Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Inspiration Wednesday

Today is Inspiration Wednesday at WEAVER OF GRASS

I just discovered Weaver from ELIZABETH’S blog. Elizabeth is a wonderful photographer and writer and is Mum to BUSTER, who has a great blog of his own.

I visit Buster’s blog each morning hoping for a new post. He makes me smile. He has a very earnest face and a wonderful way of describing his adventures. He is also a fine spokesdog for adopting.

So with Buster in mind I thought about inspiration.

I’m inspired by people who are kind and fair minded. Especially when they are kind with no expectation of getting anything in return.

And so I thought of people who care for and are advocates for animals. And Betty White immediately came to mind …



In addition to all her work with animals Betty inspires me to acknowledge that age is but a number. She is sexy and feisty, funny and clever.

As always thoughts of feisty, funny, clever women lead me to my Nana …



She’d kill me if I said she was sexy but I do vividly recall one of my uncles saying that my Grandfather told a story of young Nana dancing in the café after a day of swimming. He said her hair was long and still wet and she laughed as drops of water flew off her hair as she danced.

I love to imagine that since her hair was a sore spot with older Nana. She hair sprayed it into submission and hated how unruly it was. Which was funny since she always told me to leave my hair alone. It was very red and very wavy and frizzed at the hint of humidity. Some awful girl in school told me I had “ugly Jewish hair”. Nana laughed and laughed at that, and then she cursed a bit in Yiddish and then gave me one of her pearls of wisdom talks.

”Dee-an-hah” – that’s how she said my name when she was in full Russian mode – “how can hair be Jewish? I read that Elvis Presley sounds black. What is that? Hair doesn’t have a religion and voices don’t have a color. That girl is probably repeating something her mother said. I know that woman, she is stupid. She refuses to speak to me at the butcher shop. Good I say – I have no time for stupid. Your hair is fine; being Jewish is your problem.”

All these years later I can still feel the look of shock on my face. Nana had nothing comforting to say?

”What?” she asked, “you want me to lie to you? No you don’t, I never lie to you Dee-an-hah, you’re too smart for lies. That girl’s mother does not like Jewish people and her daughter is following her. It is not about your hair. It is not about you. It is about her. Know that and you will always be able to deal with people like that. I feel sorry for that girl; her mother is making her life small and dark.”

And then Nana set my hair in giant rollers so that it would be long and smooth and flowing the next day.

There is much stress and drama these days within the family circle.

And the world? Oy! where to begin? Nana would have said.

I am so very grateful to be inspired by Nana to be feisty and funny and clever. And kind.

And as always, there is Hope …



Inspiration Wednesday will flow nicely into Positive Friday. Please click the badge on the sidebar to check it out.

And do visit Weaver and Elizabeth and Buster.

34 comments:

Daryl said...

Oh this is such a wonderful post .. I do admire Betty White, she is a pistol .. as was Nana .. I wish I had known her, she was very wise. And Hope is so lovely .. baby skin, so soft and kissable .. I know when she is faced with stupidity she will turn to you, knowing you are wise and will always tell her the truth.

Anonymous said...

Yes, hooray for your Nana and hooray for Hope's Nana - love, wisdom and truth.

Jay said...

Betty White rocks. She's just about as cool as any person can be.

Your Nana was full of all kinds of wisdom.

jaycoles@gmail.com said...

It is not about your hair. It is not about you. It is about her. Know that and you will always be able to deal with people like that. I feel sorry for that girl; her mother is making her life small and dark.”

What a wonderful lesson to have given you. You are so very fortunate to have had her in your life. Thanks for sharing.

Titus said...

British, so not much clue on Betty White. But your Nana, oh, wonderful story, beautifully told, and I can hear her voice yet. Thank you.

Cherie said...

Wise woman, your Nana. :)

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

I'm sorry for the girl, too. But then, she's probably someone's grandma by now.

Wouldn't it be funny if she had wound up marrying a Jewish man and lived a happy life?

I wonder if she is sorry today for what she said so long ago. You might be surprised that it haunts her, too. :[

Unknown said...

Hello Dianne,

Thanks for visiting. Your Nana was a wise lady. Glad you found her inspiration.

Sylvia K said...

Great post, Dianne! As you know, I have no tolerance for prejudice and what a wise and wonderful woman your Nana was! You were/are so fortunate to have/had her in your life. And now Hope has her own wise Nana! You're both blessed!

Have a great day1
Sylvia

Jeni said...

As always, kids do learn from the adults around them -and that includes their prejudices too. Shameful as that may be, it is a fact. And usually those prejudices are totally off the wall too. But you know that, already -or at least, you know that now and take issue with them at every opportunity that presents itself for you to do that! Great job in doing that. Maybe, little by little, inch by inch, they'll get dispelled. Not fast enough, I know, but they didn't form over night and won't go away over night either. But, to quote your tagline now, "There's always Hope." And thank goodness for that! (In all respects!!!) She is just getting more gorgeous by the day, isn't she?

Arkansas Patti said...

Betty White is the greatest and from what you wrote, so is your Nana. What a wise woman.
Wonderful post. Thank you.

Hilary said...

Such wonderful wisdom that your Nana passed along to you.. and you in turn, will be able to share with your lovely granddaughter. There truly always is Hope.

And I love Betty White. :)

Anonymous said...

One of the luckiest things Hope is going to have is you Dee-an-hah. She is goign to learn not to judge and accept people for who and what they are. She's also going to be able to rant for days on end I'm sure of it. Your nana sounds wonderful. I wish I could remember talks from mine when I was young, but CRS settles in more and more the older I get. I love Betty White...what a woman she is :) Aloha

Anonymous said...

feisty, funny, clever post! you must be just like your nana.

and is [the beautiful] hope your granddaughter? so blessed--both of you.

Nessa said...

I love your Nana story - a very wise woman...

and the baby is so cute!

Reb said...

I think I love your Nana. She imparted a lot of wisdom to a young you and I am sure you will do the same for Hope.

Love Betty White.

Elizabeth said...

Your grandma sounds just the sort of person I would have adored!
Fun and outspoken and terrific.
Buster sends you a big lick.
All best wishes.

the walking man said...

Jaysus...I'd take Jewish hair or any other religious hair if it would cover up the bald spots. Say isn't the baby about ready for a hair cut? When you sweep up the leavings send the to me...my address is...

Deb said...

What a beautiful post! Full of wisdom and spunk ~ you and your Nana! And Hope is one lucky little girl. I, like you, pray that this world will be kinder, gentler and full of peace, love and more understanding for our grandchildren and all future generations. Take care.

Cloudia said...

Nana was wise indeed!
Aloha-

Comfort Spiral

Maithri said...

I would have loved to have met your Nana, She sounds like my kind of person,

My love to you my friend,

M

Travis Cody said...

Nana sounds like the kind of person I would like to know. I try to live by a similar philosophy. I'm not always successful.

Ron said...

BRAVA to your Nana!

What an awesome lady she was, Dianna. And it's quite obvious her spirit lives within you!

And Betty White...

...I mean, does it get any better?

You can tell just from looking at her, the kind of soul she has. She GLOWS!

One of these days, when you and I meet, I have to share a story about her. You're going to laugh, because it's exactly what you would expect from Betty.

Loved this post, dear lady!

Love ya!

Grayquill said...

What a wise Grandma, I think her grand daughter is also wise.
Thank you for sharing - very touching - had to wipe a tear away (but only one, okay maybe two).

Linda said...

I wonder what it is that makes Nanas so wise? Is it the amount of time that they've had to learn things that the rest of us have yet to grasp or is that God grants Nanas special wisdom that can only be imparted to their grandchildren at just the right moments?

Your Nana was indeed a very wise woman - very wise indeed!

Unknown said...

Yes, I have always loved Betty. She has Class and so do you Dianne. lol!!!:)

Schmoop said...

Great story Di. I dug it alot. Cheers!!

Granny Annie said...

Inspiration is the right word for this post. Love your Nana. Love Betty White.

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

Indeed, a wonderful post full of inspiration.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

I LOVE Nana!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Your Nana was so right...As Oscar Hammerstein said..."You've Got To Be Taught.." And he was talking about prejudice and how it starts with one being taught at an early age by one's parents...."....six, or seven or eight...."
I love that Nana said it like it was...!
LOVE Betty White too...She is truly amazing in every way and her dedication to Animals is the real deal....
And I went over to visit Buster because I love reading what our Animal Pals have to say...He is adorable!
And then there is your HOPE....
Inspiring, Indeed!

CG said...

I don't know Betty but your Nana was AMAZING! What a great picture you paint of her dancing with wet hair!

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

I love your Nana!

Raven said...

Kari said what I wanted to say.... I love your Nana, too. She was a special human being... and she passed that along to you.