day. I am planning on doing that. I am planning on having a super dooper crazy great day. I will let you know how it played out tomorrow. Bye for now.

Granny-o

March 12, 2022

He is so wrong. My very intelligent middle-aged son is so wrong. this is unusual for me to say because, as my daughter-in-law of almost twenty years, who is also very intelligent, has mentioned over the years I have never found my son to be wrong. I think that that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but for the most part she is right. However, in this unique instance my son is so wrong. Let me explain. My son thinks that I am happy because I travel down the roads of my life saying I am happy. My son thinks I am just convincing myself of my happiness. He thinks it is mind over matter. If I don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter. Ding dong he is so wrong. Write that down in the archives of the family history. He is so wrong. I say over and over again that I am happy because I am happy. Let me say it again, I say I am happy over and over again because I am happy. I am so incredibly happy and have been so for a lot of years. I wake up happy and go to bed happy. It is not because of thinking it, it is because of appreciating all that I have and being grateful I have it. You cannot be sad if you appreciate what you have. I am a great appreciator. I also attribute my happiness to the fact that everything is a gift. I am not deserving of the gifts, I am the recipient of the gifts in my life. Everything in my life has been given to me out of love. Love is the center of everything wonderful in God’s world and in my life, because I live in God’s world. Wow. Let me repeat what I have said, my son is so wrong. My happiness is a heart thing not a brain thing. Right now at 7:56 AM. I am again so happy. I can feel my heart beating in my chest. I am aware of my breathing, and can feel the existence of my physical body from top to bottom. It is not because of my hormones going crazy, I am 74 years old, and I do not have any hormones because of a hysterectomy I had had sixteen years ago. I am again in the zone because being old is great, and because I love being alive. Everything makes sense now. I have an awareness of wow, bouncing around inside of me. It doesn’t matter what I am doing, I am happy doing it. I am especially happy right now. My son just announced to me all the things that would be going on with the people in the family today, being as it is Saturday. One grandson will be working, he is sixteen years old and has a parttime Saturday job. Then he and my son are going to watch my grandson’s best friend dance this evening. My younger grandson is going with my son to get track shoes, because track will be starting soon for the eighth graders. Then tonight he is staying over his friend’s house because it is his friend’s birthday. My daughter-in-law and I apparently have no plans. I guess we will see how that plays out. I am pretty much under house arrest because of my balance issues, and the weather is not very pleasant to be pushing my luck. So, I will be here. I guess my daughter-in-law will be here because there is worry on their part, I might fall. I am happy because my happiness is not a destination. I can be happy doing a jigsaw puzzle on the computer, making my bed of many layers, emptying the dishwasher, reading a book, taking a dictation from my spirit, writing my blog, or just sitting around smiling. Maybe I will take a shower and wash my hair. If you choose to, try the game WORDUS on the computer. I think it is a lot of fun. My happiness lives within my heart. My happiness is where ever I am. Write it in the archives of the family history. My son is so wrong. If he can get his head around what I am saying, he can go back to being right all the time. Have a most marvelous day.

Granny-o

March 9, 2022

And the beat goes on…It is a bit like my mother used to say, “This too shall pass”. It is all the same sort of thing. You and your spirit will go on forever, but what you are going through, good or bad, will pass. I was feeling a bit nostalgic a little while ago. I have lived a long life, and I was thinking about specific times that are in my memory, but long gone from my reality. It seemed so easy back then, and yet nothing is easy in the reality of the moment. The memory erases the reality of hardships and disappointments. Things that might have frightened you are no longer scary. Looking back at life, it seemed like it was always no problem. It was always easy breezy. That is because all problems are temporary in their power over you. This too will pass, and the beat of your heart goes on. You are continually moving forward growing as you go. There is such innocence in youth and that innocence is replaced by knowledge in your old age. With age, you also acquire experience, so at least in some cases you are stronger and more able to live your life more confidently and more successfully as you grow old. You have paid the price of getting a real-life education. You have paid to get smarter by using time… years or even decades of your life. I love being old, because everything has finally started to come together for me, it is finally making sense. I am a teacher of happiness. I know happiness. Now I am 74 years old, and everything is coming together. Every lifetime experience has come together for me, and now it all makes sense. Of course, since the beat goes on, I will always have more to learn. Happiness is a now thing. A reoccurring now thing, or at least that is how it is supposed to be. You have been there and done that, so there should be fewer things to confuse or frighten you. If you have faith in God and the power of God within you, you will continue successfully on your journey through all the days of your life. Your life will not end here or in the hereafter. You will be a survivor. The longer you live the happier you will be if you have learned your lessons along the way. You are here for a reason. We are all here to complete the vision of God. Like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle each one of us adds to the magnificence of the whole picture. Each one of us is designed to fulfill our own purpose. My purpose is to spread happiness the way Johnny Appleseed spread apples. Life gets better and better if you have learned to appreciate what you have and are grateful that you have it. Then …The Beat Goes On. Be happy. Say it again and again. Afterall happy is for every day, not just for New Year’s Eve.

Granny-o

March 6, 2022

It is 5:47 AM and I am sitting here in the silence of our new home. It is so peaceful, and I am so grateful. Wow. Wow. Wow. I am so blessed. I am not blessed because only of our house, which I love, I am blessed because of the 4 people and even “our” dog Milly who live in this house… in our home with me. Wow. Wow. Wow. How very blessed I am. It is all a gift, and I am so happy to have accepted it. My life has changed drastically in the last 10 months. What a year it has been. Mark died. The love of my life was now gone except for all the love we had which still lives in my heart. What a gift our love was. Now since he has died, my life has been so incredibly transformed. I am now 74 years old and living in a new home. I have been up north for five months, and we have been in our new home for one month. What a crazy time it has been. Selling my house in Florida. Giving so much stuff away and still having a POD filled end to end with things I was not ready to part with yet. Now the POD is gone, but the double door garage here is still filled with boxes. Afterall, my son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons have their stuff too, because they have just sold their townhouse. They had lived in that home for almost 17 years. Even though they have emptied one of their PODS there is still one left in the driveway. Most of what has not found a place in our new home has been or will be donated or discarded. The whole point of what I am trying to share at this time is that there are second chances for everyone. Whether you are waking up from a bad day the day before, whether there is sickness, financial problems, or a death of a loved one, there is always a second chance. The most difficult things in our life are all temporary as are the wonderful things. In order to find happiness, you have to enjoy the moments of your life, and then enjoy them over and over again. Misery is temporary. Get through it, and then find a second, or third, or fourth chance. Every day is a new day, and you have a choice to start your new day in a most marvelous way again. Over and over again. Get through what you have to get through, and then get back to living and loving this thing called life. Be grateful, because it is all a gift. Love is the greatest gift of all. Share your love and share your happiness. What goes around comes around. Enjoy others as you would want them to enjoy you. Good morning to each and every one of you. Make this your best day ever and be happy.

Granny-o

February 27, 2022

So what. So what if you don’t know what is coming tomorrow. You are on a journey. You did not design your journey, so it is not important what is down the road. You will get there sooner or later. Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow never comes. Tomorrow becomes today, and today becomes yesterday. The only thing you have control of is your todays. Think of the childhood game of CANDYLAND. Everything is up for grabs. Pick a blue card, and you go to a blue space. Pick a red card and you go to a red space. It is also true that you might pick yellow or green, It is all the luck of the draw. When children are playing the game, they are interested in their journey, twisting and turning through the rainbow of colors. Children are not worried about who is going to win until near the end of the game…then they care. Life in some ways is like CANDYLAND, and in some ways it is different. In life, we are all too on journeys. Always where we are until we are somewhere else. We also do not care so much about the last days of our lives until we are at the end of our lives. Then we seem to care more. The one major thing that is different between playing a game and living your life, is that your journey through the days of your life, are not luck of the draw. There is nothing lucky about where you are, where you are going, or where you will end up. You make choices which might cause detours, but you always will end up at your destination no matter which roads you take. So what if you do not know where your life will take you, live each day as best you can and then go from there. If you are able to do that, you will have no regrets. There are no guarantees in life. So what. It doesn’t matter. Every day is a new opportunity for you to make the choices that will make your life perfect for you. You have choices, your life is not the luck or the draw. Your life is not a game. Live each day in a state of amazement and appreciation. Every day can be and should be a blessing. It is up to you what you do with your twenty-four hours. Make it work. Make it wonderful, so wonderful to be alive. Your choice. Happy. Happy is a choice. Happy is always a choice even if sometimes you are sad. Sadness is temporary. Happiness is ever more.

Granny-o