The Honeybee's Lifestyle

Category: GROWING UP BEE

Advice from my mother & father

  • Live Life NOW!

    Hello Honeybees,

    This last year has really taught me some lessons. Thankfully the lessons were taught lessons instead of bought lessons. Bought lessons can be very expensive both emotionally and financially.  One lesson that I am taking to heart is to enjoy life everyday. For the purpose of this post I’m talking about enjoying material things. I’ll address the other ways I enjoy life outside of the material in future post.



    In July I will celebrate year 54. This year is significant to me because my mom passed when she was 54. I think about where I am in my life vs where she was at the same age. We are both single parents, hers by death and mine by divorce (kind of the same thing…just kidding). We both were homeowners (although I downsized a few years ago). Also, neither one of us at this point had ever lived alone (I’m working on emptying my nest but no real rush).

    I think about how when cleaning out her closet there were clothes that still had tags on them. I think about how she waited until she felt that I was on solid footing before she decided to truly enjoy & embrace life. She was on a Cole Haan binge because I was working at Nike & they owned Coke Hahn at the time (discount!). Our last shopping trip together would be her last shopping trip ever. That night she would suffer the fist of several strokes.

    She took me to JCPenny’s at the Mall of Memphis to buy me maternity clothes. I fussed the whole time, because I could afford to buy my own clothes, until the cashier said “baby let your momma spoil you”. I’m glad that my my well being was so important to her but at the same time I wished that she would’ve been a little bit more selfish and put her happiness first.

    So at this point in my life I’m all about spoiling ME and having some of the things that bring me joy. Of course this is all within reason because like her I want to leave a legacy for my children & grandchildren, but I also don’t want to wait until it’s too late. I deserve to live my life NOW and to enjoy it NOW. This year I will obtain 3 luxury to me items. I haven’t decided on which 3 but one will be a purse and one will be a coffee maker. These might not sound like much to you but to me they have deep meaning. These items will represent me living, embracing and enjoying life. So whatever it is that you keep putting off…STOP and do it NOW!

    Happy Birthday Momma!! Your baby is still listening and learning and enjoying life.

    Beewisdom- What is bad about luxury as long as you can afford it? – Diana Dors

  • What I Know For Sure

    What I Know For Sure

    Hello Honeybees,
    Today I am blessed to celebrate my 53rd trip around the sun.
    I thought I would take this moment to share a few things that, as Oprah would say, I KNOW FOR SURE. Let me add that these are things that I know for sure in my life. These are my experiences that came by way of some hardheaded bought lessons.

     

    What I know for sure:
    • You are never to old to learn
    • Surround yourself with people that care about your heart
    • You are NOT always right
    • Age does not mean mature
    • Having someone that truly loves you matters
    • You need people in your life, life is lonely and boring without others
    • You have been hurt but you have to learn to trust again (easier said than done but worth it)
    • You can enjoy life AND save for a rainy day
    • You need to travel the world to broaden your horizons
    • Your city is what you make it, Aint It Mane!

    • Everyone will not like you & that’s okay
    • Your home should be a place of peace
    • Your perfect kids are not perfect
    • Your perfect spouse is not perfect
    • Keeping folks out of your business reduces gossip
    • You can start over

    Photos by Christine Phillips
    • Bad times don’t last always & neither do the good times. Learn from both
    • Listen to your body
    • Your timeline is your timeline, stop comparing yourself to others
    • You can be in a room full of people and still be lonely
    • At the same time alone does not mean lonely
    • You can kick yourself or you can kick but!! The choice is yours

    I hope that you enjoyed my list. What is something about life that you know for sure?

    Beewisdom- You catch more flies with honey, be nice to people.
  • I Remember Momma

    I Remember Momma

    Hello Honeybees,
    On Sunday many of us will have the blessing of picking up the phone and calling or Face Timing our Mothers to say thank you & I love you. Some of us will say a prayer to our mothers in heaven. Many will have flowers, cards & gifts delivered. The usual of going to church and taking momma out to eat will look a lot different this year but we will find a way to make her day special. We have to because it’s momma.
    I still have the jewelry box that I gifted my mom one year. It didn’t cost much but she loved it. As a mother myself I get it. It really isn’t the gift but the love and thought behind the gift.  No matter how my sons show appreciation for Mother’s Day it will mean the world to me. They’ll probably cook me breakfast and TRY to make my coffee the way I like it. I probably won’t get a gift until after we can go outside again because they don’t think far enough in advance to hit up Amazon or Target.com.
    The best gift that they can give me this year is to stay inside until it’s safe. The peace of mind that I have knowing that they are safe & healthy is priceless. Are they eating up every thing in the house, yep, but I’m okay with that.
    No matter how you show your mother some love on Sunday I bet your being safe, healthy and happy would be at the top of her list. Oh and don’t just show love on Sunday, momma deserves that love. EVERYDAY.

     

    Happy Mother’s Day!!
    Beewisdom-All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” —Abraham Lincoln