Is This Old Age Related???

“Don’t let age get you down. It’s too hard to get back up”

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I don’t hear men talking much about their aches and pains so I am assuming the person who said getting older was your golden words was full of crap!

I am kidding about this but in reality; I am asking for your advice.

The one thing that I am having to endure with aging and my symptoms from Ataxia is pain in my hand. I refuse to give up my typing on this keyboard.

I have a knot that has been growing on my index finger and now I have some slight swelling on that finger also. Oh, the burn and the pain. Good old Arthritis has decided to take-up home in my bones.

I am using Ibuprofin and Bio Freeze. Let me tell you something, that Bio-Freeze should work excellent because in my opinion; everyone within a block can tell I just put it on my skin.

There must be something natural to use. I can’t afford herbs and such on my income, so maybe an old-fashioned remedy that you know worked for your grandma? Any thoughts- let me know.

Thank-you,

Terry

Memorial Day

“Freedom can not be bestowed-it must be achieved”

MEMORIAL DAY.

This land is my land
This land is your land
Then why still all the fighting?
Isn’t it all of our land?

Brave women and men
Fighting for our rights
Let freedom ring
Isn’t this how we sing?

Leaving families behind
Crawling on all ground
Watching with watchful eye
Looking for all evil spies.

Children left in broken homes
Caskets brought back to their land
Others missing; wondering where they are
All done for your and my freedom.

Red, white and blue flags
Flow gently in the breeze
Representation of what was fought
Let’s salute for what they sought.

Arguing, shouting, burning, death
Still roams around the world
A constant battle remains on earth
Seems since the beginning of birth.

For this one day put your hand over your heart
Remember what was done years before
This land is your land
This land is my land
Forever more.

Written by,
Terry Shepherd

Keeping the House Neat and Tidy

All I can control is myself and just keep having a positive attitude.

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It seems that by now reaching that goal of being a true Senior Citizen; I would have all my crap together, but I don’t. The older I have reached the worse I don’t know myself.

I do have some regrets at this point.

A. Not doing enough with my children when they were younger and living at home. We had some real good times but I spent a lot of time making sure the house was neat and tidy and supper was on time.

B. Not fighting harder for what I knew was right inside my heart. There is a lot that goes on when raising a family of three kids. Places to go and errands to run, kids inviting over night guests, groceries to buy and of course; keeping the house neat and tidy.

C. Not spending enough time with my parents. This is something I always knew I should do; but I was always too busy or too tired. I always went to their house on invitation order or for holidays. I’m talking about those times when I really didn’t have much on my agenda and still didn’t go.

Today, I am starting to look backwards and forwards at the same time. I can’t change the past for sure but I can make sure my forward is kept on track to the best of my ability.

I may be older but my heart still gets stomped on. Today, I have to let it go. Yesterday, I would have worried and stressed it out until I was in bed sick to my stomach. I can’t rule or control how others take my words or actions. I can only hope that misunderstandings are resolved and life can move forward with ease.

The one thing I do not like today and I pretty much stand up for myself is backlash. I hear things said to me today about what and why I did what I did or said years ago. Yesterday, I would have sunk emotionally. Today, I stand up for what I know is right for me.

Today, it’s not necessary to keep the house neat and tidy. It is more about being content inside. Spending time with those that make me feel good. Laughing is the main course on my plate. I have to deal with my Ataxia and I have to deal and accept the old-age pains, but letting go of that neat and tidy house is a choice I can make.

Amongst the Storm

She was sitting behind her desk grading papers. School was over for the day and she was so glad. It had been a rough day. Her concentration was low on what she was supposed to be teaching to her third grade students. Instead, her mind was on last evening at home.She and her husband were having another argument. The he said, she said was over the top. This argument had been going on for a few days now, ever since a friend had hinted that Jerry, her husband may be cheating on her.Beth looked into her mirror deeply. Did she look her best? Was she making a real effort to please her husband when they sat down at breakfast?She had built her own wall of unworthy. This in turn made her doubt everything her husband said in his defense to her accusations.
She placed one paper on top of another. Red check marks, grades with circles in it but as she looked at the finished pile she wondered if she had done a good job.
She heard a noise. A noise that sounded like scurrying. Soon the noise got louder and before she could stand, her door was thrown open and two men grabbed her from behind.They gagged her and tied her hands behind her back. They pushed her hard into a closet.She tried kicking at the door to break it open while she listened to chairs being tossed and desks being over turned. Gruff voices directing partners to look here and over there.She was scared and tears streamed quick down her cheeks. She asked herself, “Are they going to kill me? What will they do with me? What about my husband? Will I see him again?”
As she stood there shivering she felt a touch on her shoulder. She looked around her but all she saw was darkness. The touch on her shoulder became firmer. A warmth she had never experienced ran through her body. Her body became firm. She calmed down amongst the storm.The voice said, ” I have placed you in this situation because I want you to know the truth. I made you Beth. I made you just the way you are. You believe in me and I have been guiding you all through your life. Suddenly, you are not listening to me. Instead, you are listening to others who do not know me. I want you to go home and look at your mirror and your husband through the eyes I have given you.”
Suddenly the door opened to the closet. She was no longer restrained. There was no chaos nor noise. She walked over to her desk and saw that her papers were graded and put neatly in a folder for tomorrow’s class.She looked around, grabbed her coat and purse. She walked straight out of the school and got into her car. When she got home, her husband was reading the paper on the couch. She walked over to him with coat and purse still in hand. She laid his newspaper to the side and grabbed him around the neck, whispering, ” I love you so much. Thank-you for being my husband.”
Written by,Terry Shepherd

Happy Mother’s Day

Pink carnation flowers in zinc bucket with happy mothers day letter on wood heart

Motherhood; All love begins here and ends there

Robert Browning

I think back to when my mom was mothering us three kids. How in the world did she manage to do it all? She worked a full-time job. She dealt with issues of us being kids. She was the glue that held the family together. She fed us, clothed us and gave us a nice home.

I think about how ungrateful I was as a kid but am very appreciative today of her upbringing for me and her hard work and efforts of seeming to do it all without showing exhaustion.

My mother passed away in October of 2000. Losing a mother to death makes me feel like an orphan but I managed.

Make sure you tell your mom if she is still here on earth just what she has meant to you in your life. You really don’t have tomorrow to do it.

Happy Mother’s Day mom in heaven!

More Clouds and Rain in Indiana

I have been struggling this past month or so because it is becoming apparent that I emotionally need to be accepting that I can no longer do the same things I did before I got Ataxia.

So this is my life and I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I am still trying.

The weather here in Northern Indiana has just sucked big time. It has been chilly for May. It has been cloudy almost six out of seven days weekly and we have had an excessive amount of rain.

This is not something that I personally enjoy and with older age it is definitely showing in my joints.

BUT, we all know there are rainbows if we are patient and for me there was one this past weekend.

I was invited to get out of town, out of the state and to bring my camera. I was so excited; I didn’t even hesitate to say a big yes.

I went to Kentucky for some shopping and sightseeing and to Ohio to the zoo. I had a good time but my health did cause my trip some issues. So the little time I was there; I was able to get some photos and here are a few for you to see.

For those of us who are carrying a rock on our backs, our daily living changes, therefore we need to find other ways and means to keep our inner spirits alive.

All Around the Merry Go Round

Lost time is never found again.

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Once again I saw the article on the morning news. Another shooting in a school. Injuries and death were the final results.

I sit here as a Senior citizen and I just don’t remember my parents talking about this topic as a child. Of course; they could have hid this information from me but even as a youth; I didn’t see this on the National news.

As a kid, guns were mainly used for killing food for the table. Policemen carried guns to protect us from dangers.

We only heard about crime being done in the big, big cities. Today; guns can be bought underground and even in stores by almost anyone.

The rules have been changed as each major shooting is done but yet guns can still be placed in the wrong hands.

Does it really make a difference in new rules? Are we hitting the main target on these rules to keep the innocent safe?

There are people getting injured and killed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are drive-by shootings. There are children being killed by those with emotional and mental problems.

I can almost guarantee that when I go to our local Wal-Mart; I will see at least one person carrying an armed weapon. Although I realize that person is protecting himself and his family from danger; it also gives me shivers seeing a real gun.

I grew up in another era. Sunday, stores were closed. Drugs were not running rampant among our streets. We could, as children, play outdoors into the dusk hours without fear.

How many people have to get killed before the right answer is in front of us? I don’t even know the right answer. Broken homes, lack of parenting, loss of employment, drugs, theft, the ME world is raging like venom being spat from a snake.

I wish the world would halt and pray together. I wish the President and the People connected. I wish God would be placed back in the government, schools and public places. I wish it were not a fear to pray in public.

I just wish. One day I will escape this and go straight to Heaven, but until then, how many need to have their lives taken early?

Come to Indiana to Stay Here

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Photo below taken by myself. Pear trees in my town of Warsaw, Indiana

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