Small but mighty.
All that glitters is not gold.
Simple is better.
Less is more.
More precious than gold.
Priceless.
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free..................................
Simple words from a Shaker melody but truly applicable to this blog today.
I recently received two gifts for Mother's Day. These two gifts were not expensive but they carried great weight, both in their message and intent. The gifts were of small monetary value, but huge in their sentimental value. They came from the heart and stole the heart of the recipient.......moi.
One gift consisted of three paper flowers, toddler-decorated and toddler-assisted in assembly, with pictures of TLV. His smiling face, twinkling eyes, and devilish grin adorn a vase on my desk, directly in front of this laptop. If I feel sad, they'll buoy me up, as only a grandchild can do.
The other gift was a hand-written note, accompanied by a laminated card of Bible verses. The thought behind this gift brought tears to my eyes and lifted my spirits. It, like the three flower-pictures, will 'light up my life', time and time again, proving that simple gifts are often the best gifts.
When Aaron Copland wove the unadorned Shaker melody, "Simple Gifts", into his "Appalachian Spring", he took simple to a whole new level.
Between TLV, lamination, hand-written notes and Aaron Copland, how could I ever want for more?
Ancora imparo
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
I'ts Still Hard
Change.
I've written about it before in my blog postings, about how difficult yet necessary - at times - it is.
Well, I'm writing about change once again.
Change can come in many forms and it affects each person differently - as it should. Change can mean a change of location, a change of opinion, a change in health status, a change in job status, a change in relationship(s), a change in plans, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera - to quote from "The King and I".
What is interesting about change is that the smallest of changes is often the most difficult to deal with.
Take, for example, having to change offices at work or classrooms in a school........might as well have an amputation! Move my favorite chair at home.........forget it! Have to change driving routes to work due to construction and detours............incensed! Change my favorite coffee bean................no way. New waitress at your favorite eatery..................can't cope!
One change that I always get into trouble with is when one of my neighbors changes vehicles. I am used to waving at a vehicle that I know belongs to certain people. But...........when a different car or truck goes by, I probably will miss acknowledging my neighbor a time or two until I realize that a switch has been made! In the meantime, my neighbor may assume that I am simply ignoring him or her.
Even pets struggle with change.
I remember our beloved dog, Max, having trouble with a change in my bedtime routine the night that I never went to bed, working on the final touches of my masters degree project. Max kept walking toward the bedroom - over and over - but would always return to me, gazing at me with questioning eyes as if to ask, "What is going on here? Don't you know what time it is?" I did and the lack-of-sleep change messed up my system for several days. A seemingly small change that was mighty to my body.
And, the huge change of losing a pet. Max has been gone for three years - plus - and I still haven't recovered...........................
The best kind of change comes with quarters, dimes, and pennies. Yes, even the lowly penny has value - still. I confess that I stoop to pick up pennies - plural and singular.
So, here's to change. Large and small. If you stoop to pick up enough change, you won't mind the large and small changes.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Ancora imparo
I've written about it before in my blog postings, about how difficult yet necessary - at times - it is.
Well, I'm writing about change once again.
Change can come in many forms and it affects each person differently - as it should. Change can mean a change of location, a change of opinion, a change in health status, a change in job status, a change in relationship(s), a change in plans, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera - to quote from "The King and I".
What is interesting about change is that the smallest of changes is often the most difficult to deal with.
Take, for example, having to change offices at work or classrooms in a school........might as well have an amputation! Move my favorite chair at home.........forget it! Have to change driving routes to work due to construction and detours............incensed! Change my favorite coffee bean................no way. New waitress at your favorite eatery..................can't cope!
One change that I always get into trouble with is when one of my neighbors changes vehicles. I am used to waving at a vehicle that I know belongs to certain people. But...........when a different car or truck goes by, I probably will miss acknowledging my neighbor a time or two until I realize that a switch has been made! In the meantime, my neighbor may assume that I am simply ignoring him or her.
Even pets struggle with change.
I remember our beloved dog, Max, having trouble with a change in my bedtime routine the night that I never went to bed, working on the final touches of my masters degree project. Max kept walking toward the bedroom - over and over - but would always return to me, gazing at me with questioning eyes as if to ask, "What is going on here? Don't you know what time it is?" I did and the lack-of-sleep change messed up my system for several days. A seemingly small change that was mighty to my body.
And, the huge change of losing a pet. Max has been gone for three years - plus - and I still haven't recovered...........................
The best kind of change comes with quarters, dimes, and pennies. Yes, even the lowly penny has value - still. I confess that I stoop to pick up pennies - plural and singular.
So, here's to change. Large and small. If you stoop to pick up enough change, you won't mind the large and small changes.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Ancora imparo
Friday, May 8, 2009
Just Different
Red Hat Society..............
I'm not a member but I was invited to join a group of "Red Hatters" last night for dinner and I accepted the invitation. I was a stranger in a strange land.
These are lovely ladies, many of whom I knew as a child (like my very first piano teacher), some I know as an adult, and others I knew not until last night. Our dining destination was a location that was very small when I was very small. Back then, my family rarely, and I do mean rarely, ate out in restaurants. I can count, on one hand, the number of times I recall eating 'out' and those were as guests. My parents were married in The Great Depression and carried a certain mind-set with them there entire lives.
Basically, if there was food in the house, we ate it, no matter how old or what color. The color was of no consequence. If the color was offensive to the eater (me) then my mother (or I) either scraped it off or cut it off. Offensive odor was another matter and was (usually) seriously considered. For our household to discard any food, a serious health risk had to be involved.
But, I do digress. Back to my evening's dining experience.
The women's attire was eye-catching, to say the least. My sister's and my entrance into the establishment was seemingly noted by every diner. Most would point and say, "they went that way", indicating the area of the restaurant where our reserved table was. My sister knew well over half of the people she walked past and I knew a couple of them myself.
I was dressed as close to the 'dress code' as I could come and my red hat, courtesy of my sister, was perched perkily on my head. The hat and I would later part company as quickly as I was seated back in my sister's van, having made my head itch most of the evening. The red scarf, tied around my neck, completed my ensemble's accents nicely, but would be removed first upon arriving back at my sister's place. Scarves look great.........on other people who don't mind their necks feeling hot all evening!
I found food choices to be curious. A few of us made menu selections that were reflective of trying to eat healthily, but most others did not. Not a drop of alcohol was ordered even though the restaurant does have a bar. I followed suit, similarly, and chose not to order a glass of merlot. Dessert was enjoyed by all. I indulged as well, sharing the largest bowl of strawberry shortcake I've ever seen with my sister. There was only one other coffee drinker besides myself.
My sister had asked me if I could create an ice-breaker game that we could play while waiting for our kitchen orders to come. I composed a pop-culture, trivia fill-in-the-blank 'game' that I was confident would be easily completed by all or most there. Boy, was I wrong! The name of the Clinton's ''first cat' or the breed of the newest 'first dog' was not easily identified by the women.
However, all-in-all, it was a fun time out with my sister and her friends. I felt a little like a fish out of water, but the ladies were pleasant and good conversationalists.
Thank you, Red Hatters. It was my pleasure!
Ancora imparo
I'm not a member but I was invited to join a group of "Red Hatters" last night for dinner and I accepted the invitation. I was a stranger in a strange land.
These are lovely ladies, many of whom I knew as a child (like my very first piano teacher), some I know as an adult, and others I knew not until last night. Our dining destination was a location that was very small when I was very small. Back then, my family rarely, and I do mean rarely, ate out in restaurants. I can count, on one hand, the number of times I recall eating 'out' and those were as guests. My parents were married in The Great Depression and carried a certain mind-set with them there entire lives.
Basically, if there was food in the house, we ate it, no matter how old or what color. The color was of no consequence. If the color was offensive to the eater (me) then my mother (or I) either scraped it off or cut it off. Offensive odor was another matter and was (usually) seriously considered. For our household to discard any food, a serious health risk had to be involved.
But, I do digress. Back to my evening's dining experience.
The women's attire was eye-catching, to say the least. My sister's and my entrance into the establishment was seemingly noted by every diner. Most would point and say, "they went that way", indicating the area of the restaurant where our reserved table was. My sister knew well over half of the people she walked past and I knew a couple of them myself.
I was dressed as close to the 'dress code' as I could come and my red hat, courtesy of my sister, was perched perkily on my head. The hat and I would later part company as quickly as I was seated back in my sister's van, having made my head itch most of the evening. The red scarf, tied around my neck, completed my ensemble's accents nicely, but would be removed first upon arriving back at my sister's place. Scarves look great.........on other people who don't mind their necks feeling hot all evening!
I found food choices to be curious. A few of us made menu selections that were reflective of trying to eat healthily, but most others did not. Not a drop of alcohol was ordered even though the restaurant does have a bar. I followed suit, similarly, and chose not to order a glass of merlot. Dessert was enjoyed by all. I indulged as well, sharing the largest bowl of strawberry shortcake I've ever seen with my sister. There was only one other coffee drinker besides myself.
My sister had asked me if I could create an ice-breaker game that we could play while waiting for our kitchen orders to come. I composed a pop-culture, trivia fill-in-the-blank 'game' that I was confident would be easily completed by all or most there. Boy, was I wrong! The name of the Clinton's ''first cat' or the breed of the newest 'first dog' was not easily identified by the women.
However, all-in-all, it was a fun time out with my sister and her friends. I felt a little like a fish out of water, but the ladies were pleasant and good conversationalists.
Thank you, Red Hatters. It was my pleasure!
Ancora imparo
Monday, May 4, 2009
Total Strangers
Characteristically unconversational.
That would normally be me in a waiting room, airplane, auditorium, or any other venue where large numbers of strangers gather. The purpose of the gathering matters little.
I am not reticent to strike up a conversation with a stranger because of shyness, discomfort, or fear - it just doesn't occur or,generally, appeal to me. I'm usually armed with a book or magazine, ready to wrap my mind around text and mindless page turning - aka escape.
So, this morning, as I wandered into the waiting area of a local car dealership, I took advantage of the complimentary coffee, shut out the ever-present din of the wall-mounted television, found a seat at a small, round table, and settled in, armed with back issues of several magazines. Shortly after I arrived, a woman came in and sat down with her newspaper. Something that the morning-news-program talking head said elicited a response from this woman and, I, lifting my nose out of my magazine, replied, not wanting to seem rude.
Thus, a wonderful, spontaneous, two-way conversation began. Her family farms. They would be considered medium-sized farmers, raising cash crops on over five-thousand acres and over four-hundred head of beef cattle. Hard-working folk, more of which our country desperately needs.
And so it was, a short two-or-so hours later that my name was called to pick up my vehicle, and I was actually disappointed to leave the conversation. Not too long before I had to leave, a third woman had seated herself in the waiting area and joined our discussion. I gathered my things and left a lively conversation between the two of them.
What a pleasure it was to open myself up to conversing with strangers. I came away relaxed and with a renewed sense of the basic goodness of Mid-westerners.
Thank you, fellow strangers, for opening yourselves up to me!
Ancora imparo
That would normally be me in a waiting room, airplane, auditorium, or any other venue where large numbers of strangers gather. The purpose of the gathering matters little.
I am not reticent to strike up a conversation with a stranger because of shyness, discomfort, or fear - it just doesn't occur or,generally, appeal to me. I'm usually armed with a book or magazine, ready to wrap my mind around text and mindless page turning - aka escape.
So, this morning, as I wandered into the waiting area of a local car dealership, I took advantage of the complimentary coffee, shut out the ever-present din of the wall-mounted television, found a seat at a small, round table, and settled in, armed with back issues of several magazines. Shortly after I arrived, a woman came in and sat down with her newspaper. Something that the morning-news-program talking head said elicited a response from this woman and, I, lifting my nose out of my magazine, replied, not wanting to seem rude.
Thus, a wonderful, spontaneous, two-way conversation began. Her family farms. They would be considered medium-sized farmers, raising cash crops on over five-thousand acres and over four-hundred head of beef cattle. Hard-working folk, more of which our country desperately needs.
And so it was, a short two-or-so hours later that my name was called to pick up my vehicle, and I was actually disappointed to leave the conversation. Not too long before I had to leave, a third woman had seated herself in the waiting area and joined our discussion. I gathered my things and left a lively conversation between the two of them.
What a pleasure it was to open myself up to conversing with strangers. I came away relaxed and with a renewed sense of the basic goodness of Mid-westerners.
Thank you, fellow strangers, for opening yourselves up to me!
Ancora imparo
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Poignant
Twice, today, I've been reminded, right before my eyes about life's fragility and poignancy.
In separate circumstances, I had the opportunity to watch couples who have been married for a remarkable period of time. These two couples have probably never met each other. There would be no reason for their paths to cross.
Yet they share some characteristics in common. Characteristics that are at once beautiful yet poignant.
In both cases, the wife has advancing dementia and is having physical difficulty moving about. The husbands are careful and gentle with their wives, as if they are handling a fragile dandelion whose flower could blow away in the wind at any second. The women move ever so slowly in a halting gait. With their husbands at an elbow, they stop frequently to speak to strangers or gaze at a budding bush or emerging flower. While their voices speak to people, their eyes tell a different story.......seeing as if in vignettes from long ago.
One of the couples just adopted a ten-year rescue dog from a local shelter. As he explained to us yesterday, "I hope Georgie might help my wife with her dementia." Georgie has been rescued with the hope that he might 'rescue' a human. Who knows what comfort stroking Georgie's fur may bring to the woman?
Some day any one of us may be in either set of the shoes I've just described.......as the caregiver or the care receiver. Only God knows which role we may be called upon to play. I just hope that if I am the care receiver, I have a Georgie of my own to sink my finger tips into - just one more time.
Max, I miss you.
Ancora imparo
In separate circumstances, I had the opportunity to watch couples who have been married for a remarkable period of time. These two couples have probably never met each other. There would be no reason for their paths to cross.
Yet they share some characteristics in common. Characteristics that are at once beautiful yet poignant.
In both cases, the wife has advancing dementia and is having physical difficulty moving about. The husbands are careful and gentle with their wives, as if they are handling a fragile dandelion whose flower could blow away in the wind at any second. The women move ever so slowly in a halting gait. With their husbands at an elbow, they stop frequently to speak to strangers or gaze at a budding bush or emerging flower. While their voices speak to people, their eyes tell a different story.......seeing as if in vignettes from long ago.
One of the couples just adopted a ten-year rescue dog from a local shelter. As he explained to us yesterday, "I hope Georgie might help my wife with her dementia." Georgie has been rescued with the hope that he might 'rescue' a human. Who knows what comfort stroking Georgie's fur may bring to the woman?
Some day any one of us may be in either set of the shoes I've just described.......as the caregiver or the care receiver. Only God knows which role we may be called upon to play. I just hope that if I am the care receiver, I have a Georgie of my own to sink my finger tips into - just one more time.
Max, I miss you.
Ancora imparo
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Happy Birthday
Today is the birthday of my future grandson who lives in a far-away country. I've never met this charmer but I have seen many pictures of him and his orphanage care-givers. He has a million dollar smile. There are many people, stateside, who are waiting for him to 'come home'. Only God knows when that will be.
I ate a piece of cake today, thinking of FG's birthday. (Well, that's my story for eating the cake and I'm sticking to it!)
Happy Birthday, Future-Grandson!
I can't wait to meet you!
Ancora imparo
I ate a piece of cake today, thinking of FG's birthday. (Well, that's my story for eating the cake and I'm sticking to it!)
Happy Birthday, Future-Grandson!
I can't wait to meet you!
Ancora imparo
Friday, May 1, 2009
Ostrich Syndrome
I've never heard of the Ostrich Syndrome, but if it was authentic, I'd like to suffer from it.
Last night I attended a seminar designed to inform and educate individuals on the current economic crisis, its history, its possible path, and different scenarios regarding its conclusion. The evening was marked with a parade of speakers, each armed with varying tools for 'show and tell'. Attendees were showered with dazzling Power Point pie charts, graphs, graphics and industry jargon sure to impress the sharpest of financial minds.
For those attendees who have not yet finished reading "Understanding the Current Economic Meltdown For Dummies", the take-aways were more than likely totally different than those of the savvy investors.
Allow me to condense what I gleaned from listening to the very well-presented and carefully researched information:
I'm waiting for the Anxiety Bounce. Historically the Anxiety Bounce has always occurred.
Yeah, that's it. If you were waiting to read more helpful information, you'll be waiting for the blue moon. The key word here is anxiety which is in full supply everywhere. The media has done and is doing an excellent job of helping create, increase and ensure anxiety on many levels for a variety of reasons.............just look at the nervous, jumpy investors on Wall Street, riding their bicycles or walking to work, wearing their face masks, carrying bottles of hand sanitizers.
This is why I'm hoping to soon suffer from the Ostrich Syndrome.
As soon as I figure out how to contract this latest syndrome, I'll let you know!
Ancora imparo
Last night I attended a seminar designed to inform and educate individuals on the current economic crisis, its history, its possible path, and different scenarios regarding its conclusion. The evening was marked with a parade of speakers, each armed with varying tools for 'show and tell'. Attendees were showered with dazzling Power Point pie charts, graphs, graphics and industry jargon sure to impress the sharpest of financial minds.
For those attendees who have not yet finished reading "Understanding the Current Economic Meltdown For Dummies", the take-aways were more than likely totally different than those of the savvy investors.
Allow me to condense what I gleaned from listening to the very well-presented and carefully researched information:
I'm waiting for the Anxiety Bounce. Historically the Anxiety Bounce has always occurred.
Yeah, that's it. If you were waiting to read more helpful information, you'll be waiting for the blue moon. The key word here is anxiety which is in full supply everywhere. The media has done and is doing an excellent job of helping create, increase and ensure anxiety on many levels for a variety of reasons.............just look at the nervous, jumpy investors on Wall Street, riding their bicycles or walking to work, wearing their face masks, carrying bottles of hand sanitizers.
This is why I'm hoping to soon suffer from the Ostrich Syndrome.
As soon as I figure out how to contract this latest syndrome, I'll let you know!
Ancora imparo
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