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Across the Cove . . . Across the Miles . . .

11/15/2023

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PictureMorning Light
I look out the kitchen window to check how much shoveling is ahead of me this morning. The neighbor's lights greet as they cast long shadows across the snow covered cove. Sunrise will illuminate in a couple of hours. But for now, a warm concoction brews in my French press.

I've fond memories of shoveling winter's white with my youngest. Like me, he enjoys menial tasks. We'd often chat as we worked or we'd simply enjoy companionable silence. 

My son is long since grown and lives in a different state where he's  building a life with his family. But though he no longer accompanies me on chilly mornings, today he is very much near in my heart. 

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Veteran's Day . . .

11/11/2023

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Picture
God bless America land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with the Light from above
The Fourth of July, to me, always represented food, fun and fireworks. But standing at attention, listening to the National Anthem, watching our flag wave against a brilliant sky, I could not stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. Having had been recently deployed to Iraq to serve at the beginning of the war campaign, It was unfathomable my own child was embroiled in this conflict. 

In the wake of 9/11, I hung on every word the media transmitted regarding the Middle East. I felt terror at the thought of the atrocities my oldest son was experiencing. Then, to double my fears and anxieties, when controversial news hit the airwaves regarding our military personnel's conduct and United State citizens turned on our soldiers, my youngest enlisted in support of his brother.


Thank you, Jesus, both of my sons made it home at the end of their service.

                              “And the truth is that all veterans pay with their lives.
                                  Some pay all at once, while others pay over a lifetime.” 
                                                                                                                             - JM Storm


Today, I honor my sons and those of my family who served and all our veterans who paid an incomprehensible price to secure our freedom, our quality of life.

My oldest son served in
Kosovo and Iraq
My youngest son served in Iraq and subcontracted in Afghanistan
My niece served in Korea
My nephew served in Afghanistan
My daughter-in-law served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Veteran's Day and July 4th's holiday hold greater meaning because of you. And though thank you sounds so hollow, I thank you. You are dearly loved. 
My Oldest - 2004
My Youngest - 2003
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    Author

    As a young adult, I believed there to be a point of arrival; a place where internal struggles with fear or anger or confusion give way to assurance and appropriate displays of passion and clarity of thought and direction. Where striving with relationships transform into understanding and acceptance and the propensity to self-protect shifts to trust and confident vulnerability. However, to my dismay, I was startled to learn, through a friend in her 80s, my perception was most definitely a misconception.

    My dear friend humbly confessed to me that she’d had a spat with her daughter, a few days prior to our visit, where she had to go back and apologize for words she’d spoken in anger. I’d only ever known my friend to be a soft spoken, humble, gentle, thoughtful, kind, considerate, caring and definitely a go-the-extra-mile kind of individual. My friend laughed at my wide-eyed disbelief that she were capable of anything but the aforesaid attributes. She gently assured me she too is a work in progress and in order for her to continue to grow, even in her 80s, apologies were a necessary part of her maturing. 

    At the time, I felt overwhelmed at hearing her confession as my own growth seemed so slow, from my perspective, in developing. I have since found her admission a comfort. I’ve learned that growth is indeed a life-long process and occasionally there is a bit of pain associated in the progression. There is pain at humbling enough to apologize, pain in drawing healthy boundaries that may meet with resistance and on the list of painful growth promoting processes proceed. But, pain is merely an indication that maturity is finding its way into my character and my habits and my thought processes. Pain bears the potential to remind me that my life story is a gloriously, messy one similar to those of my fellow growth promoting family members, friends and associates. And . . . pain too, reminds me that I am very much alive. Growing pains indicate I am still in the race working toward a strong finish. 
    ​

    We’re never too old to grow our character, change our habits or renew our thought processes - in spite of pain, or maybe, because of pain.

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Guffaw Thru Life


It's such fun jumping on beds . . . and couches too and eating pie from the center before serving it to others. I love laughing and I appreciate people who make me. 

Life is amazing with its possibilities. And, I am blessed by the wonderful people in my life and the liberty I have to pursue what brings me joy. In spite of life's griefs, there is peace and joy and love enough to fill all the spaces.


                                                      Zephaniah 3:17
​"The Lord your God is in your midst, a Warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love, He will exult over you with songs of deliverance."



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