HE GAVE HIS BEST TO US: THE LEGACY OF A GREAT MAN

 

A series of essays….

DEMOCRACY: OURS TO LOSE UNLESS WE FIGHT HARD TO RETAIN IT!

….as seen through my eyes!

“Let me know in my heart

When my days are through

America, America

I gave my best to you

America

I gave my best to you”

— Joe Biden

From American Anthem by Nora Jones

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Wow, Monday night made it all so real for me! I have shivers just thinking about this momentous presidential convention and our commitment to freedom and democracy while protecting individual rights for all people. 

If we can take just one piece of truth, one segment of reality, or one nugget of solid memory from an administration that is summarized as helping and loving all of the people who fall under its care—let it be this song and lyrics by Nora Jones, personalized and quoted by Joe Biden.

We often seek out one thought or memory offered as a gift to us by someone or something that will live in our hearts, forever. That’s exactly what I had hoped to take away from the first night of the DNC. And, even though I waited a long time for it to arrive, at last, I found it as Joe was closing his speech to the nation: “I gave my best to you.”

My own laughter and waterworks rang true throughout the hours of accolades bestowed upon Joe. The random intimate stories of hard work, hardships, newfound joy and happiness, some we’d heard before and others new, was the running theme of the evening. Ultimately, after fifty years of service to his country, his decision to step down from his presidency is the greatest personal sacrifice he could every make. This selfless act should and will live within us until the end of time.

The ego is not something to be taken for granted. If we’re lucky, the ego relates the appropriate pride in oneself that offers up the self-esteem required to make the very best of our life and be able to share this with others. If we, the recipients of this ego, build a better life for ourselves and those we love because of it, the circle of life contains a sparkling silver lining to be passed down from generation to generation.

Joe, unlike most of us, was able to sacrifice everything he worked so hard to create within his career as a public servant. Politics to Joe is the runway that helps him take flight and become the best he can possibly be. Family is the fuel that energizes him. We, the people, are the grateful recipients that thrive under all of his kindness and love.

Aren’t we fortunate to know Joe Biden? You’re damn right we are! Who else would leave a position of such high importance for the benefit of you and me? I will bet it took an enormous amount of soul searching, confidence in the person he is passing the baton to, and faith (in his God and his family) to pull this one off. Does he have some regrets, do you think? After all, he is only human.

His fifty-two minute speech packed a punch. Delivered with strength in his convictions, it was the perfect keynote address to the nation. It was powerful! Taking such pride in all you have accomplished as president in the last four years is an act of extreme self confidence and belief in the Constitution and this great nation.

If need be, I would have stayed awake to hear his speech well into the early hours of the morning. It was necessary to hear him speak to us; be the Joe Biden that led us out of a pandemic (totally exasperated by the negative powers that be) and into a positive future the likes we have not witnessed for decades. 

Thank you, Joe!

Maybe that sounds too simple, too naive. We know it comes from the very depths of our souls. Joe knows it, too. Such a collective effort of Pride and Love and Hope.

I have been a Nora Jones fan for many years and remember watching the Ken Burn’s documentary, The War. But the years have a way of passing us by, too quickly. I did not take American Anthem to heart as, obviously, the Biden family has done. Shouldn’t we all read these Nora Jones’s lyrics (her poetic epitaph) with a true sense of patriotism; a tone of giving our life for the betterment of others? Joe did. Joe does. Joe always will and he will be lovingly immortalized for it.

I love this man. I love Joe Biden and I always will. His profound grace exists within his successor, Kamala Harris, as well. May God bless our nation and lead us forward into the light.

“I love my job, but I love my country more.”  —Joe Biden

Copyright © 2024 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

CLOSING ONE DOOR WHILE OPENING ANOTHER

 

A series of essays….

A SEA OF CHRISTMAS ‘2021’ PAST

…as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Removing each glittering bauble, stretch of sparkling gold ribbon, and string of miniature white lights from the tree is bringing its own form of closure to the season. Closing shop for now. See you in a few months. In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of glistening snowscapes and multi-colored flowers and salmon-hued sunsets while walking the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan and the crisp, earthy tones related to a perfect autumn day—all in the weeks and months to come.

The commercial side of the holidays is being wrapped in white cotton and tissue paper and placed in its container for protection. But, the pure joy that the season creates through the gathering of family and friends, and the expression of love, gratitude, and purpose—should last us a lifetime. 

After all, it’s a new year with fresh ideas and plans formulating to give it heft and a new identity! Instead of thinking about the new half-bath upstairs, maybe it’s time to make it happen; clean out the boxes of ‘stuff’ that have cluttered and layered your life for the past three years. Hang some drywall and make the upstairs warm and accommodating for grandchildren and future guests. 

Why don’t you bring someone new into your family, as well…?

Glancing at the bedside clock, I see it glowing 6:22 in the early hours of this brand new, January day. Dan has vacated the warmth of our nocturnal retreat at least fifteen minutes beforehand.

Gently pulling the blue, satin draperies aside several inches, I gaze out at the front yard that is speckled with tiny paw prints that perforate the new snowfall, helping it breathe with instant vigor and excitement. Somewhere out there, in the dawning of this new day, walking gingerly through the snow himself while   carrying  the handle of a retractable dog leash, is my husband. Recharged, reenergized  by the simple responsibility of caring for the needs of someone much smaller than himself, he dons full winter gear in order to take the newest member of our little family outside in the early morning temps to “do her thing!” I realize he has completely potty trained her in less than a week.

She was an unexpected gift, manna from heaven, a total surprise package wrapped in strawberry blond fur and bejeweled with razor sharp baby teeth and everything else expected of a puppy three months old. She was our rescue puppy who still had not been given a formal name and was brought to us by Santa herself on Christmas Eve morning. Santa being a well-intentioned single mom who felt she was doing the right thing by her three young children; saddened by the reality that she’d bitten off more than she could possibly chew.

This kind lady knew that we could and would love this sweet little girl, as well as provide her with a happy home and energetic visits with our own young grandchildren.  She had simply committed the venial sin of overestimating her own value of time and perseverance when it came down to juggling all of the balls of being a single mom, working five days a week, and carving out a slice of ‘alone’ time so that she could breathe. Being an excellent mother, she was able to realize what was truly important in her life at this time and understanding that being there for her kids did not have to mean taking on the burden of training an energetic puppy along with everything else.

WHO, ME? I DIDN’T DO IT!

I had often envisioned my own youthful Mother with the fiery red hair that this puppy possesses and momentarily thought of calling her Olga after Mom. But, we threw quite a few names into the air that day hoping to have just the right one land where it should. 

Having only a plush toy zebra, a leash, and plastic food and water dishes, we decided to run to Blaine’s for some much needed supplies. Taking her with us, out of necessity, we secured a small crate and cushion, ceramic dishes, a harness and retractable leash, small rawhide bones (much better than our arms to nibble on), and healthy puppy chow to begin her new diet. The entire time there we were tossing names back and forth at one another like tennis players in the midst of an engrossing match.

Given my love for the name Aubrey, we began calling her Bree with Chewbacca (Chewie) as a middle name. Most appropriate, I believe. Bree it was and is and she recognizes it with the turn of her head and the stare of her small, intensely bright, deep brown eyes every time she hears it.

Our lives have changed, too! How could they not? We have expanded our love to someone who truly needs and depends on us making us feel purposeful again. Having lost our Cocker Spaniel, Brûlée, six years ago, it was time to allow the warmth and happiness of this puppy into our Michigan home. I know her presence has pulled Dan and I closer, as well. 

What a perfect win-win situation for all of us! Now, our little yellow/green cottage has become complete in every way. We intend to honor each seasonal change with Bree close by our side for many years to come. After all…that’s what family is all about!

DAN MEETING BREE FOR 
THE FIRST TIME

Copyright © 2022 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, AND FABULOUS JAZZ....OH, AND A REALITY CHECK, TOO!

A series of essays.....

JAZZ SAXOPHONES OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes 

Cocoa Village, located mid-way along the East coast of Florida in Brevard County, still resembles the small, quaint village it must have been so many years ago. Back when Henry Morrison Flagler was running his new train tracks along the coastline of Florida and creating a legacy for himself from St. Augustine, down to Palm Beach, and on to Miami! 

Tucked away just off Highway 520 and connected to Florida’s Space Coast today, Cocoa Village is noted for its colorful little shops, coffee houses, Riverfront Park, antique malls, restaurants, and art galleries. Truly, a small slice of heaven. With all that it has to offer everyone, we’ve become especially partial to two places within the village that have captured our hearts and thoroughly satisfied our cultural appetite for great jazz and incomparable theater productions.

TOP NOTCH JAZZ PERFORMANCES AT THE
BLIND LION, SPEAK EASY AND JAZZ BAR

Nestled behind Brevard Avenue (the main street) and the Ossorio Bakery & Cafe and up a flight of sagging, wooden steps, we take a left turn at the top landing and enter another dimension; a time of inaudible whispers and fleeting promises, booze generously flowing like a mountain stream after a heavy rain, and the high-pitched laughter that springs from the joy of momentary forgetfulness. Welcome to the Blind Lion, Speak Easy and Jazz Bar. We swooned with the best of them as talented jazz notes beckoned us in with their seasoned personalities and kept us there with brilliant, top-notch performances!

THE HISTORIC COCOA VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE

Have you ever been so ‘blown away’ by the professionalism and talent of a community theatre production that you just couldn’t stop talking about it for days afterwards? The production of The Secret Garden, performed at The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, open since 1924, was beyond brilliant and rivaled any theater production I’ve seen while living here in Central Florida. With its family of local performers and technical staff, the Playhouse’s full line up of Broadway Musicals has earned it the nickname “Broadway on Brevard” and, I believe, Broadway itself would be proud to have these productions performed on its hallowed stages.....any day of the week!

For the past several weeks we’ve been sharing our little corner of the world with others and introducing them to the wonders of Cocoa Village, spending a lot of time at the Cornell Museum of Art on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park, and feasting at local restaurants all along Central Florida from Orlando to Cocoa to the warm, sandy shoreline of Port Canaveral. Unfortunately, SpaceX did not have any launches scheduled during the time our company was here. A space launch is always a sight to behold. For over fifteen years we’ve been observing the Space Shuttle Program from our front yard and now, SpaceX has launched its way into history while boosting the importance of the Space Lab experiments, as well as initiating future space exploration.....Mars and beyond?

Closer to home in Orlando, the Cornell Museum of Art, located on the beautiful campus of Rollins College, is featuring a French Impressionism Exposition that rivals most intimate, European expositions and is guaranteed to captivate the heart of any art connoisseur. 

SUN-DAPPLED SHORES OF LAKE VIRGINIA,
ROLLINS COLLEGE, WINTER PARK, FL

After indulging in the wonders of French Impressionism, a lackadaisical walk around the sun-dappled grounds of Rollins and along its Lake Virginia shoreline made us all think about walking in the footsteps of one of her most intriguing graduates (1951). Fred McFeely Rogers, creator of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, is being honored with a walking tour on campus by featuring the classrooms and other places he frequented while a student there. It’s an interesting and insightful walk down memory lane while honoring a man who has given so much back to his community, country, and the people he loved.

PORTRAIT OF FRED McFEELY ROGERS,
PAINTED BY DON SONDAG

 HAND-KNIT SWEATER BY MR. ROGER'S MOTHER
AND TENNIS SHOES HE WORE ON SET

At this very moment, the dust is settling a bit after the whirlwind of the last few weeks. Rental cars have departed after being loaded with overstuffed suitcases that, eventually, rolled out the front door. Laughter and soft spoken conversations linger within the high-ceilinged rooms of our home accompanied by the gentle thoughts of mere mortals who shared time and space together while creating memories of ‘jazz hands’ and friendly games of Euchre at the kitchen table.

SELFIE WITH JANIS!!!!

JANIS AND FRED ENJOYING THE FLORIDA RAYS

JANIS, DAN, AND FRED....CHILLIN'

Family and Friends have gathered beneath the rafters at Morgan’s Mill Circle for, perhaps, the last time. After our last guests pulled out of the driveway Friday morning, I knew that the final chapter was being written; more than twenty-one chapters of ‘real life experiences’ were being wrapped-up, decorated with a huge, red bow, and neatly prepared for delivery and eventual publication within the eternal archives of human existence. And, I will never allow myself to forget a single spoken word; an individual moment in time....!

MARSHA & MICHAEL AT BLIND LION

DAN, LEO, SUSIE & ME AT A DETROIT TIGER,
PRESEASON GAME  

WITH MARSHA & MICHAEL AT CAPE CANAVERAL BEACH

ENJOYING GREAT JAZZ
AT THE BLIND LION SPEAK EASY

Instead of mad, last minute grocery shopping for vital items needed to create an Easter masterpiece for Sunday’s dinner, we were spending Saturday in Lowe’s and Home Depot purchasing small, heavy-duty cardboard boxes, packaging tape and paper, and other various moving paraphernalia we deemed necessary to have on hand. Sunday’s meal consisted of a delicious salad with avocado dressing; total compensation for all of the rich meals, bread, over abundance of wine, and occasional dessert consumed prior to this Holy Day. “Bless me, Father....!”

ANTIQUE OAK HUTCH IS DOWN

MY PITCHER/TEAPOT COLLECTION....
WAITING TO BE WRAPPED AND BOXED

Heavy pieces are coming off the walls (the antique oak hutch in our kitchen) while matching paint is being pulled from its hiding place atop a tall storage shelf and stirred to its original, cohesive smoothness before touching-up the walls. Did that hutch choose to relinquish its right to oversee our personal kitchen activities after so many years? Will it continue to hold my unique teapot collection and ‘unspeakable’ secrets close to its bosom when it resides on Hazel Avenue, soon? Does it even matter at this point in time? It certainly does, to me.

LET THE SUN SHINE BRIGHT AS
DIAMONDS IN THE POOL

You see, our lives are changing. We are being split into two identical parts, as if, at this age, our cell division has yet to halt, with one part packing up the memorabilia from two decades of living while the other part is wondering where it will all fit in the ‘little yellow cottage’ up in Michigan. We are learning, first-hand, that our path is not a monotonous straight line, but rather...a bright, multi-colored spiral and we return time-after-time to learn about what we believed we understood years before only to discover more about ourselves each time around.

We are forever appreciative of our friends and family who are helping to make our transition a bit softer, better, and kinder....! Dan and I could not do this without you!

I PROMISE TO REMEMBER THIS.....

By: Higher Perspective

Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

Photos Copyright © 2018 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

EMBRACING THE SIMPLICITY OF WISDOM

A series of essays.....

PRESENTS ALL WRAPPED AND READY TO GO

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

The colorful rolls of paper and spools of gossamer ribbon are back in storage boxes and up on the highest shelves once again. All is wrapped; temptation eliminated. The eyes of the young children will soon focus on the shape and configuration of the presents beneath the tree with a child's imagination of bespoken treasures and youthful desires. The adults will imagine the allusive hopes conjured up so long ago; reestablished wishes now witnessed by the presence of their own children anxiously awaiting their turn to open a beribboned prize.

With age, wisdom pours through us like lifeblood and allows us to distinguish and better understand the bright light at the end of the long passageway......believe me, I know. The 'age' part I know only too well. It's quite simple and, awkwardly, way too obvious at times. Without attending to the gory details, let's just say that the body begins to take on a life separate from the one your mind has contentedly lived with for so many years. The term 'high maintenance' resolves into a very personal interpretation and we contend with these physical changes, on an individual basis, in the best way we can.

Wisdom is defined by the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. For me, the culmination of wisdom can be summed-up by just one word: Simplicity! What a beautiful word 'simplicity' is. The absence of complications; straightforwardness; clean lines; effortlessness; clarity of expression; lack of pretense.......you decide. You choose. All of the above for me, please!


A few years back I became intrigued by a tradition that I've since learned began in Scotland some time ago. It's called the 'Honesty

LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
Picture Courtesy of Ladyfleur

Box' and is based on the honor system. An honesty box, as defined by Wikipedia, is a method of charging for a service or a product by relying upon each visitor (customer) paying at a box using the honor system. I have personally seen such boxes used in the rural areas of  North Carolina where the low number of customers, along with the low quantity and/or value of the products on offer, means that an attendant would not bring a positive return on investment. Many were domestically run operations where attendance was not feasible such as selling homemade jams or fresh vegetables along the roadside. While taking advantage of this system, I could picture a farm wife in the kitchen stirring a batch of fruity confection while her husband was tilling the soil of their small, mountain field. 

HOMEMADE JAM FOR SALE
HONESTY CHAIR

Let's be honest, this system today would never fly here in Orlando or even in Edinburgh, Scotland. I do take comfort in the fact that some camping sites, small, municipal parking areas, and tiny, hutch-like libraries offering the exchange of one used book for an alternate one, for the delight of all, do exist throughout the world. I've seen them and have taken advantage of them all, at one time or another. In each case, honesty is the connection, a simple act of fairness and respect towards those who have worked so hard to provide others with the simple pleasures this life has to offer.

Downsizing, taking into consideration that having less can give you more in terms of freedom and happiness, is a concept that has been gaining momentum throughout the world. Wisely, we humans are beginning to understand that possessing more and more 'stuff' can be a burden, may cause needless anxiety, and can take the focus away from the core of family life and activities.

COLORFUL TINY HOMES

Tiny living, small homes and apartments, and taking advantage of a simple, uncluttered lifestyle is like having a self-help book unfold before your very eyes! Cable television channels such as HGTV (Home and Garden Television) and FYI Network have illustrated the wisdom of downsizing in programs entitled "Tiny House Hunters," "Tiny House Builders," and "Tiny House Nation," with  catch phrases like, "Living large in small places," and "Tips for living in small spaces." Personally, I think that many New York City residents could have written the book about 'living small' and 'downsizing successfully' years ago! 

The simple truth is, possessing an abundance of 'stuff' in this lifetime may not always equate to being happy and content. Having been empty nesters now for many years, Dan and I have often asked ourselves what it would take to be truly happy in a world that is far from being in a state of peaceful happiness itself. And, with the next phase of our lives labeled 'retirement' looming closer and closer, we've taken into consideration what the term happiness means to us and how to go about achieving it.

Every time we would add-up each column, the sum total would inevitably be.....Family!

MY FIVE SWEET AND ADORABLE FACES ~ FAMILY

Amos Bronson Alcott, an American educator and man of wisdom,
born in 1799 and died in 1888, once stated that, "Our notion of the perfect society embraces the family as its center and ornament, and this paradise is not secure until children appear to animate and complete the picture." In addition to our own children and their spouses, we are fairly certain that the 'ornaments' that animate our family circle are those five, adorable faces that greet us with smiles of joy and love in their hearts each time we see them. Nothing is better than small, outstretched arms waiting to embrace you; small, soft lips puckering in preparation for a kiss. 

With the anticipation of living a more straightforward and less complicated lifestyle as we grow older, Dan and I have purchased our 'Little Yellow Cottage' in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is conveniently located between daughter number one and daughter number two. Our Hazel Avenue retreat is already providing us with the pleasure of remodeling in order to make it our own, and will, eventually, serve as where we 'hang our hat' for most of the year. If all goes well, the rest of the time will be spent traveling as often as possible and writing in full detail about each journey we take. I am always prepared and excited  to be able to do that!

Built in 1941, Hazel Avenue is a pre-war cottage home that's filled with spunk and charisma. It embodies the simplicity of downsizing with the beauty of original hardwood floors, plaster molding, a wood burning fireplace, and an actual basement below it all! So far, in nearly twenty years of Floridian living, we have never taken for granted or underestimated the importance of having a basement in a home.

HAZEL AVENUE CLOAKED IN SNOW

Even though our little cottage remains a constant 'work in progress,' we have already experienced the joy of having neighbors who actually care about having you live in the neighborhood. We've been invited to block parties, musical functions within the greater Kalamazoo area, and have already been included in the annual Christmas activities this  season. We've been greeted at our front door by smiling faces providing warm introductions while offering 'Welcome Gifts' and any assistance we might need to make our move-in easier. It's almost as though Hazel Avenue has welcomed us back into time, returned us to her own 'glory days' in a slower, happier, more caring time in our nation's history.     

As each month progresses, Dan and I learn more and more about the amazing and talented individuals who live in our new neighborhood. They include college professors, a sculptor, a language professor, several published authors, and right next door, Ginny and Barclay who will, at some point in time, teach my sweet husband how to play the bodhran (Irish drum) he purchased in Ireland years ago.

We anticipate a rather busy, yet fulfilled and exciting life to come surrounded by family and friends, both old and new. Our life may not always be effortless.....after all, anything worth having and doing well requires a certain amount of effort to achieve. But, I do promise to embrace the simplicity of wisdom that has guided me so far along this incredible journey called life and served to protect me from the "Boogie Man," as well as the many rough patches I've encountered along the way. I will always welcome fresh ideas, new faces, and the opinions of others because I will never be too old to learn new things or value the wisdom of others around me.

So, in the spirit of the Christmas Season, 2015, our hearts are open and ready to be filled with, as well as share with everyone, all of the joy, warmth, and copious amounts of love this Holiday has to offer! What a simply wonderful time of the year!

I leave you with the profound words of T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), American-English poet and playwright, that sum up the idea of Family for me this season:

"Moving between the legs of tables and of chairs, rising or falling, grasping at kisses and toys, advancing boldly, sudden to take alarm, retreating to the corner of arm and knee, eager to be reassured, taking pleasure in the fragrant brilliance of the Christmas tree."

Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved