It's All About the Journey

Twice in a week, I have been the calm, compassionate voice of reason, taking care of others in highly-emotional and triggering situations. I don't even really want to talk about the first one beyond saying that I will not tolerate being bullied and I won't let someone bully someone else in front of me. But I did not yell, or overreact or threaten or hurl insults. I do not like when men confront me. I do not like being bullied and I certainly don't respect a grown ass man who thinks it's acceptable to physically intimidate a woman. I may tote an ass whoopin' for it, I may fall all apart when it's over, but I will stand my ground. I'm certainly grateful that in that moment, none of the men I love were there. We'd a gone to jail. I realized during and after all of that, I did exactly what my Nanny would have wanted me to do. She always told us to try to get along. I always thought it was ridiculous to try to get along with someone who disagrees with you. Wh...

Your birthday. You’re not quite as old as your youngest led me to believe. You’re sitting just outside the door now on the screened porch, playing something pretty well put together and singing along just loudly enough that I can hear your voice, but not your words. I’d know your picking if I were blind and half deaf. My dear man, I hope your birthday was magical. I hope that the weather was perfect and the kids behaved. I hope your birthday supper tasted just right and we got the best seat in the house. I hope you laughed and smiled and got all of the things that you bring to everyone else. I’ve never met someone who deserves more joy. You think you got lucky, but I think I got pretty lucky too. I think that’s how it should be. You have the same birthday as my grandfather. I discovered that by chance. You made me find your birthday and wouldn’t tell me. It wasn’t too much of a challenge. It came into my mind a few days later that it might be the same as my grandfather. I went upst...