I received a typed note in the mail this week, no return address, no signature. What does this tell me? That the person does not wholeheartedly believe what they say. They want to give their opinion, but lack the strength to put their name on it. They are weak and so must lash out in anger.
The letter, which I have attached hereto as a photo, refers to a column I wrote about the Port Huron Float Down back in August, so it took the writer this long to actually get up the guts to mail it. Since that Float down post I have have written two other columns, one about St. Clair, but that evades this person’s knowledge. Why? Because they aren’t paying attention, they are simply lashing out. 
For those of you who may not know, I am an opinion columnist. I give my opinion on whatever subject I choose. I do not write editorials, I am not a journalist. The person I criticized in my opinion column posted a Facebook post on his own page that was at least three paragraphs long.
I normally don’t respond to comments about my column, but people were criticizing me as not being a professional journalist – and I’m not. They accused me of calling that person names, such as idiot, which I had not….other people had in their posts. The column I wrote had over 837 shares on Facebook alone, so it pretty good circulation and a lot of comments supportive to my opinion, negative on the other person, who happens to be a public figure/city mayor.
Even at that I would not have even known about the post if it were not for the fact that people, including the mayor’s wife, tagged me in their comments. I did respond, pointing out that I am not a journalist or editorialist, I am an opinion columnist. I gave them the link to the article where the mayor had been interviewed, and pointed out that my opinion column specifically referenced the other article. It is those facts that this writer is so angry about. They are so angry they have not been able to move past it.
So the letter has given me a good laugh. Why? Because I have moved on from that column and post. This person has not. I enjoy writing about controversial subjects because it gets people thinking, creates an interchange of opinions, it engages the mind. That column achieved my goal. The Mayor’s Facebook page had comments going on it for an entire day about the subject, and now several weeks later the writer of this letter has their mind still tied up in it, whereas I have moved on.
I do feel sorry for the writer of the letter though, because they lack the confidence and self-worth to put enough value on their own opinion to sign their name, yet they continue to stew in their anger. That means my column achieved its ultimate goal. The subject matter has stayed in the mind of at least one person and has them thinking about it.
As for me, I’m contemplating what the next item of interest will be. I do love getting peoples minds thinking.
So, now that I am over the hill and rolling down it toward 60 I need to keep a positive focus and concentrate on fully utilizing the young gene. My hair can turn gray…there are people that purposely put grey in their hair for accent. I can gradually switch over to glasses if needed, after all young people wear fun and trendy glasses all the time. I will regain mobility after my ankle fusion and should be back to normal by late next spring. Most importantly, I refuse to grow old. Old is a state of mind, and my mind is not going there.
In trying to clean things out and prepare for a yard sale this weekend when walking through my home it is difficult to determine if things are better or worse then they were a week, month, or year ago. I’m in that messy time when things appear worse even though they are getting better.
I’m bringing things up from the basement and pricing them for garage sale, then stacking the boxes under a table in my TV room. I am preparing to put a desk into the garage sale and bring a different desk into it’s spot. To do that I had to empty out other furniture and items in the landing and the scrapbooking room itself to allow space for the exchange to take place.
Now on the other side of the coin, we all know people we have made the effort to maintain contact with and yet the responses are not forthcoming or we get excuses of “I was going to write/call/respond but have been busy.” I can understand that from time to time, but when the lack of response become repetitive you have to wonder where you fall on their list of friendship priorities. Somewhere you have to draw the line and decide you are moving on and if they want to be a part of your life they will notice your disappearance and seek you out. If they don’t you haven’t lost anything. 
I have applied and received a mortgage modification, learned to pay bills, met with our financial advisor, gathered tax information for our CPA, handled an IRS audit, closed our joint account and opened my own account for handling of stocks. I have contacted numerous accounts and had things such as cell phone, internet, cable, vehicle insurance, utilities, and vehicle loans changed into my name. I have handled contacting service people such as a plumber for a leaky toilet, car maintenance, and the hot tub store for an uncompleted repair that began when Ron was alive. I will be calling to have someone out to repair my air conditioning that stopped working. I have learned to run the riding lawnmower, how to put gas into it and how to use a jumper box to jump it if necessary. I discovered our weed wacker was too heavy and difficult for me to start and operate, so I selected and ordered one that was more suited to my abilities. I have listed property and vehicles for sale. I have made decisions on how to juggle money and make payments on time. I have grown throughout this process.
Have we really done those children a favor? I don’t believe so. If a child never learns that sometimes life isn’t fair, that sometimes you win and sometimes you loose and that is okay, how can they learn to cope with the realities of life when they become an adult. They don’t. I think that is why we have so much violence, so many underachievers. They never learned to push for the top. It has been handed to them every step of the way.
So which is the proper vacation? They both are. A vacation should be whatever you want it to be. Do what makes the days fun-filled and relaxing for you and your travel companions. People are unique and everyone has their own set of needs. What is good for you may drive me bonkers; what is right for me may leave you feeling stressed and exhausted.
Anyone who has spent time with young children will agree. They are energetic, exhausting, non-stop movement, and most of all entertaining. They will fill your world with knowledge you didn’t know was out there and if nothing else will bring a smile to your face. In my case this week it was two of my grandchildren that filled the bill.
After they were dropped off Corbin immediately informed me that he brought Sissy with him so he would have someone to play with. I guess “play with” is objectionable as he seemed to spend an equal amount of time complaining about her, and i don’t think he ever played with her. Alexandria did tear apart the train track, steal the train signs, steel hot wheels cars, drink all of Corbin’s water, and more.
For the most part Corbin takes it all in stride. After all, he knows how she came to be in his life. You see Alexandria was growing in mommy’s tummy and a doctor had to cut her out because it wasn’t good. When mommy ate Sissy took all the food. Now I must say that is pretty good logic coming from the mind of a five year old. Besides, I’m sure there are a lot of pregnant women out there who feel like the baby is taking all their food when they eat.
As I mentioned, Alexandria tore apart the railroad track and Corbin wasn’t able to get it back together. That was never my area of expertise, my husband Ron always handled it, but since he passed in December it is one of those duties that now falls to me. I worked my way behind the table to the spot where three pieces of track were separated. As I was working I kept hearing a dinging noise, until Corbin said “you’re pushing on the RR Crossing sign.” I wondered where the sound was coming from!
And so our morning went, flying by quickly as it goes. I did take a look at Corbin’s hands and told him he needed to go wash them. Corbin’s response “No, maybe on Thursday.” When I told him they needed to be clean for school Corbin responded that he isn’t going to school, he has to stay with me for forty-five days. Yep, that was his plan and he never even told me. Isn’t it nice to know there is a plan in place should the need arrive?
Even with all those accomplishments there was still inequality. Equal pay for equal work was not achieved in 1980. Women still held was were termed “pink collar” jobs, meaning they still held the lesser level and lower paying jobs of secretary an clerk. Women earned 57% of men’s wages; women with four years of college earn less than a man with an 8th grade education.
--- LIFE IS A MELTING POT --- Grace Grogan...Writer, Photographer 