Life passage! & Driving Memory

It has been a week since my Supervisor has retired and frankly, I am so relieved.  There are times in our lives that we regret time passing us and that is my regret for the pass 2yrs.  Life at work was very difficult to say the least.  Why did I let it effect me so much?  Because I am there more than I am at home. 

Work relationships are odd.  We are there 40hrs a week and so influenced by those around us.  I applaud men for the strength they have to put up with "stuff" at work.  I have felt that I was drowning each day that I went to work...I would blame it on many things: lack of exercise, lack of spirituallity, lack of focus, too much focus, yada, yada, yada.  The truth of the fact is that I was being bullied!  And anyone that knows me knows that I will fight back.  Especially when I am not fighting for myself but the welfare of others.  I dispise lack of respect for human suffering.  Of course, this is my prespective and I may be preceived by others quite differently. So be it!

There are those who take a stand and there are those that are beaten down and don't come back up.  I kept coming up and I tell ya it was hard some days.  What gave me strength each day is that I am so blessed with the knowledge that I am loved by my Heavenly Father and I have a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong.  I self-evaulate quite well, I know my short comings and I know what I am lacking. A true blessing.  I lack strength in so many areas but standing up for the right thing is something I will do. 

I must say that consequently I have missed precious moments because I was"surviving"

Those momemts that I should have embraced:

• The wonderful opportunity I had to go to my first Broadway play...Wicked.  Thank you Vallen and Cathy for a memorial experience.  To experience such depth and talent from those actors that moved me to laughter and tears.  The wonderful stage with such graceful art and preception that surrounded us in the theater, I was in awe!  What an experience!
• The opportunity to spend time with Summer Daye and Breck... being the only grandma in the pool and really enjoying myself in the natural light of the warm sun penetrating each fiber of my NW chill. The pride I felt when my grandchildren were so exicted to introduce their grandma to their many friends.  To see the core of my grandchildren's sweet spirits see beyond color of skin and difference in cultures and accepting those around them for who they are! 
• My sweet Summer and Breck being such sweet examples at Primary with a genuine love of the gospel radiating thru thier eyes!
• The privilege to see Zachary (our first grandson  holding the Aaronic priesthood) pass out the scarement.  The joy I felt and pride to see the fruits of my accepting the gospel almost 40 yrs ago.  The gift that Keary and I were able to pass on.  The true gospel.  One more generation!
• My sweet Toni bearing her testimony at Sacrement Meeting. She was so anxious she walked right up to the pulpit before sacrement even started.  To hear such heart felt words about her feelings and knowing that she was being guided by the Spirit to committe to a mission at such a young age.
• Zekie's fearlesness at all things that he attempts.  Always looking to his family for guidance and protection.  What a blessing he has been to our lives.
• My Aden and Jocelyn ...strong spirits with challenges that they continually overcome at such a young age. The excitment Aden exuberated each time he could use the computer to play his favorite games!  Jocelyn's sweet love for her grandpa each time she came over... showing such compassion for him and truly enjoying shopping with grandma!

Opportunities...and the the regret of not taking opportunities with:

• My grandchildren in Utah and Texas...Zoe, Kari-lynn, Naomi, alex, and Chio... "if I coulda, If I woulda"...
• My daughter Calixta...you will be blessed!

So another stage of my life...and you all know me ...this will be probably all ya'll get for the next few weeks...but never doubt...my love for the gospel, my love for my Heavenly Father, my love for my family!  ....and then I plunge in again to the murky waters of the real world...Work!!! Ughh!!!

TELL ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE -OR YOUR FIRST DRIVING EXPERIENCE

I remember I was about 13 or 14 yrs old and my mom took me out to the back Texas dirt roads and I learned how to drive.  I remember lots of dirt holes and bumps from the cotton field and running over them.  And my mom grabbing the wheel alot. 

The likeness above (white color)I remember driving when I lived in Harlingen, Tx, I think it was my Junior year.  My grandma Ciria ( a very trusting "buelita") asked me to go cash her Soc Security check.  I remember going to the store to get that cashed and there was also a really hot guy that hung out at this "Sonic" type drive in.  I am sure I was wearing one of my HOT outfits (short shorts were my speciality)...and thought ummm... I should cruise over there just in case he is there.  (Can't even remember his name). So I did.  I remember the street being 3 lanes wide and I had done my cruising and decided to go home. 

So I am HOT I have a HOT car and I pass this not so hot car and you guessed it...the LOOOONG end of the car hit the car behind me when I pulled into the Lane.  Boy was I scared!!! The only thing hot then I am sure was my armpits!!!  So it was a couple and they started honkin so I pulled over and It was just a small "nik", I swear to this day!  My car was not damaged (well, nothing my parents would notice)

They complained so much and I was afraid to go home and tell my mom (my dad was in Laredo working)and I am pretty sure my dad did not carry insurance on his cars for a very long time.  I can remember the jest of the incident and the guy said he would forget all about it if I gave him $50...in those days that was alot of money (gas was 25 cents a gal).  I didn't have any money...how appalling he would ask me!  He started to call the police!

I then remembered grandma's check...went back to the car and took out a $20...told him that it was all I had...and he said OK and left.  Talk about feeling guilty...I did not say anything to grandma, I told her I lost it and mom screamed at me (alot of money in those days). 

Later that week I told "Buelita" when mom wasn't around and she said "Ah Mejita!" Que cabrona eres...como tu papa!!!  LOL...

Comments

[ciria]

What a wonderful post! I am so glad you participated in Memory monday I love that story!

[Calixta]

That kind of sounds like when I had my driving experience. Sounds kind of the same. I know now where I got my driving skills from you and dad!!

[CathyB]

I'm so glad we could hang at a musical. It was super fun!! We love having you come visit! Glad you are out of "survival" mode! We have missed you.

Love the car story! And thank goodness you are just like your Dad...because he is awesome!