24 • The Beacon January 23 , 2025
What is on your list of things you have no desire to ever do ?
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When Coshocton ’ s Write-On Writers Guild met Nov . 4 , 2024 , we had the following writing prompt , “ I have no desire to ... ”
Some of our members completed that sentence by listing such things as sky diving , riding a zip line , deep-sea diving , taking the rides at the fair , riding roller coasters , flying
in an airplane , climbing a mountain , visiting a big city , living in a large or small city , or traveling abroad .
Always striving for
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a different or unique response , here ’ s what I wrote :
— Seek a husband . This was my teenage resolve . My standards for a man to share my life were high and unattainable . There was no sense in looking for him because he didn ’ t exist , not in my world . He needed to come from a Christian home , be a leader , be faithful and trustworthy , be loving and kind , and preferably be an American Baptist . Family would be of upmost importance to him . He wouldn ’ t smoke , drink or swear . Good looking would be a bonus .
There were always more girls than boys in school , in our BYF , in winter square dancing gym classes , et cetera . My best friend since seventh grade , Lurana , who also was a leftover girl in dance
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partner choices , and I had it all figured . She would be a first grade school teacher . I would be a secretary like my Aunt Vera . We would live in a trailer and have cats .
Then one day Glenn called to invite me to young people ’ s group at church on a Sunday night , back in early 1962 .
— Crawl in dark , tightfitting places . In summer 1984 , between Jeff ’ s junior and senior years , our family of four took a big trip out west . Possibly our favorite place was Mesa Verde , where we stayed an extra day or two , exploring the Pueblo Indian ruins on the side of cliffs .
Our tour guide warned about dangers climbing cliffs , et cetera , but we joined a group that climbed a wide ladder , two abreast , stepping on log rungs that had
been latched to two long telephone poles leaning against a cliff . There was no turning back . My family was ahead of me and out of sight . Other people were behind and beside me . If I wanted to see my family again , I had to make it up that ladder .
After I made it to the plateau where the people lived and cooked their meals , the only way out was to crawl through a long tunnel in the rock .
This solid-rock tunnel was less than 36 inches tall and wide . Again , my family was far ahead of me , and other people were right behind me . If I ever wanted to see my family again , I had to crawl through that long , dark space because it was the only way out .
Blocking my mind of petrifying fears and focusing on seeing my family again was the only way to make it .
Then there was the time in 1987 when Glenn and I had bought the Baird One-Room Schoolhouse property next door . Built in 1885 and converted to a home in 1939 by the Barrick family , it needed a lot of updating including new electrical wiring . There was no basement underneath the main part , just a crawl space . Maybe it was 18-20 inches high , with ancient cobwebs and dead rat carcasses . All I had to do was hold the flashlight for Glenn . This was not a part of our marriage vows .
Changing the subject , let me reflect on something we were doing last year at this time .
Babysit again our four grandchildren , age 15 , 13 , 11 and 9 , plus their dog , for 15 days while their parents go to Spain .
It ’ s not just a generator .
It ’ s a power move . ™
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