Through The Years

Sixty years ago today I made my grand entrance into this life. I was the fourth and last child born to Bertha Mae (Crace) Riley and Joseph L. Riley. As long as my mother was alive, she recalled for me on April 9th of every year that it snowed on my first birthday. She would also tell me that Easter fell on my first birthday as well. FYI..... It has not fallen on my birthday again in sixty years. The last thing these sixty years have been was hum-drum or boring. This journey has carried me down many roads. Some quite twisted and full of curves, some dark and scary, while others were bright, beautiful and overflowing with laughter and happiness.




Regardless of the hardships and unhappiness that I have faced in my lifetime, I can honestly say that I wouldn't wish them away if I could. Those same hardships and unhappiness is the cast that molded me into the person that I am. My whole life has been mobile until six years ago when J.D. retired and we put our roots down here on J.D.'s mountain in Southern Ohio to finish out what time we have left here on this earth. I can't think of any place I would rather be.



I give thanks every day for the many special friends and loved ones that have been a part of my journey. Each of them has touched my life in some way and made me the better person for having walked with me for a while. I love and appreciate each and everyone of you.



My little family will be honoring me with a Birthday celebration this evening. I love our family get togethers..... there is always such a feeling of warmth and happiness when we can all be together. I love you little party animals! I offer thanks to my parents for giving me life. I am especially thankful to God for denying me my wishes to end my life, during those times when life seemed especially dark. There was indeed so much more ahead to live for.

Wishing all a blessed day!

Meaningful Monday

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to every one's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

. . . ....The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S STORY:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

Meaningful Mondays

I thought that I will start doing what I will refer to as Meaningful Mondays. It will be the one day that I set aside especially for reflection and trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle that we all call 'Life'.

From time to time I come across some profound statement while I am reading a book or magazine, sometimes in an e-mail, that really lights a spark for me. It may cause me to give serious thought to something that I had found puzzling before. Perhaps answering a question that I have had for a long time. Perhaps just putting a different spin on the way I looked at something before. Sometimes it happens suddenly, sometimes slowly with a certain amount of smoothness, the puzzle piece just slides right into place for me. It is a feeling like no other when it happens.

I confess that I am guilty of usually having so much clutter on my mind that I really don't take the time to meditate over fitting my puzzle pieces together like I should. Although my inner child still thinks she is 19 with lots of time to find answers to questions I have had all of my life, all it takes is a look in the mirror to know that indeed I am no longer 19. It is time to do some mental housekeeping. Dusting off the grey matter, sweeping out the cobwebs and keeping that mind in shape by giving it some serious exercising from time to time.

With all of that said I will now give you my first 'Meaningful Monday' installment. Hopefully someone finds it helpful in some way.

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As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it is harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you will eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end,

be afraid that it will never begin.

Life As A Quilt

From time to time I like to sit quietly and take stock of my life. Thoughts about like where I have been and where I am going. The joys and sorrows that have made up this life of mine, as well as the people that have traveled this journey with me. Some are still by my side, new ones have joined me, while others have wandered off along the way to pursue their own journeys separate from mine.

I use to hold on to everything that I remembered when I did my inventory. I found by doing that, I was also holding on to things from the past that had hurt me emotionally. As a result, I was preventing those hurts from healing and not allowing forgiveness to enter my heart. My plan is to work on that.

Have you ever really given much thought to quilts? Each one is unique to their own creator, therefore no two will be alike. Many people may use the same pattern, but there will always be variations in the colors, the fabric, and even the skill level of the creator. I see our lives as being very much like quilts. How wonderful that we each are given the tools and opportunities to create our very own quilt, just by the life we lead and the choices we make. Some of us will be very precise and careful about where each square is placed and the colors and fabric that is used. While others will whip through their quilts like a whirl wind and those squares will be placed randomly here and there. While still others will be masters at creating a crazy quilt. I can honestly tell you that I have created my share of those.

The bottom line is to create a quilt that you will be proud to leave behind when your days are through. A quilt that you can pass along to your loved ones. Something that they can wrap up in when the cold winds of loneliness blow and the memories of you, as the quilts creator will keep them warm long after you journey has ended.

Happy quilting!