Certified Daddy's Girl

A little over 40 years ago, I stepped out on the scene and started this thing called life. There were two people that vowed to help me from day one be the very best Angela I could be: Thurman and Margie. Since then, they have never left my side.

These two worked relentlessly to ensure that their daughter was smart, well rounded, pretty on the inside (Genes took care of the outside.), responsible, tenacious, confident, nice, gracious, even-tempered, and appropriate in most situations.

Let's keep it real.... Often times, mothers hold it down for us when fathers are somewhere lost doing other things. But in my situation, my father stuck by me all the way.

I have plenty Daddy stories to tell, but I'm going to tell this one.
When I first started losing my sight, I couldn't see the light blue lines on the writing paper we were required to use. I sat and watched Daddy carefully take a ruler and marker to trace bold lines on a piece of paper. He then took that sheet of paper to the copy center and ran off bright yello copies of the paper. The contrast of the yelo and black was so great, I had no problem seeing how to write on the lines. (Things went down hill from there. But that has nothing to do with Daddy's commitment to me. LOL)

So, from changing my diaper, to drawing lines on a sheet of paper, to visiting me every weekend in Austin at the school for the blind, to walking me across the stage at my college graduation, to running me back and forth to the hospital to visit my mother who had a stroke, to taking me to the pharmacy to pick up tampons, to dropping and picking me up from the beauty salon, and most recently taking me to Home Depot to buy the toilets and faucets he's going to install in my house: I can do nothing but Thank God that I'm Thurman's daughter.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!!!!!! I love you so much! You are truly my super hero!
#nodaddyissueshere #wishihadapictogowiththispost #daddymakesithardforothermen #hesetthebarsohigh #wouldnthaveitanyotherwaythough

I may not need light to work, but my keyboard does.

It's probably not a good idea for a woman who doesn't need light to depend on a computer keyboard that requires light to maintain a workable energy level. I work all the time in the dark, never thinking about how I need to turn the light on or open the blinds to allow my wireless keyboard to recharge its battery via solar energy. I bought the keyboard thinking that the solarpowered technology was pretty cool, never considering that this blind woman would not be married to a lit up work area like most sighted folks. Oh, well... I still love my keyboard, even though it's quite unhappy with me these days.

Things My Mama Taught Me (Mother's Day 2014)

* To love and honor God.
* Never leave the house without earrings on.
* To greet people when I enter a room.
* To happily give up my seat to anyone that was older than me.
* Sit with my legs closed.
* That a woman's inner beauty was more important than what you could see on the outside.
* Keep your body and clothes clean.
* Don't let any man treat me less than what I'm worth.
* To problem solve.
* To get along with others, even when I didn't like them.
* To give to those in need.
* To be patient with others.
* To value education and information.
* To manage through difficult times.
* To stand up for myself and those that could not stand up for themselves.
* To love nature.
* To sing, laugh, and dance with heart.
* to express myself through creative channels.
* That nothing was wrong with being different from the crowd.
* How to clean any kitchen or bathroom, with or without sight.
* That offering someone a smile can make their day.
* How to think critically and solve problems that seems impossible to others.
* The love of music.
* How and why I should never think less of myself because I didn't have a man.
* How to be kind and compassionate to others.
* To play hard and work harder.
* To stand up for what I believed.
* That being a woman didn't mean that I was less than a man. I was just different than a man.
* To read, read, read, read, read!
* To trust my inner voice.
* To be kind to everyone and everything. She didn't even want me to hurt animals, insects, or plants. LOL
* To keep my nails clean.
* How to tell a good story and keep folks' attention while telling it.
* The beauty in making others laugh.
* How sometimes proving that you're right about something is less important than just keeping the peace.
* To be a peacemaker.
* To look at the big picture.
* To pay attention to details.
* Never ever steal.
* To not curse. (That's a habit I picked up without Mama.)
* The importance of prayer.

Written By Angela L. Braden

2014

While a couple incredible experiences took place in 2013, I’m more than glad to wave bye-bye to 2013 and say hello to 2014. With the full awareness that I possess the ability to take charge of my life and steer myself in the direction of my personal happiness, financial security, improved physical health, and emotional well being, I commit myself to the idea of doing so.

I will be more than a dreamer. I will be a doer. I refuse to continue to surrender my happiness over to external forces. My peace, my smiles, my laughter, my good night’s rest, and my confidence belongs to me and only me. I’m not willing to give it away for any reason and for any person. I will share them, but I will maintain the possession and control of all of them.

God, I thank you for the goodness, love, satisfaction, success, and restoration 2014 will bring. This will for sure be the most incredible year of my life!