Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Circle of Friends
A friend from my past is dying . This realization evokes many memories as well as thoughts of my own mortality. I wrestled with the dilemma as to whether to travel to my old stomping grounds to see my old friend or to just wait for the funeral. I have opted to wait.
I have been on death watches before and know that it is a deeply personal time reserved for those closest to the dying. That being said I know deep down who will want me there at their final hour and who I hope will encircle my own death bed.
I have been on death watches before and know that it is a deeply personal time reserved for those closest to the dying. That being said I know deep down who will want me there at their final hour and who I hope will encircle my own death bed.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
A Toast to Good Health
People ,for some reason, reach an age where discussions of sickness and health seem to run rampant in conversation. I have always joked or rather made fun of getting to that age where I am consumed with talks of illness and such. I may have reached that age as I slide into 52.
I have always been pretty healthy, in fact extremely healthy. This is probably why I tend to roll my eyes when those health discussions arise.In September, I was suddenly stricken with an illness that took awhile for the doctors to figure out. As they scratched their heads, I got weaker and weaker. Long story short, they figured it out; I got radiated; and after nine weeks off work I am all well.
Serious illness really shakes up your world and gives you a glimpse of what being feeble will be like. Maybe that's why my peers who are in my age group called the "youth of old age" talk about health and illness. It may come from an experience that was filled with fear and pain. Now I that I have moped a mile in their slippers I am a little more compassionate and a lot more understanding .
I have always been pretty healthy, in fact extremely healthy. This is probably why I tend to roll my eyes when those health discussions arise.In September, I was suddenly stricken with an illness that took awhile for the doctors to figure out. As they scratched their heads, I got weaker and weaker. Long story short, they figured it out; I got radiated; and after nine weeks off work I am all well.
Serious illness really shakes up your world and gives you a glimpse of what being feeble will be like. Maybe that's why my peers who are in my age group called the "youth of old age" talk about health and illness. It may come from an experience that was filled with fear and pain. Now I that I have moped a mile in their slippers I am a little more compassionate and a lot more understanding .
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
17
17 years old , I started smoking.
17 years later, I quit.
17 years ago, I quit.
17 hoorahs...
17 years later, I quit.
17 years ago, I quit.
17 hoorahs...
Sunday, July 01, 2007
He Sleeps
We got our first dog together in 1992. The white toy poodle came to us when he was about 15 months old. I had wanted a dog for years and was so excited to finally be getting one. I had visions of a bouncy, playful little dog. What I got as a feral dog that had never experienced human contact except to be fed and groomed. He had spent all his life in a 6 foot kennel alone. I worked for hours with him to try to get him less fearful of EVERYTHING . He just stood shivering and staring at the wall a foot away. Finally I called the friend who placed him with us and told him I was throwing in the towel. This dog was too much for me ,the novice dog owner. At that point I picked him up to take him outside before I took him back and he jumped out of my arms and broke his front leg. "You break it, you buy it" or so the saying goes started our journey with the dog we named, Rudy.
Rudy warmed up to us gradually, partly because we had to carry him around for weeks with the broken leg. He came out of the cast after about six weeks. A month later he excitedly jumped from the sofa one afternoon to greet me whan I arrived home from work and broke the other front leg. Needless to say he had quite a rough start to life. Over the years he proved to be a good dog except that he hated all our guests and friends and bit many of them. We kept his hair cut in a mohawk most of his life to serve as a warning that he was NOT a friendly little dog.
One of Rudy's best photos was taken in the woods in Indiana on a camping trip in 1995. That photo has always been housed in a beautiful frame with the inscription by Robert Frost:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.
He sleeps now...
Rudy Lynn Porter
1990-June 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
1975
I have just recently come to the realization that 1975 was probably the most important year of my life. At the tender age of 19, I had many life changing events. I finally adapted to being away from home. I realized my sexuality. I experimented with drugs for the first time. I went to jail for the first and only time of my life. (Thank God.)
What makes that year so remarkable though is that I made friends with a handful of people that would impact my entire life. It has taken me 32 years to recognize the importance of those relationships that were started so long ago. I have made friends throughout the years, but none so everlasting as these.
At 51, I finally believe in forever.
I will love and be loved by those friends forever.
And for that, I am blessed.
What makes that year so remarkable though is that I made friends with a handful of people that would impact my entire life. It has taken me 32 years to recognize the importance of those relationships that were started so long ago. I have made friends throughout the years, but none so everlasting as these.
At 51, I finally believe in forever.
I will love and be loved by those friends forever.
And for that, I am blessed.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
What A Shock!!
A few days ago we were taking pictures of some of our pets. As we loaded the photos on the computer I learned something about my physical appearance that I was totally unaware of....a black horizontal stripe!
I had no idea that was there.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Midlife MySpace
Some of us in middle age go hog wild to recapture our youth or to add excitement to our life. Sometimes that involves a sports car, an affair, new hipper wardrobe, plastic surgery, botox, or a major career change.
For me.......
I got a myspace.
For me.......
I got a myspace.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
A Great Loss
Texas loses another great Liberal....Molly Ivins.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Why???
Firmly Planted Roots
Today I journeyed halfway across Texas to my hometown. On the way there I stopped in a couple of towns and visited my parents,
grandparents,
and great grandparents.
grandparents,
and great grandparents.
