Sand, Bat, Bed

 

From Harold, my tax attorney for over 30 years: Used with his permission.

 

 

The Old Broken Bat

It was just an old, broken bat, but it was mine

The team didn’t want it, but for me, it was fine.

Dad got it from the school, the handle covered with tape.

For a preschool boy, it was in good, usable shape.

Throw it over my shoulder, and it would almost touch the ground.

Try to swing it as hard as I could, and it would almost go around.

I could use it, and imaginary baseball I would play.

Sometimes, in life, we get broken and useless, so it seems.

But there is always enough love to restore those dreams.

In god’s hands you are not ready to be thrown away

He has a purpose for you, as in His love you stay.

Reach out to those who are worn and broken,

And see that kind words of love are spoken.

Sometimes you feel like that “Old Broken bat,” thrown away.

But remember, you still have great value, in your unique way.

Take the old broken bat in your life and swing it proudly,

Let it speak for you, often and loudly.

“I’m here, and I’m useful and not beyond repair.”

Put on that smile and wear it everywhere!

Harold 09/19/14

 

Walking on Sand

Two old codgers walking on the sand.

Shuffling along, hand in hand.

The song of the gull, the roar of the surf, music to their ears,

Sounds that are still the same after all those years.

Stop and reach down for a stone, a shell or a piece of wood,

“The wind’s getting chilly, dear, better pull up your hood.”

A glance, a smile, a twinkle in the eye.

Silently remembering happy days gone by.

“Getting a little tired? Time to go back to the car?”

Turning around, “Oh my, have we come that far?”

What’s this? Amazing how young they feel.

Start back to the car, a new spring in their heel.

Two old codgers walking on the sand.

No more shuffling, but stepping out, hand in hand.

Harold

05/29/04

 

The Bed

She was moved from the hospital to rehab and assigned a bed.

Her mind was fogged with drugs, and every event was faced with dread.

The pain was apparent with every word she spoke that day.

She begged her husband not to go home but to stay.

“I’ll move over, you can share my bed tonight.”

But he had to go and leave that heartbreaking sight.

He returned the next day to spend as much time as was needed.

Remembering the night before, how for him to stay, she pleaded.

Here is the story of an event during the previous night.

How a frightened, lonely lady handled her plight.

She was found on the floor beside that bed.

Blankets pulled around her, pillow under her head.

What are you doing?” Was the question she heard while uncomfortable and cold.

“I’m going to sleep here, so my husband can have the bed!” they were told.

“He’s coming back and needs a place to sleep,” is what she said.

For the sake of her love, she was willing to give up the bed.

The drugs wore off and the pain left over time.

But I’ll never forget the love of that wonderful wife of mine!

Harold

 2011

 

 

Vitamins of the Air?

“If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” 

― Albert Einstein

 

Well, I tried to explain to my 12-year-old grandson that his showers make him feel better because they were giving off negative ions. 

He thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard. That was until I pressed upon him that it was real science, not some pie in the sky stuff.

Of course, I couldn’t explain ions because I didn’t understand them. My physicist husband said something about the rushing of water creates negative charges in the molecules of water. That rather turned my grandson to my side, but understand it? I still don’t.

 

To quote Einstein once again, “Never memorize something that you can look up.” 

According to my grandson, if the internet doesn’t confirm it, it can’t be valid. Lucky me. Internet confirmed that, yes, running water somehow charges the charge of an atom or molecule.

And those negative ions have a magical effect on our bodies.

Vitamins of the Air?

Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy,” says Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind-Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.

“They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation.”

And for a whopping one in three of us who are sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a window and breathe in fresh, humid air. (Shucks, I thought everyone could feel the effects.)

“You may be one of them if you feel sleepy when you are around an air-conditioner, but feel immediately refreshed and invigorated when you step outside or roll down the car window,” Howard tells WebMD. “Air conditioning depletes the atmosphere of negative ions, but an ion generator re-releases the ions that air conditioners remove.” 

There’s something in the air, and while it may not be love, some say it’s the next best thing.

Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in specific environments. Think mountains, waterfalls, and beaches. Once they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase the mood chemical serotonin level, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy. 

By Denise Mann Medically Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD From the WebMD Archives 

Science 101

Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge. They are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, moving air, and water. You may have experienced the power of negative ions when you last set foot on the beach or walked beneath a waterfall. While part of the euphoria is simply being around these wondrous settings and away from the everyday pressures of home and work, the air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions — Much more than the average home or office building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero.

“The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions, and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods,” says ion researcher Michael Terman, Ph.D. of Columbia University in New York.

Updated September 04, 2019

Generating Negative Ions: Every home has a built-in natural ionizer — the shower.

While we are on the subject of science, I would like to introduce my husband, Neil. 

Here is his new website: If you are an inventor, a hobbyist, or a doodler, you might be interested.

https://jewell7.wixsite.com/inventor-hobbiest

“When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity.”

― Albert Einstein