Out on a Limb…

 A current T-V commercial which features a couple embracing their paid-off mortgage also includes an older woman and an adult child in the background. They join in to share a group hug – and somehow the thrill of the moment is diminished when the realization dawns that now there’s more money available, others need it!

Regardless of income, there’s always outgo that is either in or out-of-balance; and requests for a hand up can be difficult to deny. I know of a woman who is pretty in appearance but unpretty in disposition. Her disappointments must be many, for though she has recovered from a medical diagnosis and hopefully is counting her lucky stars, conversation is peppered with complaints. This habit is a deterrent for anyone, and as she seemingly has turned more fretful, even her family hasn’t appeared for a while.

Everyone has moments when we wish things could be better, it’s human nature to have more “I wants” than there are “I needs” – if a need is identifiable and actual however, sometimes adult offspring will step up and pay a few outstanding bills or cover car repairs if they are able. This past winter has played havoc with everyone’s budget, from snowploughing to utility costs!

If there is any strategizing to be implemented, in search for temporary financial respite especially, personal assets of a pleasant disposition, putting on a smile, and remembering good manners are priceless. My mother always quipped that “you get more bees with honey than with vinegar” – so turn that frown upside down if you’re out on a limb.

Playing With Fire…..

A commonly-heard expression when someone recognized that another could easily find themselves in a dangerous situation is “Watch Out!”…Ideally the warning is blurted in time to avoid accident or mishap; and the reaction is of thanks.

Mothers have an accelerated sense of awareness when it comes to the well-being of their children, regardless of age. Wives as well sound the alarm if hubby is doing something perilous. Caregivers hover, sometimes too closely, to prevent mishaps in the home; as do the children of aging parents who may not see themselves as more frail than in younger years and off-balance, perhaps due to eyesight or motor skills.

The warnings are often at increased volume than usual – which attracts attention immediately. It is our own adrenalin that creates urgency; and even when discussing a probability it takes intention to tone our voice to conversation level and not let fear seep through the illusion we’re trying to create of calmness and common sense.

Older men and women are sometimes not honest with themselves and their capabilities – some Dads for example want to show their adult sons that they’re still vital and “in shape”. Moms want to impart the knowledge they have garnered over the years and may be so emphatic they cannot accept there may be other ways of accomplishing a task.

In the still of the night, either from apprehension or regret, counting the “what ifs” is gut wrenching. Having very nearly mismanaged my concerns for someone’s safety, I took my fretfulness to bed and tried to sleep on it. This morning I recognized that fear is the motivator which makes us cry out a warning or shout imperiously when someone is playing with fire…