Footprints

If you are one who must meander
Through life to seek your goals
Small steps are what you need to make
To realize your roles

If you rush about and try things
Just to fail and then succeed
The steps you make are far apart
As you find just what you need

Whatever steps you decide to take
Make them all your own
Because when you walk in somkeone else's
Your seeds are never sown
Marian

July 20, 2009

Golden yYears Limbo

Golden Years Limbo

The old couple sat wiith their hands clasped

With each other's lovingly

Wondering what became of their dreams,

Who they are, and where they wanted to be

"We worked very hard and spent money quickly

Never bothering to think there would come a day

That someday it would all be gone

And we'd have to wait our life away"

"Our dreams became reality

Much sooner than we planned

And we let it run so quickly

in an hourglass of sand"

"We tried to make a lifetime

Of dreams for us come true

But forgot about our golden years

And time for just me and you"

"Fancy cars and trendy clothes

Were the order of each day

Our children had the very best

For school and for play"

"But time passed quickly and pennies were spent

From our trusty savings jar

Too late for us to realize

What's left just won't go far"

"Now the children are gone and doing

The things we taught them well

Spend all you can on things you want

Don't even sit a spell"

"Here we sit alone and broke

Mortgaged head to toe

Our dream became a nightmare

Far too long before we go"

Marian

July 18, 2009

Welcome friends

Every once in a while I reflect on the people around me and what good friends I have. I just want to take this moment to say thank to all of you who have let me call you a friend!

Marian

The Gift

The Gift

It came to me on a gloomy day
When all my hope had gone away
A bouquette of flowers so carefully arranged
I smiled at thought it was wonderfully strange

I had pondered on my dreadful past
And thought of choices that I'd amassed
My future now was at my command
as I wandered across the rain soaked sand

I looked out to sea and thought I could
Then at the flowers, wondering if I should
Something was coming over me
That for a minute set my mind at ease

I took a flower from the ribbons entwined
And wondered who had been so kind
To leave these on my front gate post
knowing that is from where I walked the most

I picked each pettal and tossed it into the wind
Asking for answers from deep within
Someone cared enough for me
To set these flowers for me to see

I took a breath of ocean air
And squeezed the water from my rain soaked hair
I turned and began to walk away
I'd live to see another day

Marian
July 16, 2009

Believe Me, Patriotism Is Still There

It was all about the horror
When the planes came crashing in
As people's hearts found compassion
Above the violent din

It was all about the patriots
As reality had set in
Aboard a doomed and hi-jacked plane
where their choice would do them in

It was all about the love
for others that had to win
On that fateful day called 9-1-1
When the planes came crashing in

It was all about the bravery
of women and of men
Who made sacrifices on that day
Of the terrorists' mighty sin

It was all about the comfort
Given families within
The circles of those lost that day
When the planes came crashing in

It was all about togetherness
when 9-1-2 was ushered in
And Americans showed their own true colors
and new hope was to begin

To find the aura of patriotism
You only need to look within
And find just what was in your heart
The day the planes came crashing in

Marian
July 16, 2009

I know we have it within ourselves to find our patriotism and loved for our country. We need not have to look so far back in history to find it. We lived to see what kind of people we were on that fateful day on September 11, when the planes came crashing in.

Live Each Day

Live Each Day

As days go by and turn to months
You are only who you live to be
You can live your days locked up in chains
Or live them to be free

As months go by and turn to years
Changes for you become few
For each hour and day that passes
It'll be one less day for you

As spring blends into summer
Summer surrenders to the fall
Then winter with her icey hands
Leaves you no time at all

Marian
July 9, 2009

My Apathy Part Three

So here I am in my late fifties, retired, and fighting the typical health problems that come with age. I have worked, been a law abiding citizen, and for the most part a good friend and family member. I have what I thought would be a comfortable pension, as does my husband, yet we are fighting to make ends meet. Why? Because our health care premiums have gone up. the deductibles have skyrocketed, and the co-pays increased significantly. Now the current administration is pushing for a government funded health care plan so those who are uninsured will have insurance. This is totally off the wall as far as I can comprehend. I will continue to pay astronomical costs for my health care and be strapped paying the bills that are not covered while my tax dollars pay for free health care for anyone who doesn't buy their own. Now where does that make sense on any planet other than ours? People who cannot afford health care are already treated if they cannot pay. The government already has programs in place for anyone who does not have health insurance. It is called welfare, medicare, and medicaid. Now we are expected to put our children's future in further debt by creating another government funded program or nationalizing medical care. Health care reform needs to address the problems within the private health care system, capping awards for civil suits, reducing premiums to make health care more affordable to everyone, regulating the fact people are denied treatment, and reducing co-pays and deductibles.

But my life long apathy is to blame for the problems facing our country today. Had I spoken sooner and often, as well as millions of other Americans just like me, perhaps government would not have grown into the monster it has become. Democrats and republicans alike have turned our Republic into a caricature of itself.

No longer are our Representatives serving "We the People", they are feeding their own greed with pork laden agendas designed to make their lives more comfortable. They have spent this country into a corner where there will be no way to ever balance a budget again. Had we done that with our own checkbooks we would be sitting in prison right now.

This is why I am sending this to my friends. You will see now how I am taking a stand for my freedom and liberty. I can no longer remain silent for fear I may rock the boat or cause someone to think ill of me because I may see politics a different way. No, I haven't lost my mind, I have found it. I have also found the courage to use my freedom of speech. It is time to sever our ties from the likes of democrats and republicans who hold a monopoly on our future and no longer are representing their constituents.

Your friend in liberty and Independence,

Marian Beatty

My Apathy Part Two

It is not that I did not have causes and agendas through my life. I did not live the life of a turnip. My thing in life was animal rescue and pedigree research relating to my breeding Arabian horses. I pulled stints as a Sunday school teacher, 4-H leader, and den mother for my son's cub scout pack. Oh, and don't forget I was a Mamma Bear for our local high school football team! I only now wish I would have put more effort into picking people to run our government with the same care I took choosing just the right stallion for one of my mares. After all, it comes down to a quality of life issue for generations to come if you let yahoos drive your country into fiscal and moral collapse. I find it funny how many wild Internet debates I got involved in concerning neglected animals and poor judging at horse show but I was afraid to voice my political opinions for fear my friends would look down on me. And I figured people more in tune with politics would take care of things for me. So did millions of other people.It was also not that I did not care about what was going on in my country. I just did not dwell on it for long periods of time after the initial impact of some major event. As a teenager I worked at a local amusement park with college students who were focused on worldly issues and at that time the Vietnam war was their cause. When one guy I worked with who attended Kent State and served in the National Guard was called to duty to quell the violence at Kent State against fellow students and friends, I felt his pain. I found out much later in my life that my own brother had been an emotional victim of Vietnam after serving there and he was too torn up to even share his pain with his own family. After years of alcoholism and fighting PSTD he is finally sober and dedicating his life to helping other veterans with similar problems. He is also standing up for freedom and liberty.

When Watergate was in the news I was outraged like everyone else. Through the years I had sparks of concern for the world around me but in the end decided I was so small and insignificant in the scheme of things I would just leave it to those who understood it all to keep me safe and uphold our Constitution. After all, it had been good enough for over 200 years, it was rock solid and nothing was going to circumvent the words of our forefathers on that document so revered in my country.But as I aged and matured my interest in politics grew to where I actually began to watch debates and read about the candidates. I had my opinions and my friends and relatives had theirs. I was not one who embraced conflict so I kept most of my opinions to myself. I figured if I did not discuss things like that with friends and relatives no one would get mad at me for having an opposing view. There were times I felt strongly about my views, but how people regarded me as a friend was too important to me, so I kept quiet. I just held out hope that enough people were thinking like me to right the ship as I saw our economy crumbling, crooks in office, and the past three administrations making a total mess out of things. Then there is mainstream media not only reporting on the puppet show, they were becoming the puppets IN the show. Fact is, there are too many people like me out there hoping everyone else is doing enough to look out for us.

Take a look at where our country is headed now. Progressives have steadily increased our governments role over our Republic and the changes we prayed for are crippling our economy.

My Apathy Part One

For fifty seven years I have reaped the benefits of having been born a citizen of the good old USA. Being born in 1952 I was too young to remember the bomb shelters and drills held in fear of the atomic bomb. Then of course, Vietnam was a cause I was too busy to be overly concerned about while I meandered through my teen years and would catch occasional glimpses of the news about the war and the protests that accompanied it. Watergate was on the back burner for me because I was a young single woman trying to get through the sixties and politics were not on my to-do list.Marriage, a career, a fine son, and a dream of raising and showing Arabian horses consumed me for nearly the next thirty years. I voted diligently for the candidate I heard mentioned the most in a positive light. I went along with my friends and family on political matters because I could not be bothered with the complicated task of researching who really was best for our country. I would catch bits and pieces of political debate among the postal workers as I cased my mail for delivery when I was tired of listening to seventies rock on my CD earphones.I voted for Reagan because he was a familiar name and I liked his Hollywood persona. I voted for George H. Bush because he flew the same kind of plane my husband flew in during WWII. I voted for his son DubYa (twice, mind you) because I thought he had a nice personality and I liked his father. I voted against Clinton because he lied about Monica Lewinski. I didn't really care so much about the affair, it was that he lied and the lies were stupid that turned me off. In local politics I voted for levies involving schools and for the police and fire departments across the board because they were good things to vote for. You don't even want to know why I voted for and against some Representatives and Senators but as an example I will tell you I continually voted against one guy because he sent out too many thin, hard to handle campaign postcards in election years which added to my workload at the post office. Long story short, I relied on everyone else to see to it I had a pretty decent country to live in. After all, what can go wrong with a Republic such as ours based on our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. I actually did know a lot about the American Revolution and our founding fathers' fight for freedom because it did intrigue me while I was in school. Too bad I didn't take our gift from them seriously as I grew up and lived my life.

Because We Love Our Freedom

Because We Love Our Freedom

Some did not come home at all
They were left in pieces on foreign soil
Nothing to those who they fought for
A part of a war in which no principles they understood

So much blood was left behind
When lifeless bodies were returned to grieving parents,
high school sweethearts, and perplexed siblings
who would never again feel the spark of their loved one's spirit

Some came home with damaged bodies
Wheelchair bound, or missing arms
Deformities they will forever endure
A high price to pay for another country's woes

Some came home unscathed, at least on the outside.
But rotting minds from brutal visions
led to years of terror, pain, and loneliness
all for the sake of another country's problems

So many broken souls, too many broken hearts
Uncounted broken minds never acknowledged
In hopes that others can taste the sweet nectar of freedom
and the democracy we are privileged to know

Marian
July 3, 2009

Our Frankenstein

Our Frankenstein

The shadow keeps creeping over us
We are disappearing into darkness
The giant is approaching us
With big shoes it will crush us

The shadow is from the giant
We've created and allowed to grow
Now while we all are sleeping
it gets bigger while we don't know

We revel in the freedom
We've learned to take for granted
While the Socialistic leader
Sows all the seeds he's planted

Progressive are his intentions
To trample us is his plan
To own everything around him
developed by his fellow man

The giant is our government
And we've gone and lost control
And we continue living life
As we blindly take a stroll

Why does this not concern you?
Is freedom still not your choice?
Wake up, fellow Americans
While you still have a powerful voice

Marian
July 1, 2009

Some thoughts

I am not an activist nor do I get off on joining protests. I have never been one to sign or circulate petitions. When I vote, I do not lean toward any party, I try to vote for the candidate who IMO would be better for America. I am an American. I am not a Democrat nor am I a Republican. I am a CONCERNED American. Until the past few years I have been fairly comfortable that our government was working as our forefathers had intended, with a few flaws that were overcome by persistance from our citizens. Now I see our country quickly falling into a downward spiral. Our government is larger than life and still growing. I am a SAD American.

I see mainstream news channels riding the coat tails of politicians who are hurting our country and taking control. I see them hopping on bandwagons heading to Socialism and government control. I see the middle class being taxed until they bleed while government keeps a heavy foot on the poor to keep them in poverty and increases the wealth of the mighty wealthy and thr political machine. I am a SCARED American.

Czars are appointed to answer only to the executive branch, bypassing our legislative and judical branches of government. Our system of checks and balances created by the patriots who formed our democratic government is down the tubes.

I am a fifty-seven year old retired postal worker, I am a mother, I am a wife. I am not rich but I am not poor. I have never taken a dime from welfare or unenployment insurance. I always was proud enough in myself that I found work, sometimes at minimum wage, and found a way to make do. Sometimes it would take several jobs at one time, but in time I found my niche in society and labored on. I have little extra by the end of the month, now. Sometimes I cannot afford my medication. 1/3 of our yearly income goes to pay for medical insurance, doctor and hospital bills, and prescriptions. Our co-pays and deductibles have risen right along with the skyrocketing cost of our health insurance. I am deeply in debt to my hospital and medical caregivers, but find a way to pay whatever I can every month. I would benefit finacially by nationalized medicine but I do not think it is the answer.

I don't drive a new car, spend money on cigarettes, and I do not drink alcohol. My social life consists of being in contact with my friends and family on the Internet (I still have dial-up as I cannot afford anything more). I have not had a vacation in years. One of my dear friends just sent me $20 for shoes so I could walk better when I volunteer at the humane society walking dogs. I walk dogs because I cannot afford a wellness program to rehab my broken down knees. I also walk dogs to pass along charity which I cannot afford to give in a monetary sense.

I am a scared, sad, concerned, frustrated, but proud American. Please help save our country from the pirates now in charge of our government. As long as I retain the freedom so boldly earned by our ancestors I can be a rich American. Freedom and democracy makes me a RICH American.

Marian Beatty

AOL Mail (172)

Stop Blowing Off Your Freedom

The facts are way too simple
So folks try to make them hard
But the freedom that we're given
Is like drawing the winning card

You are free to be as stupid
As you really care to be
Just as you're allowed
To see all you can see

You are free to use you mind
For all that it can learn
Then you're free to use resources
To get what you can earn

You are free to try and fail
To conquer and to win
You can do the best for one and all
Or choose to live in sin

With all the freedom offered
We've relinquished way too much
In the fact that we aren't watching
And our government's out of touch

We must work to keep our freedom
Which with it we have grown
Or fall to growing government
Being free to being owned

MarianJuly 1, 2009