Nothing Really New, But...
Well, nothing has changed (unfortunately), but I have to keep going. I can't sit here, feeling sorry for myself. As my Mom would say, it could ALWAYS be worse and she is 100% correct (she's had plenty of experience in that department). Last night, right after making that post in which I threw myself a pity party (is LJ great for that?), I learned something that really put things into perspective. Brian was talking to an old classmate of mine from high school on-line (in all reality, this old friend of mine introduced us over 6 years ago), and she told him a story that he repeated for me. A mutual classmate of ours (incidentally, this guy is the cousin of the husband of my old high school friend - Got that? I didn't exactly want to name names) has a 1 month old child and his young wife (probably early to mid-20s) is dying of cancer. Right then and there, my life and my problems don't look all that bad.
Also, not that long ago (maybe 2 or 3 months ago?), a childhood family "friend" (who I went to school with - a year behind me - and whose family took vacations with ours) died of a drug overdose. It was quite a shock. Even though I wasn't particularly close to this guy, and in fact, our families had quite a severe falling out nearly a decade ago, I still can't help but think of him as almost a fun-loving kid brother. He was always into snowmobiles, wave-runners (hence the family vacations), and pretty much anything with a motor. He was so ALIVE, and now he is gone at the age of 24. My Mom went to the funeral, but I don't think that I could have handled it.
Anyway. I just need to remember all of this and plug on. Heck, my Grandma Reid is a perfect example (I think I've mentioned her trials and tribulations in another post) - and I need to be just as strong and brave.
Incidentally, my Mom said something rather curious the other night on the phone. She said that my Grandma Reid no longer states that she doesn't ever want to live with my parents or be a burden in her old age. As a child, I grew up with her saying that she didn't want to be around if she didn't have her "faculties" (i.e. mind). My Mom simply thinks that this is due to the fact that she is vastly approaching that age. She is already 81 (although she is in very good health for that age, still has a pretty sharp mind, lives alone, and has a wonderful boyfriend) and probably just doesn't want to rule out anything at this point. Her Mom (who I very much take after) died at 74 and her Dad died at 90. Funny thing: She has always teased us grand kids that she'll live to be 100, and then, she'll come back to haunt us! Thing is, we hold her to it! Even though she may be a little conscious of her mortality right now, I have no doubt that she'll live to be 100!
Anyway, gotta love those Polish/Ukrainian genes (there is somewhat of a dispute as to whether my Great Grandparents were Polish or Ukrainian)! And Irish, Scottish, English, Dutch, French Canadian, Swedish, etc. etc. etc. Yes, I am certainly a mutt - like much of the US! Ukrainian/Polish and Irish probably make up the largest percentage of my heritage... in case you were wondering.
Brian, on the other hand, is 100% of Polish decent (my last name will be Andrzejewski!); therefore, our children will be 5/8 Polish/Ukrainian (my Dad is 1/2 Polish/Ukrainian, I'm 1/4, so on, so forth).
Lindsey
Also, not that long ago (maybe 2 or 3 months ago?), a childhood family "friend" (who I went to school with - a year behind me - and whose family took vacations with ours) died of a drug overdose. It was quite a shock. Even though I wasn't particularly close to this guy, and in fact, our families had quite a severe falling out nearly a decade ago, I still can't help but think of him as almost a fun-loving kid brother. He was always into snowmobiles, wave-runners (hence the family vacations), and pretty much anything with a motor. He was so ALIVE, and now he is gone at the age of 24. My Mom went to the funeral, but I don't think that I could have handled it.
Anyway. I just need to remember all of this and plug on. Heck, my Grandma Reid is a perfect example (I think I've mentioned her trials and tribulations in another post) - and I need to be just as strong and brave.
Incidentally, my Mom said something rather curious the other night on the phone. She said that my Grandma Reid no longer states that she doesn't ever want to live with my parents or be a burden in her old age. As a child, I grew up with her saying that she didn't want to be around if she didn't have her "faculties" (i.e. mind). My Mom simply thinks that this is due to the fact that she is vastly approaching that age. She is already 81 (although she is in very good health for that age, still has a pretty sharp mind, lives alone, and has a wonderful boyfriend) and probably just doesn't want to rule out anything at this point. Her Mom (who I very much take after) died at 74 and her Dad died at 90. Funny thing: She has always teased us grand kids that she'll live to be 100, and then, she'll come back to haunt us! Thing is, we hold her to it! Even though she may be a little conscious of her mortality right now, I have no doubt that she'll live to be 100!
Anyway, gotta love those Polish/Ukrainian genes (there is somewhat of a dispute as to whether my Great Grandparents were Polish or Ukrainian)! And Irish, Scottish, English, Dutch, French Canadian, Swedish, etc. etc. etc. Yes, I am certainly a mutt - like much of the US! Ukrainian/Polish and Irish probably make up the largest percentage of my heritage... in case you were wondering.
Brian, on the other hand, is 100% of Polish decent (my last name will be Andrzejewski!); therefore, our children will be 5/8 Polish/Ukrainian (my Dad is 1/2 Polish/Ukrainian, I'm 1/4, so on, so forth).
Lindsey