Celebrations, Jackasses, Clint Eastwood & 10¢

April 30, 2011 - Osama bin Ladin is finally dead.  There are cheers and celebrations in the streets as people applaud the death of "the big bad wolf."  The goose is finally cooked as they say.  But is it just to celebrate. 

To me it was more like finally having closure after the devastation that happened on 9/11.  Nearly 10 years of waiting and the man who shouldered the responsibility for the events has finally been put to rest.  But an article written by NPR said it best -"I don't think that the celebrations in the streets were our finest moment as Americans, and reminded me much of the anger I felt at seeing Afghans dancing in the streets at the fall of the Towers on that dreaded day."

It really bothered me to see that so many were actually elated that another soul had been damned and had missed the opportunity for repentance and salvation.  Don't get me wrong - I am not a holy roller by any means and would never consider myself the best representative of the Christian faith but it just seemed wrong to celebrate the death of a soul I knew was not going to a better place. 

There are times to celebrate a death.  I have raised a glass to many that have gone on before me as I knew they were in better hands than any found here on earth.  But maybe it was my "raisin's " that just wouldn't allow me to find joy in that moment.  A sense of relief - yes; but joy - not at all.  It was more like finally getting to the end of one of Daddy's never ending westerns where the bad man was finally put to justice and the heroes rode off into the sunset leaving behind much devastation and no real resolutions.  (Remind you of almost every Clint Eastwood western you ever saw?)  There's no real satisfaction in the ending, just the knowledge that there's one less bad guy in the world.  You'll also have to excuse me if I don't exactly trust the governments in all of this either.  To give you an idea using my Clint Eastwood reference again: I totally expect them to come out and have the ah-ha moment and we're all left standing around in disbelief as the nun turns out to be a common whore  so it was no wonder she was surrounded by jackasses.  (i.e. Two Mules for Sister Sara)  Hopefully I'm wrong and they will finally release some proof that the nightmare really is over and we can all rest a little easier but my daddy may have watched a lot of westerns but he didn't raise no fool.  It's not that I don't believe them but more of a - let me see for myself. 

I also found it bothersome that people were crediting Obama for "finally getting the job done."  HELLO - what the heck do you think our armed services have been doing over there this whole time, playing shuffle board?  They found him, called for approval, Obama gave the go-ahead and *tada* job done.  Thank you to our troops.  Obama however, did a good job in his speech giving appreciation to the troops and paying respect to those that died 9/11 and since.  It just seems that people walk around w/ blinders on more often than not.  I just wish people would look around and see how their behavior and responses affects those around them.  But that's just my 10¢ worth.

If I Can't Laugh About It - Who Can?

It's no secret that I laugh and joke about the fact that my husband is legally blind.  He and I both do really.  We've come to the conclusion that we can either laugh about it and move on, or we can be the sad saps that everyone expects us to be.  So we move on.  But it intrigues me how people chastise me for making a joke of it, or making light of the situation, when they ask me about it.  I'm not really sure what they expect.  Some say that it's incredibly inconsiderate and un-PC, which just shows how little they really know me.  Others just pat me on the shoulder and tell me how very sorry they are and how strong or mature I am, as most couples wouldn't survive such a tragedy; which is a double insult since 1.) you apparently thought so little of me and the relationship I have with my husband, and 2.) I don't need your pity. 

So let's cover the facts: 

• My husband is, and has been, legally blind since Oct. 22, 2009.
• My father still tries to hand him the keys to drive and still asks him what's coming when he's the passenger.
• We all still have to remember that he can't see it when we give non-verbal responses - You can imagine how many times I screw this up.  lol. 
• We find it funny when people get antsy and ask "What are you, blind?" and R. always responds, "well, yea...actually."  The look on their faces hasn't gotten old yet and the hesitation in their voice is just as amusing to R. 
• We would like to think that the warning signs for "Blind Drive" means that it just might be possible for him to give it a try or at least an option for the opportunity. 
• "OMG - did you see that?....oh wait no...I guess you didn't." still happens often with us and we still laugh and move on. 
• He threatens, pokes, whacks, and aggravates me w/ that white cane and I always threaten back saying, "I'm not like the people who apologize when you accidentally hit them, I will snatch it away and whack you back," to which he still chuckles about.
• The only people that think that R. is disabled is probably you and, as soon as the paperwork is through, the government. We prefer to say differently-abled.  He still does pretty much everything he's always done.....just a little differently and with more time now than he used to. 
• We are still a normal couple that likes to pick and aggravate each other, we just get to tease each other in ways that other couples can't.  We don't do it in a mean spirited way and we always laugh about it. 
• It's ok to use the word "see" when you're around.  We don't get offended by it and people usually look silly trying to avoid it. 
• We laugh a lot about various things, we make fun and laugh a lot about every day situations that we encounter that are more difficult due to his low-vision. 
• We laugh and find joy in our everyday life.
• We choose to see past the hard times, the pain, and the uncomfortable situations with a smile and/or a laugh.
• I promise you that you won't hear me say anything about it that I haven't already said to him and I can pretty much guarantee you that the jokes we make together are way worse.
• We laugh - we don't expect your pity, your sympathy, or your issues with how we choose to deal. 
• We laugh - and those who are close enough friends to be a part of our family join us in our laughter and toss in their own jokes and jabs in the process. 

I have one friend that told R. that she was upset that he wouldn't be able to see her well enough on her wedding day to see just how beautiful she is so she was going to have to get a braille dress. We continue to laugh.

Laughter may not always be the best medicine, but it's definitely one that gets you through the hard times and lets you come out on the other with a better perspective.

So what would you do in our situation?  Would you choose to laugh, or let the world fall in around you?  Would you still be with your significant other or would you have ran for the door?  Would you move on with life or would you wear a chip on your shoulder for all the world to see?

What would you do?