Paper on the Seat

My mom told a story once about how when her mom would cook a roast she cut it in half and then put both halves in the pot.  My mom asked her mom why she did that and her mom said because that's how her mom (my mom's grandma) did it.  So my mom asked her Grandma why and the grandma said because her pot is too small to fit the roast uncut.  The moral of the story is that some times we pass down something for no good reason.  (I've since heard similar stories from other tellers and wonder now if my mom wasn't just personalizing an urban fable or if it indeed happened.)

A few years ago I noticed that in the restroom in my work building women would come in and out so fast.  I commented to my husband that it seems like all these women must not be putting paper on the seat.  He asked me why I put paper on the seat.  I explained that was how my mother had taught me so that I wouldn't catch anything.  Then he asked what diseases were communicable via a toilet seat. Well, none that I could think of.   Probably when my mom was a little girl in the 1940s when less was known about disease transmittal, that was a reasonable practice.  She passed it down to her children and didn't question it.  

I wonder how much of my life I wasted putting paper on toilet seats.  Every time I go to a public bathroom I feel so free now, almost a little bit rebellious.  Sometimes I still put paper or a liner down if the seat looks questionable but it is so nice not to have to worry about it, especially if I'm at the swimming pool or some other hot day when I'd have to worry about the paper sticking to my legs.  How much of my life have I now reclaimed!

A Funeral Playlist

I've mentioned before that I would like my older son to play Billy Joel's "Lullabye" at my funeral.  I've also written about "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks.  Now I'm thinking I should just start a playlist on some music site because I've come up with another song that might be fitting.  In truth, I can only hope it would be fitting.  Perhaps that is the mark of a good parent - always feeling like they could do more or be more.  I think I've taught my kids to be good people.  I've certainly made mistakes, but through that I hope they've seen that people do make mistakes and after that they can't just give up but they have to deal with the results of that mistake and find a way to move forward.

Two days ago was the best Mother's Day I've had in a long time.  I actually got to see all three of my children.  The older two and I went to a concert of Scott Stapp (former lead singer of Creed).  (Talk about making mistakes and moving on - he could be the poster boy.  I've blogged about him previously.)

Anyway, so I'm still on a Scott Stapp high and I'm cranking up the Creed music via iPot in my car (technology is so cool).  (Yes, I said Pot not Pod - it's a joke.)  Anyway anyway, this morning I was really focused on the lyrics of "Stand Here With Me" and I hope that one day when I am gone my kids will hear the song and think about me.

"Stand Here With Me"

You always reached out to me and helped me believe
All those memories we share
I will cherish every one of them
The truth of it is there's a right way to live
And you showed me
So now you live on in the words of a song
You're a melody

You stand here with me now

Just when fear blinded me you taught me to dream
I'll give you everything I am and still fall short of
What you've done for me
In this life that I live
I hope I can give love unselfishly
I've learned the world is bigger than me
You're my daily dose of reality

You stand here with me now

On and on we sing
On and on we sing this song

'Cause you stand here with me