Thanks for good memories
It’s over almost. I keep thinking of the song sung by the late, great Roy Clark — “Thank God and Greyhound, It’s Gone.”
I did use a bit of poetic license by changing “she’s” to “it’s” because this year, this 2021, was not a male or a female. It was another year that was not supposed to have such negativism. Everything was supposed to be hunky dory and sweetness and light. Only it wasn’t exactly that way.
On January 6, a mob of insurrectionists stormed the Capitol Complex where votes were being counted in order to elect Joe Biden as president. These criminals, because that’s what they are, were so violent and dangerous that the counting of the votes had to be stopped and the elected lawmakers lives were put in danger Law enforcement officers were beaten with flag poles and fire extinguishers.
Some in this mob were hunting Vice President Mike Pence in order to kill him. They were also after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in order to murder her. They were out for blood. It was horrific and anyone who supported this type of lawlessness should rethink their principles.
I was dismayed. I was heartsick. People died — innocent people. People doing their job. This was the most un-American event I had ever seen other than a couple of KKK meetings in downtown Calhoun and Adairsville some 25 years ago.
I was covering these events for the local newspapers. I’d never seen so much hatred spewed in all my life. It gave me pause. These Klansmen were vicious people, dangerous people. And some of the Capitol rioters reminded me of them.
It was on January 7, that I decided to change the way I was. I had been angry for five years. I was appalled at the current president who was voted out of office. I was relieved that a new president with more dignity was coming into office. I was tired of being angry. I used to write diatribes on the past administration on Facebook, my social medium of choice. I was sick of all the awfulness of it … all the hatred. So I changed.
I stopped being angry. I began to work in earnest to be a more upbeat and, let’s face it, a happier person. I began writing my morning blog and called it “Coleen’s Random Thoughts” to start out people’s days with upbeat and positive words. It worked, at least for me. My anger began to subside.
I had family had family in town for Christmas this year and asked them what good things happened to them this past year. I wanted people to read about good things, not bad or sad things. They didn’t let me down.
Our youngest son who was visiting from New Jersey, told me that the good thing that happened to him was that he got married. His husband is Christopher. They moved up to New Jersey to find a better life, to follow their dreams. I’m so happy for them. And one of my good happenings is that I performed the ceremony. My son-in-law, Will, told about having a much needed surgery that has improved his life. His career has been in Education and he is now the principal of an elementary school in middle Georgia.
He was awarded the Jim Puckett Outstanding Leadership Award this year. But the most profound happening was when he and our daughter took their first born child to college away from home. They left him to be on his own. They both cried all the way home. Good happenings are sometimes very difficult. My husband, Bill, said the best thing this year was that he woke up 365 mornings in 2021. He thought that was pretty great. So did I.
Our granddaughter River’s wonderful thing was that her high school band of which she is a member playing the cymbals won Grand Champions at the Statesboro competition. She does this killer move while performing that rivals that move in the first “Matrix” movie. Our grandson, Jeffrey, figured that living on his own as a college student was the biggest event for him. He has done well.
Our Heather said her life was wonderful as she watched her children grow and progress forward. Our Hayden is back into non-profit work and his biggest project is working to honor the late civil rights leader, John Lewis.
I didn’t get to interview Heath for this column, or daughters-in-law Kelly or Carrie, but they have done so well in their communities. Heath was honored with a bench with his name on it placed on a trail because of his continued effort with the Land Trust of Alabama, and Kelly is involved with the school system in Huntsville. Carrie is continuing to pursue her goal to become a nurse practitioner.
Me? I’m happier. That’s important.