Fright Night - Not So Frightening

One of the movies that I remember really enjoying as a cult classic is Fright Night.  Presently watching a remake and not really sure how I feel so far.  There always seems to be something "classic" missing from the remakes.  House on Haunted Hill, Hill House, Wax Museum.  There is a mood, an atmosphere that seems lost in translation.  (of course, there are very few like Vincent Price out there either). 

Giving the new version a chance, but so far it is not looking promising. 

Love This Article!

 I did not write this, but love it.  Leaving the link to the author's site.

David Borgenicht

7 Life Lessons You Can Learn From 'Star Trek'

Let me start out by coming clean: I am a closet Trekkie.

I went to my first "Star Trek" convention when I was nine. I have owned dozens of "Star Trek" toys, models, props and books over the years (and yes, I used to make my Kirk and Uhura action figures kiss). I even have a communicator app on my iPhone (and I'm eagerly waiting for the tricorder app now that Siri has arrived). I don't own a uniform, but I wish I did (Hint hint: Channukah's coming, family. I'll take the classic Captain's shirt in M, please, so that it rips easier when I get into fights).

My love of "Star Trek" began at an early age and has lasted to this day. But why? It isn't just because of the campy sets and costumes that are still iconic. It isn't because of the terrific performance by Leonard Nimoy (Spock) or Captain Kirk's Shatnerific overacting. It isn't even because of the superb sci-fi storytelling and writing or the fact that the toys and accoutrements were (and are) so cool that the culture seems to be obsessed with making them real. Although all of that is true.

No, my love of "Trek" has lasted this long because of what I have learned from my friends on the Enterprise over the years.

From the joys of exploration to the simple pleasures of curling up in your own quarters (often with a hot yeoman and a cold drink), from the value of friendship to the value of calling someone's bluff, I've learned dozens of life skills, lessons and even values from the iconic show that ran only three years in prime time when it originally debuted (before I was born).

I think that's what ultimately motivated me to create and publish (via my company, Quirk Books) "THE STAR TREK BOOK OF OPPOSITES," as an attempt to familiarize children today (including my own) with the world of "Trek."

There are no great life lessons in "THE STAR TREK BOOK OF OPPOSITES" (although learning the difference between BIG and LITTLE, HOT and COLD would certainly serve anyone well). But beyond the basics of opposites, the book is a great way to introduce kids to the world and characters of "Star Trek," in the hopes that someday they will come back to it and begin to appreciate its power and cultural resonance.

I would say there are seven life lessons I learned from "Star Trek" that I take with me to this day. These are lessons I hope to pass along to my own children someday--but for now, I will share them with the interweb.

1. The best way to travel is to boldly go where no one has gone before. This is true for vacations, for self-exploration, for life itself. If you want your days filled with adventure, laughter, love, learning and the occasional mind-meld, follow this route.
2. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few--or the one. Sometimes you must make great sacrifices for the greater good. And, like the Genesis device, it will all come back around.
3. Expressing your emotions is a healthy thing. Sure, McCoy seemed angry all the time when exclaiming, "Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor not a mechanic/bricklayer/soothsayer," but he knew that by expressing his anger and frustration it wouldn't get the best of him and he could then perform at his peak capacity.
4. When estimating how long a job will take, overestimate--and when you do better your captain will always be impressed. Replace the word "captain" with "teacher" or "mom/dad" and you'll see what I mean. Sure, Mr. Scott might have been telling the truth--maybe it would take six hours to get the warp engines back online in the heat of the battle. Or maybe he was padding things so he looked good. Either way, when the engines did come back on line, everyone was happy.
5. Wearing red makes you a target. This is true of cars, dresses and, most especially, shirts. Red gets you noticed--which is good if you want to be noticed, bad if you don't want to end up vaporized.
6. When you don't know what to say, pause. It will give you the time to figure it out. Or at the very least, you'll sound like you're being thoughtful. "But....Spock.....why?"
7. The most powerful force in the universe is friendship. It's more powerful than phasers, photon torpedos, even more powerful than the force itself. With friends, you can accomplish any task, escape any perilous situation, defeat any enemy--and you get to laugh together when it's all over.

I am convinced that these lessons will serve us all, adults and children, well as we seek out new life, new civilizations, new experiences. In short, thanks to "Star Trek," we may all live long and prosper.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

By Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

I have never been one to care much for change.  I love small changes, tiny twists in the road that allow for surprises, renewal, and a feeling of "newness."  Yet, large changes have always made me feel a bit sad.  But reading through this poem again tonight, I think of the story of Midas and his golden touch.  Maybe it is not so bad that the gold cannot stay.  Maybe it is the knowing that it is fleeting that allows one to appreciate it all the more.  And since change is inevitable - the only true stablility in life - just maybe learning to appreciate life's fluidity is learning to appreciate life. 

Journeying in the Now

    Often I will ask my students to write about "one moment in time that made a difference in your life."  Only to realize that I don't really take the time to live for the moment in mine.  Would I have difficulty writing this memoir?  So keeping in mind that patience is still a virtue and waiting is often best for the "moment,"  I have decided to slow down, breathe (deeply), appreciate the right now.  Sometimes I am so busy dealing with the "just happened" or contemplating the "what's to come" that I miss the "happening now." 

    
    So, as I began my 9.5 hour drive the other day, I decided to put myself to the test.  Gotta start somewhere.  This drive goes on forever and ever and ever and ever and ever.  I have always dreaded the going and the coming.  So instead of thinking about how far I'd gone or how far I had to go, I contemplated the present.  Right now I am here.  This is what is around me.  I will never be in this exact place again at this exact moment.  I am here (wherever here might be).  And I must admit it was quite eye-opening.  The anxiety slipped away and the moment slid into view. Amazingly,  I discover I am not dreading the long trip back.  That I do not feel so irritable or uptight. Liberating!

   And it begins - right now, in this moment - my journey on the road becomes a metaphor for my journey through life. God will navigate and I will drive, striving along the road to appreicate the moment, wherever it may find me.

A Connection

It's been awhile, but finally one of the "daily poems" stands out.  By attaching it to a poem by Dickenson, Espaillat seems to enhance the universal truth expressed.  This theme, feeling, emotion touches all - defies the ages.

“Find Work”

By Rhina P. Espaillat b. 1932

I tie my Hat—I crease my Shawl—

Life's little duties do—precisely

As the very least

Were infinite—to me—

—Emily Dickinson, #443 

My mother’s mother, widowed very young
of her first love, and of that love’s first fruit,
moved through her father’s farm, her country tongue
and country heart anaesthetized and mute
with labor. So her kind was taught to do—
“Find work,” she would reply to every grief—
and her one dictum, whether false or true,
tolled heavy with her passionate belief.
Widowed again, with children, in her prime,
she spoke so little it was hard to bear
so much composure, such a truce with time
spent in the lifelong practice of despair.
But I recall her floors, scrubbed white as bone,
her dishes, and how painfully they shone.

Source: Poetry (February 1999).
My source

"Lost" in a Crowd

 This morning's sermon centered around the story of Zacchaeus.  C. Spencer presented the idea that in order to see Christ, Zacchaeus had to make the decision to move out of the crowd (in this case by climbing a tree).  I began to wonder how often we miss Christ or lose our view of him because we are blinded by the crowd.  The idea of one's being lost in a crowd begins to take on a whole new meaning.  Our being blinded by the crowd (or the company we keep) is no excuse.  We need to look to Christ daily, and when something, someone, or some action blocks our view, find the closest tree and climb!

Pranking with Jello and Flamingos

Last night I opened the door to this:

And this:

Apparently there was a prank pulled on THE OFFICE where someone chilled a stapler in jello.  The girls decided to try this with my "singing bowl" after they snatched it.  Didn't quite come out as they planned, but it sure was funny.  But they weren't done yet....

The next morning I awoke to this:

And:

Think there were about 23 in all throughout my front yard.  We had a bit of rain (very unusual for our area), and it appeared my yard sprouted pink flamingos.  But it made for a fun morning, especially after spotting this:



Didn't turn pic upright before posting - oh well, a symbol for life at the moment:  a little sideways.

Yet Another

Yet another poem by Dean Young.  Stumbled upon him through a poetry site and have been quite impressed.  Hope I'm not breaking any copyright laws by sharing these poems.  So always linking back to my source Poetry.Org. Ash Ode
by Dean Young
When I saw you ahead I ran two blocks shouting your name then realizing it wasn’t you but some alarmed pretender, I went on running, shouting now into the sky, continuing your fame and luster. Since I've been incinerated, I've oft returned to this thought, that all things loved are pursued and never caught, even as you slept beside me you were flying off. At least what's never had can’t be lost, the sieve of self stuck with just some larger chunks, jawbone, wedding ring, a single repeated dream, a lullaby in every elegy, descriptions of the sea written in the desert, your broken umbrella, me claiming I could fix it.

Bronzed

As I receive several poems of the day from this site.  I hope to share the ones that  stand out.  

BY DEAN YOUNG

That dusty bubble gum, once ubiquitous as starlings,   

is no more, my love. Whistling dinosaurs now populate   

only animation studios, the furious actions of angels   

causing their breasts to flop out in mannerist   

frescos flake away as sleet holds us in its teeth.   

And the bus-station's old urinals go under   

the grindstone and the youthful spelunkers   

graduate into the wrinkle-causing sun. The sea   

seemingly a constant to the naked eye is one   

long goodbye, perpetually the tide recedes,   

beaches dotted with debris. Unto each is given   

a finite number of addresses, ditties to dart   

the heart to its moments of sorrow and swoon.   

The sword's hilt glints, the daffodils bow down,   

all is temporary as a perfect haircut, a kitten   

in the lap, yet sitting here with you, my darling,   

waiting for a tuna melt and side of slaw   

seems all eternity I'll ever need   

and all eternity needs of me.

Guess It's All About Point-of-View

Have always loved Roald Dahl.  Stumbled upon this little ditty today.  Little morbid, but then I guess it depends on one's point-of-view. :)  There's one about Red Riding Hood and Cinderella as well.

Excerpt –

'This famous wicked little tale 
Should never have been put on sale 
It is a mystery to me 
Why loving parents cannot see 
That this is actually a book 
About a brazen little crook...' 

'...Now just imagine how you'd feel 
If you had cooked a lovely meal, 
Delicious porridge, steaming hot, 
Fresh coffee in the coffee pot, 
With maybe toast and marmalade, 
The table beautifully laid, 
One place for you and one for dad, 
Another for your little lad. 
Then dad cries, 'Golly–gosh! Gee whizz! 
'Oh cripes! How hot this porridge is! 
'Let's take a walk along the street 
'Until it's cool enough to eat.' 
He adds, 'An early morning stroll 
'Is good for people on the whole. 
'It makes your appetite improve 
'It also helps your bowels move.' 
No proper wife would dare to question 
Such a sensible suggestion, 
Above all not at breakfast–time 
When men are seldom at their prime. 
No sooner are you down the road 
Than Goldilocks, that little toad 
That nosey thieving little louse, 
Comes sneaking in your empty house....' 

'...(Here comes the next catastrophe.) 
Most educated people choose 
To rid themselves of socks and shoes 
Before they clamber into bed. 
But Goldie didn't give a shred. 
Her filthy shoes were thick with grime, 
And mud and mush and slush and slime. 
Worse still, upon the heel of one 
Was something that a dog had done. 
I say once more, what would you think 
If all this horrid dirt and stink 
Was smeared upon your eiderdown 
By this revolting little clown? 
(The famous story has no clues 
To show the girl removed her shoes.) 

Oh, what a tale of crime on crime! 
Let's check it for a second time. 

Crime One, the prosecution's case: 
She breaks and enters someone's place. 

Crime Two, the prosecutor notes: 
She steals a bowl of porridge oats. 

Crime Three: She breaks a precious chair 
Belonging to the Baby Bear. 

Crime Four: She smears each spotless sheet 
With filthy messes from her feet. 

A judge would say without a blink, 
'Ten years hard labour in the clink!' 
But in the book, as you will see, 
The little beast gets off scot–free, 
While tiny children near and far 
Shout 'Goody–good! Hooray! Hurrah!' 
'Poor darling Goldilocks!' they say, 
'Thank goodness that she got away!' 
Myself, I think I'd rather send 
Young Goldie to a sticky end. 
'Oh daddy!' cried the Baby Bear, 
'My porridge gone! It isn't fair!' 
'Then go upstairs,' the Big Bear said, 
'Your porridge is upon the bed. 
'But as it's inside mademoiselle, 
'You'll have to eat her up as well.'

Roald Dahl

I Believe

First posted this two years ago - still love it.

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born.

A Death Certificate shows that we died.

Pictures show that we lived!

I Believe...

That just because two people argue,doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue, doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
we understand that friends change.

I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I Believe...
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.

Same goes for true love.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I Believe...
That it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

I Believe....
That you should always leave loved ones with
loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...
That we are responsible for what
we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe....
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe..
That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing, and have the best time.

I Believe...
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them...and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated..

I Believe...
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe...
Two people can look at the exact same
thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of
hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, if
a friend cries out to you...you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything.

**Anonymous

Picture Perfect?

After completeing the TAKS test today, we found ourselves with a little time left before lunch. Apparently boredom was setting in, and one of my students decided to pass the time drawing. Harmless enough; however, the subject of the artwork turned out to be me. Can't say I'm too sure about the "writing" across the neck though. Didn't notice it until after he handed me the picture and wandered away. Oh well, at least he has me smiling.

What Difference Does Easter Make?

Chauncey Spencer, does an awesome job of keeping the message in an outlined form each Sunday, a great teaching tool.  It is my goal to share this outline each week.

The verbs within the following message stand out to me.  Jesus is, has, and does.  He is NOT dead, no past tense.  He still is, still has, and still does when it comes to us on a daily basis.  "Can be" makes an impression as well.  Our past can be forgiven, our present problems can be managed, and our future can be secured.  They can be but only ARE when we accept what is being offered to us.  We need to accept the forgiveness, to accept the eternal life offered, to accept Christ as our Savior - the only one who changes "CAN BE" to "IS".

What does the Resurrection Mean?


1. Jesus is who he claimed to be.

     "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." John 11:25

     "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one can get to God the Father except by means of me."     John 14:6 (LB)

2. Jesus has the power he claimed to have.

     "All power in heaven and on earth is given to me." Matt 28:18 (Ph)

     "No one takes my life from me.  I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up  again."   John 10:18 (Ph)

3. Jesus does what he promises to do.

     "They will mock...and flog... and kill me; but after three days I will come back to life again." Matt. 10: 34 (LB)

     "The angel said, "Don't be frightened!  I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified, but he isn't here!  He has come back to life again, just as he said he would." Matt. 28:5-6 (LB)

Why Does the Resurrection Matter?

1. My past can be forgiven.

"He has forgiven all our sins... and canceled every record of the debt we owed; Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross." Col. 3:14 (JB)

"There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ." Rom. 8:1 (LB)

2. My present problems can be managed.

"How incredibly great is his power to help those who believe Him... the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead!" Eph. 1:20 (LB)

"I am ready for anything through the strength of Christ who lives in me." Phil. 4:13

3. My future can be secured.

"This is the way to have eternal life - by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, the one he sent to earth!" John 17:3 (LB)

"We have been born again into a life full of hope through Christ's rising from the dead." 1 Peter 1:3

***

When Confusion Is Enlightening

For someone like me who finds sometimes clarity takes time, this piece of information proved very enlightening.

When More Is Less...

Driving through town this morning, I couldn't help but appreciate the beauty in Spring's return.  The trees, especially.  As my thoughts continued to wander, I realized that I have a greater appreciation for those trees now that I live in the Panhandle.  Then "less is more" popped into my head along with its possibilities.

The less I complain, the more I enjoy the day;
the more I enjoy the day, the less I complain.

The less I worry, the happier I am;

The happier I am, the less I worry.

The less I judge, the more I understand;

The more I understand, the less I judge.

The less I talk, the more I learn;
the more I learn, the better I listen.

The less I have, the more I appreciate;
The more I appreciate, the less I need.

Ironically, often less allows us to have more of what really matters.  May we think more often about how fortunate we are and less about our losses.

Looking for Education...

...educational blogs that is.  Surfed the web for awhile today.  Found a few.  But still not sure how much I like them.  So if any of you out there have a favorite blog or two centering on education or literature, please send the info my way.

"Give to every human being every right that you claim for yourself." ~Robert Green Ingersol

And what a wonderful world it would be!

Spring Reaches New Heights: Baby Eagles

I love spring.  I love the sight of new leaves growing on the trees, branches once bare, now sprouting out with beautiful colors.  The idea of birth, "rebirth," new chances and possibilities.  And today - a special treat.  Watching an eagle preparing her nest while patiently waiting for her babies to make an appearance.  As interesting as it is, I must admit that I did not realize it would be so mesmerizing.  How often has one said "if only I could be a fly on the wall"?  And in this case we are - all 250,000 of us watching this eagle sit patiently on her eggs. 

Didn't even realize how much time was passing until I began to wonder what was happening to the color.  Of course, it is night time now.  The cameras recording the events are enveloped in the night's darkness.  Yet she waits and prepares.  Sometimes so patiently that it appears as if I am looking at a screensaver and not an actual live feed. As I write, she appears to sleep.  Her head slowly lowers closer to the nest, very slowly.  Asleep, but aware.  What an awesome opportunity, to view nature at its finest.  To realize that there has to be some kind of plan, some design.  This mother eagle knows instinctly what is expected, what is necessary, what is expected.  And manages to communicate beautifully with the male eagle that swoops in and out of our view.

And like the mother eagle, we too must often wait and prepare patiently for God's plan to reveal itself.  But reveal itself it will - as it is all part of the grand design.

Blessings of Dragon-napping

If you look closely, you will see that the dragon is hanging upside down holding a sign reading "help me." My dragon (one of many I keep in the classroom) had been kidnapped.  Hanging from the ceiling was a pinata holding the first clue of my hunt to save said dragon.  If you look even closer, you will notice that the dragon is wearing a birthday hat.  He was kidnapped on my birthday and awaiting rescue.  The picture reminds me of the creativity, kindness, and silliness of youth.  And that at a time when many are having difficulty finding or keeping a job, I am blessed not only with a job, but with one I love.  I need to keep that in mind daily -  appreciate the blessings that surround me, especially those teen-aged blessings that keep me laughing, thinking, smiling, and young at heart on a daily basis.

What Keeps Us From Hatching?

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

C. S. Lewis

I love this analogy.  So often it seems so easy to just "keep everything the way it is," including myself.  So I wonder what exactly it means to hatch from the egg, especially if the egg is a perfectly good one.  Following the metaphor,as the baby bird must make an effort to crack the egg, we must make an effort to hatch and grow.   Yet the egg has offered security and safety; why would the bird even endeavor to leave a nice place, especially when effort is involved?  Does it naturally feel a need?  An urge?  Just knows the surroundings are beginning to feel cramped? What keeps us stagnating in the "same" place daily, allows us to feel satisfied with "the way we are."  Is it difficulty or is it fear?  Are we afraid if we take that step to hatch the egg and leave the nest that predators may attack? Fear can be immobilizing, but apathy can be debelitating.  

 If the baby bird were to avoid that natural push to peck away, how much longer would the security last before dying and death set in?  If we avoid our true nature, what becomes of us?  Do we stagnate, shrivel up, and eventually die to any possible new growth?  What of the differences we could make for those around us?  We affect others whether we mean to or not; whether for better or worse.  Believing all is well doesn't mean all is well. 

So maybe we should make an effort each day to challenge ourselves to be just a bit more; to help just a bit more; to try just a bit harder; and to make just a bit of difference in the world that surrounds us.  Remaining in the egg may seem easier, but "things are not always what they seem."

**If this is your copyrighted clip art and would like it removed, please let me know. 

From Must to Strive

"There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy."  Albert Ellis

Interesting that the first two don't appear to allow for mistakes and the last would help keep mistakes from occurring.  In order to grow, we must be willing to accept our mistakes, not fear them.  Doesn't mean we should want to keep making them, but acknowledge the action, learn from it, and move on.  The biggest problem lies in attempting to cover up a misdeed by simply labeling it a mistake.  As a society, we often try to avoid accepting responsibility with, "Well, it was just a mistake."  Accepting one's mistakes does not validate them, nor does it excuse them.  But it does allow for opportunity, growth, and honesty.  And honesty allows us to realize that what we often want to label as a mistake is actually much, much more.

And maybe if we're honest, we can move forward with - I will strive to do well. I will strive to treat you well.  And in so doing, the world may not be easy, but it will be worth the living.

***Just me, just thinking.

A Battle for Self

Reading REVIVING OPHELIA.  Finding the information about the struggles of adolescent girls quite enlightening.  The following poem (draft form) presents some ideas I have gleaned from this work.

I am young, I am me,
I love what I love, can be what I will be.
I feel bold, I feel brave,
I'm a princess in a castle, a hunter in a a cave.
I might change the world, can change the world, will change the world -
Right after I run through the flowers and play in the mud.

I am an adolescent, I've lost me,
I am confused about what you want me to be.
I'm a teenager in my room, locked in myself, not what you see.
I am hidden from the world, labeled by the world, stunted in the world.
Right now I run from myself; I'm losing myself; I want to be myself -
but you are trying to tell me who I am.

Commercials, magazines, tv. They are not me, but what I see.
Telling me who I should be.
I'm yelling but no one hears.  The silence is deafening. 
Why do you get to decide who I am?
Why do I let you?

Who will win the battle for me?
Will I fight or  will I concede?

If conceding, the irony will be -
The world, others, society -
May have been better off with the real me.

An Understanding Heart

Saw a comment today that reminded me of a poem I wrote several years ago.

An Understanding Heart

I once heard tell that to have a child is to decide forever to have Your heart walking around outside vour bodv.

Her baby sleeps.

She watches with amazement.

The calm, quiet, consistent breathing

Her heart lies there.

And her baby grows.

She watches with excitement.

The first wobbly steps towards walking

Her heart toddles off.

And her toddler grows.

She watches with anxiousness.

The very first day of schooling

Her heart enters nervously.

And her child grows.

She listens with frustration.

Many days of arguments

The first accusations: "But you just don't understand."

She thinks, "But one day you will."

Her heart moves away angrily.

And her daughter marries.

She watches with nostalgia

The first moments of a new journeying

Her heart separates uncertainly.

And the wife grows.

She assists with happiness

Her first days of grandmothering

Her heart doubles magically.

My baby sleeps.

I watch with awe.

My first steps of understanding

My heart lies there.

Wilson © 2004

Up and Away - Travelling Time

February 12, 2011 -  A bit nostalgic theses days as Heather gets ready to graduate from college.  Seemed appropriate to put together two pieces I wrote - one upon her graduation from high school and the other as she turned 21.

Up and Away

How does one look forward while longing to go back?
There is something comforting in the known, the familiar.

Especially when it comes to offspring.



Who decided they should leave the nest anyway?

Are we birds – don’t they have to shove those babies out?

Mine is ready to fly – no pushing necessary.

Everyone keeps telling me this is good – this is what I have been working towards all along.

Isn’t good supposed to feel – well – good?

It doesn’t!!

Yet it does. Watching her fly makes my heart soar.

Yet, I can’t seem to squelch the desire to check the sky for

Storms,

Dark clouds,

Hail,

Vultures.



As she flies I note,

She is strong,

She is able,

She will get a little wet, but weather the storms,

Lose her way at times, only to avoid dark clouds at others,

Move through the hail, but learn when to seek shelter

And

Encounter vultures, only to truly recognize doves.

And hopefully she will always know that warmth, shelter and unconditional love

Can always be found in the safety of the nest.




“Enjoy her now because she will be grown before you know it”.  Cliché?   Maybe.  True?  Definitely.  My sweet little girl turns 21 today, and I truly don’t know where all of the time went.  It is a bittersweet day.  I so miss my little toddler, but I am so very proud of my young lady.  Bittersweet because I cannot be with her today, but she has good friends who will be.  Bittersweet because she doesn’t need her mom any more and because she doesn’t need her mom anymore.  On the day that she “legally” becomes an adult, I wish her the very best along the journey to come.  I hope that she will allow me to accompany her along that journey periodically (maybe even a little more), and I pray that her travelling time will bring her the wonderful blessings that she has brought to me throughout the last 21 years.  Travel well, travel safely, travel bravely, and leave beautiful memories to travel back to.

Blessings

It takes time to grow solid friendships, weathering storms, enjoying the sunshine, bending in the wind, swaying with the breeze.  Your roots become so entangled that it is difficult to imagine any separation possible.  But it happens,circumstances change, the roots must be disentagled.  The growth continues but a piece feels missing.  In my case, two. 

It is hard to be so far away, but I know, and am forever thankful, that those roots are solid and will be forever in tact.

Stories, Shyamalan, and Symbols

A friend of mine loves to read as long as she doesn’t have to look for symbols, themes, meanings.... Yet between this conversation earlier this week and another Shyamalan movie tonight (Devil), I begin to realize that my love of reading comes from just that – any aspect of a story that moves it from the literal to the abstract (hard to believe I decided to teach English).

And I am a great fan of all things Shyamalan (ok – The Happening really wasn’t “happening”). I adore his “stories”. I admire the imagination and courage to put “out there” something that many people are going to complain about because just maybe it takes to much thought (or the fact that the beast in The Village wasn’t a creepy, scary make-believe monster). I love any story that not only makes me think but often begs the necessity of a second (or third) read or watch (Inception would definitely rank high on that list). And Shyamalan does that for me most consistently (at least with movies).

His stories touch on universal questions and ideas. Reflect on human behavior, both good and evil. Leave us pondering more about ourselves and those around us. And most importantly, at least for me, with the realization that good can win out in the end, even if it may not be exactly the way we might wish.

I will always be thankful for the true story tellers, those who are willing to share their imaginations with us, taking us to places we may never have been aware of, or showing us that their ideas are not that far from our own. Even those who simply allow us to enjoy a wonderful story, escaping reality for a bit - “temporarily suspending our disbelief”.

And the truth is I believe all readers take something away from the stories they read, be it symbolism or not.

History and Scriptures

New Bible for my birthday!  Have been looking forward to this for several months, ever since I first found it on the shelves at Hastings.  Not only are the scriptures organized chronologically, but it includes extra historical information throughout the pages.  So very interesting to learn even more about the events and people recorded there.  Looking forward to this journey, hope to get lost within the pages.  Oh and thanks to my other gift (thanks mom and dad) - Garmin- I should be able to avoid getting lost on my actual journeys. :)

Reviving Ophelia

Having finished THE GIFT OF FEAR, I begin yet another book delving into the psychology of humans and humanity - this time examining the psyche of adolescent girls.  I once found this topic (psychology that is) quite fascinating, but life moves on with its twists and turns, and my interest found its way into a corner. 

Interestingly enough, it has been brought back to the forefront through my daughter.  Her interest has peaked mine once again.  As a high school teacher, I am hoping that it will make a difference in my understanding of others, especially those young minds that I come into contact with daily.

When to Read

Every time I assign this book, I have at least one student come back the next day and inform me that his/her mother/father "hated that book".  I will concede that it is a dark read, but also an educating read, eye-opening read, thought provoking read.  As I begin this novel for the umpteeth time, I am still awed by the diction, imagery, and symbolism of Golding.  The story unsettles my spirit each time I peruse it, but maybe our spirits are a little too settled, a little too often.

The Gift of Fear

I love reading books that alter how I live - ok, I love reading books - but especially when they can be life changing. THE GIFT of FEAR by Gavin deBecker is just one of those books!

One comment reads: "True fear is a gift. Unwarranted fear is a curse. Learn to tell the difference." And a difference there truly is. I find myself looking at the world, people, actions, and attitudes surrounding me in a much different light. A much more positive and educated light.