In this month of gratitude, I cannot help but feel grateful for all of the great mentors I have had in my life. Most of us have a teacher, friend, aunt, uncle, dentist … someone who taught us something that made us better in our careers, or in life, in general.
You may think it’s too early to say, “Bah! Humbug” – but if you do, it’s because you have not been in a retail store lately. Any store. I am actually not talking about the already ubiquitous Christmas displays in every retail cranny across the land … I am talking about Halloween.
I have been obsessively following the search for Elsa – a black Lab-mix dog that went missing from her home in Swartz Creek. Her owners created a “Find Elsa” Facebook page, dedicated to bringing her home. On it, you will find videos featuring her tiny human siblings, pleading for her safe return. There are photos of this sweet pup, happily playing dress up, just being part of a family.
August is the month when people say things like, “Summer’s almost over,” a lot. I’ve actually said it before, myself, but it is kind of silly when you think about it. Do I really want to spend the last month of summer talking about how it won’t be summer much longer? There is actually a good reason why an odd sense of impending doom sets in this time very year: It’s back-to-school time. You would have to avoid stepping foot in any and all retail outlets in order to truly escape the reminders. There are signs everywhere, so even if you do not have children, you know that the clock is ticking on summer.
“Where are you from?” It’s such a loaded question. It really should be an easy one to answer, but as one who has lived across the country and even overseas, it has always been pretty complicated for me.
For me, spring officially kicks off every year with Humane Society of Genesee County’s “Paws on Parade” champagne brunch. As I was getting ready for this year’s event, I suddenly realized it would be my tenth time serving as emcee. I am honored to be asked to return every year, but what is most humbling about this annual Sunday outing are the people who repeatedly turn out to support it.
I love it when Mother Nature melts away the wintery blanket of snow on my lawn to reveal all of the stuff I should have cleaned out of my garden before the first flake flew. I always have the best of intentions for a fall clean-up in preparation for winter. Somehow, it always magically seems to snow before I get around to clearing away the dead flowers and cleaning out the large planters on my deck and front porch.
I will go one step further and say that when I post a quote or share a story about something happy or uplifting, people seem to “like” it a lot. In fact, readers are often prompted to share these little tidbits with their friends and/or followers. Why is that? I’m no expert, but I have to believe that on some level it is because we are all hungry for something good. (I am not even thinking about Nutella right now. Promise. Oh, maybe a little.)
My first Valentine was my dad. Louis LoBue always made sure I had a heart-shaped box of chocolates accompanied by a gushy love note that never failed to make me smile. I am a sucker for Snoopy, Scooby Doo and just about any other sappy cartoon character plastered on a three-by-four inch card with a corny saying. Nothing melts my heart like Buggs Bunny in a rocket, with a thought bubble above him saying, Valentine, you take me to the moon! I guess I don’t see the harm in a day set aside to express love in silly ways.
I am not against resolutions. I make them. In fact, as 2011 rang in, I made a fabulous resolution. It had nothing to do with how I looked or saved or what I wanted to stay away from. I made a resolution to love. Love what or whom? Everyone. I resolved to live a life free of anger, gossip and other such negative feelings or actions towards my fellow man/woman/child.
When I was a kid, my mom put up decorations. We had not one, but about 30 elves on various shelves, stockings, a tree skirt, ornaments and tinsel (my mom will deny ever using it, but she did). She broke out the good china for Christmas dinner and dad had Elvis, Glen Campbell and Bing Crosby on his playlist. The end.
