My Little Girl

Since Sunday (13 Sept), when I received an excited phone call from my daughter Brittanny telling me the Kyle just ask her to marry her, I have felt oh so old. Was it not just yesterday that I was holding her in my arms, bathing her watching her take her first steps? I have also felt excited for her, have felt that my blessing which I gave her so many years ago is still honored by Heavenly Father. There are few blessings I remember pronouncing as I held her in my arms arms as others gathered around. One was the ability to make friends, I knew she would moving around a lot, (there's a story behind that) Another is that she would find a Priesthood holder that would take her to the Temple.

And so that day is at hand. I love my little Britt, She has bought me such joy and yet she has also bought me great sorrow - not her personal because she is the best daughter in the world - the sorrow comes from not being there for her. I knew long ago as I held her in my arms in the hospital that my time with her would be short, that the path I was facing would take me away form her and my family. But I also knew I would love her all my life, and I trusted she would always feel my love.

Keeping to my form I always have song for each point in my life, I guess comes from being in the "Theatre" So from Fiddler on the Roof - I bring you Sunrise Sunset.

"Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little girl at play? I don't remember growing older when did she?....Sunrise, sunset, swiftly flow the days...When did is get be a beauty? Wasn't yesterday she was small? Sunrise, Sunset swiftly fly the years, one season flowing another laden with happiness and tears.." (OK a little campy but....)

I am so happy and excited for her. I felt a peace a month ago when we talked about Kyle and knew he was the one. Just been on pins and needles waiting. I have a Son!!!

I wish wish them all the happiness.

Have you done any good?

Steven and I were returning from Ikea, when we stopped at Publix, our local grocery store to pick up some lunch. As we turned into the parking lot I noticed a 'panhandler', I told Steven we needed to get out of the car a quickly as possible so we could miss her.

Well... no luck. She did not ask for money but if we could buy her and her husband some food to eat. I quickly answered yes and rushed off inside the store. I picked up some chicken fingers from the deli and found Steven and rushed through check out. I found the women and gave them to her. Then quickly started the car and drove off.

As I was driving home a hymn come in my head. I thought how strange I have not sung this hymn in many years, since my youth. It's not a favorite hymn of mine, never the less, the words seemed to have been called forward....

Have you done any good in the world today?
Have you helped anyone in need?
Have you cheered up the sad,
help someone feel gald?
If not you have failed indeed.
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more,
than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure a joy beyond measure.
A blessing, a duty of love.

I am not sure if the words are correct, however the thought was there. I then told Steve we could have done more, bought water, why not a full chicken? I was so much in a rush to get through with my task, that I did not stop and think, "What can I do, to really help." Over the day I kept thinking why was I so much in a rush to help this woman?

Through out my life I have tried to treat people I met with love and be nonjudgmental, to see the good in them. In all I do I try to left people up, to have them feel worth. When I was active in the Church, the two topics I would choose to talk on were always Christ and his love, then just Love - charity the pure love of Christ. When ever I did the spirit was there and would always receive several comments after wards.

I vowed I would not fail next time I would help out of love, not just out of duty. The next day I was provided an opportunity to full fill this promise. I was just putting the gas cap on my car when I was asked if I could spear money so they could get gas in their car. I never carry any money with me, so my first reaction was to say"No sorry I don't have any money with me." However I said "I have no money but I can put ten dollars in the tank for you." So went with them pulled out my ATM card and filled the tank with ten dollars worth of gas. A simple act.

I write not to say how great a person I am but rather to reflect on the many times we might pass a stranger without a word, with out seeing them. Would a warm hello and smile help them on their way? Do we say a quick I love you as we say good bye to our loved ones, just out of habit, or do we really stop look them in the eyes and really mean it when say I love you. Do we discipline out of and with love?

I could go on, however this blog would be way too long. So I ask, Have I helped anyone in the world today? Have I cheered up the sad, have I made someone feel glad? When they needed me was I there?

The Longest Day

Sixty-five years a go today, thousands of men were in small landing crafts in the English Channel off the Normandy coast of France, waiting for the command to commence the invasion of France. Among them were the men of the 65th Armored Filed Artillery Battalion. This group of men were not green to battle, they had cut their 'battle teeth' in the desert of North Africa, honed their skills in Sicily and now they were asked to put all this knowledge to the test.

Among those of the 65th, was a 29 year old man, Sgt. Wilkie Dee Galbraith, my hero, my Dad.

It can not be over stated what happened on June 6, 1944, the largest military invasion in history. For 'Many men went there as soldiers; many men past that way. Many men counted the hours as they lived the Longest Day. Many men did not see the sunset, when the Longest Day ended. Many men where there to stay.'

I feel for reasons unknown to me, that Dad was saved for me so he could be my Dad. My brothers might also agree. Dad wrote: "I have had prayers answered before the wink of the eye, so I know that prayers are answered and that there is a Father in Heaven."

Dad landed on Utah Beach, watched men die in front of him that day. He himself was blown from a half- track, causing him to have whiplash, yet he did his duty to repair tanks so they could get off the beach and into the French Countryside. "I was the only mechanic in the Battalion " wrote Dad "I took my toolbox (which weighed fifty pounds.) in my arms and started for the tank 100 feet away. hearing an incoming shell, I fell flat on my face. I laid there for a moment then I heard it make it's mark. When I arrived at the tank,I found laying at the rear of the tank, Sgt. Herman Strevell, who was in charge of the tank, cut nearly in half, dead. I repaired the tank..."

Dad summed up the war this way "As it has been said, 'War is hell.' At times you can't think back only forward...we acquire a certain trait in the fear of death or in being 'scared to death'."

So today June 6th 2009, I pause to remember my hero, who sixty-five years ago faced his own mortality, went forward in fear, having faith in his Father in Heaven to do his duty as a Solider in the United States Army. To him and to all those who passed that way on the beaches of Normandy may we remember them, may we never forget.

Dad you are my hero, my soldier. you were saved to come home from the war to be my father. No other man on earth would I rather have for a Father than you! I miss you.

Am how old?!

Well, I have not written for a long time so......

My Birthday was last Monday the 9th. I commenced a posting but was called away.

I supose that becoming this age one should stop and reflect on their life. Well I have and the past fifty years have been FABULOUS!!!

There has been sorrow and pain along the way but most of all there as been great joy and happiness. I have lived trying to live by making the best decisions I could with the knowlegde I had at the time. Of course looking back, I see that I may have had different choices. BUT I made the decision I could so I have for the most part have lived with out regret. I have lived for today, believing that a great today builds a great past and bright future!

In High Schoold I wrote a autobiography, which I entitled "Know this that every soul is FREE!"
Based on a Hymn by William Clegg.

"Know this that every soul is free
to choose his life and what he'll be
For this eternal truth is given
That God will force no man to heav'n
Freedom and reason make us men;
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals and just as well
the beasts may think of Heav'n or hell."

I still believe that every soul is free to choose his life and what he'll be!

The other guideing principal is that of LOVE. Paul and Moroni wrote that between faith, hope and charity (love), the greatest of all is love. Love is powerfull, but in this world hate is strong and at times seems the strongest. I ahve tried to love show compassion to all. It is hard to follow. Why is it easier to find fault in others than it is to find one great thing in them? How hurtfull are words. I am afraid to say that I have been hurt the most by those who say they are followers of Jesus Christ, than by those who are not. Of course I have felt the love by those who follow Jesus Christ also. But the wounds are deep and hard to forget and to forgive, but forgivness is part of love.

I learned long ago that as the song lyric says so beatiful, the greateat love of all is learing to love yourself

" I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows If I fail, if I
succeed At least I'll live as I believe No matter what they take from me They
can't take away my dignity Because the greatest love of all Is happening to me I
found the greatest love of all Inside of me."

"And if
by chance, that special place That you've been dreaming of Leads you to a lonely
place Find your strength in love."

I did find that the by loving myself did take me to a loney place, in many ways it is still a loney place. However I have found love, I have opened my heart to those who I thought would not love me and accept me for me, for who I am. It is still hard, I still feel on my own. I want to extend my life to them, but...will they love Steven as my 'husband', will they see him as an in-law, just if I was married to a woman?

I love my family. But I am what I am. I know of the love they have for me...is there room for one more?

Life is short and if by chance I follow my parent's foot steps, my life is 3/4 over. If that is so the next 1/4 of my life will be full of love and laughter. Living each day to it's fullness. So I end this post with a poem by Wilt Whitman, that I read while in my youth which still today guides me.

The Road not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a yellow
wood,
And I sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To
where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
and
having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was
grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the
passing there
Had worn them really about the
same,

And both that
morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden
black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how wayleads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a
sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I
took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all
the difference.

So now I, Rue Lynn Galbraith now say ages hence I did take the road less traveled and that has made all the difference!!

Christmas

Keeping with my song lyric theme I open this one with an old Karen Carpenter song: "Greeting cards have all been sent. The Christmas rush is through, but I still have a one wish to make a special one for you" So Happy Christmas to everyone a Joyeux Noel.

Someday Steven and I will be in Utah for Christmas, we're so an old married couple. We ask each other "What do you want for Christmas?" "Nothing." is the reply. Of course being in retail, he will receive some clothing. Last year he gave me a sewing machine, so I have all I need or want.

I know to many who will read this blog my not understand, but the love Steven and I have is all I need. The only thing that would make this Christmas happier is if we could spent it with my family in Utah. During the last few months, I have thought about Steven and I. For whatever reasons the love we have together, most people don't care about it or want to ignore it. It seems they want us to go away. At the end of the day my love for Steven remains true and I really don't need to have a church or government to approve or recognize it, because it's true and in the end the truth makes me free.

Christmas time is about family, love and looking beyond oneself. Christ taught, in as much as ye have done unto these the least of thy brethren, you have done it undo me. I have in recent days been remind of a poem Longfellow wrote, "I heard the Bells" the last two stanzas are:

"And in despair I bow'd my head:

'There is no peace on earth' I said

For hate is strong, and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

with peace on earth, good will to me."

I hope I will always be an instrument of peace.

Black Friday

Last week at this time I was getting over Black Friday. I was sick all last weekend! The Outlet Mall, where I worked opened at 12 Midnight! (Thursday night/Friday morning)I worked 12 am till 11am, yup 11 plus hours, then I was back at the Gap Outlet at 11 hours later at 10pm and worked till 7am Saturday morning. Putting the store back together and pulling clothes fro the backroom.


Since, Thanksgiving commences the Holiday season, I pulled out my top three CD's to lesson on my 45 min commute to work. They're Barbara Streisand, Josh Groben, Julie Andrews. I first put in Josh's CD, while I listened, all those Christmases from long ago come back. That will be a later blog.

However one song that I have forgotten Josh singing played - Thankful- I replayed it and I thought how much this reflects my life with my hopes. We all get caught up in our own lives and we forget to see each other for who they are. I have tired to live to be able not to judge people, because I do not know about their own life experiences or what might have happened just before I met them.

So I share once again Lyrics from a song my boy Josh sings.



Someday we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's away too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of Us must find our truth
It's so long over do.

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's Light.


So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more
There's so much to be thankful for.



So I hope each one will find their truth and look beyond themselves and connect with the light that shines in everyone and see the joy which is all around.

DAD

So my first entry into this thing is about my Dad.

Yesterday - It's been twenty five years since my father's death. It is hard to believe, because it seems like only yesterday, that I received the news and walked the streets of London thinking about Dad. While the 'hurt' is gone I still miss him, his hugs, his laughter. However I do still feel his love all around. I often think of a picture taken at the SLC Airport as I was leaving for France on my Mission. Dad and I are hugging and the smile he has on his face. In less than a year he would be fighting for his life.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and for the past 25 years, my thoughts turn to my Dad, and for the last 8 to Mom who died on the 19 November. I pause remember, cry, and give thanks to our Heavenly Father for wonderful parents. Realizing that they are 'watching over me from above.'

I heard Josh Gorban sing the Song "To Where You Are." I immediately thought of my parents. Here are some of the Lyrics:

"Who can say for certain?

Maybe you still here.

I feel you all around me,

Your memory clear.

Deep in the stillness

I can hear you speak.

You're still an Insperation,

Can it be?

That you are mine,

foreverloved

And you are watching

Over me from up above.

Are you gently sleeping -

Here inside my dream?

And isn't faith believing

All power can't be seen?

As my heart holds you

Just one beat away

I cherish all you gave me

Everyday.

Forever loved,

Watching me from up above.

And I believe that angles breath

And that love will live on and

Never leave.

Fly me up to where you are

Beyond the distant star,

I wish upon tonight

To see you smile,

If only for awhile.

To know you're there.

A breath a way's not far

To where you are.

I know you're there

A breath away a way's not far

To where you are."

Dad, Mom thank you for all you gave me.