I Will Never Forget the Bright September Day…, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“I will never forget the bright September day, standing at my desk in the White House, when my young assistant said that a plane hit the World Trade Center – and then a second one…” ~ Condoleezza Rice ~

I was a young lass toting around a Pentax SLR almost 30 years ago to the day when I captured this image.

I rediscovered it as I was sorting though my pictures. I’m on a mission to scan and digitally preserve as many as I can. The color in many of the photographs has already degraded into an almost black and white composition…but, the image is still there.

This picture managed to make me catch my breath for a fleeting second…for several reasons…

First, I didn’t recall taking the image…but that’s what 30 years of time and life do for you. Then, I always seem to have that reaction when I find a photograph I’ve taken of the World Trade Towers. It was a time of adventure and exploration in my life and the Trade Towers were one of my favorite places.

A first glance it appears the Goodyear blimp has just floated between the Towers, but a closer glance will show you it’s an optical illusion and it is actually in front of the Towers. But, the next shockingly amazing thing about this picture is the capture of the airplane flying just above the blimp. You can see it in front of the Tower on the right.

How eerie to see an airplane that close to the Towers knowing what destiny and history will bring 18 years in the future…

New York and the country lost a lot on that bright September day…

If we all look back, I’m sure we can think of things we have lost personally or have gone through that have been as devastating on a personal level.

I know I can look back over the last twelve years and at certain times say or think, “This has been a personal 9/11 for me.” There were no planes, no blimps, just loss, financial woes and in some cases emotional terrorism caused by betrayal.

On May 10, 2013 the 408 foot spire was raised and installed at One World Trade Center, or as it’s also known, The Freedom Tower. It was a happy, jubilant moment. A moment that reminded New Yorkers how resilient they were and reminded Americans how resilient we are.

So, for the struggles we suffered, we are now rewarded with triumph. It reminds me of a the saying: “Well, done thy good and faithful servant.” Like an old black and white western movie, good won over evil…the guy in the white hat beat the guy in the black hat…

I know, I will never forget that bright September day…so, as we struggle through with some of our darker days, remember, we will get our “Freedom Spire” someday.

And, until then, head high, and…“second star to the right and straight on until morning….” ~ J. M. Barrie ~

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.

The Great Vacationless Class, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class.” ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~

This morning while I was in the kitchen fixing Tall & Handsome a cup of coffee for his second birthday in less than a week, he quietly disappeared downstairs. When I came back to the bedroom I knew what he had done…he had gone to the kitchen downstairs where he had secreted these roses for Mother’s Day. There they sat in a vase with a wonderful, beautiful card next to them. That’s a great way  to start a day!

(I know you’re wondering about that “second birthday in a week” thing. A few years ago T & H lost his social security card and unbeknown to us the Social Security Administration changed his birthday by three days! So, now, officially, his birthday is three days earlier than he has celebrated for all of his life. But, once the government tells you when you birthday is, you just say, “yes, sir!” No arguing, regardless what your birth certificate says…) But, that is definitely a different story for a different time…

The last few Mother’s Days have been hard around here. T & H lost his mom in March 2011. I lost my beloved Aunt LaRue in June of 2012 so, this is my first Mother’s day without her.

Miss an aunt on Mother’s Day? Yes, she was so much more than an aunt. Friend, big sister, second mom sometimes, travel companion, late night phone companion (I can’t tell you how many place over the world she accidently called trying to call me…they always loved her Southern Tennessean accent and hated for her to hang up), fellow autoimmune warrior and the list could go one…

And, she was Mom’s last living sister. So, I know this Mother’s Day is hard for her, too. So alike in many ways and so different in many other ways, but you could tell they were definitely sisters. They were the oldest and the youngest.

But, I am blessed to have my Momma still with me this year.

Today’s quote stuck a note of familiarity with me. I am a mom and a step-mom; I have worked out side the home, and been a stay at home mom or as Anne Lindbergh said, a “housewife”. I prefer the term homemaker.

I’ve always said being a mom is the hardest, most important job in the world. As the home goes, so goes a nation…or so “they” say…

At this stage in my life, I feel like the filling in the Oreo…I’m in the middle. I can reflect on moms before me and moms coming up in today’s culture behind me. The common feature good moms of all generations share is: unconditional love and devotion for their kids.

I have a sweet young friend who is the mother of three precious young girls. My friend in her own right is talented, sweet, beautiful…an awesome person. She is like the daughter I would like to have had. When I see her girls, well, I know what an awesome mom she is. She is doing a great job! I know she has many vactionless days…but, she delights in her children…and I delight in her sweet presence…

My beautiful step-daughter is a single mom. She works incredibly long hours. And, she devouts equally long hours to her kids, supporting their endeavors and being a great mom. Yes, she is part of the vacationless class, but I know she wouldn’t trade her kids for one day of vacation. Knowing her, she’s find a way to arrange a vacation day with the kids…

When I look at each of these three awesome ladies, I know how young they were and from my place in time I can look back and see what wonderful, self-sacrificing moms they are and were. And each one of them had a profound effect on my life…mainly by loving me and believing in me.

The first beauty on the left is my sweet little Momma. She raised three daughters. One still lives at home and has profound disabilities. Mom has had many vacationless days in her life. But, she impressed upon us to be classy, yet have our own brand of spirit and spunk. When the ex walked out she encourage me to move on and not let what had happened to hold me back. When I found T & H, she recognized his qualities and said he was head and shoulders over a certain someone from my past.

She encouraged individuality, creativity and along with Daddy, education. Both my parents are voracious readers, so I had my own “library” before I could walk. We were never “baby talked” and my parents swear I started talking in sentences. T & H loves the fact that he has a wife that not only knows how to cook, but does it well…and he owes that to my Momma who found a way to teach me to cook and make it fun. Momma was the “artistic” sister.

Momma was like a lioness when it came to her “babies”…she would have fought the devil himself for her kids. So, any “time off” Daddy could talk her into…she has deserved.

My Aunt Korinne is the second beauty in the picture. She was an elementary school teacher and every little boy fell in love with her. She was a single mom in an era when there weren’t many around and there was very little support for single moms. That is really vactionless times! She had a son she was devoted to, yet she had time for her oldest niece…from the day I was born. I spent at least two weeks every summer with her once I was about middle school age. We had great fun. She took me to see Gone with the Wind at a theater, took me to my first pizza parlor, stayed up late night talking to me like a best friend, encouraged my writing and warned me about the wrong type of guy…I wish I had paid more attention on that last topic…

Of course, the last beauty in the picture is my Aunt LaRue.

I tend to agree with Anne Lindbergh. She seems to have been a wise woman. If you are a mom there are carpools, fevered headed, meals, groceries, laundry, diapers, school and everything else that goes along with raising your child. Even then you will never stop worrying, never stop caring and never stop loving…even after they are grown…

No, there is no vacation from being a Mom…ever…we are the great vacationless class…but, we have really big pay-off…

It’s called love…

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.

We May Pass Contentment Looking for Victory, by Beverly Hick Burch

“We may pass the violets looking for the roses. We may pass contentment looking for victory.” ~ Bern Williams ~

Who doesn’t love roses? We all pretty much love the luscious bloom of a rose and the wonderful, heady fragrance it offers us.

But, when we walk toward those roses with tunnel vision, what else are we missing? In our quest for the Japanese Maple do we forget to consider the Monkey Puzzle tree, or the Harry Walking Stick tree or better yet the Burning Bush.

And, what rainbow of flowers and colors do we pass over when searching out only one thing? Do we miss the purple coneflower, the blanket flower, the blue bonnets…

…or even the simple wild violet…

Life is so like that. We get so busy being busy. We have to be busy. We have to do this and do that. Heaven help us should we have spare time on our hands…there just must be something wrong with us…we mustn’t be “doing enough”.

I was much like that when I was younger…so OCD, so this, so that. And, now looking back, I wonder how much of that affected my health. Did my busyness to victory trigger my myriad of autoimmune illnesses? How about my lung cancer? I’d never smoked nor lived with a smoker and had none of the risk factors for lung cancer.

Then, there was the anorexia…that was a race to some kind of warped victory and I can promise you there wasn’t a whole lot of contentment in that self-torture.

So, why do we do it?

There were two recent “ah ha” moments that brought this to my mind…

First, the simple, sweet quietness and beauty of these wild violets. Almost hidden, but determined to shine nonetheless and fulfill their purpose in a quiet, contented way.

Then, this past weekend I attended my niece’s dance recital. It was, at times, organized chaos, but it was beautiful. Tiny little girls taking beginner steps into grace and beauty.

The theme of the recital was built around the sea, the creatures in the sea and the beach. My niece’s group was “brisk wind”. At one point each little girl held a cloud in her hand and waved it around, signifying “brisk wind”. I can tell you this, my niece was the briskest, “bestest” brisk wind on the stage. It was beautiful…she was beautiful…

There was no race for victory there…just delight and contentment…

Just as it should be…

My beautiful, bestest “brisk wind” niece, second from the right

“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch Hicks All Rights Reserved.

 

The Seeing Place, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place.” ~ Stella Adler ~

If I was to ask you to think of Birmingham and Alabama what would be the first thoughts that crossed your mind?

Unfortunately, for many it would be of images that blazed across newscasts in colorless film almost half a century ago. Many of you sports fans will think of hounds tooth hats and Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and The Alabama Crimson Tide. (As we say here in `Bama, Roll, Tide, Roll!)

Well, my friends, sports aside, not only have times been a changin’, but Birmingham and Alabama are not wastelands void of art and culture.

Take today’s picture of the day…

Over the weekend my most talented, and adorable niece had a dance recital and it just so happened to be held at the renowned Alabama Theatre. I had been to the Alabama a few times. You can’t live in Birmingham and not step inside it’s grand interior at least once in your lifetime. It was Tall & Handsome’s first time, and now he’s one southwestern cowboy ready to go back and attend some of the events held at the Alabama. He said it reminded him of Saturday at the movies when he was a kid.

The Alabama was built in 1927 by Paramount Studios to be one of their flagship movie palaces in the southern district of the USA. Built in the days of silent film, a Crawford Special-Publix One Mighty Wurlitzer organ was installed to provide mood music for the old silent films. There were 25 built in the US at the time. The one at the Alabama in only one of three still at its original location. Originally a 20 pipe organ, 9 pipes were added later making it a 29 pipe organ. If you look at today’s picture, to the right and left of the stage are areas that look similar to balconies. They are actually organ screens.

Add to the whole experience the addition of the sidewalk full of “stars of Alabama” in front of the theatre and you soon feel like you stepped back in time. For just a brief moment you would not be shocked if you looked up and saw flappers walking down the sidewalk and Model – T autos in the street.

Theatres are like that…they are places of seeing whole different worlds…

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.

Without the Rain, There Would Be No Rainbows, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbows.” ~ G. K. Chesterton ~

southern indica ‘Formosa’

This past weekend we had rain. No, really…it rained. Sunday in particular.

Most people bemoan rain, but I adore a good rainy day. My Aunt LaRue was like that, too. She hated living in Florida, the state of perpetual heat and sunshine. She longed for the mountains of East Tennessee with cloudy, rainy days.

I mean, think about it. How often have you said, “Oh, it’s such a lovely searing hot and humid day. I think I’ll cozy up with a cup of hot tea and a good book.”?

Well, I’ve said that…let me count…a total of…never, no never! But, give me a goody rainy day and boy can I put me some chapters away.

I also don’t like to take the rain for granted. Some parts of the world live in constant drought conditions, and even here in the US different parts of the country go through cycles when we have drought conditions.

I can remember a few in my lifetime. Lake levels get low; water rationing kicks in, lawns start to dry up and everything is covered in a dusty coat of ick.

But, if the rain falls when it’s suppose to, then the aquifers are replenished and it makes the summer season a lot more tolerable.

Then, of course, there’s the rainbows. I don’t think I every saw as many rainbows as I did when I was in Hawaii. It was almost mandatory to see twin rainbows. This past Sunday we were graced with rainbows galore here in Alabama. Many were over churches which made some pretty spectacular pictures.

But, in the spring my personal favorite rainbow is the annual blooming of the azaleas.

I just couldn’t help but share one more picture of my azaleas I took after the rain on Sunday. I took the pictures on Monday morning and was amazed at the raindrops still being held captive on the azalea blossoms.

It reminded me of what Chesterton had said. Without the rain, I would not have my personal wonderful rainbow…my azaleas…funny how nature works out that way…in a cycle…

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.

Just Think, I’ll Have More Room for My Azaleas Now!, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“Just think, I’ll have more room for my azaleas now!” ~ Miss Maudie To Kill a Mockingbird ~

Azaleas are the quintessential Southern icon…well, along with the magnolia tree. Azaleas are to the South what tulips are to Holland. I don’t think I’ve ever met a Southerner who at least didn’t appreciate these wonderfully, colorful shrubs that put on a Technicolor display every spring. Even if that person doesn’t know the name of the of the shrub, they still enjoy the show.

And like any good Southern gal worth her salt, I resemble that description…

I don’t recall when I first fell in love with azaleas. It could have happened one fine spring. Or, it could have happed one day in a horticulture class. But, a love affair began…

At my first home, I had close to 40 or 50 azaleas…

When I moved, it was to a home that needed major restoration inside and out. A mother and three teenage daughters had lived in the house for 5 years. They were clueless to home repair. The back yard had been mowed once in those 5 years. Hand to God, that is true…the former owner told me that with her own lips.

So, before we could do anything, the amount of work it took on the yard, especially the back yard was almost equivalent to defoliating the rain forest…

And, then would could begin with the good stuff. Azaleas were on the top of my list. I guess I had 20 or 30 before I left that house.

Then, I moved to my current home. The house was a new build, I was just like Miss Maudie…I just had more room for azaleas!

So, I started the foundation of a great landscape that included azaleas…

But, there came a time when Tall & Handsome and I moved to accommodate his job. Not wanting to sell, we decided to lease the house out.

We’re still paying for that move…

Most of the inside damage has been repaired and even upgraded, but the outside is a horse of a different color…

The foundation of the wonderful landscape I started crumbled like an ancient civilization due to neglect…it laid in ruins…gone was the Bermuda lawn, the Japanese Maple tree, azaleas and other wonderful loved plants.

Yet, some remained, like today’s picture. It rained here Sunday, and our azaleas had bloomed. So yesterday morning I stepped out on the front porch to snapped some pictures before the blossoms begin to fade for the season. They are breathtaking…

I am personally partial to southern indica. (Mine are Formosa.) Most people think I’m fool hardy for growing them in this area, because, they insist, the azaleas are more suited for climates further south. Like Mobile for instance. The theory is a good cold snap could come along and blight the bloom trusses for a whole blooming season. Or, even kill the plant.

I grow them anyway. For me the payoff is worth it. The big beautiful blossom and the size of the plant alone is worth the risk.

Sometimes and I look out over the yard and get a little overwhelmed at the work still remaining to do…it’s like going backwards….

But, just think, I have room for more of my azaleas now!

© 2013 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.

They’re all Princesses. Didn’t Your Father Tell You That?, by Beverly Hicks Burch

“ I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young. They’re still princesses. All of us. Didn’t your father tell you that? Didn’t he?” ~ Sara Crewe, A Little Princess, 1995 ~

What little girl hasn’t dreamed of being a princess? It is the quintessential day dream of most little girls.

I really love today’s quote, because I think it encapsulates the true meaning of “being a princess”. So many time when we hear the word princess we cringe because it brings to mind horrible images. Tiny “mean girls” pitching tyrannical fits just to get their way or get what they want. Little “Snookies” in the making…

But, that’s not what is really means…

For me, it’s about love…and confidence…

There are so many “pearls of wisdom” about children and child raising, but I have a few favorite ones and few observations I’ve made of my own. Years ago I read about the “coins of worth”. How some children seem to be valued in society more than others because of “certain coins of worth”.

Those “coins” could be beauty, intelligence, talent, personality or any other shining quality we tend to try and cultivate in kids. But, the plain simple truth is: each child…each little girl is a rare coin of tremendous value…no matter what…period…

Another thing I read one time is this: One of the most precious gifts a father can give his children is to love their mother…

…I would extend that to say: “One of the most precious gifts a dad can give his daughter is to be a demonstratively loving father.”

I have been blessed on all those accounts. I have seen my mentally and physically challenged sister loved as if she was a coin of the rarest quality and beauty. My daddy has loved my momma for 60+ years giving the three of us girls a fine example of a good man. As a result, I am not “male cynical” even after going through a divorce that felt like I was being dragged through a pine knot backwards. I like guys, probably because I like my daddy. My daddy has been a loving, involved dad. We even jokingly call him our Jewish momma because of his tendency to worry over us. In my daddy’s eyes, we could do anything we wanted to do if we set our minds to it.

That, my friends, is giving you kids “coinage”…

I became an aunt for the first time a few years ago. And, when I did I discovered what my two loving aunts had known for years…there’s nothing like a niece. She is a princess in you eyes…And, like my aunts did for me, I hope to show them they have all the coins in the world to be the best princesses ever…no matter when, no matter where, no matter what, no matter how old…

Because, it’s true, no matter how old you are, you can still be a princess…I am a grown woman with a grown child, but to this day my Daddy still calls me his “little Texas girl”.

That’s close enough to being a princess for me…

© 2012 Beverly Hicks Burch All Rights Reserved.