Memories of yesterday make me smile today.
It's funny I have this box of memories - old pictures, letters and well..... things. A while ago I read a friends blog of how they wish they had some items that they used to doodle on letters and such. So for their birthday I scanned in some of those from this box. I sent them via e-mail. I don't know if my effort was appreciated or not but it made me open this box full of memories.

You have to understand this box has been with me since childhood. It's crazy some of the things I felt were important enough for me to keep. I guess the crazy thing is I still can't bring myself to get rid of any of it. When I dragged it out for the e-mail that day, I just quickly went through found some items that I thought would be fun to send. But when I was putting the items back in the box I remember thinking, wow this stuff is old and silly to keep. I haven't looked at it in over a million years! It didn't seem that important to me anymore. Then I started really looking through it. It was at that point I realized this box was important as those same silly items, pictures, letters and drawings is part of my past. All these people helped create the person I am today. There are letters and pictures of people in that box that I forgot all about and now I still have something to remind me. I don't want to forget them, they are a part of me, a part of who I am. They are worth the space in my closet as well the space in my heart.

REMBER YOUR PAST, CHERISH THE PRESENT, CREATE YOUR FUTURE WITH LOVE

OUT OF REACH

Have you ever wanted to help someone but just was not

able to. A friend who needs you but who is just out of

reach. You hear them calling... they are reaching too.

You reach to help them...but you are stopped, you are

not family. They say help others in need... but the same people put a wall up. Watch from a distance. But yet I hear you calling. My heart is heavy. What more can I do. Yet I want to be there for you. You are family, maybe not by blood, but none the less, family by my heart.

All signs are telling me to stop.

When I created this picture I thought it was funny. All the stop signs. When I was done with the finishing touches the first time I really looked at it I felt that it represented my conversations. It seems these days I worry more than I ever did in my life. It's my kids...I feel that all I do is lecture them. Don't do drugs. Don't have sex. Don't drink. Treat people with respect.... The list feels ever ending. Yes I've said these same things since they were old enough to understand each issue. But now they are late teens I feel more pressure to make them see. I'm know they both have very good morals. They do care about others. My biggest wish is that they pass these same morals, I've tried to instill in them on to their children, some day (in the distant, very distant future!) But untill then or when they move out from under my roof, I will continue to talk, lecture and yes nag (as they probably would word it). But for now I will continue to tell them to stop. And hopefully if I say it enough times, one of those warning just might be heard.