Some people thought last week's 5 was less than fascinating, and at first, I was among them, although I answered the questions. But then a few days later, some of it sank in a little deeper, and it did get me to write about a nice little bit of my childhood. So remember, you never know.
This week, however, the questions look to be more thought-provoking right from the get-go. This may take awhile.
1. What do you most want to be remembered for?
As children, or maybe even teenagers, we -- at least I -- can imagine being famous someday, or achieving some remarkable thing, like going into space, writing a bestseller, curing cancer. Now I can say with some certainty not gonna happen. So the thing to do is look back over what I've done, decide if I've lived my life the way I wanted to, and if I have, then those things that I chose to do are the things I'd want to be remembered for.
I have tried in my life to be honest and fair and intelligent. It has always been very important to me to hurt no one, and to nurture children, my own and my students, whenever possible. I do not cheat, I do not steal. I was raised to live by a set of values, and I have done so. These are the things I'd like to be remembered for.
Oh, I'd like people to remember that I was funny sometimes, that I had a good sense of humor. That's probably the personal quality I take the most pride in. I like that. I love a good audience.
2. What quotation best fits your outlook on life?
Oh, so many! Here are my favorites:
(The first is on my quotations page; the others are recent additions to the dozen or so on my desk at work.)
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke.
"Imagine all the people living life in peace." John Lennon.
"Thinking is the best way to travel." Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues)
"Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" Attorney Joseph Welch to Senator Joseph McCarthy, 1954. This comment focused public awareness on the viciousness of the McCarthy communist-hunt, and led to its ultimate downfall.
3. What single achievement are you most proud of in the past year?
In the past year, huh. Probably that I didn't fall apart when both my parents died, or when my youngest went off to college and I had to re-think everything I do in my daily life. Well, that's true for both. My single biggest achievement then, I suppose, is that I'm okay.
Oh, and I got to be 50. I can't even begin to tell you how good this is. I love 50. It's quite possibly my favorite age so far. Odd, isn't it.
4. What about the past ten years?
That would have to be not being dead or vegged from the brain tumor. Well, that was a bit more than ten years ago, but it's an ongoing sort of process: first, remembering every day that you're not dead or vegged, and then the realization that today I didn't remember, I didn't think about it at all.
Here's something else, which may or may not qualify as an achievement of mine. Ten years ago, my daughters were 9 and 12 years old, just on the brink of teenagerdom. I remember saying to Hubs right around this time: "I'm warning you: in ten years, I'll be a completely different person." I meant because I would have survived their teenage years.
I did that, of course, but that's not the achievement. The achievement is that these two adults are really good people. Yes, they leave towels on the bathroom floor and magazines and crap all over the family room, but that's something else. They are really good people. I like them, I value them, I respect them. I enjoy their company.
Is this an achievement of mine in any way? My mother used to say that her greatest acheivement was that my sister and I were so close. When she said this -- more than once -- Sibs and I would look at each other and roll our eyes: how was this an achievement of Shirl's? It was a relationship between the two of us. I've got no answer here, just thoughts. Mostly, my excellent children are the result of them and who they are and choices they've made. Yes, I was involved, and heavily so. I just don't know if I can take the credit for it.
5. If you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say?
Respect yourself and respect each and every other individual on the planet. If you do that, everything else falls into place.
I liked this Friday Five. Thanks.
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Sweet Sorrow - 06.12.2007
So ... - 12.19.2006
Christmastime Is Near - 12.18.2006
Fifteen Years - 12.17.2006
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