Monthly Archives: November 2024

The End Of Staycation

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It’s the last day of my staycation. The jig is up. Responsibility looms. I return to work tomorrow. My Puritanical work ethic calls me back to the office but, like most pet owners, I mainly go so I can earn money to give my cat the life he thinks he deserves. He’s awfully particular considering he’s a former street urchin.

I intended to spend the week relaxing at home, sleeping in and doing some chores. In reality, three days were eaten up by a conference and meetings. Then there was the day I got up early for  the chiropractor.

I rested less than I would during a normal work week but that’s ok. I made it out for a day of adventure with my fella, decorated inside my house for Christmas (don’t judge, there’s a reason for the early decorating), and got in a couple of easy hikes. 

On Friday, I took a break from Christmas shopping to linger over lunch and read a book. It sounds stupid but this is something I have dreamed of doing – sitting in Panera to read or write while indulging in some tasty carbs. For someone who often eats on the go or not at all, it was delightful to relax at meal time.

So, dreams didn’t come true this week but I made the best of it and had some fun despite the responsibilities. Today, I hope to read, relax and mentally prepare for the very busy week ahead that will allow me to give Scout that life he thinks he deserves. 

Whether you’re coming or going or simply staying in one place, I hope today is what you need it to be.

The Stranger

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The stranger was lean and tall and seemed remarkably fit for a man of his age. Perfect posture contributed to his more youthful appearance. 

He wore a hat with an insignia that I registered as military but I can’t picture which branch. I wish now that I had thanked him for his service.  He spoke with a southern drawl, the kind that makes you wish to sit on a wicker chair with lemonade and pecan pralines.

His eyes were gentle, an important quality in a man who walks around stores talking to strangers. He didn’t discriminate either. He spoke to everyone within range and would chat with anyone willing to stand still long enough. 

He found me sniffing candles and inquired about something in my cart. Was it a gift and who was it for? The exchange didn’t last more than a minute but it was enough to lift my spirits. I imagine he lifted many spirits that day as he noticed people around him, offering a “how do you do” and a “Merry Christmas” to everyone in his path.

It made me wonder if this is something he does often. I think so. He was too pleased, too comfortable, too good at it for this to be something he was just trying in TJ Maxx that day. He was clearly waiting for his wife – a fact confirmed when I saw them together later. 

He practiced my two rules of talking to strangers. 

  1. Ask them about themselves.
  2. Don’t be a nuisance and keep them too long. 

It made me wonder if he started doing this so he’s not under foot while his wife shops or if he is simply the kind of guy that chooses to stay sharp and interact with strangers rather than sit in the car and people watch. 

One thing I know for sure is that the elderly man with the distinguished demeanor and easy smile is a leader among men. I feel fortunate that I got to witness how he made people feel seen in a world that is increasingly unseeing and unfriendly. 

What a lovely start to the holiday season.

The Power Of A Story

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Wednesday found me admiring the gorgeous fall foliage in Dayton’s Woodland Cemetery. I’m on vacation this week and, after days of doing what other people wanted me to do, it was nice to roam freely.

We wandered around this enormous cemetery on the hill where people have buried their loved ones literally for centuries. We found the graves of pioneers and soldiers, infants and the very old, and of people both famous and forgotten.

Adam found the grave of Julia Reichert, a 76 year old who died two years ago. I snapped a photo to remind me to Google her. Here’s what her epitaph reads:

She believed in love and justice

And the power of story

She fought for women and workers

And a better world.

She lived bravely and fiercely across all her years. 

What a tribute. I just had to know more about this woman and expected to find an obituary online. What I didn’t expect to find was a series of newspaper articles from publications in Ohio, New York City and Washington D.C. 

The Yellow Springs News wrote “A documentarian with a career spanning more than fifty years, Reichert’s oeuvre includes more than  two dozen works as director and producer. Her work in film will be remembered for holding a megaphone to the voices of women and the working class – a thematic thread that ran through many of her most important works.”

Her first  film Growing Up Female was released in 1971 and was considered one of the first films of the women’s liberation movement. The list of her accomplishments and accolades is impressive and hers sounds like a life well lived. 

It seems to me the world could use more people like her. Imagine being described as someone who “lived bravely and fiercely across all her years.” What an amazing thing to say about someone.

Oh, the power of story. 

Be curious about the world around you, friends. Go looking for stories. Ask questions. Look for more about the things that pique your interest. You may get a story out of it. You may learn something. You may be inspired, empowered and delighted by what you find. 

This is my advice but I hope Julia Reichert would approve.

Alley View

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Walking affords you a significantly different view of a place than you might ever see from the car or a building. If you need proof, look no further than this view of the Ohio Statehouse, framed by an alley.

I would have never seen this slice of life if I hadn’t been on foot.

Have you toured the Ohio Statehouse? you should! It’s free and it’s a terrific tour! Click here to read about it.

Looking For The Light

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If there’s anything I want you to take from reading here, it’s that life is what you make of it and that your perspective can be shaped and reshaped so that you can be happier. In other words, there’s something interesting to learn and beautiful things to see all around but you sometimes have to go looking for them.

My room on the nineteenth floor of the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus came with a view of a parking garage roof, some buildings and highways that criss-crossed as far as the eye could see. Rain and gloom made it appear even more workaday than it would normally seem. I sat by the window Sunday evening, killing time with a writing project while I waited to meet my party for dinner. The view became increasingly attractive as the gloomy, rainy evening  turned into a dark night and nearby buildings and far off traffic transformed into beautiful works of lighted  art. 

I enjoyed seeing how darkness and artificial lights changed my view and I went to sleep looking forward to sunrise. 

When I hopped out of bed the next morning, it was still dark outside and I could hear sirens on the highway far below my window. I was showered, dressed and next to the window again when the sun began to brighten the horizon. First a subtle bit of purple broadened to a brighter line of pink that slowly crept across the entire sky. Colors pushed away the darkness until a bright peachy light washed over the city skyline and into the blue.

A city sunrise is so different than our country sunrises. Light over trees will always be my favorite but this wasn’t a shabby view either despite the parking garage roof and ribbon of highways. There’s something to be said for being open to seeing beauty in the mundane.

Try it for yourself sometime. Go look for something good in the ugly and boring. You may be surprised at what you find.

Public Schools, Patriotism And Mary Steenburgen

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I spent the last two days at the Ohio School Boards Association’s annual conference. As a board member for my local Educational Service Center, I was there to learn and to congratulate two fellow board members who have served for 25 years and another who has served for 20 years.

The opening event defined the entire trip for me. Many people were recognized for their service to Ohio’s schools and it was inspiring to think of how many people have given so many years of their lives and so much of themselves to supporting Ohio’s public schools. But first we opened with a tribute to veterans, the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and a performance of the National Anthem.

Let me just say that all of this hit a little differently for me than it normally would. In a world where public education is under attack, where veterans get neither the respect nor the care they deserve, and where people with disabilities are mocked, it was amazing to see all this unfold. 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by two of the cutest little brothers you’ve ever seen and the National Anthem was performed by a young man with a disability who flawlessly sang one of the most difficult to perform songs in the world. To hear the anthems played for every branch of the American military and to see veterans and military family members stand was chilling. 

What a beautiful start!

We also heard from the actress Mary Steenbergen who was as delightful, smart and down-to-earth as you would hope. While she’s a famous actress, known for her work in Hollywood and for her marriage to actor Ted Danson, she didn’t fit the Hollywood stereotype at all. 

She spoke passionately about her family of teachers beginning with an aunt who, at the age of 16, taught in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Arkansas. She spoke of her mother and sister, both of whom are teachers. She spoke passionately about her love of reading, books and lifelong learning. 

She talked about visiting far off places and becoming different people through reading and what it meant to her to have this form of escape. She was a shy kid as well and I could absolutely relate to her stories of immersion in books when the world gets too hard.

She credits her public education and all the people who looked out for her along the way for helping her throughout her lifetime. It was inspiring to hear her talk about the teachers, colleagues and family who made a difference in her life. 

Public schools are vital to our society. I’m a proud product of a public school and a proud advocate for the future of public schools. An educated nation is a more prosperous, happier and more enlightened nation. I hope you also are a friend to public schools wherever you live.