ADVICE

Ask Me a Question, I’ll Tell You a Story

I don’t have answers, but I have experience

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When I was young, I loved to read the advice columns. As a teen, I tried to act like I knew everything, but I had so many questions. Having been born in the 60’s and coming of age in the 70’s, there were many topics that nobody talked about — at least not in my family. Thus, when Ann Landers and Dear Abby answered questions on topics nobody else wanted to talk about, I salivated over their words. They addressed questions about relationships, age, abuse, gender, and mental health. For a sheltered, shy, young girl in her teens, these women created opportunities for dialogue.

Now, in my 60’s I enjoy telling stories. Life events challenged my sanity and if the statement, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” is true, than I am one tough old lady.

There were many times I felt like the four farmers clad in overalls with jugs of moonshine who sang GLOOM, DESPAIR AND AGONY ON ME From the TV Show “Hee-Haw” With sad faces, body language that showed they had been beaten down my life, and often tears in their eyes they bemoaned their fates by singing off-tune and leaning on each other.

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no…