Go Fish...

He bent over and over again, right in front of my house.  Who was he and what was he doing?

I opened the mini blind a little wider and looked closer.  He had a stick in his hand, one about the size of a pencil, and a jar in the other.  As he bent over, he touched the stick to the ground, and as he stood back up I could see what was on the stick:  worms.  He was fishing for worms... my worms!

In all my life of watching people, this I had never seen!  He was slow and deliberate, an easy going kind of fellow, and he obviously had planned his expedition because he had the jar, and our joggers around here don't carry jars.  They carry Ipods.  My phone conversation kept me tied to my desk, otherwise, I would have been out the door investigating this most unusual Saturday morning activity.  I would have asked, "Hey, what's going on here?"  "What on earth are you gonna' do with MY worms?"  "Do you live around here?"  "Who do you think you are, anyway?". 

I've enjoyed telling this story to my family & friends, and we all laugh at the thought of "fishing for worms".  Sounds kind of backwards, doesn't it?  And it paints a funny picture.   But, what bothers me about all this, is how defensive I immediately became over a few silly, washed-up worms.  I never, ever would have thought about worms floating out of my yard, and my loss of them.  Never, until I saw someone else benefiting from my minute loss.

Ouch!  That's an "uhg-ly" side of me that I'm not proud of, and one that sure needs "fixin".  Maybe I've been in the city too long.  Maybe I've forgotten the simple things of life.  Maybe I'm just human.  You think???  Whatever is wrong, I can tell...  it's time to go grab a pole or grab a jar and throw down the phone.  Hey, it's past time.. it's time to get back to the basics of life.  It's time to go fishin'.

Sigh...
Cindy Lou


@Copyright 2012, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

He Signed His Valentine... "Rocky"

That was his name,
and he was my flame,
My tender 4th grade flame.
We never kissed.
Wonder what I missed.
Or did we, and I just forgot?

Oh, he was cute, and so mature, much more so than the others.
Maturity, you know, is important at that age,
Thoughtfulness,
Tenderness, too.

He moved away, far too soon,
but left two things behind:  
a heart on a chain, left in my box,
my shoebox covered with hearts,
with a slit on the top
and a place in my heart.
He signed his Valentine... "Rocky."

Ah... the sweet memory of young love.  He was ahead of his times, and I wonder where he is these days.  He didn't stay long in my life, but his legacy lives on, and sometimes I allow my heart to go back to those "once upon a time" days.

The heart he gave me was black.  It was a faceted black heart-shaped pendant that swung beautifully on a silver-toned chain.  Striking it was in appearance and most unusual for a 4th grader of the 1960's to possess.  Wish I had it now.  Wish I could hold it in my hand, but its memory will have to do.  Perhaps that's even better than a heart made of plastic... or... one made of stone.

Rocky, where are you?  I really liked you, you know.

And now... now that you are a memory of those innocent days gone by, I realize what a treasure you were. You see, you gave me more than a heart of stone... you gave me sweet memories to hold in my heart... and THAT, my old flame...  is the real treasure!
 

Silly me, but I love the memory...


Cindy...
the girl from Plato Elementary School



(Note from the author:  Saying, "I like you." or "I love you." is more important than we realize.  Say it.  Mean it.  Live it.  And do it today.  Everyday should be Valentine's Day!)



@Copyright 2012, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.