The End of Men

"Machos have had their best time"!

Man has been the dominant sex since, well, the dawn of mankind. But for the first time in human history, that is changing—and with shocking speed. These are the first sentences of an article in my weekly magazine of September 7.

It quotes an article that appeared last July in The Atlantic Magazine.

This subject only shows how the world has evolved since I was a young girl.

Now mothers say: We want a girl!.

These mothers look at their lives and think their daughters will have a bright future their mother and *grandmother didn’t have, brighter than their sons, even, so why wouldn’t they choose a girl?”

What a privilege those girls have. I really envy them a little.

They are the lucky ones. What a great future they have, I wish them all success!

That they may conquer their place in society!

I would say -- go for it girls!

PS: *I'm also a grandmother.

If you might be interested this is the original article in The Atlantic Magazine.

I still want to add: I had written this post in draft before I'd read Jeannie's exceptional beautiful story.

Actually hindsight seen I find this post is a complement to her story.

It shows what previous brave generations of women have achieved with their battle for the equality between men and women.

Probably the courageous old lady in Jeannie's story wasn't in the possibility to study when she was young.

Now her dream came true!

It's only so unfortunately that she couldn't enjoy it long.

Memorial

Today

one year ago it was the saddest day of our life.

That day we lost Pipke.

In loving memory I dedicate this poem to her

You came into our lives for much too short time


a time we wouldn't trade not even for a million dime


Then before we knew it the years have flown by


and then all of the sudden we had to say good-bye


It was exact one year ago that we had to say our good-bye


I then held on to you very tight as you closed your eyes


Your spirit has flown home on the wings of a dove


into God's loving arm's; in heaven above



Over the days we've shed many tears


but the memories we have will live on for years


We feel your presence and we know that you're near


you're keeping us safe and calming our fear



We think about memories from years past


when you were young and strong, and could run so fast


we remember all the great times that we all had


how you always made us happy never made us mad



They were the best and happiest years we had


we'll always look back on them and never be sad


We look forward to the time we'll be together again


and we thank the Lord for such a great friend



Now you run and play up in Heaven above


cradled in God's arms covered with his love


Playing by the Bridge waiting for the day


we come down thru the meadow to the bridge to stay



The love that you showed us we'll never forget


because to us you're one very special pet


You're like a star in the dark of night


always watching over us with the Lord's light



So now we take time to remember you most beloved friend


you will always be with us even to the end


We'll always remember you the way you were


one lovable huggable soft pile of feathers. 



Pipke

May 25, 1995 – September 14, 2009

I'm lost without you sweety

Hugs
click on hugs to watch youtube film

Your

Oma

Poem written by John Quealy and addapted by Fran

PS: See also

My Box with Keepsakes

I came on the idea for this post after reading an article in my favorite weekly magazine. It brings me back in time because once I had a memory box.

It wasn't a luxury box but rather a very ordinary cardboard box.

Anyhow: The article that I mentioned above went about the film “*To kill a mockingbird”

This year this film became fifty years old and for me it's still one of the best films I have ever seen.

It's superb on all counts. It's a great adaptation of *this memorable novel written by (probably you will all know this) the American writer Harper Lee. She's an Alabama author, she only wrote one book – and it was a good one.

What has this to do with my memory box you shall say: well the opening scene of this film starts with a memory box, almost one like I had, although mine was a little larger.

This particular scene is still stuck to my memory. I love the sound of the tikking clock, the cheerful humming of Scout, and the rolling and bouncing of the marbles -- it's all so simple and oh so sensitive. The combination of the images and the music are so touching and so beautiful chosen, for me this scene is a real masterpiece. After so many years -- and seeing it severall times over again -- it still gives me goosebumps when I look at it.

Therefore I would like to show you this openings scene

Now back to the main topic

What was sitting in my box with keepsakes!

I was born in the middle of World War 2, so I had not much when I was a small child but I cherished the little things I had.

Unfortunately but not much that was sitting in that box has survived all those years, just some drawings that I made and one of my first books: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood (in Dutch: Roodkapje), my first Communion church book (I was raised catholic) with within it a little handkerchief edged with lace (it was a present for this celebration) and a few communion cards.

Once there was a little Jesus image glued on my prayer book but as you can see my little sister had torn it off, she had also scribbled with a pencil on my story book.

Here you see me with my prayer book, wrapped in the little handkerchief in my hands.

This picture is now 61 years old!

Then at least: the most important object, my doll. I called her: Hilda.

She's almost 60 years old now. My aunt made this doll for me after her little daughter Hilda (she was her only daughter) died of leukemia. She became only 8 years old. If you see pictures of Hilda she looks almost like the doll. She also had very blond short hair that curled outside, she seemed to be made of porcelain. She was such a pretty girl.

My doll is made entirely of cotton fabric and is stuffed with kapok inside, only the head was bought. One thing is regrettable but actually it didn't bother me: she can't bend her legs and arms so she can't sit. But despite this shortcomings for me she was perfect. My aunt also made her cloths.

Look how proud I was at my Hilda.

In this Christmas tree you can see the **Christmas balls and stars which we had made ourselves.:):)

Now you can see that the time has gnawed at the fabric, it starts to fall apart at some places.

You can also see that her cheeks are worn off because I cuddled her so much!

I will cherish her for the rest of my days.

I couldn't show you much, but these items have a great sentimental value for me.

When I look back on it, time has flown by, much much too fast!

One thing I know for sure: the time hasn't gnawed on

"To Kill a Mockingbird".

It will remain intact for always.

It's easy to enjoy and hard to forget.

PS: **On this post I discribed how and of what we made them.

Very special stuf!:):)