Mabel

Her name was Mabel. She had worked in this job for 10 years, but kept wondering how she had become who she was now. When had things changed for her? Why did she keep letting it all change? How could she get back?

She’d started out in such a wonderful life. Her parents had doted on her and she had a fun childhood. Anything she wanted, she was given by her parents. And she wanted plenty. She had wanted it all. As a child and as an adult, she was just sure she could have anything she wanted. That was until she met him.

He had walked into her favorite hangout on a Friday evening, and that was it for her. He had a quick smile and a way of charming anyone. However, he didn’t even notice her, and that was the wrong thing for him because she was Mabel and she could have anything. That’s what her parents had taught her, right?

Well she wanted him. She asked around and found out where he worked, where he usually hung out, and eventually she found out where he lived. He lived on the East Side and he wasn’t from money. But, she didn’t care. She wanted him…and she was sure she could make him want her.

She arranged to run into him by accident…and he talked to her, but then he just brushed her off. She had thought things were going well, but then in walked that other girl; he made excuses and off he went to be with her. 

"How could that be?, she thought. He can’t possibly not find me attractive or not want to get to know me better. What the hell was the matter with him? After all, I'm Mabel who gets anything she wants in life."

She had thought if she kept being where he was, running into him by accident, he would eventually want her. But that had never happened. It was a harsh wake up call for her. How could she have gotten everything she always wanted up to that point in her life, but he never ever wanted her. 

She was heartbroken, she went to counseling, she worked through it, and she ended up taking a job. Counseling had shown her that things aren't always handed to you on a silver platter.

It seemed like she had been at this job forever, but she’d never gone to the boss’ house for the annual party until this year. She was excited. She hadn’t gone to a party in ages. After counseling she had just stayed in, watched movies, and hadn’t even dated. She had worked through her problems and now knew that her parents had spoiled her, had not done her a favor by giving her everything.

The night of the party came. Wow, the place looked amazing. It was a huge house…not quite a mansion, but the prettiest she’d ever seen. It was more amazing than the house she grew up in or any that her parents had ever owned. She went with some girls she knew from work. She was excited to be out and about…it had been a while.

Once there, she visited other co-workers, drank some wine and just mingled. One of the co-workers mentioned that the boss usually made an appearance later in the evening. It struck her then, “hell, I’ve never even met the boss. Hmmmm…wonder what that rich old geezer is like? Must be pretty well off to own this place. Wonder if he has a daughter that he’s spoiling that will have a break down some day because she thinks the world is made for her?”

About that time in came the boss. It Was Him!!!! She worked for Him and never knew it!

Once in the room, he walked right up to her and said, “Do you remember me, Mabel?" 

She gasped…sure she remembered him…how could she not remember him..she had spent 5 years in counseling over him.

“Will you dance with me?”, he asked. As they danced, he began to tell her about his childhood…growing up in the poorest section of town…living on the streets sometimes. She had known he was poor, but never really knew how poor.

He went on to tell her, that after meeting her, he was inspired to make it big so that one day, he would be rich so that he would be worthy of her, and that’s why he had brushed her aside and kept the distance. 

She was shocked!!! She had wanted him so badly…was it simply on his looks? How shallow she felt. But more importantly, how shallow he seemed that he thought she would only have someone that was rich!!! She knew she'd always been a spoiled brat, but she had never, ever looked down on those less fortunate. Her parents, even with all their riches, had taught her that.

She walked away…and never looked back. 

Now she knew how she had gotten to where she was. His rejection had made her see the strong, self confident person she'd always been, and she now knew she never wanted to go back.

Scribbled by Peabea 
all rights reserved
© (Patricia)

The Escape

All she wanted to do was drive, just drive until she couldn’t drive anymore. Until she was too tired to even think. She just wanted to escape, get the hell away. But to where? She drove, and drove, she stopped and walked and then she drove some more. She was in search of escape. When she finally stopped, she realized she hadn’t driven far enough to escape so she returned home.

Once home, she decided maybe if she went for a run, she could escape. First she ran a 5K, but that didn’t help with the escape. She went to the gym to work out, but still she wasn’t able to escape. She went shopping; she bought things she thought she would need for an escape.

She took her purchases home, but she still knew she needed to escape. Again, she decided she just wanted to drive; she could just get in the car and drive again and maybe this time she would find a destination where she could escape. She drove as far as she could into the night, and didn’t stop until she was so tired she couldn’t drive anymore. By now, she should have escaped. She should be free.

Unfortunately, she realized that there is no escape. She would never be free. This overwhelming urge to escape had been with her on and off for years. It would start when she was having a good day, and she was at an all time high, happy feeling. She would be having a good day and in such a happy mood, and then she would hit the pits. Just one word, one gesture, a look, anything can set it off, and then she has an overwhelming urge to escape. She feels she needs to just run, to escape wherever she is, the scenery, the house, the people. But most of all, she feels she needs to escape from herself, but how do you crawl out from your own skin and escape? How do you make your mind shut off and escape? The urge, the feeling just won’t go away. It has to run its course and she just has to live with it until it is done.

The alternative she tried after a ruined marriage, the kids not speaking to her anymore, was to drink until she couldn’t think anymore when she had to escape. The escape would be there for a while, until she woke from her drunken stupor. Sometimes she would escape with just drinking and picking up a guy for the night, and then she would wake and hate herself, and the escape had not happened.

She finally gave up trying to escape and now she just lives with it, and lets it run its course until the time comes when it will end. The escape will be gone and gone forever when it happens.

The hit man has been hired; she doesn’t know who it is, how to contact him or when it will happen. She just knows that it will happen. There is no going back now.

For now, she just drives and runs and finds things to occupy her while she seeks escape, and she anxiously awaits the day that the escape will arrive.

scribbled by peabea 
© 12-3-09 all rights reserved (Patricia)

Felicity Ferrone

“I’m not gonna take it anymore”. You with your Natzi-ism ways of handling people. Your stiff, no giving attitude. I’m done…I’m outta here and I’m just not doing this anymore”.Just then the bell rang and brought her back to reality. That is what she was screaming in her mind, but hadn’t actually said it out loud. Although she would love to, she knew the repercussions of talking to a teacher in that manner, especially talking to Felicity Ferrone in that manner let alone the repercussion she would face at home if she got expelled.

Felicity Ferrone was a History professor. She’d been raised by strict parents. Her mom was a top lawyer at a law firm that she owned, and her father was a History professor at an elite college. He’d gotten his doctorate, and been tenured at an early age. Nothing but the best was expected of Felicity. While most were playing with toys, she had to be studying, taking music lessons and being tutored and trained by the best. She was the daughter of two very strict parents so naturally she taught in a manner that was strict. If her students saw her as a Hitler type, then so be it. She had learned long ago to not have any feelings, to not care about how another felt. She was never afforded any affection, and in turn had never learned how to deal with people with diplomacy or gentleness. She expected nothing but the best from her students and nothing but the best from people at all times.

When the bell rang, Amanda wanted to grab her books and simply run out the classroom door to escape this class she called hell, but she knew the rule. Ms Ferrone only let you leave once she gave the hand gesture of dismiss. A hand gesture that most of the kids made fun of, and most hated. She always made the class sit for a little bit longer, but just long enough that they wouldn’t be late for their next class, but too late to go to a locker and pick up books for the next class so she had learned to carry the next classes’ books along to this class. She hated it too because it made the backpack so much more heavy. Everything to do with this class was a nightmare.

After class, Amanda met up with friends. All she wanted to do now
was chill, laugh and maybe be just a bit naughty with her friends. Go somewhere, smoke a few joints, get high and just relax. The group headed out to a local hang out. This one was new to Amanda, but she thought, what the hey, and went along.

Cadashi (The Cat)

Cadashi is sort of an arrogant cat who walks around with her tail in the air that looks like a hook you could hang her up with and her head held high. She wonders why the dog is always allowed to go in and out, but she can’t. She knows she no longer has her front claws, but she is still fearless. She thinks “humph!!!! If that silly dog can go outside and make it, then why do they think she should stay indoors all the time?” “I’m not afraid!!!” She soon starts plotting her escape…


Cadashi is a cat who wants to get outside and one day when the door is left open, she escapes. The air and the warm sun feel wonderful on her fur…and from there the adventures begin.


“Ah…how great that sun feels.” Soon she sees that there are things outside that she can play with. She notices a butterfly swooping up and down. “Great!, she thinks…I can jump and swat at it.”. “Stop fluttering”, she tells the butterfly…but it just flies away. But Cadashi doesn’t care, she moseys on her way. After all, “I’m Free!” she shouts…..


When chasing the butterfly she hadn’t noticed that there was another cat just lying in the field across the way. “Hi there”, says the other cat. “Are you new to the neighborhood?” “Oh no”, says Cadashi…”I’ve lived here for about 2 years now”. “Well, how come we’ve never seen you out and about before?” asked the lazy cat lying in the field. “Oh, my owners think it’s too scary for me to be outside, but what do they know?”…”I’m not afraid, I’m Cadashi and I’m fearless!!!”.


The lazy cat moseys up, and says, “then if you’re up for adventure, follow me”. Down the field they trot…Cadashi smiling all the way as she follows the lazy cat. “How fun Cadashi thinks”. “Why have I never ventured out before, this is great”.



They keep going across the field; all the while Cadashi is jumping and swatting at butterflies or just plain ole flies or anything that moves. She even got to chase a mouse for a little bit, but it soon disappeared under a pile of rocks and stumps, and Cadashi was too excited to continue her adventure across the field to stop and play her waiting game. Cadashi thought herself to be the most patient cat in the whole world and could outwait any moving object…but not just now, she was busy just being outdoors.


Soon the lazy cat stops and starts creeping way low. Cadashi is like “what, what is going on?” The lazy cat says, “shush…..there’s a fox right over there across the field.” Cadashi is like, “so? What’s a fox anyway?” The lazy cat almost shouts as he asks, “You don’t know what a fox is?” You have been coddled and locked inside! “A fox isn’t our friend; they’d as soon eat you as look at you”. “Well!! Not me”, says Cadushi as she raises her tail in a smug manner and starts prancing around, head held hi. “I’m Fearless!!” “Right!”, snorts lazy cat.


Soon, the fox suddenly sees them and darts toward them. The chase is on. Cadashi has never run so fast in all her life. First the fox was chasing her, now it’s chasing lazy cat, and now back to her. Her heart is beating so fast as to puff her fur out making her look like a running fur ball. Finally, the fox darts back in the direction of lazy cat who is closer, and off they run. They continue until way out of site of Cadashi, and they are running so fast she can’t catch up even if she wanted to, but she didn’t.


She found she was afraid of the fox after all once she saw his teeth. They made hers look like tiny little bauble pearls. His teeth looked sharp, very sharp and she wasn’t anxious to never see those again nor did she ever want to feel them pierce into her lovely furry body. After all, she was Cadashi, and was always perfectly groomed. Her owners had always seen to that.


With the lazy cat, and the fox gone, Cadashi continued on her outdoor adventure. She wasn’t sure how far she had ventured, but looking back she no longer could see her house or the front yard so she knew she had gone quite a way. However, she wasn’t concerned; she was outdoors, after all, and on a wonderful adventure. Soon she was jumping and batting at butterflies again, and hoping to find another mouse she could chase, but this time catch it because her tummy was rumbling, and she realized she was getting hungry after all.


Cadashi continued on her outdoor adventure until well into the night. When nightfall came, she started to shiver…it was getting cold out. She longed for her nice warm bed that had been made especially for her. She also didn’t like all the animals that seem to come out of the fields at night or from under the ground or logs or wherever they came from. The warm wonderful sun was gone, there were no butterflies flitting around, but at least for a while she could chase those wonderful little things that kept lighting up. However, by the time she reached where they were and had jumped high enough, it was dark again and there light was gone. Those things were amazing, she thought.


She was tired and so longed to just go back in that door at home again, but she now didn’t know where she was or how to get back to it. She really didn’t want to nap in this field, she wanted to go home. All of a sudden, she didn’t feel so fearless, her tail wasn’t smugly up in the air like a hook; she just looked forlorn.


She had just started to fall asleep to her own purring, when it became very light, and she thought it was getting daylight already. But soon she heard a wonderful, familiar sound. It was the sound she had grown up with, a wonderful little voice that always called her name, only now this voice sounded all loud and upset. She realized, the sound was calling her name over and over very loudly, and it was her little girl owner.


She started to run and meow as loudly as she could, all the time hoping they would hear her. Soon she was scooped up, and hugged so tightly she thought she might stop breathing. She meowed loud so her little girl would know to release a little pressure. Soon she was nuzzling the little girl’s neck and purring loudly. If she could only tell her that she now knew and understood, and she would appreciate the wonderful, warm safety of her home even more.


Soon the daddy voice, said…”so glad we found you Cadashi, and you didn’t go far enough away to get lost. If you’d gone farther, we might have never found you. You only made it part way across the field that is behind our house.”

Let’s go home, and Cadashi was happy to picture her nice, cozy bed she’d be sleeping in after all. She’d had enough adventures in that day to last her for quite a while (or at least until another day).

(for Tess ~ in memory ~)

©copyright Peabea (all rights reserved January 2012)

Tickle Bee

Mr. Growley Bear only came out at certain times. He never came out at night. Then there was the Tickle Bee and the Snorty Bug. Whichever of these three came out depends on Charlie’s mood.

When Charlie was happy and playing with his Legos or his cars or just running around and doing somersaults…sometimes the Tickle Bee would descend on him. The Tickle Bee is grandma’s hands and she wiggles them back and forth while coming at Charlie and he squeals and says “No, Tickle Bee..No, No, Tickle Bee”, but the Tickle Bee keeps coming anyway and just tickles and tickles him until he says, “Stop, Stop” with outstretched hands. Grandma then stops and Charlie likes that.

Sometimes though when Charlie gets scolded for things, he isn’t sure why he should get in trouble, he pouts and heads off to his room. Grandma comes in to say, “Okay, you know why you got in trouble, but Grandma’s not mad at you, just trying to get you to understand what you did that made Grandma upset.” Of course, Charlie being only 4 years old, thinks he never does anything wrong. How could it be wrong when he was only trying to entertain Grandma and make her laugh, and could he help it if in the process he knocked over his glass of juice or he broke a favorite knick knack or smacked at Grandma? So he thought to himself, I’m gonna stay mad and stay on the bed and just pout and hide under the pillow and not look at Grandma when she comes in the room.


Of course, then here would come Grandma and she would say, “Ut oh…now you’ve made the Growley Bear come out and she would go Grrrrrr!!!! And wiggle her fingers while coming at him, and Growley Bear did the same thing as Tickle Bee…he would growl all the while as he tickled Charlie until Charlie would laugh and squeal and then he wouldn’t be pouty anymore. If its’ Snorty Bear…he does the same thing only instead of growling, he just makes a snorting sound while coming at Charlie and tickling him.


One day when Charlie and Grandma went shopping…to Charlie it seemed like Grandma went shopping every day, and he sometimes just didn’t want to go along...but in the car he would hop and fasten himself into the car seat and off they would go. While they were shopping and Charlie was riding in the cart, he got bored and started asking questions like, “Where’s mommy?” to which grandma answered, “She’s at work honey”. Charlie said “Why?” and grandma explained that mommy had to work to buy him clothes and groceries and the toys that Charlie liked to play with. He thought, “Oh, that’s what mommy always says too”. Okay!!. Then he said, “Why don’t you work grandma”. Grandma explained that she did work, but then they couldn’t afford to keep some workers anymore so they had let her and others go. She had lost her job so now she stayed home and she babysat him and played and had fun with him. Charlie thought about it, and pondered that for a moment and then he said to grandma as he patted her arm “That’s why we have to be nice to people grandma”. Grandma burst out laughing with the biggest smile on her face. Charlie laughed too, but wasn’t sure why they were laughing. He wasn’t sure he liked her laughing at him. Then he started to pout, but grandma told him…”Oh honey, I’m not laughing at you, I’m just laughing because what you said was so grown up and so funny”. He liked the part that she called him grown up because he was a boy and not a baby anymore…he was 4 years old now..but he still wasn’t sure he liked that she had laughed when he had said that to her.


He decided though that he would not pout and then he said, “I love you grandma”. With that, she gave him a smile and said, “I love you too, baby” and gave him a big hug. “I’m not a baby!”, he told her. “I’m a boy and I’m 4 and my mommy goes to school and she teaches me things and I learn things and I’m NOT a little baby!” “Okay, okay” said grandma..and again she smiled. After that Charlie decided he just wouldn’t talk anymore, and just rode in the cart while grandma looked for the things she needed from the store

©copyright Peabea (all rights reserved January 2012)

I WANT BLUE BEAR!!

This is a little boy’s cry each and every time he finds he’s in trouble. Not bad trouble, but to a little boy who gets scolded, he cries and thinks it’ll never be the same again. The only thing he can do is cry and shout ‘I W-A-N-T  B-L-U-E  B-E-A-R!!’ and the sniffling continues.

Blue Bear has been with this little boy from the day he was brought home from the hospital. The Bear is one that his grams bought because it has a special blessing on it, and she just loved it and so hoped the new baby would too. Eventually, he did.

Blue Bear allows the little boy to hug onto him through thunder storms, scary nights when lights are out and when imaginary monsters might loom in the closet. Blue Bear sleeps with him and never snores, and that is good because Blue Bear’s snoring would cause him not to fall asleep, says the little boy.

Blue Bear is the best confidant. He can keep secrets, and he never, ever tells on the little boy.

The little boy cuddles Blue Bear, wraps him in blankets and asks that he be washed when Blue Bear gets dirty. But the little boy never scolds Blue Bear for getting dirty because he so enjoys laughing and playing and getting dirty right along with Blue Bear.

He says Blue Bear is his best friend, and to a little boy of four, what better friend than a cuddly bear?

©copyright Peabea (all rights reserved January 2012)

Just Passing Through

All the people that pass through our lives
Do you remember all the names?
Do you picture their face?
Seems the holidays usually bring that back into place

Ones we’ve loved,
Some we just knew,
Some were just for a few

You wrap your arms around to give a hug
And then you find that your arms are just hugging an empty space
They’re just gone,
Either moved on or passed to a better place, as they say
And we just continue each and every day
Do you ever wonder why?

Why do we just go on when others have left?
What motivates us to just keep moving, never giving up?
When sometimes our hearts are shredded away

What is this thing we call life, anyway?



© peabea December 2010

Love

Love Texture Tuesday

Meet Razzy

How could anyone not fall in love with this little bundle of activity and love. I know I did so I took him home.

Pets, whether dog or cat, don't ask for much except some patience in training, some toys, lots of attention and love, and a warm bed. In return, you'll have one of the most faithful buddies ever.

This Tuesday's photoshopped picture is to be about the theme Love so I chose this picture.

It has been photoshopped using Fall In from Kim Klassen's Cafe Blog.

If you love photography and would love to learn some techniques and pick up some free textures as well as participating in Texture Tuesday visit Kim Klassen's Cafe

Enjoy. We love when you scribble comments. Thanks..

~hugs 'n giggles~

Peabea

Back To School Texture Tuesday

This week's challenge is below:

We were to use two of Kim Klassen's Textures:
I chose Summer Lovin and Dream.
I also applied the Adobe Craquelure Effect and Text from my Adobe Photoshop Elements program.

Stop by Kim's Cafe Blog to see all the entries and great photography..and while you're there you can sign up for some of her free textures.

Thanks for stopping by my Scribbling about Photoshop and Textures.

Enjoy!!

~hugs 'n giggles~ for a Happy Tuesday

©copyright Peabea (all rights reserved January 2012)

Finding Treasures

A little boy's rock, marble and string

How wonderful are these playthings?

The marvel that they see

as they scout for treasures.

A rock for the pocket

A string for imaginery fishing

And a marble ~ well,
the beauty of it is enough ~

The beauty that you see through a little one's eyes
Is gift alone.

Treasure each moment
See as children see ~
Their excitement
Their joy
Their pain

They're small, little ones to protect and to mold into amazing grownups.

©copyright Peabea (all rights reserved January 2012)

I'm Not A Very Good Wife

I'm not a very good wife of a musician. I hate the mess that the instruments make. I've looked at that mess on and off for forty-seven years. I call my recreation room a wreck room. But, I also have known marriage is not a one-way street. It's not 'all my way or the highway'. The give and take is an important part of marriage.

In the early years when you start making a home together, it's not always easy since you're both use to things your way. The give and take was a battle at first. I will say, I was kind of spoiled and naive thinking marriage was a fairy tale where you set up housekeeping and all goes smoothly. It doesn't. We made messes and there was no mom there to clean them up. It was up to us to do housekeeping, pay the bills, provide food.

I learned over the years that I make messes too with my hobbies, and he has to look at my mess. Life is not always neat and tidy. Marriage is not always neat and tidy. It is a continuing growing process. If you love someone truly then the give and take isn't so bad once you get past the spoiled part of youth. It's not always an uphill battle, and you learn that giving is more rewarding than taking and always getting your own way.

The instruments that I look at now bring back all the memories of a man's life. The music he made as a young traveling musician. The music he made when he came off the road and formed his own band. The music he made when the children were old enough to pass the talent onto whether they choose to use it in life at all, and the music that his life has given us in all our married years together.

I learned that I hate the mess the instruments make when spread all over a room, but the sound when all played together is worth it.

Loving a musician can be an awesome adventure.

The Blue Pearls

Heading into Junior High was such an exciting time. I felt so grown up. I would be going to a different school where now you would have to have lockers, grown up notebooks and best of all, you would get to move from one class to another and not be sitting in the same classroom for the entire school day. The anticipation and excitement were extreme.

Summer was over and it was time. Some new clothes were bought, which I always had to share with my older sister since we were about the same size. It was kind of ‘one wardrobe for all’ in my family. Still though, it was exciting to think I would be going to the school with my sister who was two years ahead of me. It would be her last year of Jr. High and my first.

The school year started out great. The first day we had beautiful weather so that meant walking to school with friends and home again. Of course, beforehand, I didn’t know that everyone always stopped and had ice cream and cokes or food at the local after school hang out so I didn’t stop there the first day. I was excited to walk home with my sister and her boyfriend. I also met his friend that day who later became my boyfriend.

The school year progressed wonderfully; I met all kinds of new kids, but kept a lot of the kids I’d grown up with in the neighborhood. The year went all too fast. That summer though was the first time ever that I was allowed to have a birthday party. It would be my 13th birthday right at the end of my 7th grade year, and amazingly my step father had agreed with my mom and allowed me to invite friends and have an outdoor party just before the end of the school year.

I remember pop beads were in style and I’d so wanted some and one of the girlfriends gave me those, but one of the presents from that party that I would save and would become my most cherished would be from the boyfriend of my older sister. His name was Teddy, and he gave me a strand of beautiful blue beads. I loved them even more than the pop beads that I’d so been wanting. They were just unusual because usually beads are white but these were an awesome powder blue color.

The birthday party ended as well as the school year. I passed with flying colors to the eighth grade. The summer flew by and it was time again to return to Junior High. My older sister would be entering her first year of High School. She still had the same boyfriend named Teddy and was learning to drive now that she was sixteen.

Teddy, however, wasn’t doing as well and hadn’t passed the 9th grade and was held back. To this day, I’m not sure anyone knew all that troubled this wonderfully kind young man. He was kind of on the wild side, but was always so sweet. We weren’t very far into the school year when Teddy went to his sister’s house and committed suicide. His sister had no clue as to why nor did his family. Sadly, he hadn’t confided in anyone what was bothering him, not even to my sister.

So, the blue pearls that he gave me that 13th birthday, I still have and whenever I open my jewelry box and look at them, I remember the cute, sweet 16 year old Teddy that I hold in my heart to this day. But when I think of him, I also feel sad for the life he never experienced. And I still have to wonder why?

Where to Put It???

Don't know what to do with that Digital Photo Frame that was so popular a few years ago (and probably still is)? Hubby got me one for Christmas when they were pretty much new on the market so off to work it went with me to sit on my desk and proudly display a slideshow of all my favorite photographs.

Since then, I was given the downsizing notice, and have been unemployed and enjoying retirement. So, what to do with the digital photo frame. I put it in a box and stored it away since I already have a computer that runs a slideshow of my pictures when I'm not on it.

With time on my hands, I began the fun job of doing some painting. I painted the grandbabies bedroom, painted the kitchen and repainted the bathroom. While doing the painting and some much needed clearing out of things that had been on my to do list while I worked, I rediscovered the Digital Photo Frame. I hated to let it go since it was a present. I considered sitting it on the kitchen counter, but seemed redundant since everyone could already see the slideshow that runs on my computer. So..........then I got the idea of why not the bathroom? Our bathroom is already stocked with handheld games that passes the time so I thought how about my Digital Photo Frame, which could entertain and might be a novelty for any guests to peruse while using the facilities and catch up on some family and scenery photos.

So that is where the Digital Photo Frame ended up. I just keep a flash drive of quite a bit of photos and the slideshow continues on...so when you're at my house and you have to go, Enjoy The Scenery ~smiles~

Inhibitions and Innocence

Innocence Definition

• The state, quality, or virtue of being innocent, as:
a. Freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil.
b. Guiltlessness of a specific legal crime or offense.
c. Freedom from guile, cunning, or deceit; simplicity or artlessness.
d. Lack of worldliness or sophistication; naiveté.
e. Lack of knowledge or understanding; ignorance.
f. Freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.

When we are born we are so fresh and new that it is amazing. We have no shame, no remorse, no prejudices, no hatred…simply we have nothing in our hearts, it seems, except love. We love and we love to be loved.

The proof of this as they say is in the pudding. Just be around any small child to know that they are trusting and innocent, and they love unconditionally and they adore knowing they are loved.

They do crave a lot of attention to prove that they are loved as much as the love they are willing to give. It is amazing.

I babysit my grandson, and when visiting his preschool class recently, it was very apparent of how all children exhibit these traits. They were so fun to watch as they interacted with each other and the teacher. For the most part, they followed the rules because that is another trait of children, they like structure. They may fight it, and display the opposite, but I think to them structure means that we care about them.

They were learning their first letters of the alphabet, and singing songs. Each child had brought something that started with the letter “B”, and when asked to come up front to share what toy or item they brought that started with the letter “B”, they did so willingly. Some were bashful, but each child proudly told about their item with no inhibition. They simply are amazing little people.

The teacher had some hand-me-down Halloween costumes so they could have dress up time. They were delighted, and each child tried on many different outfits as they also played. One child even brought me over a hat to wear, and then an outfit that he wanted me to wear, but there was no way I could even begin to fit into that small super hero outfit. LOL

Children interact with each other without judging or the fear of being judged by the other children. A simple hi and what’s your name and off they run playing is usually the norm that you find on any playground.

scribbled by peabea 1-7-2011

thanks to www.clipartstock.net for the clipart



I Tried Not To Panic

I could not wait to go to school with all the other kids in the neighborhood. I enjoyed school and was anxious to learn. I made friends in the neighborhood and new ones in my classes in grade school. That is how it pretty much went all through the 1st to the 5th grade.

The summer was ending, and as with tradition, the lady down the block usually curled and did everyone’s hair the day before. It was a small neighborhood where most everyone knew everyone especially all the kids. Excitement was in the air and also anticipation of starting a new

The Orange

When I was very young, probably around 4 years old, I remember a neighbor giving me an orange. I skipped home singing, “I Got An Orange”, “I Got An Orange”. I was so happy. However, my mom was out in the yard, and she heard me and shushed me, and said, “don’t be saying that because the neighbors will think we’re poor and don’t have any food”.
I was confused because actually, we never had the luxury of fruit. I was born in the 40’s, and we were coming out of a depression, and fruit must have been an expensive item. I don’t remember being hungry, but I do remember that getting that orange was a delight.

Then my parents separated, and we moved in with my Aunt and Uncle in town. One day, I was just sitting on a neighbor up the street’s porch. Not sure why, but I was just sitting there. The lady came out, and asked me if I wanted an Orange so I took it. I remembered the other orange incident, but I took it home anyway and told my mom that a neighbor gave me an orange. This time she didn’t scold me. She didn’t say anything so maybe she just wasn’t in a scolding mood.

I’m not sure why, but now every time that I have oranges and go to eat one, I remember those days when two nice ladies gave me an orange. I must have looked like I needed one or something. I know when looking at pictures of me and my sisters, we were very poor and did look a little like ragamuffins.

Today, an orange isn’t such a luxury and they are plentiful, but each orange reminds me of times when things weren’t so plentiful, and people did without or made do with what they had.

The Orange reminds me to never take anything for granted and to appreciate the small things like how wonderful an orange tasted to a little girl who wasn’t afforded the luxury of one on a regular basis.

Anne Frank

Watched The Diary of Anne Frank tonight on Masterpiece Classic television. Not sure why at Christmas this was their offering, but it was a great reminder for this time of year.

A reminder of all that we as Free Americans take for granted. Can you imagine being a 13 year old that is told that she no longer can have her beloved pet, can only take what clothes she can put on her back and that they have to steal away into hiding? It struck me how hard this would be to cope with not only as an adult but especially for a child. However, this young girl seemed to do an admiral job.

This story was set during a time of economic