August 6, 2007
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MONDAY READING
It’s been awhile since I posted something from the Readers Write section of The Sun magazine, my favorite subscription. Each month, there is a topic and in the August issue it was Change of Heart. I picked this one because it’s by someone in Albany, Oregon where I lived years ago, because it’s short, and because it gives hope.
“The last time I tried to kill myself, I was thirty-one. I’d recently left my violent husband and moved to Oregon with my dog Beau Beagle. Since the move, I’d found a job and made a few friends, but I still felt hopeless and believed I’d never again be happy.
One night I decided I’d had enough. I opened a bottle of tranquilizers and swallowed them with vodka, then climbed into my sleeping bag in the middle of my bedroom floor. Beau Beagle snuggled up next to me, and I drifted off, relieved to be done with this life.
Thirty hours later I woke up with Beau’s head resting on my chest. His eyes gazed into mine, and his tail thumped the floor. I began to cry as I wondered what would have happened to him had I been successful. Lying there stroking his head, I realized I wanted to know what was going to happen next, no matter what it might be. I’m fifty-nine now. I still want to know.”Mary Zelinka, Albany, Oregon
Deep Thought:“The other day I got out my can opener and was opening a can of worms when I thought, ‘What am I doing?!’”
Today I am grateful for: Redemption wherever you can get it.
Guess the Movie: “You just want to send me off. That won’t do. I’ve stayed here and been beaten like a dog, abused and cursed and driven mad, but I stayed just to be near you, even as a dog. And I’ll stay ’til the end. I’ll live and I’ll die under this rock.” Answer: Wuthering Heights, 1939. Winner: CanadianNational.
The Soft Underbelly of the Democratic Party
by Cenk Uygur
Here we go again. I was going to write a nice, fun piece about Matt Damon on a lovely Sunday afternoon when the Democrats went and ruined everything, as usual. From time to time, I am told that I am too hard on the Democrats. It is not possible to be too hard on these vacillating, spineless, rudderless, clueless clowns. Alright, there has to be an important distinction here. Most of the Democrats in the House voted the right way on the latest capitulation to the most unpopular president in history. And 28 Democratic Senators voted the right way. The rest are the biggest bunch of weaklings and half-wits I have ever seen. They are the soft underbelly of the Democratic Party. (Rest of article here.)
Comments (23)
The Democrats are no longer the answer either. You must look past them…
Either Americans must change political laws to allow for new political parties (it is simply not possible now), or they must creat a Democratic super-majority that the left can dominate (as Canada had with the Liberals in the wake of their 1993 election). But I still think it is absurd to blame individual politicians for what is truly a failure of both a system and voters. Politicians are a product of their electorate and their political structure, they will rarely be anything better than the place from where they have come.
I’ve had some pretty low times… but I couldn’t leave my dog either. He depends on me. How could I leave him? When nothing else works for me, that does
I wish more people could wake up from such an attempt.They have no idea sometimes that they are valued or the damage the deed would cause.It amuses me to constantly find myself largely agreeing with the narrator , but i often do ,and in this case i agree with him about our accountability ,and the need for a major change in our two party sysem.
Oh! good to see you here! Glad you still want to know!
Oh, it’s a good day when you come back to us.
So, here’s a puzzler… If the only place you could find redemption was in Walmart, would you ever find it? I’m a bigot through and through when it comes to Walmart, and I’d be likely to miss the boat.
With the vote the other day to expand wire-tapping, I’ve lost all respect for the Democrat Confressional caucus. Perhaps if the Democrats were able to focus on and capture the presidency, wew can leave Congress alone to implode. The counterbalance will do us all some good.
Wuthering Heights? I, too, love Sun Magazine. It’s on my coffee table right now. LOVE IT! I’ve considered writing something, someday. You?
Wuthering Heights for sure!
You know, I never understood why scientist or other people say that animals have no feelings or conscience…I think they (dogs in particular) know so much more, even about ourselves, than we do.
I love the last sentence. There is hope!
Have a great day.
yes, I can’t believe the Democrats are so spineless…
thanks.
I didn’t read the political piece but the part about leaving the dog behind? That really touched me. I think that people who have loved ones who depend on them are less prone to give up on life, yes. Love is always the answer.
As for my blog, yes, I put a lot of thought into it. Good for you that you got through it! LOL. Recently I had an experience that made me realize romance is so much more possible when friendship is present. I’ve been beating my head against the wall. The answer to my dating dilemma was right under my nose.
Hey you. RYC: From what I understand, I just let them dry naturally in a warm dry place. And when they are dry, the seeds thump around inside. Then, I just carve a hole, shellac the thing and it’s ready to go. Sounds kinda simple, eh?
The story is sad and touching . Through her hopeless the dog showed to her his faithfulness and his love .
Love
Michel
Two weeks ago, a very old friend from my high school days chose to end her life. She was the last person in the world who I thought would slip beyond the darkness…she was the wife of a man she adored, the mother of a 20 year old son and a woman who, through her profession as a hospice nurse, brought so much love and caring to those who had no choice in planning their death. Your post has me thinking again on my friend…and wondering, “what if?” Thank you for your words….. ~ Jeanne
The big question WHY ? is often not answered even to the unsuccessful person.
All I can remember is that I began to see things and hear things that weren’t there (realizing that after the fact) – - that and fear – - – from there on out nothing. Glad I didn’t succeed.
Hi from Randy, thanks for visiting.
james (and carly), but especially james, brings back some good times, doesn’t he?
long time since i’ve visited. hope things are going well for ya. did you ever get back into any med trans stuff, or did that totally do it for you? i haven’t even started. you think when i get 80 i’ll be ready for that?
~The Sun~. I had forgotten what a neat publication that is. thanks for reminding me.
Have a great Wednesday!!!
I really like that story, and the dog in the picture is so cute! Thanks for the comment!
= )
katie
What an interesting excerpt. How wonderful that the dog stuck with her. When my friend was dying of cancer her dog rarely left her side. Sun sounds like a good publication. Liked the can of worms thought too.