Wanted: Safe People

It's a pity that I feel I need to read a book to help me identify people who are 'unsafe', but in the reading of this book some things are becoming clearer to me (at last). Primarily, if I've spent most of my life surrounded by unsafe people, I already know who they are (they have dominated my life), otherwise, I would not have picked up the book to read.

I haven't read this book cover-to-cover, but I get the gist of it. 'Safe' people have traits that are the opposite of the unsafe folks I know...with twenty identifiable traits even!! It's good that I've read the list. Now I know, without a doubt, what to look for.

Unsafe people fall into three main categories: abandoners, critics, and irresponsibles. I bet you know a few. I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of falling into these categories myself at times which leads me to the next thought.

I won't spend time anymore talking endlessly about the 'unsafe people' I know or the influence they've had on me. What a waste!! They are their own worst enemy/problem. That I've been effected by them is unfortunate. Though they've left me feeling that the world is possibly full of nothing but unsafe people, that is just not true. To focus so much of my time and attention to them, is self-defeating, and truly gives them more power than they deserve. I won't continue to allow this.

How simple a concept. I just need to 'let it go'....it IS that simple! I need to concentrate on being a safe person myself. In doing so, I will continue to spot those who are not, and to avoid the behavior they would want to project onto me if I am willing to let them. Knowing who I am, hopefully the opposite of them, will make this possible. My behavior will leave them to deal with their own issues if I do not devote so much of my energy to them....something I've been guilty of most of my life.

I was constantly defending myself from unsafe people, or I was busy talking and obsessing about the things they would do to me. I've truly spent too much of my valuable time...my very life....with them at the center. No more!! It's truly time to move on...get over it...leave those people to themselves and out of my life...at least as an 'influence'.

What a relief!! Just the thought is liberating!! I've spent too much time in defensive mode. Doing so just isn't living life to the fullest.

Recent events have left me to realize just how short life can be. I've got a lot of living yet to do. I can't make up for the time I've lost, but I can vow to embrace the time I have left and run with it!!

And I will!!!!

More on Victory Stadium...

My tendency is to write for myself, a diary, if you will, so often I forget to include details to provide clarity for those few of you who attempt to follow along. I'm grateful for you guys who keep up on a regular basis (as well as the new folks who've taken a peek...primarily due to my link provided by our beloved friend and fellow blogger, 'Acidman'...may he R.I.P.), I value the exchanges we've made as a result. My life is richer having made your acquaintances, so thanks for that!!!

Per request, I'll leave a link today that provides some background on Victory Stadium. I hope this contributes to an understanding of the photos you've seen previously. You can google and find out more if you'd like about how the demolition came about, etc. Because I'm not a native of this area, my memories are somewhat limited to the celebrations held annually on the 4th of July, which is why I focused on that aspect moreso than the overview. But this is great, the stadium, like our old friend, Rob, is worth remembering for the rest of our days. I'm glad to share both with you!! Thanks for your interest and support!!

Victory Stadium (circa 2005)

So, I rummaged through my archived photo files and found these photos to share with you for a glimpse of the 'glory days' at Victory Stadium. As you will observe, I'm always the one with the camera, ha (hence, the absence of myself in any photos). These were taken July 4, 2005.

They all came out....from the elderly....





....to the young....



....and all ages in between...







It was a great time for all.....









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Farewell....





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Fourth of July....Past & Present......

The following is actually a letter I wrote earlier today to send to a friend in e-mail. Rather than rewrite the story, I thought I'd share it here with all of you. I hope you each have a great 4th!!!

Our local firework celebration has taken place at Victory Stadium, an old football stadium landmark, for years. I attended the festivities last year with some friends (not realizing the fate lying ahead), but I was also one of the lucky people who could see the display very well from my front yard. Whenever my family lived here, we'd cook-out on the deck, then move lawn chairs to the front yard at dusk, and watch the kids and their friends and all the others in the neighborhood light their own fireworks and sparklers in the cul-de-sac in between the larger display taking place. We'd all be wearing our red/white/blue, and we'd proudly wave our large flags on the front porch, as well as the smaller version in our hands....

This past week I took my camera down to Victory Stadium, where lawn chairs were set up once again, but this time in the parking lot for those present to observe the demolition of our beloved stadium. You know the old story....innovation...time for change, so voted the 'yuppies'....The 'old-timers', with stories to tell, were there with tears in their eyes, the 'baby-boomers' brought their children to witness something they will never have the opportunity to experience again, and likely will not have the fond memories to carry into their old age like those mentioned before. Restless teenagers with nothing better to do were there...as were several television crews and photographers of all calibers....from the professionals with tripods to the amateur with a throw-away camera. Then there were the three guys sitting on the tailgate of a vehicle, recalling football games and other celebrations that were a part of their past, lifting their beer bottles to the night sky and longing to be in high school or college once again!! It was bittersweet and sad, to say the least.

I captured it all in photos that night, if you'd like to see. Today, there is NO Victory Stadium, no spouse, no kids, no fireworks at my house. I do have a new grill I want to light up, and homemade ice cream sounds good...now if I just had my 'kidnapped Lady Liberty' whirling, sparkly flashlight to take outdoors, I'd be set!!