The town looks dead. Almost everyone is under one roof. It’s Sunday, time for church. Only sound coming from ear’s reach is the single church bell. Soon everyone is exiting. Shaking hands, thinking about changing clothes so they could be worn the next Sunday.
Boys running in the yard. Parents telling them to stop running and rough housing as this could make their clothes soft. No gas stations…
The town looks dead. Almost everyone is under one roof. It’s Sunday, time for church. Only sound coming from ear’s reach is the single church bell. Soon everyone is exiting. Shaking hands, thinking about changing clothes so they could be worn the next Sunday.
Boys running in the yard. Parents telling them to stop running and rough housing as this could make their clothes soft. No gas stations open. Not a grocery store with unlocked doors. No Wal-Mart in place.
It was time to spend with family, gathered around the table. Saying grace and sharing food and good conversation. Afterwards, the men found a place to nap, or maybe went out to the barn. Kids went out to play.
Playing consisted of riding bikes, skipping rope, playing hula-hoop, hop scotch, playing tag. Women gossiped as they cleared the dishes and washed and dried them each by hand.
Imagination and mouths were used. Fingers got dirty. No WII, no X-box, no hanging around the street corners with shorts hanging below the crack. Hair was short and trimmed. Tattoos, what are those?
Listening to the family radio, swinging on the porch swing. Knitting and talk about new clothes that needed mended. Kids asked before they went to the ice-box. Respect was known by all. Manners were on the list.
Know of a family like this today? I bet they are around, but they are a rarity; I must admit. My how life has changed. I didn’t really notice it changing until I got in my older years. When my head shakes in negativity at the lack of clothing people wear today.
Next week is fair week here. I will hopefully be going on Sunday afternoon. This is the one day that is considered Free Day. You don’t have to pay to get in. I will sit on one of the bar stools of a local tent and have a bite to eat.
I will stroll around the grounds and look at the animals that are coming in to be judged. I will sit on the benches and people watch. I will shake my head at some of the things I will see, but I will thank God for giving me my life to live and making it to this moment.
Ever wonder what kind of clothing and material things will be popular when our kids or grandchildren are grown? As long as there is a string connecting God to families together, they will make it, just like I did.
Then:
Now:
Children in pretty clothes
Manners showing bright
Gathered round the Christmas tree
Staring at the lights.
All of family gathered here
Holding hands for prayer
Dinner served for all who sat
Taking time to eat and going no where.
Presents gathered neath the tree
One for each adult and child
Opening each for all to see
No one was acting wild.
Today is different we can see
Money replaces God
Family barely being here
Old fashioned has turned to mod.
Pick up foods already made
Screaming and yelling is what we hear
No time to do what has now come to past
The meaning of Christmas is now thought of last.
TV commercials promote big gifts
People get but can not pay
Stressed and tired and running on fumes
Oh please let’s get through this day.
We go to grandma’s house to eat
Hurry and gobble down the food
Open our gifts as quick as we can
Hurry and leave this hood.
I am so thankful for my old age
For the memories I hold dear
Of family sitting around the tree
I wish I could turn the clock back as I shed my first tear.
Terry Shepherd
12/13/2012
IT IS ALMOST MIDNITE
AND MY HEAD IS BENT
AS I REMEMBER THE DAY
WHERE THOSE PLANES WENT..
A DAY OF WORK
WAS TO BE THE WAY
NO ONE EXPECTED
WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY..
A PARENT, A FRIEND, AND A CHILD
WERE TAKEN FROM SOMEONE WHO CARED
THE CRIES AND THE GASPS OF THE NEWS
AS THE WORDS LAID OUR HEARTS TO BE BARED..
DEATH BY THOUGHT AND PLANNED MURDER
SHAKES OUR MINDS, STIRS OUR MODE OF CONTENT
IT OPENS OUR EYES TO MAKE US REALIZE
THAT DAYS SHOULD NOT WASTEFULLY BE SPENT..
I AM TAKING THIS MOMENT WHILE ALL IS SO STILL
TO PAY MY RESPECT FOR ALL WHO HAVE GONE BY
MY HEART IS STILL WITH YOU, ALTHOUGH TIME HAS PASSED
THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THIS, AND I STILL WONDER WHY….
GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, WHO LINGER BEHIND
WHO TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME EVERY DAY
THAT GOD HAS SHOWED MERCY AND KEPT FAITH ALIVE
MY HEART AND MY PRAYERS ARE BEING SENT YOUR WAY….
AMEN
WRITTEN BY TERRY SHEPHERD
09/11/2012
Writer Wordart (Photo credit: MarkGregory007)
I can not believe I am sitting here crying. No, not this time over Al, but for a blogger friend, Mona.
When I started blogging, I thought only of myself. The situation I was in, with no one to speak to about my feelings, my frustrations. I felt so alone and many times unloved, just doing a job, which I thought no one even cared if I did it or not.
As time went by, I started meeting people. I was so excited that people were clicking on my stories. It went from one click three months ago, to over 23,000 today. I know it isn’t the numbers that matter, but for me, the numbers mean people, and people mean someone is out there. I am not alone. When comments started to arrive, I felt like I was communicating with someone who could understand not only what I was going through, but we were beginning to become friends. To me, cyber friends is just as important as having a real friend in life, that I can see and touch. I can see your words. I can feel your pain, and happiness. I can feel you reaching out to me.
I didn’t realize until this very moment how important you have become in my life. I didn’t see what was building here. Not only clicks, and comments, but the real thing was friendship. You have shown me that I matter. You have shown me that I am more than a caregiver for Al, that I am a person, a human, deserving to have feelings, and thoughts.
I don’t want the changes to happen. I want to keep all of my friends on here, but change does have to happen. It is a part of life.
I just wanted you to know, that you are more than blogger friends to me, you are reality to me, humans to me, and friends, that I treasure.
I love who you are Mona, and I respect your need for change.
I dedicate this blog to one I respect so much. Mona.
Who I am 