Sometimes I think you all think I am a pain.

E. Don says I look at the world through rose colored glasses. Lane is telling me about the imperfections of the founding fathers, and I have way too many posts here.

Nothing is further than the truth as far as me seeing the world through rose colored glasses or my thinking the founding fathers were perfect.

When you think for sure you're going to die within weeks, you begin to look at the world differently. You face the ultimate and then life takes on a whole new meaning. Each day is exciting to me. Each imperfection in people, life, the world, reeks of a story to be read or told.

And most of all, I hate sympathy, so forget it.

But sometimes I think I am a royal pain. Last weekend at my husband's reunion, he says I talked to more people and got hugged by more than he did.
I was having the time of my life. I am having the time of my life for however long that is.

But I apologize if I am just plain annoying. Right now I am filled with energy, and who knows how long this good will last. But I am enjoying every minute of this imperfect life I lead surrounded by imperfect people.

Carol

Carol

Give the thinking a rest.

We all love you

I am the pain and I don't care.

Please go to message board recovery.
I await you there.

Sometimes I think I am a pain here, too. And when I do, I say to myself, I ought to be more like Carol.

Ann

alj wrote:

Sometimes I think I am a pain here, too. And when I do, I say to myself, I ought to be more like Carol.

Ann

Ann, Please go to message board recovery. Helen, Marie, Betty and Shelagh will attend you. I am hot on the trail of E Don and Lane..

Well, well, well. Who has posted the most on this forum? The biggest pain? I'd say so. Members complain about the Chatter Box and all the nonsense threads that are not writing related -- but they still post here. All the threads on the information boards eventually grind to a halt because, otherwise, they would become repetitious.

The forum is better when it is active. Let E. Don and Lane say what they want. Take it with a pinch of salt. I do.

God Save the Queen, Shelagh and the twin kings--E.Don and Lane.We still need to catch them to crown them

That's a good ploy to catch them, Alice.

Crown them? You mean knock some sense into them.

Shh!

Enjoy yourself, Carol. I'll put out a contract on anybody who calls you a pain. No hugging, though.

Dick Stodghill wrote:

Enjoy yourself, Carol. I'll put out a contract on anybody who calls you a pain. No hugging, though.

No smiles either--promise?

Dear Carol,
You are so wonderful a friend, so nice and serious about serious stuff. Long ago, on another board I said, "not every thing is a joke." Dick got banned for saying it was not. I got banned, too.

I am so glad to know you.

Days and days and days of your pain goes by and you do not tell it. You are not ever a pain to me. You are beautiful.

I am with Dick and Alice and Shelagh and Ann and everyone else here.. I think smiles a cure all, right along with laughing out loud and star gazing in the middle of the night. Life is a tenuous affair with the elements.
I have been reading Tom Sawyer and now am into the free spirit of Huck Finn. When I die, I want to be Huckleberry Finn.

I think we have been all too serious about this living thing.

Love,
Betty

Love,
Betty

Betty,

How I would love to discuss Huckleberry Finn with you. Tom Sawyer, too, but especially Huck (and Tom Sawyer in Huck.)

Ann

Carol Troestler wrote:

Lane is telling me about the imperfections of the founding fathers....

The imperfections of the founding fathers, and they were many, have nothing at all to do with you, Carol. Don't be offended by the historical record, or by the fact that Jefferson was imperfect. My comments were about a dichotomous historical figure, not about you. Millions share your admiration for Jefferson.

Admiration for those who deserve it is a wonderful thing. Even if they have gone forward to be naughty. Imperfections are what make people different and interesting. You are anything but a pain, Carol. You are admired by many. And I must agree with JoElle.

Carol, I once said that you do not see things as many people do. The people that I was talking about are those who have never had anything, have never owned a home, don't know where they will get food money tonight, or whether or not their electricity or telephone will be turned off when they get home from work in the afternoon. These people have little or no chance in the justice system, and even though most of them work a 40 or 50 hour week, they never have enough money to live on.

I don't think you see things as they do, I don't think you can see things as they do, and I'm glad you can't. Yes I know you have had some hard times. I know you have had a lot of health problems, and so have many of the rest of us. I don't think you ever got out of the hospital and found that you had to find a way to get home because the only car you had was repossessed while you were sick.

I did not mean that you had not had trials and troubles, I only meant that when some of those people have them, they must face them in an entirely different way than you have.

I have complimented you many times on your professionalism and business sense, and yet you have never acknowledged that. You always say that I think you view the world through rose colored glasses, and believe me, compared to many lower income people, you do. You have many resources that many people don't have, but for some reason you don't seem to see that. Many people have never traveled more than a hundred miles from home in their entire lives, yet you have been all over the world. There is nothing wrong with that, but to me it says you see things differently.

I have never meant anything personal, I've only stated that there is a world out there that a lot of people know nothing about.

E. Don,

No one knows how another really lives or what their experiences have been. We get small views of other's lives, but really don't know everything. There are whole pieces that aren't spoken of here.

I believe we often have choices to be miserable or not. I learned long ago that tomorrow will probably come and the world doesn't end if I don't do all the things I think I need to do. I'm just one small being.

I have not always been happy. Sometimes life has been miserable. Perhaps I have been able to choose happiness in spite of present difficulties because of wisdom found at this time of my life. I have been fortunate as Alice is, to have a devoted caregiver. That is priceless.

Right now we have no water. The well has gone out that we share with two other people. What do you think our chances are of getting it fixed on a holiday weekend? At least we have electricity.

Carol

Suppose you had no chance of all of ever getting the water back on, and the electricity was going to be disconnected first thing Monday? Suppose it wasn't a question of the choice not to be miserable, but the fact that no matter how you tried, you had almost no chance of ever seeing your life get all that better?

Carol, there are countless people out there who do not choose to live the way they have to, but will never know anything any better. I just don't think you understand that, and I'm sure you don't view life the way they do.

Carol,
“Rose colored glasses?” I think colored glasses are helpful. It is often the only way to cope and try to see things in the small world many live in.
Some see the world as their hometown, their state. Their big picture may include numerous states within their country, and that is their world. For those widely traveled, trying to share insights/experiences is seldom accepted as informative, but as bragging. One learns to discuss certain worldviews only with those who can relate to it; otherwise it is not well received.
You have more exposure than many. Trying to share your insights is often met with skepticism. Understanding why is helpful. Be yourself. Take pride in what you know and have learned. Not everyone will appreciate your good intentions.
Sammy Davis Jr. sang, “I gotta be me.” Michael Jackson sang, “I’ve gotta be me.” Frank Sinatra sang, “My Way.”
Be yourself. That makes you unique.

Abe,

You are so right.

You are needed in the message board recovery thread. I was looking for a lecturer.

I thank all of you and want you to know we are being watched and read, and not just by trolls. I got a beautiful message this morning from someone who has been reading messages here and on the PAMB.

I want to be a good writer. I want to be able to express myself, and feel like I just haven't got my true self through to Harpe. She said what I needed to say far better than I have.

I have traveled the world. I began at eleven years old when I told my mother I was going to take my confirmation gift money and take the train to California to see my great-grandmother. I did. But that is only part of the story.

It isn't that I have traveled, but that wandering was in my genes. I have not suffered in poverty, but have viewed poverty throughout the world, and there is a picture of beautiful smiling children in India on my website, and what you don't see in the picture are the dogs going through the pile of garbage close by and what you don't smell is the smells of poverty in a third world country. But those smiles say it all.

It isn't that I have material things, but that I have compassion, that I have endurance, and determination.

It isn't my education but my dichotomy (like Jefferson). I have changed point of view so often as I have gained knowledge.

It isn't my accomplishments, but my warts and quirks that make me unique, that make all of us unique.

Harpe will never really know who I am.

Carol

Carol.

You have to quit harping bout Harpe. You say Harpe does not understand you--I say you do not understand him.


You are both wonderful people.

x

No, Lane, it doesn't belong here and will not be here again.

Yes, I will let him go, Alice.

I am compassionate. I hear his poverty. I hear his frustrations and I have read his beautiful poetry and songs.

I watch and listen and imagine.

No one really knows Parkinson's or cancer until one lives with these diseases.

But it doesn't mean others can't understand the challenges involved.

I understand Harpe. I want him to know that.

Love, Carol