A quickie- ha ha ha, I lie, but I'll try -truly, I have recently met some amazing people in our most recent travels, Americans and other nationalities both, and I try never to judge [that's not to say that they may be lying- but I relay what I was told:

The first couple we met when we arrived at the marina-motel in Conch Key Florida was comprised of a man who said he was, 50 that looked 40, an American citizen from Mexican immigrant wealthy jewish parents that came from Mexico from a prominent San Diego California family. He was their black sheep and escaping some kind of connections he formerly had with their wonderful "gangs" there. "Eduardo's wife was a 35 year old Israeli who has been in our country and now a legal citizen, for 3 years and had taught through our international teacher's program. They claimed they didn't do drugs, cannabis or vape. They were not aware I had already seen them discreetly doing some vaping of something from a distance.  So, no telling the degree of truth about anything they said. Still I liked them. He told me they were escaping the gangs and the woke of California. In their flight to Florida, he was rearranging his priorities for his kids to have normal lives as once known in our American Normalacy- Things like fishing and basketball; wholesome sports, education and activities. They had 2 very cute young children under age 5. We shared some interesting stuff and he was unique in that he was an avid collector of meteorites. It's too much too share and they left the next night. I thought that was kind of weird and wondered about that.  Also we got to be friendly with the staff....because, well, they kind of screwed up, but since we aren't "the assholes" type, we actually gave them some comfort. They made some errors that started at the internet operator's level and it trickled down effected how it was handled and exposed a deficiency at the motel level that could have cost them their jobs and they knew it. It began when we arrived at the check in at 5pm and it was closed. ( And it wasn't normally closed during those hours). My itinerary they sent assigned us  room  #1, when in actuality, it was supposed too be room # 10.

  I'll make it short, they were so thankfull that we're not the stereotypical "white asshole"tourists that  we are all now being portrayed as these days.

And they made a wrong, right and even more. WE became that bouquet of beautiful colors.  And it led to some perks and deals up in Key Largo as we were journeying back home to North Carolina,when we had to say goodbye

The next story is about the last peeps I met in Florida, at the conclusion of our Florida trip to Fort Myers Island, Florida. I'll insert that the only thing originally planned was the first week in April with our youngest son, his sister and his 3 kids for a Spring Break Disneyland  treat.  It morphed into alot more of exploring Florida, ending with an aggravated pre-existing hernia from too much choppy water wave runner riding of a 70 year old man who should have known better. We aren't caterers to the system. He got a specialist while down in Florida and paid cash, no debt. We acquired wealth so we could, but we did not earn it ourselves, nor asked for and by legitimate legality- it was an unexpected inheritance.. We never asked for nor expected but we've helped alot of people along the way, not only ourselves and it is sad how some come to view other's wealth or lack of it. Equally sad is how some of the wealthy view their own wealth and others and just sit on something that can help in others lives, as we have done and many more fortunate people have done- but you don't hear about it or their generosity because most of us don't brag about it, it's not the Christian way.  It's all I can do to bite my tongue on what some have as opinions and I do.  I have also been poor, very very poor, food-stamp poor and everything  in between. I have known good families that were slave owners where those families in our current generations break bread together. NONE of those beautiful black families have been asking the Hardee's Cheeseburgers' founder's families of Rock Mount NC- none are demanding for reparations to be paid them . The family of the past were iindeed true slave owners of that time. The Boddie-Noels in life struggle too- many have histories of wealth and loss of that wealth. Love of money is the root of evil, not money itself. Our daughter is super best friends with their daughter to this day. Our daughter is semi conservative and doesn't support either political party of American politics today. Many of wealthy means have helped many of those in need, more than you know. Wade is healing good. He even drove us all the way back home [ the doctor told him not to do]. Idiot.

So after the surgery was done and his activities were curtailed, he didn't mind me going down to the pool for brief swims. When I got there, there were 2 teenagers, young women that looked to be in their twenties, slender and fit. I found out later they were just 16 and it blew my brain. The girls reminded me of Noell and Melissa's friendship, too.

They were very nice and friendly. Her friend had to leave for about 30 minutes and that was when we really got talking personal. I have never met such a young person so very wise beyond her years that could relate to me, an old woman, on so many varied topics especially politics and religions. I really was AMAZED.  She grew up in cental Florida and while she and her siblings were still elementary school age, her parents both became addicts and it had made their life a survival of hell. There was no happy ending. Their parents died from drug od's--They spent a brief time in foster care before going to live with their aunt and uncle. She says it wasn't much better because their uncle drank too much, was abusive to their aunt somtimes and was a bi-polar depressed person frequently off his medication. But they gave her enough to support her education and the teachers did the rest and she excellled and graduated early. She is sponsered by loving and generous individuals and now is starting college early and wants to become a doctor.  You see, the girl that became her best friend and her mother took her in, in Fort Myers where she will begin college. Her mom is now the benefactor and guardian, the divorced mother of the girl who became her best friend...who  just happened to be a part  owner of the condominium and the pool that we met and said fairwell in. 

It gave me a renewed hope for the peeps of our nation-- especially the resilience of our orphaned ones. 

People are varied in their hearts-- it not how much you have but how much you are willing to give. But bottom line, it's  about not hurting others-- especially yourself. Only you can fix what kind of person you want to be.