Black Shorts Coincidence

Once again I caught myself being unobservant and behind the times---a typical occurrence for me. The other day, I finally discovered Celia Rivenbark's column in the newspaper. Perhaps you are already a reader of her articles. I've noticed her photo and column in the past, but for some unknown reason assumed she wrote "mommy" articles aimed at young parents. Such writings would not be for me---hooray---as I am currently existing happily in a sort of no-mommy land, in between raising my own kids and becoming a grandparent......IF that's even in the cards.

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Anyhow, a few days ago as I was perusing the newspaper pages, the blurb beneath Celia's photo caught my eye: Celia Rivenbark writes a humor column for MCT news service. Her newest book is "Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny With a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits." Hmm......humor column sounded intriguing and her book title is definitely humorous, so I read the accompanying article,

401(k)'s Scary Enough for Halloween, and was impressed!

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Here's an interview with Celia Rivenbark, who resides in North Carolina.

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A few more random words on motherhood: Recently, my good friend----I'll refer to her here as Amy, though that's not her name----who is the mother of several young daughters called me on the phone. We chatted for almost an hour. Amy told me she needs to talk to someone like me occasionally to be reassured that she's doing the right thing by being a stay-at-home-mom. (Hmm......she may be off somewhat off target to be looking to me as an example to follow......I never really had a career in the first place.) She was formerly a math teacher, and will surely return to that career someday, but right now she's focusing on raising her family, with her youngest two daughters being not yet of school age.

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At one point in the phone conversation, something she said caught me off guard, and I wasn't sure how to respond. Amy said that she'd like to try and lose some weight, and was thinking of taking walks to get exercise. Then she mentioned her husband's opinion on the matter; he says that NOW is not the time to be thinking of herself, that in the future when the girls are older she can take time to do things like taking walks and such. As if wishing to lose a few pounds and get in better shape is selfish! Amy is a devout Christian and will most likely heed what her husband says. I just shook my head (good thing Amy couldn't see me), however. Of course, its none of my business, but she did bother mentioning it to me. I guess I look a bit askance at her husband's view that its somehow selfish for his wife to take time to do something that would impact her health in a positive way, AND would set a good example for their daughters.

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But, you would be proud of me........I kept my big mouth shut and did not tell Amy my thoughts on the matter! Her husband is a very pleasant guy, and I enjoy visiting with him, so perhaps in the future I can figure out how to sneak my opinion into a conversation......in a nice way, of course.

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As mentioned, Amy and I have a bond of friendship. Yesterday I spent the afternoon sorting and sacking up clothes to take to Goodwill. From my son's room were many out-grown items, including a few pairs of black mesh shorts, like kids wear for basketball practice and such. I kept hesitating to put the shorts into the Goodwill sack; I would hold them up and look them over, thinking that surely there is someone I could give these to. Shorts like this are rather expensive. They would be way too big for my nephew, and Amy's daughter, who is a freshman in high school, kept coming to mind. But, then I'd think, "No......she surely wouldn't want black shorts." Finally, I just gave up and threw the shorts into the Goodwill bag. Before evening chores, I loaded the sacks of clothes into the car, so they wouldn't be sitting in everyone's way here in the house.

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After chores, I jumped in the car and headed to choir practice, where Amy is our fearless leader. Afterwards, she and I talked for awhile. To my astonishment, Amy began to tell me how frustrated she had been the other day while at a large sporting goods store in Cedar Falls looking for BLACK MESH SHORTS for her daughter to wear for basketball practice!! But, there were none there in her daughter's size! She told me she even asked to speak to the manager, to tell him how upset she was that such a large store would not have those popular shorts in stock. Before I could tell her about the shorts in the Goodwill bag out in my car, Amy said, "Do you think you have any black shorts like that lying around your house? I will follow you home right now to get them." I started laughing and said, "Amy, guess what.....even as we speak, there are black shorts like that sitting in a sack out in my car. You can have them."

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This little coincidence warmed my heart and makes me believe that Amy and I share a special bond that goes beyond the ordinary. Or else, this type of occurrence is actually very ordinary and common between friends and loved ones, and that's a wonderful thing to know, too.

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Sorry to get carried away. If you have time, be sure to go back and click the link to Celia Rivenbark's entertaining article.

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