Precious metal

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children, Family, Home, inspiration, Life, relationships, wedding

There’s something startling about seeing a wedding ring on your child’s hand – a hand that never wore a high school or college ring, or jewelry of any kind.

It is a larger version of the pudgy little hand that so often reached for mine. The same toddler’s hand that dragged a chair across my kitchen floor to reach the counter and put pieces of bread in the toaster. (C’mon, we let him use a toaster, not fire up a barbeque grill.)

Today, his fingers are longer and carry more responsibility. They nurture a career, a home and a wife.

And now, they wear a ring.

 

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of “The Anchor Clankers.“

 

 

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A hug in my hand

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author, Family, inspiration, Life, motherhood, relationships, wedding

My college experience included membership in a sorority which promised to “establish a perpetual bond of friendship” among its members. The promise turned out to be true.
Back then, my “Little Sister” gave me a pansy handkerchief (our sorority flower) which I carried at my wedding as the traditional “something blue.” Since then, it has traveled to college graduations along with Arlington National Cemetery to bury my parents.
Next week, my son will be married in Texas and I have scrupulously tried to follow the unspoken rules established for the mother of the groom: “Simply show up, shut up and wear beige.” It is a role which is the least important and the most invisible.
This is a destination wedding (with a limited guest list) so few friends will be with me to watch my son become a husband. Instead, my emotional support will lay folded inside my pocket, in the form of a pansy hanky. Along with drying tears, it will serve as a hug in my hand and a reminder of the friends who care.
Delta love and mine, Roxanne.

 

 

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of “The Anchor Clankers.”

The Gold Medal goes to…

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books, Life, relationships, teenagers, writing

J.D. Salinger averaged 20 words a day to finish his 73,000-word classic The Catcher in the Rye over a 10-year span. My novel took six years to get from a legal pad into a binding.

Much of that time was spent sitting alone in front of my computer. On good days, I wondered how a book could be so easy to write. On other days, I struggled – week by agonizing week – wondering if it was worth the fight. Every book has its journey, which may take a month, a year, or even a lifetime.

Probably because they spend so much time alone, authors value recognition from their peers. At the Florida Authors and Publishers Association 2017 President’s Book Awards ceremony, the goodwill was palpable. Winners had been notified that we were finalists in the competition, so when the bronze medal in the Young Adult category was announced, I prepared to stand. I did the same when the silver medal was announced. That’s when I began to fear I’d been notified in error. (I didn’t even hear my name called as the gold medal was announced.) Fortunately, I DID see a six-foot picture of my book cover flash on stage, so I stood and walked toward it.

Turns out that E. B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, was quite right when he said, “It is deeply satisfying to win a prize in front of a lot of people.”

Sore today, strong tomorrow

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Health, Humor, injuries, inspiration, Life, physical therapy, relationships

My physical therapist wears a shirt that reads, “Suck it up, buttercup.”

I’ve been seeing a lot of her since I had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.  She appears sympathetic during each hour-long torture session (most serial killers do – it’s the secret of their success.)

However, the camaraderie among other victims – er, patients – surprises me. When our eyes meet, there’s a smile, a nod, or murmur of encouragement. During brief moments of rest, I’ve had people lean over and ask, “How did it happen?” or “Did you have surgery?”

Simple gestures, yet when you’re in pain and feeling frustrated, encouragement from strangers in the same boat is comforting. Our injuries may be diverse, but our goals are clear and compelling: to be pain-free and able to move with a full range of motion.

The prospect of meeting these folks again one day in Starbucks or the grocery store (anywhere but physical therapy) appeals to me. Our shared experience creates a kind of fraternity, though our initiations were vastly different.

Our motto: It really will get better every day.

Setting the mood

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decor, Family, Home, relationships, style, Valentine

TAMPA – Lou and Carol Radwanski know how to set a mood.
The creative couple – Carol sells visual merchandising to department stores and theme parks, while Lou owns The Arrangement Florist – will be married 42 years next month.

“We’re both workaholics,” Lou admits. “So we schedule a weekly date night and we share the chores. But the real secret to our marriage’s success is that we’re best friends.”

Their instincts were good from the start – the couple became engaged just two weeks after meeting. And like many lovers, they prefer to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.
“It is the biggest, single day of the year for florists,” Lou explains. “We’re usually working around the clock in the days leading up to it. ”

Once, years ago, the couple decided to celebrate the holiday with a few friends.
“I fell asleep in my mashed potatoes,” he says. “I learned that Valentine’s Day is not a night for florists to go out.”

So Carol pulls together the perfect romantic celebration at home by decorating a few key areas with symbols of love:

1. The Entrance – Decorating your front entrance starts the night with a nice surprise for any Valentine. Carol hangs a sparkly heart wreath trimmed with white silk flowers and ribbon on the door. For added color, she plants pink, red and white flowers by the walkway, along with a tiny cupid flag.

2. The Dining Room – Nothing is more romantic than having an intimate dinner with the one you love. In lieu of a runner, Carol scatters rose petals along her black lacquer dining table. Red chargers beneath white plates, red roses in glass cubes and red candles add to the affectionate atmosphere.

3. The Bath – The Radwanskis enjoy red walls, a golden baroque mirror and antique fixtures in their bathroom all year long. For Valentine’s Day, Carol adds a vase with red roses, red hand towels and a sexy note written in lipstick on the mirror! Heart-shaped soap dishes and aroma candles also are inexpensive ways to add a bit of love to your bathroom décor.

4. The Bedroom – Two red robes lay waiting by a dessert tray topped with Valentine coffee mugs and a box of chocolates. “Carol knows I love eating chocolate and watching Jay Leno,” Lou says, with a grin.
Scattering rose petals on the floor might indicate a slightly different program…

Children

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children, Family, motherhood, relationships, respect, self-esteem

“Time makes bolder,
children get older
I’m getting older, too.” ~ Fleetwood Mac

My friend’s voice cracked and tears spilled from her eyes as she recounted the last meeting with her 30-something daughter. “My therapist says my relationship with you is toxic. I can’t be around you.”

I’ve known this woman for more than 20 years. I’ve watched the sacrifices she made for her children and the life she devoted to them: countless hours spent chauffeuring them to lessons and events; cookies and cupcakes baked for school parties; athletic games suffered through, and all the tears she dried, due to life’s disappointments.

When I heard such a cruel statement come from the daughter she adored, my own gut ached. Somehow with all the love we gave, and all the lessons we tried to instill, we forgot to teach our children to respect us.

Simply because they now earn a paycheck (and are less dependent on ours,) many adult children believe they can speak to us differently, condescendingly…as they might speak to a dim-witted peer.

In our constant attempts to bolster their self-esteem, did we diminish their regard for us?

Generational expectations often differ because ideas about relationships change over time. Mothers understand that behavior which is appropriate between parents and small children will change as the children grow. But respect is non-negotiable.

If you’ve never been a parent, let me assure you that caring for children is not always a rewarding enterprise. To hold a little person in your hands and in your heart every minute of your life is one tough task.

We all have similar hopes for our children: good health, happiness, fulfilling work and financial stability. Perhaps we should add one more: Always treat us with respect.