I was on a four day Staycation from work, putzing around Orlando doing whatever I wanted to do.
Day one:
We (Massey, Tim and I) went and had dinner with my brother and some friends (yes I have friends here now) at his lake house and enjoyed a late afternoon cruise, even saving a little fawn from either drowning or becoming some gator's dinner by circling and leading it back to shore from the middle of the lake.
Day two:
Drove by myself to Cocoa Beach to watch a rocket launch. Blinding sunlight made it hard to even see what I was filming but was pretty awesome. Found a better video on the web.
After getting home from the beach, and talking on the phone with my younger son back in Georgia, knew exactly what I needed to do on day three of my staycation.
I threw some clothes in a bag and headed back home shortly after six AM the next day. When your kid sounds like they need a friend, it's a mommas job to be that friend. It's the job I relish.
Had a great visit and enjoyed every second being with him. He's starting a great new job but is in a waiting period of a few weeks...in other words, he's broke.
I remember all too well how that feels. At least he's twenty five, I was in my fifties. He wouldn't take any money from me but at least let me take him out to eat a couple of times.
Zach and I are so much alike it is almost frightening. My other two kids are so different from me I wonder if they're really mine.
Zach and I butt heads like billy goats with helmets on.
But not this particular weekend.
I got back to Orlando with no dollars to my name, a car payment due in five days but the feeling that it didn't matter.
Nice side note reminder...
I stopped around Gainesville, Florida.
I had zero cash, my low tire pressure had been on for miles and miles. I went inside to pee, and asked the cashier if I bought something with my debit card (which had seven bucks left on it as well) could she add a dollar twenty five and give me back five quarters to use the air hose outside. I'd found one quarter after scrounging every seat and floorboard.
She said "I'll do you one better" and reached behind her for her own purse. She counted five quarters out of her wallet and handed them to me, then said this.
"You know, I've been down and out before and other people helped me; it's only right I do the same for you."
Touche' !!
I'm the type of person (at least hope I am) who doesn't forget another persons' kindness. I got back on the interstate when my sister called to check on me and see where I was. I'm glad she did. I noted exactly where I was so that next trip up to Georgia can stop at that same exit, that same gas station and pay it forward to that wonderful woman.
Life is the domino effect. It truly is.
I drove a thousand miles in twenty four hours and exhausted all the money I currently had to make sure my kid was alright.
And a stranger gave me money out of her own pocket on the return trip to make sure I was okay on my way back home.
Love is the key. Love is the answer. I often wonder why more people don't get it?
Love has seen me through more situations than I care to count, but have always appreciated the love.
One act of kindness speaks volumes as to what kind of person you are.
I'm a simple person, true fact.
I'm not ashamed we were pretty stinking poor for quite a while.
It was humbling yet enlightening.
How would you ever know if you were a lucky person if you sometimes weren't?
I got back to Orlando and back to work. First night , knocked it out of the park...halfway to my car payment. Worked the next night and all is good now.
Here's the thing about being a server. If you don't make enough money, you're not a good enough server.
Trust me...true fact.
So I'm doing okay now.
I've been loved and I've loved.
I've been through some tough times it but came out of it just fine.
We've been to the bottom but paddled like crazy back to the surface and feel like I'm jumping off the high dive, doing a double back flip with a lay out twist...or whatever that means.
Life isn't guaranteed.
It's simply a journey....your journey.
Make the most of it, or you will miss all of it ... worrying about the stupid things.
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