Endangered? Almost Extinct?

Camp Pendleton Del Mar Beach

This past summer our family went to the beach.  We enjoy going to the beach.  This particular time we went to the Del Mar Beach on Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.  It was later in the afternoon and the beach wasn't very crowded.  I went for a little walk along the water.  The waves were crashing at my feet as I walked.  I observed children and families playing, building sand sculptures, boogie boarding, looking for seashells and just generally having a good time.  As I walked further along the sand I came to a portion of the beach where we weren't "allowed" to go any further.  I discovered it was a protected area for some birds.  These weren't just any birds.  They were birds that are on the endangered species list - the California Least Tern. (Side note: That section of beach is also used for training exercises during certain parts of the year when it's not being used as a breeding ground for these endangered birds.)

California Least Tern 

As I turned around and began walking back to our beach area I thought to myself, "That's fantastic that they provide a place for these little birds to be protected so that they don't become extinct." As I was talking to my husband about this I told him, "I think this could be a great idea for a blog post." I'm sure he was wondering what does a beach, birds and a protected area have to do with anything worth reading about on a blog?  Well, let me tell you.

Notice how there are a lot of things that USED to be around but are now extinct?  Dinosaurs. When is the last time anyone has seen a dinosaur (and I'm not talking about your great, great, great grandparent!)?  Woolly Mammoths. They're extinct.  And those poor little Dodo birds (yes, they were real birds that DID exist!).....last one died in 1681.

What about the TELEPHONE?  You know, the one hooked to the wall?  The one that you had to stand next to the phone while talking to someone because it wasn't a cordless phone? 

Oh never mind.
Here's a picture:

Yep - "back in the day" we had to actually sit down and TALK to the other person.  We didn't really have anything to distract us because we couldn't go too far from the phone if our cord wasn't very long.  We were able to spend time yakking about anything and everything.  We laughed out loud (LITERALLY - and we didn't say LOL, we actually LAUGHED TOGETHER). We talked about the guy we liked. My girlfriends and I would decide what to wear to the next school dance as we TALKED on the phone.

We didn't have cellphones so we weren't able to text each other. We actually had to literally pick up the phone, dial the number and hear each other's voices when we wanted to communicate to another person.  Imagine that!  I remember having to hide under my covers at night when this cute boy I liked called me and my mom would yell "Debbie! Hang up the phone!" I had a phone in my room so I would hide myself under the blankets while talking to Rudy for hours....until I got caught, darn it! No texting.....all talking!

Internet service....finally!

"I have service now, too!"

Our family went on a family trip this past summer.  We drove from California to Idaho to Colorado. There was a stretch between Idaho and Colorado where there was NO phone or Internet reception. Our children were going crazy! One son was so frustrated that he "cussed out" our phone service (just to us - not actually to Sprint) and wanted to throw his cellphone out the window.  When we finally got to a place where there was Internet service you would think our family had just discovered GOLD!  Everyone was so happy to be able to check Facebook, snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and whatever other social media outlet there was.  I have a picture of our family at the restaurant (posted above)....everyone was on their cellphone on social media. I had to laugh because NO ONE was talking to each other...everyone was on social media. It's like we were all there but no one was there all at the same time.


What about the art of letter writing?  Now with Facebook there doesn't seem to be a "need" or even a "desire" to sit down and communicate with someone the "old fashion way".  When we couldn't call someone (maybe it was too expensive to make calls 'back in the day' or the other person didn't have a phone) we would WRITE A LETTER or send a note. Can you imagine opening your mailbox and only getting bills or junk mail everyday? That could get depressing. Every year for the past 24 years for my birthday I knew no matter what happened, no matter who DIDN'T remember my birthday I would get a birthday card IN THE MAIL from my mother-in-law. With her declining health, that has since stopped, however, without fail, on my birthday (or a day or two before or after) I would get a lovely card from her. She has no idea how much that meant to me to not only be remembered but for her to actually take the time to get, write and send a card to me.

Endangered birds....

The art of communication. It is on the verge of extinction. It is an "endangered species".  It seems like people just don't communicate like they used to.  Is it any wonder that many people actually feel ALONE?  As much as this new technology can bring us together....across the country, across oceans....it also has the ability to put communication, ACTUAL COMMUNICATION, on the endangered species list.  So, put down your cellphone, turn off your social media and pick up a pen and write a letter to someone or pick up your phone and CALL someone.  Don't text, but CALL them. Go visit an old friend, rekindle a relationship with a friend you haven't seen in ages or simply sit around the dinner table or in the family room and chat with your family or play a game. You will NEVER be ALONE when you are communicating with others....REAL communication.

You are NEVER ALONE.....except when you are in a room filled with people and they're all on social media.  Let's NOT let communication become like the California Least Tern (endangered) or worse....like the Woolly Mammoth and become extinct.

Love to you all,
Debbie

P.S. Give me a call or send me a letter!! Let's communicate!! ;)

Everybody has a story

I LOVE to read.  I love to put myself in the setting or realm of some of the characters I read about. I'm more into mystery, detective romance stories.  I mean, really, what girl doesn't dream about the man that saves her from her kidnappers and they fall in love and live happily ever after?!  He searches the world over and knows what the villains are up to and even predicts their next move before THEY do!  Then suddenly, bam! He races in and saves the day!

The details fascinate me.  The authors usually have some sort of connection to the topic or field of knowledge they pursue in their writing.  I've read books by retired judges, police officers, military spouses, teachers and even plain, old everyday people that just have GREAT imaginations.  It never ceases to amaze me what these authors come up with.  I've read books (most are fictional) where a child has been abducted and some new, start up detective partners up with law enforcement and he, with little to no experience, solves the case, finds the child, single handedly takes down the bad guy and then ends up with the best looking cop on the planet and they sail off into the sunset together. Sigh....be still my heart.

But alas, eventually I have to step back into reality.  I have to put the book(s) down and be me - Debbie - wife - mom - friend - worker - daughter - sister - neighbor.  It's not so bad.  I rather enjoy my life.  As much as I would LOVE the adventure, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be a Kate Beckett with her hot Richard Castle sidekick, turned lover, turned husband.  My adventure would probably resemble more of Lucy and her sidekick, Ethel.  I can see me now in that chocolate factory wrapping candy and having that conveyor belt going crazy and me fighting with the chocolate and having to stuff some in my mouth.  Ok, let's be real here. That's probably more of a DREAM of mine than a "bad adventure".

Then there's the stories of others.  The stories we know nothing about.  The real life stories.....

I recently had a short term subbing position at an elementary school.  I was able to work with many students.  I recall one morning I was assisting a young boy that just did NOT want to do anything. He had a scowl on his face and was just giving me grief.  I remember sitting close enough to him to smell his body odor...and it wasn't a pleasant smell.  I wondered to myself, "Man! I wonder what kind of home-life he has."  I kind of felt bad for him and yet part of me was being judgmental thinking he should take better care of his hygiene and change his attitude, too.

Later that day I talked to an adult that knew his story.  She told me that his mom worked a hard job that took her out of the home a lot. The older siblings took care of him and she knew nothing about a dad in the mix.  He usually had a pop tart for breakfast and mac and cheese for dinner.  Then she told me, "His mom is awesome. She loves him and supports him in everything. She does her best with what she has."  I felt substantially chastised....not by this person, but rather chastised by myself!  I realized that EVERYBODY HAS A STORY.

Sometimes we are so busy judging a book by it's cover that we don't take the time to open it and read. It takes effort to read a book/story.  It takes time.  Sometimes it doesn't start getting good until you're in about 20-30 pages.  Can you imagine what YOUR life would be like if someone just looked at your cover and didn't take the time to "read" your story?

What I learned this short time I was subbing at this school is EVERYBODY has a story.  Every character in their story is REAL. There's no fiction.  It's real life.  I've learned that some books need to be opened and browsed a little before we decide to read it or discard it.

I hope we will each take the time to learn someone's story.  You may feel alone along the path of life as your story is being written.  You may feel like no one cares.  You may truly feel alone.  Just always remember, you're NEVER ALONE.  There really is someone out there writing their story, perhaps feeling alone. But I believe if you opened your book to someone and compared chapters, you would find that you share similar feelings. We are NEVER ALONE because someone, somewhere is writing a similar story to yours, feeling the same thing....just in a different part of the world.

Keep writing your story, friends.  We may not be able to change our past chapters but we can help each other along the way to writing a better, happier 'next' chapter and obtain our own "happily every after".

Love to you all!
Debbie