Prayables

The word DOG is GOD spelled backward. My dog Orchid is God-like. She is loving, wise and protective. Orchid is like a flower—feminine and beautiful! She is a 40-pound soft-coated longhaired Wheaton Terrier. Most owners of Wheatons cut their dog’s coat. We decided to keep Orchid au natural as she was intended. All who know her loves her. I dare say she is the “darling of our building!” She is delicious.

Our early morning walks are glorious for both of us. In the quiet of the day, I admire the sky, the trees, the flowers and the architecture of the city, as well as the other dog owners walking their pets. I talk to Orchid. I tell her I love her and that she is a good girl. Thoughts of my day ahead run through my mind as I walk with my loving dog. I am stress free. I am peaceful.

Orchid is at her happiest also. She sniffs the grass she will tinkle on and the posts other dogs have tinkled on! She chooses her route for the day as she gently pulls me to the left, right or just stops as to tell me, “I want to turn around!”

Our daily walk always includes a stop at the dog park. I take off her leash, off she goes to meet her old and new doggie friends with a waging tail of good morning and licks for all the dog owners. Dogs and owners alike are happy to see the joyful Orchid. She races around the park with the other dogs. Each time she stops to look for me to make certain I am nearby. And when I am ready to leave and start to walk away, it matters not that she may be playing. She is aware her best girlfriend is leaving the park and off she comes and settles by my side as we leave the park “together.”

After our walk that averages 30 minutes to an hour, we climb up 50 steps to sit on the top step of the local museum and watch the world go by. She is by my side as I read my emails and text. She relaxes and just is. Today I saw the mayor of our city jogging on the track as we passed by. I thought of our politicians. Why can’t they be like Orchid?

Do something GOOD today: Spend some quality time with your four-legged best friends.

-Gramma Good

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.”
~Author Unknown

My core values of honesty, respect for others, truthfulness, being charitable, being a good wife, loyal friend and teacher to my daughters are examples my mother taught me. What a wonderful forever gift. A gift I use daily.

In honor of mothers everywhere, Gramma Good asked her community of grandmothers to write in about their own mothers. Here are those heartfelt tributes:

“I always had a beautiful with my mother relationship even when he became ill from Alzheimer, and now I have the same relationship with my daughter, trust, friendship, compression and much, much love.”
~Maite L.

“My mother will be 100 years old on May 18th. She has 7 kids, 28 grandkids, 37 great-grandkids and 58 great-great grandkids. She loves each one very much. She has been a mentor to all of us and is a Woman of God. She still teaches Bible study at the Nursing home each week. What a wonderful inspiration she has been to all of us!”
~Linda H.

“My Mom was the greatest we had our ups and downs but that was because she taught me well. I will never forget when she was teaching me how to make a lemon meringue pie and I put a top crust on it and she looked at it and said don’t worry they will eat it, and they did. That was 40 years ago. Today you can get them like that. She was a great Mom, and she just passed this April. You are in my thoughts Mom. I love you.”
~Bonnie S.

“My mom and I shared a special bond. Although she’s been gone 22 years, she is still a strong influence in my life and our bond is stronger than ever. She will be in my heart forever!”
~Yvonne O.

“My best friend, a great lady who taught me everything I needed to know in life. She has been gone for 42 years but think of her daily.”
~ Ann H.

“I was so blessed to have the Mom I had. She has been gone 13 years, but she is with me every day and I am the person I am because of her.”
~Sue B.

“My mother is the greatest mom in the world, she now has dementia, and she remembers sometimes and other times she can’t even remember all of us. But each day I remind her how she shaped and molded us with love to be who we are today. She raised 8 great kids and she is in my heart forever.”
~Bev E.

“My grandmothers both died before I was born and my mother died when I was 15. However, those years with her and my younger sister were filled with road trips from California to Washington and twice to Ontario, Canada, to meet her father’s people. We were at Disneyland the summer it opened. The second trip to Ontario we drove through the 48 states, Mexico and Canada in one summer. We swam in every imaginable body of water and went to most every destination in our great country. This and her zest for life is her legacy to me and my five siblings. One funny thing that happened at the auto movies was she got to laughing and pulled out her Sugar Daddy which held both her uppers and lowers. Then we laughed even more.”
~Olivetta C.

“What my mother did that has etched precious memories in my heart. Mom took us flower picking every spring – she knew all the common names and exactly where to go to find them. Lady slippers, Lamb’s tongue, cats ears, wild iris and many more. There were always bouquets of these lovely flowers sitting on the table. She read to us all and chose books that held meaning. Books about animals: Beautiful Jo, Black Beauty and many others. Books about people: Heidi, Little Women, and Little Britches are just a few. She read the continued stories that were published in The Oregon Farmer and the Washington Farmer. She was a wonderful cook. When we were sick she would make up a tray with a doily and, if there were flowers, a tiny bouquet. Often she had made custard which is a special comfort food to this day. She was generous with hugs. She kept a spotless house. She loved our dad, and we knew it! I could go on and on. I MISS HER!”
~Anonymous

Do Something GOOD Today: Pat yourself on the back for bringing beautiful life into this world.

- Gramma Good

In today’s world, happy endings seem to be few and far, but they do exist! I can tell you about mine. My second husband, Shelly, is my best friend, my partner and my soul mate.

He is totally involved in my life. There is nothing that Shelly will not do for me and does not do for me. He laughs with me, he teaches me (he is an older husband), he listens to me and he shares adventures with me. He loves me wholly. He is a totally committed husband.

So how did I get so lucky? He was my only date after my husband, Michael, died. I went from Michael to Shelly. He said he felt he was “almost” marrying the Virgin Mary! He liked that!

Shelly was a widower of five years when we met. Just two hours into our first date, he looked at me and said, “I have been single five years. After dating for a few years, I sat down and made a list of what I needed in a wife at this time in my life. There are seven needs in all. You meet all seven. I am going to marry you!”

I felt the same way. We met and it was magic! It just was! It just is.

I know not all grammas are so fortunate, but I believe if you put yourself out there then finding your soul mate can happen to you too. And don’t be afraid to make your own list of what the characteristics your perfect mate will have and stick by them.

Do something GOOD today: Believe in magic by opening your heart (and mind) to it.

- Gramma Good

I think of myself as a woman of the times, a 21st Century grandmother as my grandson calls me. Some of my values and ethics, however, are of yesteryear. I believe in values and in the laws that societies are built on.

Unfortunately, society is getting further away from those fundamentals, and I am sorry to say that today’s world is more negative than positive. It seems unfair that our innocent grandchildren are being exposed to these times.

Which road they take depends on their parents, their peers and their grandparents (especially us, grammas). We are the stabilizers. We are the mix of the old and the new.

We should talk to our grandchildren about their heritage, a.k.a. their beginnings. We should talk about how families in those pioneering days did not feel entitled, how they were challenged and how they met those challenges. Ask your grandkids to live the VALUES of their forefathers. Encourage them to challenge themselves in their education, their work ethics, their friendships, their loyalties, etc.

How do you combat today’s serious moral and ethical problems that our grandchildren are facing or will be facing? Please share, because I know grammas will appreciate each other’s points of view and suggestions.

Do something GOOD today: Share how you keep yourself and family members value-strong, and add your comments below.

Gramma Good