This is blog worthy. . .

"I became a journalist because I wanted to tell people's stories".

I wish I could tell you who said that.  I heard it on Sports Radio as I rode home from the airport with my son.  I had just enjoyed a great trip and visit with my Mercer-Nesmith cousins. The trip itself had offered me many experiences that I kept saying were "blog-worthy".

Is being a journalist the same as writing a blog?  Well, sort of.

My mother always told me I should write about others instead of myself.  Typical mothering!

Thank goodness blogging came into vogue.  I can write about someone else.  I have even been published under the genre.  But it's good I can blog.  I have so many stories to share!

So here's what I believe to be "blog-worthy".

John Wakeman; Rick Weitzel, Carol Wakeman; Wally Wakeman, Ester Wakeman; Paula Huffingham; Rudy Nesmith

Seven of the 18 children who called Ellie and Pauline Nesmith Granddaddy (or grandpa) and        Grandma were together to honor the memory of Al Wakeman - husband of our Aunt Thelma (second daughter of five and third child after Rudolph and my mother).

What a treat it was for me to visit with some of my cousins and meet their children.  I chatted with Sophia, the recent high school graduate daughter of John Wakeman,  She made me think of my eldest granddaughter, Abbie.  I had already noticed how "alike" my cousins, Rick Weitzel and Rudy Nesmith, looked in a photograph and when I saw them in person I could see so many of the characteristics I loved in my Granddaddy Nesmith.

The trip up to Michigan had afforded me the opportunity to ride through Georgia and remember my asking my grandmother if Cordele was like it was when she was a little girl.  I forgot the fact that she moved from there when she was two - that would have been in 1903 and I had asked her in 1964.

The drive through Tennessee was also quite memorable.  All of my children were born in Chattanooga.  I taught school in McMinn County.  I had to cross the Tennessee River by ferry to do that when I was a young bride.  We spent the night in Athens, the county seat of McMinn.  While being on I75 didn't afford me the opportunity to see any of those places close up, I did so enjoy the beauty of the mountains!

My cousins, Rick and Cheryl, have a sailboat and I had told a couple of people that I hoped to have the opportunity to sail with them. You can imagine my thrill when Rick told me that Cheryl thought I might enjoy some time on the water.

Then when it was time to come home, I, who had not flown since 2005, was astonished at what I could do re the flight on my cell phone.  I would have been lost without Cheryl's assistance and now I am ready to plan my next adventure.

So do I blog or journal?

Three years ago I finally got into the habit of Journaling.  My friend, Virginia, gave me Rate your Day in July 2016,  There are three separations on each page - I started in 2016 and the last entry was this past week.  I cannot tell you the number of times I've looked back over my words and laughed or sighed or teared up a bit.  I can tell you that there are many answered prayers and suggestions that worked (or didn't)  since I started.

Well, I do both.  And both are helpful to me and I hope to those who read my words.  For me journaling, blogging, just jotting down a note or two - all of this is therapeutic.  Kinda like enjoying a lake on a sailboat!

If you aren't writing - you should start.  As my mother would say - It will help you and make you feel better too!

May your life be filled with enough Sunshine 

to make you appreciate the Shadows