Attempting Ambition

I'm reminiscing this week. My dad's birthday is Saturday and I'm missing him a lot this week. For any of you who have lost someone recently, I can tell you that it does get easier with time (like they say), but there will be annoying flair-ups of emotion that will bring you to your knees. For instance, my dad's birthday, he would have been 57. There are things people say at funerals; "I'm so sorry", "time heals", "your loved one is in a better place", "think about the good times". Some will continuously ask you the age-old question "how are you holding up?" and some are even bold enough to say, " I know what you are going through", because they sincerely think that they do. First of all, every loss is different. Regardless how similar the situation may be, no one can feel another persons pain, or take it away, for that matter. What the well-meaning guests don't tell you at a funeral, because

      "Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man."                           ~Rabindranath Tagore Today I met with the volunteer coordinator for the St. Charles Crisis Nursery. Walking into the two story 100 year old building I saw three children ages (approx) two, four & six. They were playing on the worn and dated (most likely donated) playground equipment outside with some of the other volunteers.  For those of you who don't know what the Crisis Nursery is, it is a non-for profit organization that takes children in when there is a crisis in the family. Their main cause is to prevent child abuse. I sit down with the coordinator for my "orientation". This includes giving her my social security card for a background screening and going over the rules of the nursery. She states that there are many reasons that children come into the center. Some situations may include a family member in jail, stressed out parents

When I was 5 I snuggled up in my twin bed with my Disney Princess comforter and had a dream, not just any dream, the most vivid dream I can remember.   I was on my pink bike, with the white basket and handle bar ribbons. I was speeding down my street with the wind blowing my knotty, should have been brushed, brown hair..............WITH NO TRAINING WHEELS!!!  The next morning (6 or 7am) I defiantly woke my dad and told him to take off the training wheels. I was going to learn to ride that bike. I explained to my dad that it had to be just like the dream or I was certain it wouldn't work. He humored me and made me waffles (just like in my dream) and my mom didn't brush my hair. We then went outside and he grabbed his tool box and headed for my bike. The wheels were off, just like that. I hopped on the seat and began to pedal.  Most kids fall the first few times , but for some reason I didn't . I pedaled slow at first and then faster until the wind was blowin