Printed Words

Picture from Natalia at Unsplash. Thanks Natalia.

 

To my readers;

First I want to thank all the talented Photographers who post their pictures at Unsplash…  https://unsplash.com/  It is a website with Free Pictures.  I for one am grateful that there are so many people that are willing to allow us to use their Photographs free of charge, especially for someone with no talent for taking photographs…those of you who have seen any pictures I have taken myself and used here, can attest to that. Thank you all for sharing your talents.  It really helps me to convey my messages.

I’m shifting a bit from my normal topics.

It all stems from conversations, both recent and past with my brother, of which a conversation occurred yesterday, prompting this post.

We discuss books, magazines, newspapers, etcetera, but not always the content.  In fact, we discuss the means by which we read them.

From a very young age, my Mother taught me to have a deep love for the written word.  She read to me and taught me that “Books are our friends”.  She uttered those words often, along with the statement that we could travel anywhere we want in a book.

Photo from Iana-dnytrenko at Unsplash. Thanks Iana.

She was right.  You can go to places you only dream of going, both real and imagined.   Travel through time and space, take great adventures, and learn new things.

Somewhere you can go in a photo or book. Photo from Robert Lukeman at Unsplash. Thanks Robert.

So for me, holding a book, turning the pages (even risking the dreaded paper cut) is exhilarating! I even love the feel and smell of books.

But ask my brother and he will tell you the best way to read is to do it on an electronic device or listen to it on said devices.

Photo by Aliis-Sinisalu at Unsplash. Thanks Aliis.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of those new ways to enjoy the written word.  Obviously, this blog is a testament to that.  But my Question to my brother is…what if the power goes out, or the internet is down, etcetera?  His response…”Even you can’t read a book when the power is out.”  I had an answer to that…Sunshine , Candles and Firelight.

Photo by Pavan at Unsplash. Thanks Pavan.

 

We banter playfully and often about the Pros and Con’s of each form of the written word.

Everyone has their preferences.  I for one will always prefer a printed version, but I also use the electronic ones.

It gives me great pleasure to visit libraries, my fear is that they may go the way of the dinosaur soon.  I hope not.

Photo from Janko-Ferlic at Unsplash. Thanks Janko.

Smiles cross my face each time I see a child holding an actual book.  It reminds me of my childhood.

Photo from Annie-Spratt at Unsplash. Thanks Annie.

I love newsstands, magazine aisles, bookstores and the Sunday paper.  I dream of a home library (at least 2 stories high) overflowing with books of all kinds.

Photo by Charisse-Kenion at Unsplash. Thanks Charisse.

Photo by Bianca-Isofache at Unsplash. Thanks Bianca

Photo by Roman-Kraft at Unsplash. Thanks Roman.

There is nothing like having a warm drink on a cold day, holding and enjoying a wonderful book or sitting in a park in the warm sun reading a newspaper or magazine, while watching the people pass by.  So many things I will miss if the printed word becomes a thing of the past.

So, no matter how you enjoy the written word…The point is…read.  Teach children to read.  Let it be your vehicle to the past, present, and future.  Travel to exotic places, reach for your dreams, learn something new.

Please feel free to leave your comments on this subject.  I will be very interested to hear you!

Thanks for hearing my written word today;

Bea Heard

Back Again

Well, you may have thought that I dropped off the face of the earth.  It almost seems as if I did sometimes.

Sorry that I have not written, here at least, for quite some time.  I have been busy with my Stitching, Knitting, Crocheting, for newborns both in the family and for other families as well.  I will post some of the things I have accomplished.

 

Wish I could say I have accomplished as much within myself as well, but it seems that I have taken more than a step backward in my hope of moving forward dealing with, surviving, and changing the things from my past that need to be confronted.

I want to move forward and keep getting stuck in my own mind.  I know that sometimes my body just takes over and does things I don’t consciously know about.  That’s what is hard about P.T.S.D., with its many layers, each one like an onion, has the ability to make you cry.  Something I try hard to avoid, yet it creeps up on me all the time.

The problem is, it is much easier to just push everything back inside and pretend nothing ever happened.  Because then I would have to admit that I am no longer the strong person I used to be, that I allowed someone to control me to the point that I lost not only that strength but the person inside as well.

It’s late, (or should I say early in the morning) and I was on the computer not really doing much of anything when I checked to see if this blog was still here.  I remembered the password and everything, so I figured it was a sign that I needed to say something.  After all, I started this blog to be heard, so what am I doing being silent?

I’ve made a decision I’ve been silent too long and that I need to continue this journey to be heard.  I know it will take strength that I’m not sure I have as of yet, but if I persevere, I may be able to somehow obtain it.  I hope so.

Along the way, I know I will need a push from supportive people and hope that any of you who read this will let me know how I am doing, along with sharing your stories with me as well.

Thank you for reading.  I hope to have more for you and hear more from you soon.

I’m attaching a picture I found on pinterest…not sure who made it, but it says everything I feel inside.  I Thank the person who made it…It will become my new motto in moving forward.

Thanks for Hearing.

Sincerely; Bea

Now below you will find, what I said I’d post here…just a few of the stitching, knitting and crocheting projects I’ve accomplished, in the time I’ve been silent.

 

            

That’s all for now…Have a Fantastic day!

Thanks to all who secure our Freedoms

I need to take this moment to say Thank You to all those who have ever fought to secure our Independence, both past and present, as the above picture says.  In the United States, today, we celebrate Independence Day!

I know it is only possible, because of those who are willing to put their lives on the line, every day to make sure our country stays a free nation. I for one am grateful to them all.

I also know that the United States is not the only country in the world who has Brave Men and Women doing that for their countries each day…so today, I not only salute our Brave Military and Citizens but the Military and Citizens of any country, who strives to secure the freedoms of their people, to have the right to be Free!

Thanks to you all, and God Bless!

Thanks again for Hearing!

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

Almost Four Months Passed

Well, as the title said, it’s almost been four months since my last blog post.  So much has gone on, and I got a message today, that I have been on WordPress for one year.

I feel I have let all of my followers down, as I have not posted in such a long time.  I’m truly sorry.

So much has gone on…some good some bad, as in most everyones life.  My Oldest got married, and I was truly busy with all that.  It was a beautiful wedding, and they are the ones to get all the praise, as they did everything themselves…I made the cake (another story for another day), and gave a shower to my now new daughter, but other than that, I was just along for the ride…and it was amazing.

It did get me out of my cave more than I really wanted, and it was not without hiccups. I did have a few flashbacks, and was glad they did not happen during the most important times of their wedding…I also had a few brothers who looked out for me, and recognized the signs…took me out, and calmed me down.

I should preface this all with the fact that I have not had Meds for almost 8 months now, nor have I been to a counselor or doctor in that time, because I lost some insurance and cannot pay for things on my own…so…the flashbacks, etc., happen more frequently, and me going out of the house is more terrifying than usual.  So all the things I did during that time are a bit of a blur.  I’m so happy that there are pictures to remind me, and that I did not ruin their day!

I gained not only a daughter, but a granddaughter as well…a beautiful, kind, loving soul, who brings joy into my life, in more ways than I can count.

We have also had other weddings in the family (and extended family), that got me out of the cave as well..again…not without hiccups…and I am still recovering from it all, but happy to say, it’s getting better day by day.

On the down side…we almost lost a place to live (myself and the other two children living with me), but thanks to God and the wonderful people in my life, we were able to work that out.  My children lost their jobs, which put them into a depression, as they had a hard time finding another one…Happy to announce, one is back to work, the other has a new prospect…God Willing, someone will hire soon.

I am hoping to get back into the swing of things very soon.  I cannot believe how hard it is living with P.T.S.D., and the effects….just when you think you have it under control…something else rears it’s ugly head to stomp you down…But…I REFUSE TO GIVE UP!!!

So, Thank you for following, reading, listening, I am happy to have been part of this forum for 1 year, and hope to be more diligent throughout the next one.

Sorry there are not any pictures for this post…The camera portion of my tablet is not working properly. I am currently working on a solution to that problem.

Thanks so much for Hearing!

Have a Great Day!

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

Catching Up

So much has happened since my last post.  Our house has been through it’s share of ups and downs during the first part of 2016.

My hope was that the New Year would bring new and wonderful change.  I was right, change did happen…some new and not so wonderful, and some new and wonderful.

We must take the good with the bad.

The children I have still living here…lost jobs, one is back full time and the other is part time, so things are a bit better along those lines.  I am still looking for something to do that will make money for the house, while being in the house, due to not being able to venture outside for any extended period of time.  It is very frustrating.

Illness came back with a vengence, and we all had our share.  I not only had the sick, but injuries from beatings I took, came back to haunt me.  My back…that was broken and never fixed (healed wrong), has been giving me fits…the Doctors want to put metal rods on each side of my spine…not something I want to venture into right now…so…I will deal with things, until I can no longer function, then do the surgery.

On the Wonderful side….My oldest is getting married in March and with that union comes a grandchild….WOW!  It is an amazing thing to think,that I am now a grandmother, and I must say, it is Fantastic.  Children are such good medicine.  I forgot what it was like to have a 2nd grader in the house.  To re-visit the imagination, energy, and pure innocence, is an amazing thing.  Brings back memories of when mine were that age.

It is also a Huge incentive to work that much harder, to get out into this amazing world, so I can share the adventures a child that age brings.

So…if anyone out there has any ideas on how to bring money into my home, without leaving it…I would be grateful for the suggestions.

Looking for work, like Snoopy…Thank you Mr. Schulz for this one!

I am also open to suggestions and comments on how to better deal with the PTSD and all its vile ways.

I hope 2016 is being good to you all, and I am grateful to all of you for hearing me!

I Love my Family and Friends, and want you all to know I appreciate all the support and help you give.

Thanks to all my Blog followers for hanging in there and being patient with my posts.  I appreciate you reading and Hearing, along with the comments.

I thank God above all for always being there for me, and may He Bless all of you!

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

 

2016 is Drawing Near

With 2016 just around the bend, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the past year.

I have done many things that I thought were out of my reach…pushed myself to do things that were impossible just a year ago.

I am proud of my accomplishments this year, and Grateful to many people…Those who have helped me, encouraged me, stood by me through thick and thin, especially to all of you who give me strength and keep me focused by reading my blog along with your kind words to help continue my forward momentum.

In 2016, I hope to delve deeper into the things that scare me, and continue to become stronger, so I can heal what has been torn and broken for a very long time.

I know the road will not be an easy one…the things I need to overcome sometimes seem too high to reach, but I know with the help of God, Family and Friends (both old and new)…anything is possible.

I will keep posting, writing, along with pushing myself to new heights… Hopefully hearing, and helping others through my journey!

Thanks to all of you for hearing me…I love hearing you too, and hope we will be able to hear each other throughout the new year.

Good Luck to all in 2016 and God Bless!

Thanks for Hearing!

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

December View From My Window

This is it…My December view from the window….

I the flowers are lovely.  They make me smile, and what little snow we have left from our first and only snow of the season, I think, makes a nice background.

Suffering with the P.T.S.D. as I do, it really helps to have something fun to look at, while I’m inside doing so many things.

My goal is to one day, get out there and decorate around the entire fence… baby steps.

I spoke about the nativity that my friends gave us so long ago, and how I put it up every year, first, without the baby Jesus…so, I thought I would take a picture or two, so you could see the wonderful gift for yourself.

This is the picture of the Hand-Carved nativity…made from Olive Wood from the Holy Land!

The next picture needs a bit of a set-up…My youngest saw the nativity…as pictured above, and said…where is the night, and where are all the stars in the sky (he was not satisfied with the star at the top)?

Then he went to his room, came back with a dark blue ribbon he had saved, and some of the star tinsel from the small tree we had put in their room, he placed it carefully on top of the nativity….it has been there ever since…

You may notice an ornament on the side…well that was my middle childs contribution to the nativity…it opens and you can put things into it…he said it was a gift for the Baby Jesus…like the wise men gave…so we put it on the side where the wise men are.

Now you know the full story of the Nativity in our house….it is such a special way to remember friends, past years, the children when they were young, and a way to do good deeds for others…all the while celebrating this wonderful season of Christ’s birth.

Let me know some of your traditions for whatever season you celebrate…I would love to hear you!

Thanks again for Hearing.

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

December – Beginning and End

Yes, December is here…The beginning of a new month and the end of a year.

I can’t believe that we will soon be celebrating 2016…this year has gone by so very fast for me.

But first, we celebrate the Beginning…the reason we celebrate Christmas at all…Yes…the Birth of Christ.

Now, I know there are those out there who may become offended with this post, but I also need you to know that I am not ashamed of my being Christian.  And I do not Begrudge anyone, anywhere, their right to believe as they wish.

I Think we all need to understand that we can get along together, we can all have different thoughts, dreams, feelings, religious practices, and be from different countries, and still have peaceful dealings with one another.

So with that said…I’m going to go on about Christmas for myself and my family.

As I stated in a previous post, My Mom made the Holidays very special. I’ve tried to keep some of the traditions going.   We have one I started that, though my children are grown…they still love doing it…let me explain….

I have some dear friends, who gave me a Nativity set…now this is no ordinary Nativity set…My friends Husband takes many trips to the Holy Land on business…and many years ago, he took the time to find pieces to fit into a Nativity that was made from the olive wood in Jerusalem.  He was not able to find all the pieces in one place, and they are all hand carved.

This is a beautiful Nativity, and when we got it, I was delighted.  It has so much meaning to us, and fills our family with Love, each time we look at it.  I will be putting it up today, so unfortunately, I have no pictures of it yet.

I started something when my children were young…when I put up the Nativity, I leave out the Baby Jesus….What?  You might say….but I do this for a reason…so they will anticipate and reflect on the meaning of this wonderful season.

I have cut up bits of raffia, and some thin gold ribbon, these represent the straw that lined the manger…now…the straw does not get to be placed in the manger all at once…no…it has to be earned.

I told my children that to make a nice, soft bed for the Baby Jesus…we had to put straw in the manger, and the only way we could do it, was to do something good for one another.  We could not tell the other person that we did it, and someone else would have to notice the good deed, or the person the good deed was done to, would notice and then was able to put a piece of straw in the manger.  Well…needles to say, this time of year is my favorite in our house, because it seems our home is transformed…such a good feeling, and always something special happening…a note to say I Love You, or dishes being done without being told to, or giving up something you really like so someone else can have it.

Baby Jesus has always had a soft bed to sleep in, and the Love is shown ten-fold this time of year.

And all because of the Gift of the Baby Jesus…

Now I know that Christmas is a time of celebration, and yes there are Christmas Trees, Decorations, Gifts, Parties, and Jolly old St. Nicholas…And we all enjoy the festivities, Baking, Giving!

But Remember St. Nicholas was a man who brought gifts to those in need, and the Presents we give, represent the gifts given to the Christ Child by the Wise Men. Placing a  Christmas Star or Angel on the tree, represents the Angels coming to the Shepherds, and the Star that led everyone to the Baby Jesus.

 

So….no matter how you Celebrate, this time of year, Remember to be Peaceful and kind to one another, Bring Joy to others, and above all Love your Neighbor…whoever, and wherever you may be.

My hope for the end of this year, is that there will be Peace on Earth.  That we can all find a way to be kind and Loving to one another, and co-exist on this wonderful planet God Gave us.

A special Thanks to all those around the world who give their time in the military…to defend the lands they call home…May they all know Peace this Christmas!

Thanks For Hearing!

Sincerely;

Bea Heard

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Just want to Thank everyone publically today, as it is Thanksgiving!  My Family, Friends, both old and new, and my blogging community.

I know this is not Thanksgiving, The celebration, for all of you out there, but every day can be a day of Thankfulness.

I am Grateful to God for providing so many things…Yes I have had many struggles, and am continuing to battle some, but I know God is there, and he has given me many people along the way to help me and mine through.

I am just hoping and praying that everyone out there has a warm, happy, joy-filled day, surrounded by people you Love!

The above saying by Melody Beattie, I think sums it all up!

Thanks for Hearing!

Sincerly;

Bea Heard

Where Did That Come From?

I’m not adding many pictures today…the one above seemed to say it all for me.

This post, as it is titled, stems from an incident I had yesterday.

As most of you know…I was in a domestic violence relationship.  I have aquired severe P.T.S.D. as a result.   Flashbacks come less often than they used to, but when they come up…It drains me.

This one came from out of the blue…Not even sure, sitting here, what triggered it. Let me explain…

I’m having coffee, enjoying the sunny morning and knitting a baby shower gift.  It was a nice morning.  I wasn’t worried about anything, had no reason to be afraid, I was in a safe place.

The next thing I remember, I’m huddled in a corner of the living room, that quite frankly, I’m not sure how I fit into the space…and my 2 children were there.

They, again, as in past episodes, had fearful looks on their faces.  They were obviously trying to talk me back to reality.  I did not know what I did, said, or how I came to be there, but they explained…

They told me that they heard me yelling to call the police, and there was a lot of banging, and they heard me running from room to room.  So they ran upstairs and saw that I was alone…obviously in a flashback.

I thought one of my children was my abuser at one point, and ran to hide in the place I ended up when I became coherent.

I think the worst thing about living with the effects of life after abuse, for me, is the guilt of what I am putting my family through. They suffered through abuse as well, but are not having the flashbacks that I am having at this time.

I feel that they have suffered enough, and don’t deserve to have to live through my baggage as well.

I am trying hard to change how I handle things…it is a long slow process.

I will not give up, and I hope my family does not give up either.

Thanks for hearing, and Thanks to my children for their patience.

Sincerely;

Bea Heard