Hello
Karen Woodward
H Happy to see you and have a great day.
E End your greeting with a smile.
L Lots of people do not return the greeting if they don’t know you.
L Laugh to yourself when this occurs it’s not personal.
O Oftentimes these people may have many pressing things on their minds.
A Friend
A Allows me to be myself without judging me.
F Finds time to call or write just to stay in touch.
R Recalls special fun times we have shared.
I Imagines how I may feel when things are not going well.
E Ends phone calls and notes the word love.
N Never forgets special days and holidays.
D Does not complain about the things we cannot change, like the weather.
Speechless
Dorothy Long
There are times in our life, when we are left speechless. Perhaps, it is the birth of a first child or grandchild. No words can describe the awesomeness of the special gift.
The loss of a beloved family member brings tears, but not words to tell how your heart feels. Scary amusement park rides may leave us speechless until we hit the ground.
An accident can stop us cold, until we are certain everyone and everything is okay. Then the words really begin to fly.
Certain sights of nature leave us speechless with the beauty we behold. Beautiful sunsets, majestic mountain views, and ocean waves are some of these.
Young children repeating a conversation you wish not to share can leave one speechless. With the recent coronavirus, many senior citizens have been speechless because of no one being available for a good conversation.
There are some people who might be better to remain speechless than to talk before they think, or the one who rattles on without permitting others to get a word in edgewise, or the one with the four-letter words.
Sometimes it is better to remain speechless than sound like a jerk. Speech is a gift that we should treat with respect.
Two Old Friends
Dick Nelsen
Edna and Florence, or Flo as she was known around town, were best of friends for over 80 years. They had gone to school together since second grade, attended the same church as well as living next door to each other after their husbands had died. Flo was in Edna’s wedding and vice versa. You might have figured out they were inseparable and were always seen together. That is why no one in town was surprised to see the two elderly friends sitting together on a park bench in the town square across from the Town Hall. It was a special day because it was the annual Flower Show and virtually everyone in the county was there.
It had been a great spring, with just the right amount of rain to ensure a bountiful array of flowers. Judges from the State Capital, experts in Horticulture, were judging not only individual flowers, but floral arrangements. You could feel the tension seeping from the main room as the crowds waited breathlessly for the announcement of the winners. It was really kind of dull, Flo thought, so she turned to her friend and said “You know for $10 I would take off all my clothes and streak through that snobbish crowd, that should stir things up a bit.”
“You are on, Flo,” as Edna reached into her purse and held up a $10 bill, “go ahead and do it and the money is yours.”
Flo was taken back since she had only said it as a joke, but the look on Edna’s face made her say, “OK I said I would and dag nab it I will.” She stripped off her polka-dot dress and undergarments and walking as fast as an 80-year-old matron can move in brown oxford orthopedic shoes, hastened across the street and in the front door. Edna expected to hear screams and her friend being led off to jail by the handsome sheriff of the town, but for a few minutes it was still extremely quiet.
Suddenly she heard shouts and a lot of applause, and her dear friend appeared at the front door holding a blue ribbon. Her friend shouted across the street, “Hey Edna I look first place in Best Dried Arrangement.”
Not All Action Heroes Wear Capes
Jacqueline M. Ruffino-Platt
Comic books were so popular growing up, costing only ten cents or less. Today, there are people who collect the oldies but goodies worth way more than pennies. I liked a few of them myself. Archie, and his friends, especially Blondie, another good one. It has been so long ago to remember others. The boys always enjoyed reading Batman and Robin, who toured Gotham City saving those from the horrible and dangerous men and women who made themselves up with makeup and weird looking outfits. Superman was a favorite one of mine. Flying around the Metropolis helping and saving the people. “Look up in the sky … is it a plane, is it a bird? … No it’s Superman.” They were funny, and quite enjoyable. And they all wore capes. The ones who wore the masks I didn’t like very much. A little scary as a little girl. My brothers enjoyed them and one brother collected the old comics over the years until they were lost along the way with our moving from place to place. Some of you may remember these heroes were on the radio at some time and my mom was cautious not to expose me to the scary parts of the programs. On the last page of the comic books, and at the end of radio programs, everything always turned out good and everyone was saved. Our caped heroes helped everyone, and all was well in their cities. The bad guys were captured and all was good in the Metropolis and surrounding areas. Think about it … don’t you wish we had Superman, even Batman, to help us when things got really bad. I know I would. They would save us from the really bad guys and the environment we are facing.
Today, we have heroes in our midst, in our towns, in our cities and in our country. They don’t wear capes and fly around in the air from place to place; however, they are our heroes. We the people of the United States … I believe is the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution. It is a good read. We have great heroes to protect us the best they know how and devote their lives in saving us from sickness, tragedy, crime and unfortunate situations. Nurses, who devote their time, many hours; their effort to help those who are brought to the hospitals and give the absolute best care possible with what they have to work with. Our doctors, our technicians, and all hospital employees work hard to see everyone is being helped. Our police officers who serve each and every town and country and try to bring peace to all. Our military men and women who are in countries, names of places we haven’t heard of before. Fighting for us to keep us safe. I could keep going on finding those folks out there who are doing their very best so we could be safe. We shall never forget to mention the volunteers who give of themselves and their time to help each and every one of us and our wellbeing. I know every one of these soldiers, nurses, doctors, policemen, military, and volunteers … are all action heroes and they are flying around without a cape.