Day 2 - Three Stabbings and a Funeral

**WARNING:  DISTURBING CONTENT **
(NOTE - It is not my intent for my daily blog posts for this NaBloWriMo exercise to be dark and depressing, but I need to purge these thoughts swirling in my head before they consume me--and writing them out has always proven a good way to do that.)

Life's Short...sometimes TOO short!

This bedroom community that I live in has a population of just under 2,000 people. I have actually not found this town to be overly friendly ever since moving here 15 years ago, but at least I have felt relatively safe.  In light of some recent criminal activity, however, not only am I not very fond of this little burg, but I am not comfortable living here anymore.  I suppose no community is immune to crime of one form or another.  But a crime like a stabbing in any community is terrifyingly heinous, and that's what we've been dealing with here lately.

While a stabbing in a big metropolis is certainly tragic and senseless, it's like a drop in a large body of water.  A stabbing in a town with a population of less than 2,000 is like a drop in a drinking glass of water--the ripple effect is felt by all!  What is infinitely more disturbing here, is that after a homicide-free record for a countless number of years, three stabbing related incidents have occurred in the last four months--two resulting in death.

Even though the incidents in question were domestic situations and not random acts, it's still very unsettling.  One stabbing occurred in our city park in broad daylight and another occurred across from our school.  Coincidentally, residents from the public housing project were involved in two of the three stabbings, and drugs played a role in the third.  So words like gangs, race, and stereotypical are bandied about at the local market and coffee hangouts with the news and rumors on everyone's lips.

While I didn't know either one of the victims, I'm still left mourning...mourning the loss of innocence and a simpler time.  What is happening in our society today that makes people have a total disrespect for the sanctity of human life?  Are parents in today's generation ill-equipped to raise healthy, compassionate individuals?  Has the government-created welfare-state-of-mind been a factor? Have the public schools been so limited in dealing with negative and inappropriate behavior that it has become impossible to control on an academic level?  Have we, as a nation, been so desensitized through the instant media reports throwing the daily violence in our faces, that we are indifferent to it all and unable to take a stand?  Is the fact that churches and religion are no longer significant and having a Biblical foundation is not a priority so we no longer comprehend right from wrong?  Perhaps it's a combination of all of the above.

I keep hearing that there is still more good in the world than evil...but the statistics in my little corner of the world are proving otherwise.

Life's too short to be negative...tomorrow my post will be positive and bright!

Day 1 - Life is Short...Put a Lid on It!

Life is too short to wear only one hat, so I wear many!

I am...

...a faithful wife,

   ...a homeschool mom,

      ...an exhausted caregiver,

         ...a senior pet owner,

            ...a distraught sister, and

               ...an estranged daughter...

                                (just to name a few).

    
For the month of October I will add..

                   ...a writer

National Blog Writing Month (NaBloWriMo) begins today.  Given the list of hats that I wear, I have plenty to scream write about!

I enjoy writing, but rarely take the time to indulge.  This month, I hope to dust off my writer's hat and cap off everyday by taking some time for me!

Life is short, have fresh flowers on your table, bedside, or countertop to enjoy every day.

Life is short...support your local florist!

Life's Short...How Will You be Remembered?

It is folly of our species that we reserve the greatest bouquets for our dead.  -Richard Paul Evans

About eight months ago my cousin, Brad, gave a very moving eulogy at his dad's memorial service.  As he shared memories of his father, he outlined the top ten things that he felt best described his dad's unique life and the way his dad thought about life that helped him impact the world.

1.  Live with awe - ask important questions:  did I live, did I love, did I matter, what does the universe mean?  Notice the little things.  Make everyday precious.  Experience with the wonder of youth.  Have a contagious zest for life.

2.  Explore - travel; see the world; understand other cultures.  In order to make the biggest difference in the world, you need to understand how the world works.

3.  Stay until the last play - what is important in the game of sports is important in life.

4.  Take only those who are ready - teams only work if people are ready to work as a team.

5.  Toot your own horn - It is often not enough to do something great; you have to tell people about it.  Not so much that you are bragging, but sharing accomplishments with others who might be able to help you reach your own goals.

6.  Have the will to change - There is no such thing as a problem, only a management opportunity.

7.  Save your money - money is power and security...you cannot keep your power and security if you spend your money.  Spend money on what is important, but never waste it.

8.  Be succinct - Understand the value of time and being concise.  Know how to express a lot while only saying a little. 

9.  Lift others up - Identify exceptional people; embrace every race and creed; those that you lift up will in turn lift you up.

10.  Embrace humor - make others laugh and learn to laugh at you.  Laughter is the best medicine.

Thomas J. would've been 74 today.  Happy Birthday, Tom!  How are you impacting heaven?

Life is short...forgive quickly

Life is short...eternity is NOT!

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34

Life is short, but each morning ushers in the first day of the rest of our life.  Live one day at a time.  Take no anxious thought for the morrow. 

Life's Too Short to Be Anything But Happy

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.

(Thanks to my friend, Jill, for posting this and allowing me to use it here in my blog!)

Life's Too Short To Get a To Go Box

As I was savoring the warm fresh bread with the seasoned EVO still dripping onto the plate, I was trying to figure out how I could convince myself to have the willpower to stop eating halfway through the entree when it arrived so I wouldn't be uncomfortably full AND have leftovers for lunch the next day. I must've been voicing my dilemma out loud, when my daughter chimes in with, "Life's too short--eat it all now while it's good and hot!"

Guess someone is listening to my theory on life after all! Thanks for the reminder, Mary!

Life's short...forget the doggie bag and clean your plate!!