I hated kindergarten. Most everyone I know loved it, I hated it. Mostly I think because I was only four and a half when I started, I was probably as tall as my teacher so a lot was expected of me, I just wasn’t ready for it. My teacher, Mrs Iwosaki was a mean. One day, I was having a particularly bad day and couldn’t finish my Three Bears puzzle. She didn’t let me have my milk and banana snack, wouldn’t let me have rest time on the mat, made me wait to go to the bathroom, all because the puzzle I chose was too difficult for me. And then she called my mother. “Your daughter never finishes what she starts.” Somehow mom grasped on to this and every time I didn’t finish something and mom was mad, I could hear it before it came out of her mouth, “You never finish what you start.” Maybe Mrs. Iwosaki was doing me a favor in the long run? I think not. I remember the day I graduated from Nursing School, I wanted to scream to the world, “SEE, I FINISH WHAT I START!!!!” I wanted to hunt down Mrs. Iwosaki. I didn’t yell or scream. I just smiled to myself feeling quite proud of my success.
Yesterday was New Years Day, 2011. I don’t have resolutions, but I do have goals and one was to finish off 2010 with a blog post. Mrs. Iwosaki…. Mom…. Here it is.
2011 is finally here. I had high hopes for 2010 and it didn’t turn out that way. I could go on and on about all the bad things starting with the house flood in February, my mom’s horrific car accident, and lastly, my dad’s diagnosis of kidney cancer. Yeah, some bad shit happened in 2010 but now that 2011 is here, I’d rather focus on the good times and the things I learned.
I learned from the flood, that no matter how pissed off I am at the person working on my house…. Even if he or she didn’t finish the job, calling them up and screaming at them on the phone does no one any good. So Catherine, just breathe and talk to someone else before you go calling or screaming at anyone. Kelly, I am sorry many days that I lost my temper and I have used this lesson many times at work and at home since. So… good has came out of it. Now that I got that out of the way, I can go on to the some wonderful things.
I got to see far more of the country this year that I ever thought possible. I had what I refer to as “All Gone To Look For America” (AGTLFA) Three times!!! Each trip involved a different state or some states were revisited. I got to meet up with folks I don’t normally see and I got to have what I now refer to as “One of the best days of my life.” Caitlin’s senior volleyball weekend, we had an afternoon of just Caitlin, Molly, George my son in law, Robert, and myself. Our afternoon adventure to Wave Hill Garden’s in New York started with Caitlin announcing to the car that the weekend was all about her and that if we all remembered that, we would have a great time. We did. It was a wonderful, the five of us in the car, me driving through New York and New Jersey, I had my AGTLFA soundtrack playing, the gps guiding my moves, it was one of those great unexpected days where every song went with the wonderful moments that were happening and I just kept quietly giving thanks at many moments. That car ride gave me opportunity to think and relive some of the other places I’d seen in the previous couple months and the music that had been playing at certain moments. It was the perfect culmination of my 17 years of being a mom on the sidelines at one daughter or another’s volleyball matches. Besides the great photo we got with Caitlin’s camera, I got to hear my favorite U2 song, “One Tree Hill” as I drove back to New Jersey over the George Washington Bridge, the sun was setting I had a full heart and a car full of those closest to me. Yep, it was the best day of 2010.
I can end 2010 now. My end of the year/begin the New Year goal complete, I have finished what was started, I can move on to another project!!!! I’m curious to see what 2011 brings, you can be sure I’ll keep you posted. Mostly I feel good about finishing what I started.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In Health and Love, Catherine
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