Winston

Today, Winston Churchill has become the theme of my day so to speak. I just went on a walk with Lilz up and down Cherry Street and reflected on his life and my own. So I've decided to write up a quick history lesson about Sir Winston and put into words for my children something that they can learn from him. After that I will follow it up with just why I'm thinking of this hero of mine today. History is the subject nearest and dearest to my heart, but do understand that isn't the case for most people so I ask those of you who find it dreadfully boring to bear with me. :-)

History Lesson #1 for the Moore Children (and any other children who may stumble across this page):

Once upon a time, there was a very brave man name Sir Winston Spencer Churchill who was born in Oxfordshire, England in on 30 November 1874 . His father was a British aristocrat and his mother was an American heiress. He grew up to be a soldier, a war correspondent, a writer and painted many watercolors. He had a wife named Clementine whom he loved dearly. He later became a politician, elected to the House of Commons at the young age of 26. He later became Prime Minister. He was the wisest man around with very good insight into people's characters and had almost a psychic ability to predict what was down the road for the British Empire and it's allies including America. He could sense trouble brewing abroad before anyone else could or would even look at the situation. He saw trouble from Germany ages before anyone else did. Many people (naysayers) did not believe him and thought him to be a kook. Finally his fears started to become real and others began believing him when they saw the proof of the things Winston had been telling them all along. Because Winston spoke up, he ended up saving most of the westernized realm on earth from that evil man named Hitler. But if people would have listened to him sooner, England may have not been bombed and a lot more of Hitler's victims may have been saved. Winston Churchill then went on to become a hero to many and defined what it means to be a true Statesman by following his instincts and not giving up.

Moral of the story: listen carefully to and use your own instinct, observe things that others may choose not to see and speak up for what you know is right until you are heard.

Why am I reflecting upon the life of Sir Winston Churchill today? Well, last night I had decided to give up...not really give up but just stop thinking about all the things worrying me that are out of my control.... things I cannot change or make go away such as my thyroid tumor, food prices going up, the economic woes circulating around the globe, people losing their jobs, various wars, famines, world peace, if Yellowstone is going to erupt. You name it, I was thinking about it and wanted to fix everything which is ridiculous as a lot of that is literally out of my control and has nothing to do with me.

Of course I did have stuff going on that did have to do with me. I had gotten really tired after getting rid of the Christmas tree as mentioned in yesterday's post and the kids came home and acted as though I had kicked a member of the family out of the house (and immediately tried to drag the tree back into the house), poor little King Caed was crying last night because apparently nobody would play with him at recess (and anything I did or said gave him no comfort at all which made me feel awful), the Husband was missing England of course, Mimi was going on about a week long luxury trip to Disneyland she'd like to take complete with room service and then got sad because she misses her old school and old friends (not that she doesn't like her newer school and the new kids but she misses having close girl friends nearby to play with every day and spend the night once in a while). I just felt defeated so....

....I changed my Facebook status to read "Hilary...gives up." Kirsten, sister extraordinaire not just her own sisters but to me as well (I sometimes like to pretend I'm a McNelly sister)commented that Churchill would be sad (that I was giving up) and abracadabra, Winston was first and foremost in my thoughts.

Mainly I was thinking about all the responsibility he had and all the worries that must have plagued him during the rise of Hitler...imagine feeling that terror and responsibility to protect so many people yet having nobody believe you? Talk about having things to worry about!

It made me feel oh-so-sheepish and just a little bit insignificant when I thought my "giving up" stance last night. I do have legit things to be concerned about of course like we all do but as usual, things can always be worse. I mean, the title of my blog is based on the fact that my life has had many ups and downs like a hill; it just so happens that my name can be used as a play on words for the idea of having a hill-like existence. But I created this blog to be my happy corner in the online universe to dedicate to life's little things that matter (and big ones of course as well) and that is precisely what thinking about Churchill has done...reminded me of the little stuff like listening to your heart and sticking to your guns and seeing the big picture.

And another little thing, it's time for Lilz's lunch as usual this time of day. Grilled cheese maybe, yet again?

For anyone else out there today feeling like life isn't the best right now, remember, as Churchill said, "Never, never, never, never, never give up." (To learn more about his life, click on the Winston title).