Who is this man? He’s everywhere.

The perfect man. What is that anyway? Stubble? Chest? Money? Dark Sunglasses? Again with the sunglasses.
Maybe the perfect man has that killer car, you know, the one with the top down, the tan, and the pedal to the medal.

My friend said:

If a man spent all his extra time with the kids; played with them; rolled around on the floor with them; gave the mommy all the breaks she needed; made dinner; got up at night…..he’d have all the sex, love, and rock and roll he could handle.

What a novel idea.

So, is this the man to love?

Shades or no shades, let’s see if he can play a killer game of Go Fish.

A baby is born soft and squishy.

He has Down Syndrome.

On the third day, he has surgery and fights to live.

I sit by his side.

He grows; babbles; laughs; and learns to sit and and scoot on his bottom.

I cheer him along and lift him and haul him from here and to there.

This Down Syndrome doesn’t go away nor protect us from all harm.

For harm has come our way.

Our family was torn apart and left in pieces along the way.

After we unpacked the pain, the hurt and the dishes, we learned to rock again.

We learned to live with this thing called Down Syndrome and this thing called LIFE

and to stay by each other’s side.

So, there’ s another B word. I don’t know if I should say it outloud on the Internet. It is twice as vulgar as the last.

Dare I say it?

Here goes.

BOUNDARIES

That one knocks most people out in the first round.

Set a boundary and the world comes crashing down on you.

How do boundaries work? As I can see it, not very well in our worlds.

Here’s some examples:

Ginger says: I like you Sally, but I can’t have you stopping over anytime you’d like. It’s great to see you when we can
arrange a time and bring a bundt cake or something. But when you stop by at 8 pm, it makes me a little uncomfortable.

Sally says: Nothing. But never returns Ginger’s calls and instead gossips about her at the book store.

Fred says: Jim, I don’ t mind your kids playing with my kids, I’d just prefer they not bring their knives to Old Country Buffet when we go out for dinner.

Jim says: Your kids are sissies (not to Fred’s face) and instead starts taking his kids to Chuckie Cheese.

Katherine says: Honey, could you come and help me with the kids instead of going bowling tonight, I feel alone and like I am parenting without any help.

Greg says: O.k. (Alas, though it only lasts for two nights, Greg raises the bar and instead regresses. He hangs out with his buddies more, drinks more, has an affair and then even manages to blame it on his wife.)

Boundaries. Set them if you dare to live a life more sane. Yet beware, the shat will fly.

It’s kind of a sad commentary on our society that whenever a woman stands up for herself, she is called a bitch.

I am really sorry for this forray into the vulgar, but what I am about to say is a sad but true fact.

When woman gets a little tough in the office place and rubs a few elbows the wrong way………you guessed it…..the B word flies.

When a woman fights says a little too much in a book, or writes an article with a bit a vim, wit, and vigor…..for those who don’t agree….it’s the B word again.

…..go against the grain of the "mainstream", perhaps she asks for the same rights as her breatheren (the right to vote comes to mind)……the B word ( or it’s equavilent in the 20’s!)

I have not been spared. I meet against this little twittle of a word on occassion for something I do that isn’t to a part of society’s liking.

But that’s the great thing with age and wisdom (when we tap into it), it let’s me shake it off and move on with my day content in the fact that if I had to do it all over again, I’d be proud to carry the Big B on my back and do it even better the next time.

Now that’s a Bitch!

There are so many wonderful people out there. I don’t mean to get all gushy, but I’m trying to stay in that thought all day rather than:

Why in the heck did that turkey just cut me off?

Why is my daughter so whiny?

Poor me….I’m all alone?

Who says????

Only my crazy brain.

When the chips are down, and often when they are only slighly tilted, I have these gorgeous (I mean soul gorgeous) people who call me, check on me, and fly thousands of miles to just be with me.

As I was saying….

There are so many wonderful people out there.

My task today, and every day from henceforth is to bless the gobbler who cut me off; smile at my child when she cries over the little things; crawl on the floor side by side with my son as he discovers how to use his muscles; and listen first to others when they talk (without interrupting!).