Saturday, January 30, 2010

THE NEED STILL EXISTS


I intended to change the topic and the photo at the top of the page. However, I cannot as yet. There may not be the television coverage of the earthquake in Haiti that there was in the first week following the disaster, but the pain and suffering and need will be with the Haitian people for a long, long time to come.

For days I watched and cried and prayed for the pitiful victims as well as those who struggled long hours in the heat attempting to rescue or tend their wounds. I cheered with them as beyond all belief, new survivors were rescued days -- and now two weeks after they were trapped. The images will stay with me forever. Who could not cry when the 18 month old toddler was pulled from the wreckage after nearly three days? She lay near her mother and father who were both killed. I raised my arms and sang with the elderly woman as she was pulled out after days of being buried alive. Her joy was so contagious. Onlookers cheered, sang, and praised God.

I applauded the determination of the young American husband who was in the States at the time of the earthquake, who received a call from his wife who was trapped and still was able to use her cell phone to tell him how to find her. He was in Haiti six hours later, digging almost singlehandedly through the rubble to save her! It was a wonder to me, considering the chaos wreaked on travel in and out of Haiti.

It was difficult to watch as bodies piled up in the streets and people became more desperate for food, water, and medical attention ~ often lying in the open with life-threatening injuries for days without treatment. I sent my love and prayers to those courageous doctors and medical personnel who managed on so little in the way of medical supplies. We all heard of the doctor who used Vodka on wounds when they ran out of alcohol.

I felt the frustration of the military as they watched the badly needed relief supplies pile up at the damaged airport... and the planes that circled for hours waiting to bring more supplies.

I found most of my information on the Internet news sites. Typically, our television networks concentrated on the American efforts. However, there must be dozens or more countries involved in these relief efforts. The Israelis were the first to set up a field hospital, complete with operating rooms near the airfield. Partners in Health, with a permanent hospital nearby Port Au Prince shared all of their medical supplies with the damaged or destroyed hospitals within the city itself. Doctors Without Borders were on the scene within days.

I read of so many, many countries providing relief in the way of search and rescue teams, water and food and medical supplies, medical personnel, and even engineers to help get the city utilities up and running again. Several South American countries, including Chile, Columbia, Brazil, Peru, and Uruguay sent help. Mexico and Cuba. And of course the European countries of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy... the Norwegian countries as well as China and Japan were all represented. Australia, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirate and Quatar sent help.. Even some of the poorer African nations contributed to the relief effort.

My heart swelled. And I could sleep better at night knowing how connected we are on this planet. The United States always leads the way in humanitarian relief, but we are joined by our brothers around the world. A monthly donation to one of the wonderful relief organizations doing such demanding work in Haiti will be good for them and for our own souls. They represent those of us who would be there if only we could.

It would be easy to remember only the devastation, and despair that there would ever be a semblance of normal life again in this poor country. The riots and looting make better headlines and photo ops at times. The work to put things together again seems monumental. I choose to recall the miracles taking place, and the heroic efforts and sacrifices being made by people from all over the world to help our neighbors, our brothers... Let us not forget that nearly 200,000 souls have lost their lives, and thousands of precious children have been left orphans. Let us not forget. And let us still extend a helping hand.

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Peace and love,
Marilyn

P.S.

I just read this on the web and thought I should post it:
"Baltimore Sun:
Donations for Haiti have poured in to the American Red Cross of Central Maryland from a range of sources. Nothing, though, has stood out like the coins and crumpled dollar bills that spilled from one envelope.
That gift - $14.64 - came from the pockets of homeless people at a downtown Baltimore shelter."

Thursday, January 14, 2010

WE ARE THE WORLD

As we watch the horrific images on our television screens, they are reminiscent of an apocalyptic disaster movie. This cannot be happening to people in our world! It cannot be real. But, yes, it is happening. As the hours go by, and the newscasters relate the devastation, showing graphic pictures of bodies laid out side by side, buildings collapsed, the horrors these neighbors of ours are experiencing are almost too much to bear.

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In 1989, I heard a plea go out on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. They were showing graphic images of the Loma Prieta earthquake that had just happened in San Francisco. I was horrified seeing and hearing about the collapsed freeways and the destruction still taking place as Dan Rather spoke. I was crying, pacing the floor, and wringing my hands. My prayers going out to those who were suffering so... Then, I heard him say, "anyone living in the Denton, Texas area wishing to help the earthquake victims, please call FEMA at this number ____." Not knowing anything about FEMA, and wondering how on earth anyone in Texas could possibly help victims in California, my hands shook as I dialed the number. I had images of rolling bandages for the Red Cross. Seriously! I thought I was volunteering.

Thus began my five-year stint as a disaster assistance employee. I met one other person in my time there who described his reaction to the call for help in the same way as I did. We both thought we were volunteering -- and indeed, we still would have signed on without pay.

As bad as the earthquake in California was, I don't recall the damages being as severe as what I have seen
in Haiti on television the past two days. I did not have access to 24-hour television news back then, and of course, I was on the telephone taking down information from disaster victims in less than 12 hours from the time I called. My experiences with that first disaster were filled with tragedy, fear, empathy, and so many stories of "miracles" and heroism.

I was so proud today watching the Americans preparing to launch with supplies
and search and rescue teams to help the Haitian people. I know the news now will be filled with the heroic efforts of people from all over the world, as they alleviate the immediate needs for food, water, and medical care of these poor neighbors of ours. These same countries were there for the United States after 9/11. As the song says, "we are the world... we are the children." May those precious children -- many of them orphaned now, go to bed tonight with food in their bellies, medical treatment... and clean diapers, if needed.


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I was ashamed to hear what a prominent "Christian" television broadcaster said about the Haitians "bringing this disaster upon themselves"! He does not speak for me! Nor millions of the other Christians or believers in this country!
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As we watch or read the news about the rescue efforts in Haiti, as we cry and wring our hands and pray, let us look for the good things that are happening down there and make a point to remember them, and to not dwell on all the pain and suffering. Let our hearts be filled with gratitude and praise for the efforts of those who are working to help the victims. And if you haven't already, donate any amount of money - no matter how small, to the agencies. My favorites are:

Doctors Without Borders USA

P.O. Box 5030
Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030

American Red Cross International Response Fund
P.O. Box 37243
Washington, DC 20013

And of course, the Salvation Army, although I don't have their address at hand. All of these organizations are
already on site in Haiti, and were there before the earthquake. If you wish to donate with a credit card, you can go online and find each website, with instructions for doing so. I've also read that you can donate via your cell phone. Please indicate that you wish your donation to go to the Haiti relief fund.

The needs of these victims are growing hour by hour, and funds will be needed for a long time to come. This is such a poor country to begin with, they need our help more than ever. We truly must be "our brothers' keeper". Next time it
again could be our country .

Let's help make some good stuff happen!

Love and peace,
Marilyn

Sunday, January 3, 2010

A Brand New Year.... No! A Brand New Decade!

Wow! Where did the last ten years go? I have spent several days now watching the "reviews" of the past decade on television. Complete with photographs of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some I would rather not be reminded of, but as the saying goes, if we choose to ignore the past, "we are destined to repeat it". I certainly hope I learned more than a few lessons, as there is a lot that happened that I don't ever wish to repeat! I hope our country has, too.

So many things triggered memories both happy and sad. When seeing photographs and videos of monumental events over the past ten years, I found myself wandering into the territory of "where was I when this was happening?" And of course, the memories flooded in. Although the decade of the "aughts" was filled with losses for me in the way of relationships, jobs, homes, and friends and loved ones who departed this earth, it was also a time of new beginnings and joyful happenings as well.

The births of my younger three grandchildren took place during the 2000s. I cannot imagine this family without the blessings their births have added to our lives.

First came Hannah Elizabeth, now age 9. This little dark-haired beauty was very precocious at an early age. She was definitely a product of the new millennium, and her outgoing nature was evident from Day 1. I have the cutest videos of her at age 18 months singing along (in Spanish) with the cartoon Dora on television. "Olla" she sang, hands waving in the air to accompany herself.

When, at age three, she wanted to do a "cheer" for me, my old cheerleader heart jumped with her! "Two, four, six, eight!" she shouted. "How'd you get so ugly??" (Big jump now, hands spread wide.) "Yo mama!" I nearly fell over laughing. I suspected big sister Miranda had a hand in teaching this to Hannah!

Hannah is finding her way academically, and giving her siblings and cousins a run for their money with straight As in the TAG school she attends. I'm now looking forward to the day she delves deep into her creativity and develops what Dad tells me is a very pretty singing voice.



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The next grandchild to be born was Matthew Travis, who joined us in July, 2002. What a big-eyed, beautiful baby boy he was... and what a little imp! He knew how to get Grandmommy to read one book after another to him as he snuggled up with Pup-pup. Now he can read books to Grandmommy (and is also making straight As in second grade this year), and plays sports with all the enthusiasm of someone much older -- and bigger than he!

He is still my little imp, and resists having me take his photo by hiding or making faces. He's such a cutie pie, too, that I keep on trying. Sometimes I'm successful, but not often.
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Most likely to be my very last grandchild, Kelly Marshall graced us with her presence in November 2005. Her arrival thrilled big brother Travis (at left), and he informed everyone that his brand new baby sister needed a present. When asked what kind of present, his reply was "a pink Power Ranger".

Miss Kelly or "Kelbell" as big brother Travis calls her (from months of speaking about "Kelly in Mommy's belly") is devoted to her big brother. She is a four-year-old charmer with golden curls and big blue eyes that has and will be featured over and over on Grandmommy's blog. The curls were yet to come in the picture at right, but the big blue eyes are brightly shining!

If nothing else good happened in my life the past decade, these three new additions to my family would be enough to make me happy. But that is not the case.

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During this time period, I took two wonderful vacations that left me with fun memories for a lifetime. There were lots of short trips and visits through the years to places like California and Arizona (even a brief residency there), but the cruises I went on, especially the one with daughter Carajean and her family, were the most memorable. I have written about that one at length in a former blog... How we had private plane trouble in Alabama and were in danger of missing the cruise ship in Miami when son-in-law Branch saved the day by chartering a private jet! Now that was an experience I'll never forget! Nor will my four grandchildren who were with us on that trip.

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I moved out of and sold my home of seventeen years -- affectionately called "The Barn" -- in 2001, and wandered around for several years, never feeling at home anywhere else. Then this past year, out of the blue, my dear friends here in Burnet bought a small home for me to rent and live near them and near my younger son Matthew in Austin. I'm settled in now, and hope this will be "home" for many years to come. How does one ever express gratitude for such a gift?

This is my late sister Jean visiting at the Barn. You know you are living in a primitive state when your sister walks in, claps her hands and says, "Oh! you got a sink! How wonderful!" She had helped me wash dishes in the bathtub the first few months I lived in the Barn!

I liked to think of this property as my "Walden Pond"... my cabin in the woods. I lived there alone for 13 of the 17 years. I might have been there still if it hadn't been falling down around my ears! It was not meant to be a residence.. just a temporary abode that would be an office and workshop for my husband's business when we finished the "big house" at the front of the property. Unfortunately, the big house was never finished. When someone asked me why, all I could say was "we ran out of money and we ran out of love". Needless to say, it was more complicated than that, but I was so thankful to have this little two room structure to live in while I healed and discovered facets of myself I never knew existed. I had many adventures while living in the barn... from snakes in the bathroom to squirrels in the walls... Parties and gatherings and creative ventures. I made many new friends and found a way of life and a philosophy that has brought me peace of mind.
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My older two grandchildren both graduated from high school and each is on a scholarship at college -- one at SMU (Audrey), and Cameron at LSU in Louisiana. They both have been and will continue to be featured on Grandmama's blog. Cameron is my opera singer (future star!), and Audrey is my passionate environmentalist. I expect great things from both of them!

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My dad turned 91 this past November, and is still enjoying his life in Mineral Wells. He has many friends as he has lived in that town for over 40 years. He knows his way around well, and still drives to visit them and go to his VFW and American Legion functions. His best friend is a small Pomeranian named Mickey.

Sadly, my mother decided it was time to leave in February of 2008, and my sister Jean left us this past August. They have left huge holes in the fabric of our families. However, when I get too despondent about their departure, I am reminded of one of my favorite little books, "Illusions" by Richard Bach. One of the quotes I used to keep on my refrigerator. Being told that we each have a mission on this earth, the student asked his teacher "How do you know when your mission is complete?" His response was "If you're alive, it isn't." I have to believe that both my mother and my sister had completed their missions. They left behind a beautiful legacy of love.

My "mission", as well as yours, is certainly not complete (or you wouldn't be reading this!). I discovered that about myself in November of 2007, when I suffered a heart attack and took a ride on a Careflight helicopter. As we were in the air, I was looking down on the city lights of San Angelo and thinking to myself that I was so at peace, and that I knew I would survive. I still had a mission.

What to do now? As my restless spirit has finally settled down, I am going to tackle a few projects that have been popping up again and again in my consciousness. One is to put together a history of sorts, complete with photographs of as many of my ancestors as I can locate. I would like it to include the members of my immediate family and their stories and photos as well.

I think my muse was at work in 2007, when I tackled and produced an autobiographical handbook for my 50th high school reunion. I learned a lot from that experience. Enough to give me the incentive to proceed with such a monumental (to me, anyway) project. I hope I start and complete it before the next decade ends!

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Looking back, it really was a decade of change for me. Lots of growth. And lots of love. Given and received. Besides the usual New Year's resolutions (meditate more regularly, start back on Yoga, etc.), I want to diligently practice the following. They are from the book, The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz, and are based on ancient Toltec wisdom. I like to think I live my life this way most of the time, but I know there is room for much improvement! I won't disclose what areas I need to improve.

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

1) Be Impeccable With Your Word -- Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2) Don't Take Anything Personally -- Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3) Don't Make Assumptions -- Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4) Always Do Your Best -- Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

Maybe I can then change the URL of this blog to read "no regrets". Hope so.

Until next time, I'm wishing you all a year, and a decade, filled with every kind of "good stuff". We know it happens!

Love and peace,
Marilyn