AARP Online Community: ckmiller1943

ckmiller1943

Offline

Background

Name: Claudia

Birthday: February 10

Gender: Female

Status: Single

Religion: Christian/Catholic

Location:
Jacksonville, Florida
United States

School:
Florida Southern College Lakeland, Florida Terrry Parker High School Jacksonville, Florida

Work:
Stay-at-Home Mom, Special Ed Teacher, Job Coach, Camp Counselor, Tutor, ARC Instructor, Home Health Aid, Choral Singer, Clerk-Typist, Receptionist, Security Officer, Limo Driver, Kelly Temp, HS English Teacher, Live-In Caregiver, Cashier

Hometown(s):
Honolulu, Hawaii
Columbia, Missouri
Northern Quebec, Canada
Florida (Jacksonville, Tampa, Lakeland, Miami, Pensacola, Live Oak, Gainesville, Lake City, Orange Park)

My Websites:
www.hawaiianglican.org
www.photoshow.com/members/wahiawa
www.myspace.com/leolanihi

Quote:
"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." - Hubert H. Humphrey

My Bookmarks (2)

My Comments (44)

My Scores (19)

Game	Score
Mah Jongg Garden	405730
Mahjongg: Mom Jongg	6844
Mahjongg Toy Chest	5805
Jigsaw: Easy	4976
Word Search	4524

About Me

Thank the good Lord above, I'm a happy, very healthy, mentally sound woman of faith. I've lived alone almost 20 years and enjoy it very much as I have become my own best friend. My gratitude for all that has been given to me is unending. Being what I call a "realistic idealist" allows me to keep a positive outlook even when the world seems to be going the way of ancient Rome. I enjoy friends, spending time with my grown children and 8 lovely grandchildren, my church activities, certain films, music and my two loving kitty brothers, Lover Boy and Sweetness. I rescued them as ferals and they are now four years old

Interests:

One volunteer program I enjoy is teaching English to adults. I used to sing choral music with many different, excellent groups, but not at this time. Walking and easy swimming are about the only sports I enjoy now, but I used to be pretty good at tennis and bowling. I plan to start dance classes soon. I'm learning to use my digital camera and enjoy that very much. Check out my photos at the URL link http://www.photoshow.com/members/wahiawa. Comments welcome!

More About Me

My Photos (168)

Green Mountains of Vermont

Connecticut River cruise

P1010037.JPG

All My Photos

My Videos (7)

Terror Camps in our Backyard

Length: 0:00

Grandkids Bouncing

Length: 0:24

It's a Wonderful Life!

Length: 1:54

All My Videos

My Journals (6)

You Never Know....

In my apartment building there are six floors, about 180 apartments. I live on the 5th floor and know my closest neighbors pretty well....enough to call each other by name and visit back and forth. A lady down the hall, not too far, named Sylvia Kay Waldrop, was one I did not know well, but we always said "hello" in passing. She walked with a marked limp and was about my age. Now I'm wondering why I never bothered to say more than hello or get to know her. I passed her in the hall yesterday sometime, in a hurry to go somewhere... .don't remember. I just rushed off.

Last night I noticed police cars and lights in front of our building but it was dark and rainy, so I thought someone must have been caught speeding. Edgewood Avenue is a 35 mph zone, not that anyone obeys it. An hour later we all knew that Sylvia was walking to the convenience store just a block away, across the street, with a gentleman friend. They did not cross at the light, unfortunately, and she fell on the slippery street and was hit. The driver kept going; a hit and run. Her friend was not injured but she was taken to Shands where she later died.

Some of us sat out on the balcony watching as the police taped off our street as a crime scene for a couple of hours, and her friend and family gathered there consoling one another as best they could. I don't know why her friend was not walking closer or supporting her as they crossed the dark street or why she was hit and he was not, but my neighbor whom I had not bothered to know is gone.....suddenly, with no notice, no way to say 'good bye'.

You can believe that from now on I will take more time to speak to my neighbors, maybe even learn a little about who they are and about their lives or what they think about. I'm sorry I never got to know Sylvia and I am sorry I didn't care enough to say anything past "hello". Perhaps I might have learned something interesting or valuable from Sylvia. I'll never know.

Life holds no guarantees for any of us. Live each day as if it were your last, and also as if it is the first day of the rest of your life. I wonder where Sylvia is today and for all eternity.

~Grandma Claudia

Added: December 12, 2009
Views: 79 | Comments: 2 | Bookmarks: 0

All My Journals

Comments (42)