Southern Musings

It is time to quit waiting on others to do something and to do it ourselves. Instead of waiting on the government or a charity to bail out a friend or even a total stranger, it is time that we step up and help them ourselves. It isn’t a new idea. In years gone by, this was a regular happening. At least it was until people started relying on the government or some special charity to bail others out.

There was a time without all the government agencies that we can now turn to for help. It was a time when there were people that actually cared about others. They were not helping because it made them look good. They helped because it was needed. Are there folks today that do this? Sure!

The difference is that now, the first thing that often is thought of when someone is in need is what agency can help them. Where is our compassion? Where is our sense of doing what is right? Where is our heart? Sure helping others can set you up for scams and being used. I’ve certainly been used by more people than I care to admit. There are even times when I am very guilty of not helping when I should.

Take a look at the world around you. The need is not just in Africa or some other country. It is right here in your county or state. There are people that need a helping hand. There are people that just need a friendly ear. There are people that just need a small sign that someone cares about them as an individual.

It doesn’t take a lot of money. Sometimes all it takes is your time. But the trick is, YOU have to want to help others. Not just point them in the direction of the agency that will help, but do what you can to help or show your concern.

We all have heard of the state of our economy. We even have lived through many times when we have heard of how this agency or this department will have a budget cut that will extremely effect how much help that can be given to those in need.

In my state, the education budget is what is suffering budget cuts currently. Education is a necessity. Without proper funding for education, how can we expect a bright future for our children? If teachers do not have the money needed for the supplies or if there are not enough teachers hired, then our children will not have the future that they deserve.

Yes, this is my opinnion. I hope many of you will agree with me that education and helping others is important. There are several websites that are geared towards helping people find ways to volunteer. USAService.org is only one of them. Check it out. I even found opportunites close to me way out here in the boonies.

One current focus of the site is to promote people helping others on January 19, 2009. This is the day set aside for Martin Luther King, Jr day this year. There are several opportunities listed. You can search by your zip code to find one near you. As a member of an online group called Online Angels, I plan to make 44 squares to send to online angels. 

So, what do you plan on doing to help others?

Growing up, there were certain foods that were part of every get together. If it was just the weekly family get together, we had a certain set of foods. If it was a holiday or some other special occasion, we may have a different set of foods. There were some foods that were a daily staple. As time has passed and we have all grown up and went our seperate ways, the foods of yesterday are often only a memory.

Memories of favorite foods can be brought to mind at some of the most inconvenient times. This very moment happens to be one of those times for me. Right now, I would simply love to have one of my grandmother’s dishpan full of banana pudding. Yes, you read right. She often made it in a dishpan. Hey, she had to! We had a large family and it was wonderfully heavenly that we all wanted more than just a simple serving. When that pan was set on the table, you best have your plate ready. If you thought you would be nice and wait until everyone else got served, you would not be getting any pudding.

The pudding was definitely a taste of heaven. No matter what was going on in your life, for the few moments you were eating that pudding, nothing in the world could bother you. Maybe that is why she fixed it so often. She knew that we all needed a break from our troubles from time to time.

As much as I crave the sweet, mouth watering goodness of my youth, my husband has a craving for his mother’s coconut cake. In all honesty, I’m petrified at the thought of trying to find the recipe for it. She has yet to share it with me. Instead, she simply tells me a day and time to pick it up. It is her way of saying that she loves him. How could I possibly break her heart by telling her that I want to let him know that I love him enough to try to bake something similiar. Believe me, his mom can far out cook me any day of the week. I just simply hope that my trying would be one of those rare times when it is the thought that counts.

I’ve tried looking for the recipe. I’ve even had several nice people share their recipe with me. I’m just too chicken to actually try it. Maybe I should take the time to find a recipe to try for him but instead of making it, first build up my confidence. I think if I could find a comparable recipe to my grandmother’s banana pudding, then I might be fortified with enough courage from eating that to allow me to at least attempt the cake for him. If not, at least I will have a few minutes of total bliss trying to build up my confidence. Hmm… I wonder, what other foods from my past could I attempt?

Every year about this time, new beginnings are a topic on many people’s minds. It definitely is for me. I am so ready for a chance to have a new beginning. I have worked hard over the past few years only to find that what I truly wanted and worked so hard to get remains just outside my grasp. That tends to make me hunger for a change. I want to stretch out and grab it. I want to finally take that final step into the life I want.

I admire those that make resolutions and stick to them. I do not usually make resolutions. I do not usually even set goals. Well, not the short term goals that I should. Instead, I tend to have more long term desires. I tend to look at what has to be done for what I want and just do whatever it is without taking the time to really set the short term goals that I needed to reach first. I still end up reaching my goals, or getting pretty close to them. What I do not do, however, is celebrate the steps along the way. I get so wrapped up in the long term goal, that I let things fall by the wayside that I should not.

Whether you call them resolutions or goals, the important thing is to take some time to ask yourself, “Am I trying to accomplish this in the best way?” Are you celebrating the smaller victories? Are you so focused on the end product that you will be disappointed that if it does not happen the way you want? Can you break the ultimate goal into smaller steps? Should you break it into smaller steps? What will the result be if you do not meet your goal or keep your resolution?

Resolutions and goals are wonderful. Keeping it real is even better. Plan to reach your goals by planning each step to get there. Realize that sometimes things happen that keep us from reaching our goals even after we have worked so hard and got so close to them that we can almost smell the victory of achievement.

Whether your new beginning comes at the beginning of the year, or sometime in the middle or end, enjoy the beginning. Strive for your goals in small increments. Take time to celebrate each small victory. Think about what will happen if you do not meet your goals. Consider alternative goals when necessary. Whatever you do, just keep trying. Life is too precious to just sit and watch it pass you by. Get out there and enjoy yourself and the momments you have.