GINA DREW

Joined January 2022

3 stories

Stories (3)

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ABOUT MY SON....
There is something so wrong about a mother having to bury her child. No words can express, and no pain is greater. Nothing anyone can say or do will ever make it ok again.
By GINA DREW4 years ago in Families
2022
Making changes is never easy, especially if it involves starting something that is good or you, but you would rather not do, or stopping something that you love to do because it's not good for you. It seems that most people's New Year's resolutions fall into that category. During the last two years, we have all felt the impact of Covid and I don't think that anyone came out unscathed. Life changed for everyone, everywhere. The 9 to 5 became 24/7 and there was no such thing as the weekend. I have seen some places that almost turned to ghost towns. Businesses shutting down, when scaling down wasn't making enough to pay the bills. I have also seen a select few industries thrive amidst the chaos and make more money than ever before, because of Covid. No doubt things are different and with the world changing, we need to make some adjustments of our own if we want to survive. This year, I am looking at life in a new way. I have decided to take the bull by the horns and fight for the life I want. So, I didn't follow my original plan, ok then, it's time for me to figure out a new one. I always thought that I would have more time to follow my dreams, but I put it off and I blew it. I didn't even realize that until a few years ago. Here's the thing; I'm ok with that now. And that is the difference that will make all the difference. I must come to terms with my failures so that I can have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed. For me, that is step number one. With that out of my way and out of my head, I can then begin to rebuild. Stay focused and stay healthy. A sound body and sound mind is a must. And this may sound cliche, but the truth is, that diet, exercise and plenty of sleep are the key to well-being. So, if I want to find sucess, I must keep a clear head. In order to keep a clear head, I must get enough sleep. In order to get enough sleep, my body needs to be tired enough to sleep. If I'm too wound up, I won't be able to fall asleep. It is sometimes difficult to stick to a workout routine, and in order to stay motivated to workout, my gift to myself for having to exercise, is that I get to eat whatever I want and not feel guilty. No more denying myself the things that I enjoy in life, and food is big on that list. I can make a few simple changes so that I will be able to wake up in the morning with renewed strength and insight. Maybe one day I will again be able to go after the dreams that I had so long ago. I know that they won't be exactly the same, but that doesn't mean I have to give them up. It's hard sometimes to do things for youself , when all your attention and energy has always been given to our family and friends. This year, I hope we all take time to remember to love ourselves and know that life can be amazing at any age, if we allow ourselves to keep growing and learning and loving. I must remember to be grateful to wake up every morning. With that said, good luck to everyone and I hope this new year finds us all better than before....
By GINA DREW4 years ago in Motivation
Into Silence...
11:31 PM 1/8/2022 by Gina drew hamlet If I were a better artist, I would paint the picture that I see in my head. I can still remember her smile, her face lighting up from the doorway as we pulled up to the house. My nana. So, kind, so gentle and the best cook in the world, or at least in mine. Every summer my mom and dad would pack up my brother and sister and I, and we would make the long drive to the country to stay the summer with grandma and grandpa. They had this big old house and a barn with horses, cows, pigs and every farm animal you could think of. I often thought I could hear them talking, especially to grandpa. He had a kind heart and would always have a stray or injured one hanging around. If grandma would let him, I'll bet he would have brought his bed out there and slept in the barn with them. They loved living out there in the county. The days were long, and the nights were cold and dark. Although there were plenty of spare rooms in the house, the three of us kids would always sleep in the room upstairs. It had a big picture window, and, in the daylight, you could see for miles. At night I tried not to be afraid but the sounds out in the country are not at all like the ones from home. I pretended to be tough, but some of the animal's make sounds like babies crying and it scared me, a lot. One night, I could hear something outside the window. At first, I thought it was the tree branches, but when I looked up, this huge pair of golden eyes stared back at me. I screamed and ran downstairs shaking. When I told them about the monster in the tree, grandpa laughed and said that it was no monster, just an old barn owl that had been coming around. He said he felt like it wanted to tell him something. The next day my grandpa went to heaven, and I didn't see the owl anymore. It was as if the old barn owl came to fly grandpa up to heaven. The summer ended and we went back home to the city. I'll never forget the eyes that i saw that night in the tree. It wasn't scary to me now, but I saw it in my dreams often, and grandpa would be there too. The next summer was the same as always, just a little quieter and I could tell that grandma wasn't quite the same. She missed grandpa something awful. I think she had a broken heart. Summer ended and it was time to go home. Mom sent us to bed early to rest up for the long drive. I had a hard time falling asleep that night. At first, I thought I was dreaming, but I woke up from a noise outside just like before when grandpa died. I looked out the window and there it was. It came back. Oh no! It came back for grandma! It's going to take her to heaven just like grandpa. I couldn't stop sobbing. I ran to my mom and dad and told them that my grandma was going to heaven tonight with the barn owl. They told me I was being silly, and grandma was just fine. But ...she wasn't. When I awoke the next morning, everyone was crying, and grandma was gone. I was crying too, but I kept thinking about the return of the night owl and why did it come to me the night before my grandma and grandpa passed away. Was I next? Was it there to warn me of some unforeseen danger? I never saw the owl again after that. Now I bring my kids to the farmhouse every summer to visit my mom and dad who moved in shortly after grandma died. I still see them in my dreams. Grandma, grandpa and the old night owl with the big yellow eyes. I think he may return again one day when it's time for mom and dad to go. But I hope it's not for a very, very long time.
By GINA DREW4 years ago in Fiction