Do you see what I see??

Day 4

What would life be like if we could see the soul of each person rather than what we wear on the outside?

My friend Kaycee posted this on her Facebook wall this morning, and I knew that it would have to be the topic for Day 4!

There are times where I feel like I am repeating myself and preaching to the choir, but here ya go!

I babysit at least one of my grandkids one day a week, every day of the week.  Because I do this, usually by the end of the day my hair is pretty much sticking up straight, my clothes will have sticky peanut butter fingerprints on it,  milk spots, or who knows what, and I will have a frazzled look about me.  To the person who doesn't know, they would just think I was a lazy slob who cares nothing about her appearance, much less how she appears in public.  (And believe you me, I try not to go out in public looking like that, but sometimes it just happens :)!!  )

I often think as those days happen where I am forced to get out of my car and I am carrying the days worth of "kids" all about me.....what do people think when they see me??  I want to shout out, HEY, I am important in the life of a small child.  They were held today, they were loved today, they got read to, played with, painted with, and they will grow up to be a wonderful person because of that. 

I also think sometimes, that unless you've ever been on the other end of being judged unfairly, until it happens to you, it's hard to have a perspective of what it is like.  Don't worry, your time is coming.  I've found that as I get older, and I am not old by any means, my ideas and thoughts start to be discounted for what younger people would think are more "valuable young ideas".  It's sooo annoying and really dissappointing to feel like you are being pushed aside and what you think or the knowledge you have is no longer important. 

We ALL have life stories, we ALL have things to CONTRIBUTE to society. 

It's our responsibility to let the voices be heard.  Even when it's sitting and listening to your 90 year old grandmother talk about what life was like in the "good ole days". 

Oftentimes I am struck with the thought, when I see an elderly person walk by, "what were they like in their youth?"  This photo that goes with this blog reminds me of that.  Our bodies may age and fail us, but our minds still retain the memories of what our lives have been like, our hopes and dreams of what we wanted to be, some of which we accomplished and some of which we didn't. 

Listen to the stories and advice of the older generation.  They have SO MUCH to teach and we could benefit so much from listening to their past experiences. 

We are also not the clothes we wear or what we drive. 

Time and time again I have spoken on this subject!! 

It's a shame that so much of society places such value on these things. 

I love to shop, I can afford to buy nice clothes, however most of the time you will see me in blue jeans,some of my favorite blue jeans have holes in the knee (a fashion statement these days LOL),  a tshirt, and flip flops. 

We own three cars between my husband and I.  We keep one for a "spare".  It's an old Oldsmobile, and I can almost see the "looks" I get from people  when I drive it from those who don't know me, and who don't know what I normally drive, like "oh, you can't afford anything nice and you have a "hooptie" car, so sad for you". 

Or the commercial where the little boy is looking out the window at his "poor unfortunate friend" whose parents are driving the older car *which is probably paid for* and says they are lame.  What kind of society are we encouraging here?? 

Oh, and while I'm at it,

there has been an

EPIDEMIC

of suicides among young people who

are "perceived" to be homosexual.

This breaks my heart.

My brother was taunted and picked on all of his growing up life, and even to some extent now.

It's not fair, it's not right, and it's evil to the core. 

He's not gay, but because some kid decided he "looked" gay, that was the end of anyone ever getting to know what a nice guy lived underneath the curly blonde hair and mild manners. 

Talk to your  kids about how to stop this sort of bullying in it's tracks.

It is

VITAL!!

And then, last but not least, let's not judge someone by their race. 

You can't tell about someone just by the color of their skin

There are good people and bad people of every race, gender, nationality etc.

Take the time to get to know someone, dont' make assumptions. 

I saw this little idea the other day and loved it. 

When you are teaching your child about the different colors of skin, take two eggs.  One brown one and one white one.  Break them both open, and they are the same on the inside.  Just like we, as humans are, no matter what race, gender, religion, nationality etc.....we are made in

GOD'S IMAGE. 

God Bless you Dear Readers

Have a beautiful blessed day, and go call your GRANDMA!!