Mrs. Duggins

Grace Duggins was a feisty old lady. I was kind of scared of her. She was a friend of my dad and step-mother. A widow, she lived alone. Her only child, a son named Bernard, lived in Hong Kong. Grace (I would never have called her that back then) taught piano lessons out of her home. She much preferred teaching boys as she said girls were just too silly. I was a teenager when I met her. She fascinated me. She was independent and out spoken. If she thought you were full of poppy cock, she didn't mince words telling you so. I remember thinking how cool it was that she seemed perfectly fine without a man. As a young teenage girl, all I could think about was getting one. After Kenny and I got married, Mrs. Duggins gave me a black half-slip. I can't remember why she did it. Perhaps I mentioned needing one. More likely, she caught a glimpse of my legs through my skirt when I was wandering around without a slip. That wouldn't do at all; so she presented me with the slip. Now if you ever want someone to think about you, give them something they will wear often. Every time I put on that slip, I thought of her. She lived on her own well into her 90's and drove herself out to a country church to play the piano. Although she is gone now, I still have her gift  in my lingerie drawer.

People are Like Windows

People are like windows, I've noticed over the years.

Some are tall and thin.

Some are short and fat.

Some are open, wide and inviting.

Some are closed tight and say, "Go Away."

Some are plain and simple, in fact, very ordinary.

Others are quite fancy.

Some are so dirty their usefulness is hindered.

Some are bright and shinning.

Some are broken, their purpose wasted.

Others are so lovely, they are a sight to behold.

What kind of window are you?

If Looks Could Kill

Have you ever heard the expression, "If Looks Could Kill, I'd be Dead."? That thought occurred to me the other day when I caught a good look at myself in the mirror. Now, I wasn't looking evil or anything. But, where did the young lady go that used to get wolf whistles as she walked down the street? The sagging jowls and wrinkles on the upper lips didn't just appear overnight. How is it that I just now noticed? One thing is certain, I do not have the money to change my outward appearance. I don't blame the aging starlets who spend fortunes on botox injections and laser treatments. Cosmetic surgery is a booming business. Maybe I would do it if I had the money. But, I don't think I'll ever have the option. I'd like to believe that if I ever came into a fortune, I'd have the good sense to use it to help other people instead of indulging my vanity. When I was a young child, my grandma would get me all dressed up and then tell me, "Now Patty, if you only act as nice as you look, you will do fine." She was trying in her way to tell me that my inner beauty, reflected in how I treated others, was far more important that outward loveliness. So Grandma, that is what I will continue to work on. It doesn't cost a penny to enhance one's inner beauty. Each day, I will try to choose the beautiful way to behave. Knowing my character flaws, that will be quite a project. If I can avoid the snide response, or keep myself from yelling at the idiot driver who just cut me off, then I will be working on my inner beautification project. If I can keep from talking about myself and instead focus on others, I will be showing them attention in a meaningful way. Does this make sense to you? Yes, I'll still comb my hair and put on lipstick. But, I will also put on a cloak of kindness so that I can treat others the way I would like to be treated. Just like my grandma taught me.