KY Pride

The older I get the stronger my Pride seems to grow. As a teenager, I would have never imagined how proud I would be of my roots. Coming from a rural and down-to-earth area like Eastern KY, as well as growing up poor, has been a positive aspect in my life. That aspect is more than I ever dreamed it would be.

As most us of "hillbillies" seem to be, we know no stranger. We have empathy for our neighbors, family, friends, and even our rivals. We gladly and sometimes blindly help out someone in need. We can be loyal, strong, and stubborn as a mule especially when we have to get down to doing the "nitty gritty" work. We appreciate our jobs because we know a job is hard to come by. We appreciate our family for they are the heartbeat of our lives. Some of us are liable to say anything cause we are not imitators.  We appreciate a mess of soup beans, cornbread, and fried tators. Where else can you see that on a menu in a restaurant but in Eastern KY? :-)

The recent win of the UK Wildcats NCAA Championship brought even more pride to me and my fellow Kentuckians. Supporting our boys in Blue is something we do! Besides, we don't have a lot of choices and they always do us proud.
 

We all are on the Human Race team!

Sure...there are negative aspects about KY and its Appalachian people that the nation would gladly ponder and poke fun of. However, we must not be discouraged by the negativity.  We must not let the bad apples in our crowd ruin the rest of the batch.

Life can look pretty discouraging from the outside.  But if we have pride and hope for a future for ourselves, there isn't an obstacle we cannot overcome. People may rob us of our joy and try to steal what little hope we have. Yet it is in those times when we gotta lift up our head, dig in our heels, and keep running towards the future, regardless. Don't go down without a Fight! We can fight back for our area and its people. We can fight for positive changes for our children and their future.

As I am learning in my Social Psychology class, pride exists in every culture and social group. We each feel a sense of "togetherness" in our culture and/or group. Every race, religion, culture, gender, every diversity shares in this togetherness, a sense of "we" and acceptance. 

We may each have our differences but one thing remains certain...we are all on the Human Race Team.  All of us are born yearning for togetherness and love.  Without these things, there is little chance for survival of a peaceful life.  What's even more certain is that none of us get a waiver for death. Regardless of your race, culture, status, religion, finances, WE all get to cross that bridge between life and death.

Respect your teammates and shout for Victory!  We will not be alone we cross that bridge, our coach will be there to guide us to the final Finish Line.

May God Bless you with the Love and Acceptance of who You are.

Superhero Daddy

I came across a plaque the other day that read, “Anyone can be a Father, but it takes a special person to be a Daddy”.  I began to wonder, do most kids think their dad is a superhero?

For us daughters, our dad IS our Superhero. He seems to be able to do anything. He works hard, seems so smart, rarely gets sick, and is a charmer to everyone he meets. His smile and laughter can light up the room while making your heart jump with glee at times. 

Our dad is the first man in our life who showed us his silly side and comforted us when we were scared. He gets us moving when we don’t feel like going on. If something’s broken, he can fix it. If you need money, he always seems to have some. If you have a question, he will search out the answers. He can be a navigator when we seem lost. He can be a storyteller, a cook, and even a counselor. He might not say a word but just knowing he’s there can help us feel comforted and safe.

He may not be perfect but that’s ok. His brilliant love seems to overshadow all the mistakes he has ever made. He’s our father, more than that, he’s our Daddy.


Ted with his daughters, Nikki and Shannon.
We love and miss you dearly, Cowboy! :-(



Recently, a dear friend to my family and I, Ted O’Daniel, passed away after battling a courageous fight with throat cancer. We comforted the family the best we knew how in the days leading up to his death. Regardless of how long we have been “expecting” the end, the passing is never easy.

I tried to stay strong during the memorial service until I hugged his daughters, Shannon and Nikki. Flashes of losing my own dad flooded my heart. I know their pain all too well. Even though we all go through our own “experiences”, we cannot prepare someone or feel the same pain that they are going through. Yet we can hold their hand and let them know that they are not alone in this journey.

Ted was indeed a charmer. Always smiling, he was a regular prankster with my uncles, John and Dwayne. They were indeed his BFF’s. I can’t imagine not seeing him with them nor can IHOP. They were regular flirts during their many “coffee meetings” there. He could tell a joke without cracking a smile and I would take him literally. LOL

Many of Ted’s attributes reminded me of my own dad, strong-willed, risk taker, and a hard worker. His positive outlook on life helped him in battling cancer. His daughters meant the world to him. I envied their closeness which made me wish I had lived nearer to my dad. Yet he was nearby the evening I found out my dad was pretty sick and had comforting words to share.

Life seems odd when someone passes. No longer can we just call them up to say hello. The sound of their voice slowly fades but the memories seem to get stronger. Their absent is inevitable during the holidays.

What has comforted me is in the knowing that they are not truly “gone”. Although we can’t see them physically, we can feel their presence and their spirit when we relive their smile and laughter. What’s even more assuring is that they will always be there to guide and comfort us when we need them the most.

Daddy is no longer with my physically now. But he has gone ahead of me to be that shinning light when the time comes for me to cross over. He now has truly has become my Superhero, only with wings instead of a cape.

Ted’s motto: We can CHOOSE to have a good day or a bad day.

Be a Voice

How far would you go to stand up for a cause or for your values? In today’s society, we are sometimes fearful of standing up for what we believe in or what is important to us. Authority voices tell us to hush up, don’t stir up controversy or push anyone’s “buttons”. We are being shoved to just go along with what society “tells” us to do like mindless robots. Can you imagine what our world would be like if our history had just “went” along and not pushed buttons?

The United States was founded on causing a stir. This is how America came to be. Our ancestors came afar looking for a new beginning. They fought to establish a new land where they could entrust their values and beliefs. Imagine if our ancestors never took the initiative to fight. What would our world look like?

Can you imagine if no Civil Rights Movement ever happened? We would still be living in a nation where African Americans are unequal, can’t vote, or have much choice at improving their lives. How different our leadership and society would be.

Can you imagine if the women’s rights movement never happened and women never had a voice? In many countries today woman still don’t have a voice. A recent article described a young teen who committed suicide because she was forced to marry her rapist. (http://news.yahoo.com/outrage-over-suicide-moroccan-teen-forced-marry-rapist-171033094.html) We can look at this and other stories and feel outraged. However, for other countries, this may be the norm. Their culture represents an outlook and attitude entirely different from our world.

So what does it take to fuel the fire and be a voice for our beliefs? Perhaps a little courage, faith, and taking the initiative is all we need to start a movement. We can sit and plan for things for years yet nothing will get done. We can plan for the storms and joys of life but nothing will impact or move our hearts until the storm hits or the joy arrives. Standing up, taking the initiative, and moving is the key.

I recently heard about the Back to Life organization, founded by Laura Zavala Alfred. Back to Life is a young women’s movement “fashioned to awaken America’s conscience to the injustices of abortion”.

On March 17th, 2012, 39 young women will embark on a walk, please read carefully, WALK, from Houston to Dallas (300 miles) to support Pro-Life! Why this long journey you may ask? In 1972, the Dallas Courthouse was the birthplace of Roe vs. Wade case which legalized abortion.  Houston has the nation’s largest Planned Parenthood Center. These young women all have stories of how abortion has affected their lives. Some are survivors who were supposed to be aborted; others have committed abortion while there are others who just want to take stand. Regardless of their story, they all represent different cultures and different religions, but all believe in the Power of Life.  These women want to represent the Voices for the unborn. 

We all have different viewpoints and opinions, that’s the wonderful thing about America. We currently have the freedom to stand up for our beliefs and be a voice for future generations.

Don’t let your voice be robbed. Have the Courage to Speak Up!