Lorrain Altamirano

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. I've created it to keep loved ones updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.


There are three groups of people who will see this page.
1) Those who know my mom, Lorrain Altamirano.
2) Those who know me, Suzanne.
3) Those who know us both.


If you are in group 1, please bare with me and the first part of the journal entry. In order to get to my mom's information, you'll get a chance to know me a little bit, and our family. But this web page will be about Lorrain in the end.
 

My mom & I have started a journey together and I've decided to take a creative approach to the situation. It is what I do best after all ;-) I'm sure it will also be cathartic. To keep us sane, we all need some type of outlet in stressful situations! This is mine. Since it is the end of the year, I've decided to start with a 'Year in Review' type of thing. It's also a way to illustrate how life can change so quickly in just one year.
 
 
As a prologue, I'd like to share one of my favorite monologues by George Carlin.
 

SOMETHING TO PONDER

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin