Barbara Walters and me

I had a wonderful night yesterday. I got to meet and shake the hand of a personal hero of mine, Barbara Walters. She was doing a speech and book signing at a college in my area. The kid, the boy and I went to see her. She was very elegant melodic smart and just about anything you could think about her except one thing. She is a very tiny petite woman. Some how I always thought of her as tall. But I believe she shorter then I am. Barbara Walters has been a role model of mine for years. I remember watching her as a little girl and being amazed that a woman was doing a mans job. At a time when there was no women really visible doing such things. Except weather girls and Miss America neither one I wished to be. I think she was the one who really spoke to me about what a woman could do. Let no one or no man stand in your way .Because of her I believed I could be whatever I wanted. Before I became aware of her I really didn't want to grow up. All I had seen was housewives and Mothers. Being a Mom didn't bother me but being a housewife did. Unfortunately I didn't follow her example but it was nice to believe I could. Like I said to her last night I'll say here thank you Barbara Walters.

Say A Little Prayer

If you have been reading this blog you know that my dear friend Cindy passed away. When Cindy was alive her birthday is the 4th of July. Usually Cindy, her sister mother and her nephew would go see fireworks. Now her nephew (refer to as N) is a fatherless child. Cindy's brother died when he was a baby. N's father loved fireworks so every year they would take N with them. When N was about 8 I started going along and something about this child tugged my heart. He was so sweet generally a good kid. But I knew he was lost, as only one fatherless child to another can know. It's not that the large extended family didn't try. But life goes on things happen and quiet fatherless children go unnoticed. I see him several times a year for next 6 years. Then a little over 2 years ago Cindy died, three months before that his grandfather died and 6 months before that his other aunt died also. He was close to them all. We all went one last time to see fireworks after Cindy died and N was there. I watch him grow from a child to a very tall and large teenage. Still sweet and still lost. Now N lives in a not so nice part of town. He is half Hispanic and it shows. He dropped out of school and went to stay out of state for awhile with an uncle. He just returned home 2 weeks ago. Now I don't know if he is in a gang. But yesterday while he was on the street someone shot him. The bullet missed his heart by 2 millimeters. He is in intensive care and is expected to make it. In the same hospital where his family has all died. Hopefully he won't. I am filled with such sadness for this child. I wish I could do something for him but I don't know what to do. Except to say a little prayer for him and I hope you do too.