Excuse Me?

When did manners become a thing of the past? When did people forget to say please and thank you; to open the door for the elderly; to let someone with one item get in front of you with a cart full?

Society is so caught up in ourselves, so self-centered that there is no place for manners. Our children are being raised to look for for themselves only, to expect hand-outs, to blame someone or something else for their mistakes.

It saddens me when I see a young person, pull into a handicapped parking space, pull out the handicapped placard, and then be-bop in the store.

I was in a large department store...you know the kind...that sells food, clothing, medicine, garden supplies, housewares, tires - a one stop shop so to speak. The parking lot was full all the way to the end. I am handicapped and after driving around several times, I found a spot. I thought there it was Christmas because of the crowd of people in the store. People drove their buggies around as if they were the only one in the store, coming out of aisles without looking to see if someone was coming. They parked their buggies in the middle of the aisle so that no one could pass them. They gave dirty looks if you weren't walking as fast as they wanted. I feared for my well-being in the store.

I only had four items so I got in the 20 items or less line. The lady in front of me had a FULL cart. I said nothing, but patiently stood in line. I wasn't happy about what she had done, but she was the one with the poor manners.

Someone got in line behind me and started ranting about the lady in front of me. I thought there would be a physical altercation before it was over. She asked me why I didn't say anything to her when I got in line. I said some things just aren't worth the stress. She got the people in line behind her riled up. Sure the lady in front of me was wrong...where were her manners? But where were the manners of the lady behind me?

People leaving the store almost knocked me down to get out of the door. There are stop signs at the entrance to allow pedestrians to walk out to the parking lot but do you think people stopped? NOT! I finally (and safely) made it to my car. Two teenage girls, giggling and playing around, jumped in the car beside me (handicapped space) and gave me an evil eye.

It seems there are so few courteous drivers. Everyone is in a hurry. If you are driving too slow, they blow their horn or ride your bumper. Yellow traffic lights mean go fast...red lights mean go faster. People dodge in and out of traffic. Just don't get in their way.

How much worse can it get? That scares me because I believe it will get worse.

I can't change anyone else but I can change me. I can make a difference and maybe it will affect others in their attitude toward others.

When Did That Happen?

When Did That Happen?

I woke one morning and I realized I was young. Yep, it happened just that fast. I remember being young, holding down a (more than) full time job, single mom, keeping home clean, meals cooked with energy left over for church, play, and socializing. I worked with and had people working for me that were younger than I...most people were older.

And then it happened! All of a sudden, like I said, I woke up and all that had changed. It seemed like most people were younger than I. I couldn't physically do most of the things I had been doing...I can't work even part-time, I can't keep my home clean, cooking every night is a struggle and getting ready to go anywhere drains me. What is going on? I looked in the mirror and no longer saw a young woman but a middle age one. I don't remember it happening gradually...it just happened and I don't like it one bit.

I don't mind growing older...I do mind growing old! I can't play hop scotch, I can't skip, I can't do jumping jacks...when I run, I look like a hippopotamus...it ain't a pretty sight!

It's inevitable...it will happen to most of us. But why so quickly? Why so unkindly? I wish I had known this many years ago. I would have prepared myself better.

It is so sad to me the way society views and treats the elderly. Now I am not considered elderly, although I often feel like I am. It seems as if we, in the United States, discard our elderly. Put them in the nursing home, out of sight...out of mind.

• Mood: lonely

Well, I made it through the holidays. It wasn't an easy time. Holiday time is family time to me. My family has either spread out or had other plans. Add to that is the stress Mike is under at the churches. All that was hard for me. I was very alone and lonely. I knew I would get through it and I did. I kept trying to remember the real reason for Christmas and that gave me much comfort.

So there is a new year ahead...new blessings...new struggles...new adventures. No matter what lies ahead in 2008, may God be glorified in all I do and say.

I joined a group from Etsy for weight loss. It is a 10 week plan. Today is day 2 and I am doing OK. I started walking on my treadmill today. I had the treadmill set at 2 mph and I walked for 20 minutes twice. It is just a start. The old saying goes, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." "Today is the first day of the rest of my life eating and living well."

• Mood: creative