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Raising a Future Adult

/ Tracy / Leave a comment

Parenting Is...Parenting is tough. When we realize that while they are kids, we’re not actually raising kids, we’re raising future adults, it’s downright daunting. Usually, the right thing to do (in parenting and in life), is not the easy thing to do. Children are not usually others-centered, hard workers, responsible, or respectful naturally. These are traits that must be taught. And typically, the teaching process is not easy. They aren’t going to want to do the things that will teach them character, so if we don’t force them to, it’s not going to happen.

Raising future adults means parenting our children in such a way that we are mindful of the adult they will become. If we want our children to be persons of character, morally sound, hard workers, kind and compassionate, and others-centered, then that’s how we need to raise them. We cannot assume they will just magically become that way when they cross the threshold to adulthood.

Proudly Not an Expert

Now, I won’t pretend to have all the answers or solutions, nor do I claim to be an expert at parenting (or anything else for that matter), this is just an observation. It’s something that is at the forefront of my mind, as I go through this parenting journey. And it’s something that’s been validated by an event I witnessed recently.

Several months ago, I went camping with my daughter, and I caught a glimpse of the person she is turning into. And I was incredibly proud of my girl. The morning was spent making crafts, and in the afternoon, they engaged in field play. At the end of the session, another little girl became distraught because she lost the craft necklace she had made earlier. It was to be a gift for her mom. Within moments, there were dozens of people scouring that field in search of this missing craft necklace, made with love, by a little girl, for her mother. Sadly, it was not found.

The search was forsaken after a time, and the little girl was inconsolable. At that moment, I saw my daughter approach this little girl. I was near enough to hear her, and I figured she was going to offer the girl her sympathies, and she did… but she did so much more. She told her how sorry she was that she (the little girl) lost the necklace and that they couldn’t find it. Then she said, “I know you worked hard to make it for your mom and it was a special present.” Taking off her own necklace, she offered it to the little(er) girl, saying, “You can have mine to give to your mom. I know it’s not yours, but I don’t mind.”

I May Not Be Perfect

Wow, talk about a proud Mama! In that brief moment, I witnessed my daughter extend to another hurting person, the virtues of compassion, validation, love, and kindness. It was completely unprompted by me (in the same way that she goes out of her way to thank heroes ~ military, police, and firemen ~  for their service). With tears clouding my eyes I saw her clearly as the person she is becoming… a world changer. Yes, I have worked hard to influence her to be a young lady of character, I have taught her right from wrong and shown her how to think of and care for others. But it’s more than that…

It’s her… it’s who she is. She is called and purposed, as a daughter of the King,  to reflect His light, show His love, and fulfill His calling in her life. In her own innocent and loving way, she tried to live out the saying, “Find a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it.” She saw a situation that was hurtful to another person and had the confidence in herself, to believe there was something she could do to make it better.

Be Who God Meant You to Be

That’s what a world changer does. They see, and then they do something about it. World changers don’t just pay lip service ~ they walk the talk. They walk in integrity. They offer encouragement, compassion, and kindness freely and without hesitation. They realize it doesn’t cost to be kind, but that kindness offered spreads far and wide. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, it doesn’t just affect the one spot it lands, but rather it ripples out, touching and changing even what is much further away. Kindness matters.

Throw Kindness Around

Easy DIY Thieves Hand Sanitizer Spray

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Dirty Hands

Life is messy, right? And lets be honest here, some of the best things in life get our hands dirty ~ petting animals, playing in mud puddles, digging in a garden, and heck, even cooking gets our hands dirty. While I personally still believe that a good old-fashioned hand-washing with soap and water is best, it’s not always practical. Especially if our hands have no visible dirt on them.

Washing Hands

Not only is life messy, but it’s also germy. Even hands that look clean, may be covered in germs. We can come into contact with germs outside and inside. Not all germs are harmful, but some are extremely dangerous, and since we can’t see them, it’s best to just be safe about it, and sanitize those hands!

Hand Germs

And speaking of safe, normal, commercialized hand sanitizer isn’t all that safe. Sure, it will kill germs, but not without adding a bunch of unnecessary and potentially harmful chemicals. Yuck, who wants that?

One of the common chemicals found in commercial hand sanitizer is triclosan ~ an antibiotic compound that actually builds up a resistance to antibiotics that making the bacteria you’re trying to kill even stronger. It kills the good bacteria that usually kills the bad bacteria, which lowers your resistance to disease. Other problems with triclosan are a weakened and compromised immune system, increased allergies and hay fever, and hormone disruption.

So what’s a mom (or person) to do? Hellooooo ~ make your own! It’s natural,  extremely easy AND inexpensive. Yay!

Thieves Spray

Easy DIY Thieves Thieves Hand Sanitizer Spray

What You Need:

  • 1 4oz Dark Glass Spray Bottle
  • 2 Tsp Witch Hazel
  • 20 Drops Thieves Essential Oil
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • Not quite 4oz Distilled Water

How To Make:

In your clean spray bottle, first add your sea salt, then add your Thieves oil. Allow it to sit and absorb for five minutes. Then add the Witch Hazel and fill with distilled water. Put the sprayer back on the bottle, shake, and use. See? Easy-peasy!

 

In addition to using this spray on your hands to sanitize, you can also use it to:

  • Clean toddler/kids toys
  • Disinfect public restroom toilet seats
  • Clean airplane armrests and trays
  • Sanitize doorknobs
  • Freshen gym bags
  • Wipe down cutting boards
  • Room freshener
  • Wipe down cellphones, handbags, and steering wheels
  • Shopping carts

 

Note: The above recipe is for one 4oz bottle, but you can easily half the recipe for a 2oz bottle, or even keep the recipe the same and use 2 2oz bottles. 

Amazing Homemade Italian Seasoning

/ Tracy / 1 Comment

I’m a seasoning kind of girl. Life is just too short to be bland… know what I mean? I will never claim to be a gourmet cook, but this I know ~ cooking, and life, needs seasoning! Yeah, a person can get by with just a couple of “staples,” but where’s the fun in that? After all, variety IS the spice of life, right? (See what I just did there? Wink, Wink)

spices

One of my most frequently used seasonings is Italian Seasoning. Lots of recipes seem to call for it, and hellooooo, it’s just good! Sometimes. Well, probably most of the time, but let’s be honest, if your taste buds don’t match that of the person (manufacturer) making the seasoning, you’re not going to like it, and you’re not going to use it.

This happened to me. I purchased a bottle of name brand Italian Seasoning at the store. I couldn’t wait to use it (or maybe I bought it specifically for a meal I was making), so I went home, opened it, put it up to my nose to breathe in the wonderful aroma… and went, “Eeewwww!”  I didn’t smell basil (my favorite), oregano, garlic, or any of the other scents I thought I would smell. Nope, I smelled sage. It was overwhelming. That was it… just sage, sage, sage!

I thought to myself, “Self, surely it CAN’T be that bad, it’s Italian Seasoning!” So I decided to go ahead and use it. Big mistake. That evening, my hearty pasta dish tasted like tomato-y Thanksgiving stuffing. Ick. Don’t get me wrong, I do LIKE sage, but it has its place, you know?

Thus began my quest to find the perfect Italian Seasoning. I found a couple different recipes and tried them. This is the one I settled on. (I found this recipe on One Hundred Dollars a Month.) Of course, everyone is different, and your taste might be different than mine, but that’s the beauty of DIY ~ you can make any change you feel necessary. How cool is that?!

diy-italian-seasoning

AMAZING ITALIAN SEASONING: 

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp dried parsley
3 Tbsp dried basil
2 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tsp dried thyme
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
1 Tsp dried rosemary
1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 Tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl, then give them a whirl in your food processor. Then store in an airtight container. Easy-peasy!

Next time you need a little Italian Seasoning for your dressing, pasta dish, steak, seafood, or any other dish you might be preparing, you are ready with your very own blend!

diy-italian-seasoning-2

 

We’re Growing Up

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Last week was a big week for us… meaning for my daughter and I. She is almost 9 years old, and growing way too fast for me, and way too slowly for herself. Last week though was one to remember. It was the week she left.

Time For Change

All of her life, she has spent most of her time with us. There’s been no daycare, little babysitting (with trusted friends), and a small number of sleepovers (with the same trusted friends). And we homeschool. She did go on a trip with her dad last year (I had to stay home to care for the dogs ~ our pet sitter canceled at the last minute), but that’s just it… she was still with her dad.

This week though, she got to do something she’s never before done ~ she went to Kid’s Camp with our church. It was a wonderful opportunity for her, and of course, she had an amazing time. Truth be told, I knew she would. I signed her up, and I talked her into going. She was a bit reluctant at first, but the excitement quickly grew as she learned more about it. And of course, many of her friends were going.

Summer Camp

When it came time to leave for camp, she did great! Much better than I did. I had such a hard time letting her go. I knew she would love it, I knew she would have fun, and I knew she would have an awesome God experience, but still… it was hard to let her go… and I was a wreck.

But after hugging her about 7,240 times, I sent her off. I knew I could trust the people she was with. And I had a friend who would be keeping a special eye on her for me, who would also be sending me update texts and pictures, for my peace of mind. Still, I cried.

After an eternity 26 hours, she returned to me. She was safe and sound, energized, though exhausted, and most importantly,  she was touched by God. Also, she seemed a little older to me, a little wiser. And she was more connected to friends. I was relieved to have her home, thrilled to hear her stories, and proud that she did so well. (I was even excited to hear about the copious amounts of ice cream she ate ~ even for breakfast!)

Ice Cream Cones

She’s growing up and needing me less. She’s still a little girl, but she is changing into an amazing young lady. She is maturing and growing in her independence, and I marvel at the gift God has given me in entrusting her to me. I know that as much as she is mine, she is His even more. And I know that my greatest achievement will be in raising her to love Jesus and serve Him. And I’m grateful when I see glimpses of that in our everyday life, and when she goes away to camp.

Yesterday, in church, a video was played, showing all the kids and activities going on at Kid’s Camp. Of course, I eagerly looked for her… would I see her in the crowd? Yes, I did. Three times. And all three times that I saw her, I saw her doing the same thing… arms raised, worshiping Him. I felt comforted, proud, touched, and blessed. Seeing that did my Mama heart good. Seeing your child worshiping God is a pretty amazing thing.

Kids in Worship.jpg

What this experience has shown me is this… time moves forward, everything changes, children become more independent, and letting go is hard, though necessary. It’s also shown me that maybe she’s not the only one growing up (and having growing pains)… that maybe I am too.

 

Yes, There Are Hypocrites in Church

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I was hanging out with a friend the other day, we were chatting, our kiddos were swimming and playing together, and it was just a fun, warm, sunny, summer day. I said something about the church, as I frequently do, and this time she didn’t just “uh-huh” me. This time she listened. This time she asked questions, engaged, and shared.

Like many people, my friend “believes” in God, but she’s not serving God, she hasn’t turned her life over to him. As far as people go, she’s a good person, even though she’s not a Christian in the true sense of the word.

Believe in God

My friend didn’t grow up going to church, though she went a few times with friends. And that’s not something she’s done as an adult either. But now she has kids. And she admitted she thinks they should have that experience ~ after all, how can they choose for themselves if they aren’t even exposed to it. And it’s supposed to be good for families. But…

She doesn’t believe in “organized religion,” because there are too many hypocrites. She knows too many “church people” who say one thing, but behave completely differently. It’s not about drinking, smoking, tattoos, listening to the wrong kind of music, or any other “thing” that churchy people love to get their panties in a bunch over. It’s more like snobbery, judgment, gossip, lying, cheating, etc.

My response? You’ll love it… well, actually, you’ll probably hate it, but whatever… What I told her is basically this… I’m a Christian, and I read my Bible, and I love Jesus, but as a whole, I pretty much can’t stand Christians. I told her I understood how she felt, and there’s a lot of truth to it. But there’s much more to going to church than that. And we talked a little more, and I think her family will end up visiting our church with us, but I knew that she knew that I heard her. And I didn’t pressure her, push her, or judge her.

Two Different Messages

What I didn’t say to her is this: I believe Christians to be one of the greatest hindrances to Christ. I really do. The way Christians attack each other, gossip (in the name of prayer, of course), pass judgment on even the stupidest of things, lie, sow dissension, and act thoroughly self-righteous, is quite frankly nauseating. Oh, but if there’s a need, they’ll bring a casserole (and make sure everyone knows it), so that makes it all okay. Wrong.

Though our hearts should be pure, open, and loving when we go to church, it’s not always that way. There is often goodness, helpfulness, and a welcoming spirit in a church congregation. But there’s also something darker… more deceptive at play as well. On the downside… there are people who use the church to make fashion statements, and if you don’t look or dress a certain way, then you just don’t belong. Others view the church as a popularity contest ~ it’s like they’re finally getting high school right, only they’re now in their 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s ~ and if you’re not in, well, then you’re out.

People in the church, just like outside of the church, have agendas. Some are jockeying for position, some want power and see church titles as giving them that, some want the spotlight and all they need is to be on stage.

We're All Broken

None of these things are the right reasons for being in church. BUT… None of them are reasons to avoid church either. See, the church is for all of us. And we’re all broken, flawed sinners. Truthfully,  in the church, there are more people who honestly love and serve God with a pure heart, than there are people who are there for their own selfish reasons, swimming in their own sanctimony. We just tend to remember more the ones who hurt us, or who offer a poor representation of who Jesus is.

Yes, there are hypocrites in the church. There are liars, thieves, adulterers, and snobs in the church. There are people filled with pride, arrogance, and judgment too (basically, sanctimonious jerks). But don’t let that keep you from the church. There is much good, love, compassion, support, and friendship within the church as well.

When people know, or believe, we are Christians, but our actions are un-Christlike, we not only turn people away from the church, we also turn them away from Christ. We need to go to church for Jesus. We need to look for those who represent Him and be wary of the ones who don’t. And always make it our mission to be one of the ones that represent Him, not one who doesn’t. Leave all that other stuff, the dark stuff, for Him to sort out. He will.

Atheism

 

Pest-Away Spray

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It’s summertime! And who doesn’t love outside summer fun?! Yes, there can be some drawbacks, but basically, it’s fun! Fresh air, sunshine, no school, playing in the sprinklers, swimming in the pool (or a lake if you’re so inclined), hanging out with friends, campfires, S’mores… the list could go on, but it boils down to this ~ it’s fun!

Sprinkler Fun

So what can ruin that fabulous fun? Outside summer pests. Creepy, crawly, flying, biting pests (no, not ladybugs, they’re an exception, as my daughter would tell me). Bug spray is helpful for those who enjoy the great outdoors. What is not great is about bug spray, however, is that all the harmful chemicals that are used to kill those pests are also harmful to us. Basically, we’re spraying poison on our skin ~ our biggest organ. And yes, what we put on us, we put in us. No thank you!

Bugged by Bugs

Safely Protected

There is a safe alternative to commercial bug spray… make your own! There are numerous ways that nature offers protection from pests ~ typically in the form of specific plants, and in this case, the essential oil obtained from plants. Plants that are natural pest repellents include Basil, Catnip, Cedarwood, Citronella, Chamomile, Garlic, Geranium, Lavender, Lemongrass, Marigold, Peppermint, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, and more.

Bug Deterrent Plants

There are many different recipes available for making your own comfort spray. Typically, a base of vodka, witch hazel, or apple cider vinegar is used with distilled water. Then you add whatever extras you prefer. I have found that using vodka (cheap, don’t spend money on the “good stuff”) is my preference. Also, most of the recipes I’ve found are for small amounts, but I prefer to make up a large bottle and transfer to a smaller bottle as needed (less work that way). Here is my favorite recipe:

DIY Outdoor Comfort Spray

~ 2 Cups Vodka (or Witch Hazel)
~ 2 Cups Distilled Water
~ 25 Drops Purification EO
~ 15 Drops Peppermint EO
~ 15 Drops Cedarwood EO
~ 15 Drops Citronella EO

Add to amber or dark blue spray bottle and you’re done! Shake and use as needed. Easy-peasy! 🙂

Natural Outdoor Comfort Spray

What Every Woman Should Know

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First off, I didn’t write this list. But I wish I had. Second, I wish every woman in America (heck, in the world) would get this. I mean really get this. Third, I wish I would get this. Always.

10 Facts

10 Facts Every Woman Should Know:

1. Everyone has rolls when they bend over.
2. When someone tells you that you’re beautiful, believe them. They aren’t lying.
3. Sometimes we all wake up with breath that could kill a goat.
4. For every woman unhappy with her stretch marks is another woman who wishes she had them.
5. You should definitely have more confidence. And if you saw yourself the way others see you, you would.
6. Don’t look for a man to save you. Be able to save yourself.
7. It’s okay to not love every part of your body….but you should.
8. We all have that one friend who seems to have it all together. That woman with the seemingly perfect life. Well, you might be that woman to someone else.
9. You should be a priority. Not an option, the last resort, or a backup plan.
10. You’re a woman. That alone makes you pretty damn remarkable.

~ Austin Blood

 

Oh, how I wish I had known these things when I was younger. Looking back, I see how utterly insecure I used to be. It is astonishing how critical I was about myself, how much I compared myself to others… and came up short. I was so freaking critical of myself, and now, I don’t really know why. Other than that I was just young and had next to zero self-esteem.

It happens. The zero self-esteem thing… it happens. To far too many of us, I’m afraid. When you grow up not being built up, but rather, torn down, it’s hard to break that off. It’s hard to see yourself with value if as a child, you weren’t valued. Sometimes, it’s hard to see yourself with value, even if you were valued.

Insecurities

The thing is, society the media puts ridiculously impossible standards on women. Standards that, quite frankly, are a lie. The media photoshop, perfect lighting, and stage makeup to erase flaws and create the illusion of perfection. Perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect eyebrows, perfect body, perfectly thin, perfectly smooth, perfectly bronzed (without fear of skin cancer), perfectly wrinkle-free… and it’s all… perfectly… crap.

Today, I look at pictures of me when I was young, and I see something I wish I could have seen then. I see a young woman who was beautiful, who had a smile that could light up a room, who was thin and fit. I see someone who was funny, witty, and charming. I see someone intelligent and fun, who was vivacious and loved life. I laughed often and often made others laugh. I wish I could have seen that then.

Beauty Opposite Perfection

Now I see that while I wasn’t perfect (and who of us is, really?), I was pretty dang awesome. I truly enjoyed making other people feel good, and I had a kind, caring heart. Unfortunately, I used to be too hard on myself. I used to think of myself as plain, fat (though I was size 8-10) mediocre, and simply less-than. I just never felt pretty enough, smart enough, popular enough… I never felt good enough. What a waste! Those kinds of thoughts are a waste of time, a waste of energy, and a waste of spirit.

Now, with the advantage of age, maturity, and perspective, I see myself much differently. I know I’m not perfect. But I also know that I’m pretty freaking awesome. I have a lot to offer, and well, if someone doesn’t like me, I’m okay with that. I hope that doesn’t seem arrogant, it’s just that I’ve finally grown to love me ~ imperfections and all. It’s how I know that I’m flawesome!

Flawesome 2

More importantly, I know that God loves me, he approves of me, and he designed me the way he wanted me to be. I know that my imperfections, my flaws, and my idiosyncrasies, are what makes me special. They make me, me.  I now know I am a masterpiece, created by the God of the Universe, and he made me unique, the way he wanted me to be. And who am I to argue with that?

To See Myself the Way You Do

To see myself the way he does. Not for how skinny or flawless I am, how put together I am, how popular I am, or how pedigreed I am.

God sees us as beautiful, precious, unique, loved, and passionate. He sees us as daughters of the King. He chose us. He desires us.

Imagine that. The God of all creation, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega… He desires us. He pursues us. He values us. And He wants a relationship with us. And that is enough.

Sweet n Salty Stovetop Popcorn

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I love popcorn. I  really do. Always have. Well, except for air-popped. I just don’t like it that way. It’s too… bland. I mean, why have it if you don’t enjoy it? Isn’t that the purpose? And I know it isn’t particularly good for me (of course), but everything in moderation, right? So these days I don’t have it too often, but oh, once upon a time…

I Love Popcorn

Once upon a time, when I was young and single, footloose and fancy-free, careless and carefree, and before my metabolism betrayed me… Yeah, way back then… Things were different. I was different. I was poorer. Back then I had popcorn a lot. A lot. I would get home from a long, hard day of work, and popcorn was there waiting for me. And wine. Red wine. So that would be my dinner. Popcorn and red wine. Don’t judge me, it’s not like it was Ramen Noodles!

But times have changed, and I have changed, and though I still love popcorn (and have fond memories of my dinners of popcorn and red wine), I don’t eat it as much as I used to. I save those carbs for the wine (can’t have it all). Sigh. Sometimes I still get to enjoy it by myself. Other times, it’s with my family. I believe Charles M. Schulz put it quite nicely:

Love is Sharing Your Popcorn

One of the ways I’ve changed is how I make my popcorn. Back in the day, I would consume it by the bagful. Meaning, yes, it was microwave popcorn. Now though, I can barely tolerate that. Now when I make popcorn, it’s the old fashioned way ~ stove top. It’s so much better that way! And better for you too (not full of the dangerous chemicals that microwave popcorn is)!

So now I enjoy it, on occasion. Sometimes while watching a movie, sometimes while watching a political debate, sometimes while observing another’s drama… The point is, it’s okay to enjoy it! In moderation.

This recipe is so easy to make!

Sweet n Salty Popcorn

Ingredients:

  • ~ ¼ cup coconut oil (or canola)
  • ~ ⅔ cup popcorn kernels
  • ~ 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • ~ 2 Tablespoons honey
  • ~ 1½ teaspoons sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Add the coconut oil and 3 popcorn kernels to a large pot. (I use my Dutch oven.)
  2. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until all 3 kernels pop.
  3. Take the three kernels out of the pot.
  4. Add the rest of the popcorn kernels.
  5. Cover and take the pot off of the heat.
  6. Wait 30 seconds.
  7. Put the pot back on the heat. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally until the popping slows down.
  8. After about 2 minutes, and the popping has slowed down, take the lid off of the pot. This lets the steam out and keeps the popcorn crisp.
  9. While the popcorn is popping, melt the butter and add the honey.
  10. Pour over the popcorn and sprinkle with salt. Toss until completely coated. You could also do this in a large paper bag.

Note: If you don’t want the sweet, just eliminate the honey from the recipe. If you want more sweet, just add more honey. How simple is that?!

See? Easy-peasy! Now just grab a bowl, sit down, and enjoy!

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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Motherhood… sometimes it’s waking up, seeing your well-ripened bananas and deciding to make banana chocolate chip pancakes, other times it’s forgetting to feed your child (another story, another time). It’s all about balance.

On this darkish, cloudy morning, I did just that. I woke up, stumbled out to the kitchen, spotted the very brown bananas, and BAM!… just like that, I made a decision. Before coffee even! Yeah, I was impressed.

So I started the coffee, and began gathering ingredients, and whipped up this little, breakfast treat. Well, “whipped up” might be a little generous… more like stumbled through (remember, I hadn’t yet had coffee).

And what did I get for my efforts? Squeals of delight from my daughter, and an extreme satisfaction in knowing that today was a “mom win.” Oh, and they’re great with a plate of little side of bacon. (Then again, what isn’t?)

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes.jpg

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 C All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 TBSP White Sugar
  • 2 Tsp Baking powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Egg, Beaten
  • 1 C Milk
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
  • 2 Shakes of Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 C Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and bananas.

2. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy. Add chocolate chips.

3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/3 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

4. Enjoy!

Note: These amazing little circles of yumminess can be served with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, whip cream, powdered sugar, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, or whatever your little heart and palate desire!

 

The Year the Music Died

/ Tracy / 2 Comments

 

Music Feelings

News broke yesterday, of the death of Prince. The news hit me. It hit me hard. So far in 2016, we’ve lost (among other great celebrities) three incredible musicians… three music icons… three music legends… David Bowie (Jan. 10), Glenn Frey (Jan. 18), and now Prince (Apr. 21). They were all amazingly talented, though very different, musicians. And each of these deaths has affected me deeply.

Music Bowie

RIP David

I was a child when Elvis died, but I remember how people mourned for him, and I didn’t understand it. I was a teen when John Lennon died, and again, I saw how much that affected people, but still, I didn’t understand. I mean, I understood that it’s natural to be a little sad when someone you know, admire, or respect dies, but people cried… they grieved ~ for people they didn’t even know! And that I didn’t get.

Now it’s my turn. Now I’m older, and with the benefit of maturity and wisdom, I get it. More than anything else from our youth, the music stays with us. It is more powerful than anything else from our youth. And while we may like, or even love, other music from before or after our youthful days, it is the music we loved as teens (scientists say 12-22 years) that means the most. It invokes memories and emotions like nothing else.

Music Frey

RIP Glenn

I’m an 80’s girl, a Gen X girl. Growing up in the ’70s, and being a teen throughout the ’80s, is something I love. It’s something I’m proud of. It was a fun, crazy, and wild time of self-discovery, independence, and big hair. It was a time when I felt safe, was less jaded, less cynical, and less hard. It was a time when I was more innocent, and more hopeful, a time when I had big dreams and an even bigger heart.

What I now know, is that when I hear of the passing of one of the musical legends from my youth, it makes me nostalgic. It reminds me of days gone by… It reminds me of who I was and who I hoped to be… It reminds me of the people I loved, the friends I had, and the good times we shared. It also reminds me of loss… the people I’ve lost, sometimes through death, sometimes through life. And it reminds me that life is short and that tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Music Prince

RIP Prince

So it’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to grieve. It’s natural to feel loss when losing the musical greats of our youth because it’s not just the person that we’re losing. We’re losing a small piece of ourselves as well. We’re mourning losing someone we didn’t actually know, because through them, and their words and music, we came to know ourselves. And that is worth mourning.