Monthly Archives: July 2013

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the orphanage in Pavlovsk…..

We have many injustices cropping up everywhere in this country…but we also still have it better than 70% of the world…I am hoping by sharing your blog that we will appreciate more what we do have….and then be pushed to help those who have less…and SHARE more with each other. IF each person did one sharing a day, what a world it would be!

lecomer's avatarLife in Russia.

When I first moved to Russia in 2011 during the depths of winter, it became incredibly apparent to me that life in Russia is not for the faint of heart. Perhaps it is because I arrived at the end of January when there were twelve foot snow piles and twelve inches of ice covering the sidewalks; killer icicles hung from the buildings, bitter cold temperatures pierced through every layer of clothing, and dark overcast days seemed in abundance. There were days when I would wake up ready for a warm shower only to find that the hot water was off, again, and it was -30°C outside. Over time, you begin to see how incredibly difficult life can be for many Russian people and it is not uncommon for one’s skin to thicken in response. Russian people are very tough and if you do not toughen up yourself while living there…

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In Memory of Trayvon Martin

Sincerest sympathy to Mrs. Fulton and Mr. Martin and their family!

              Trayvon Martin          

What happened to that America, the home of the free?

What happened to that dream, where all colors can BE?

What happened to the day when we could walk without fright?

What happened to this young man, simply was not right!

His parents are left with his photo and thoughts–

The freedom of equality that night was shot!

Was justice served? No one could win. It seems it was lost!

More fear, more hatred,  more revenge, is the new layer of frost.

What will it take before we open our eyes to see

That black, red, yellow or white, our blood is the same, for you and me

How many more of our young people must die…

How much more racism and killings, before love is cried?

Dismayed I was, as I heard young adults, much younger than me…

Some of my former students, shout racial obscenities

How precious life is…how shallow our breath…

How long are we going to continue this hollow theft?

No one has the right to take the life of another,

Who is going to grieve with this mother?

Already, another murder has been committed in the sun

A second white man shot another African-American with a gun

He shot into the car filled with teenage boys

Because he didn’t like the radio noise

He is claiming he had the right, and already the gun owner is being set free

Six months since Trayvon died on the street, Jordan Davis is dead, you see

Violence creates more violence, we need to stop before no one remains

Love and understanding are the only way for us to honor all names

What will it take before we open our eyes to see

That black, red, yellow or white, our blood is the same, for you and me

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terror in the night

Ready, Set... Duct!

Ready, Set… Duct! (Photo credit: ahockley)

I heard something traveling through the ductwork tonight

This woke me from my sleep and gave me great fright

I was awaken by a noise from the basement below…

A  raccoon? a squirrel? a chipmunk? a sparrow?

There is no door to that level…so what is it?

I don’t know as I sit here and fidget!

I am terrified…terrified of the night and the  unknown

Who do I call, who will answer the phone?

Now I sit here at the kitchen table, my heart pumping and my fingers typing

And I just heard another stumble and  fall, vibrating through the piping

How one’s imagination runs with the fear…it probably is nothing at all…

I heard it the night before last, as well, a duct work running call

What do I do? It is after one in the early morning, and almost two

But now…three times I heard a sound…three times a sound, a few

Alas, my eyelids are heavy and falling to the ground

No more I hear, all is quiet, without any sound

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swinging on a star

Yesterday, Nadia asked me, “What happens when we die?” as both she and her brother, Ayden,  were sitting on the swings, and I was pushing them into the air.

I do not know why I said what I did, but I said, “Well, we begin with Love…we are with God and he asks us if we want to go on vacation to Earth, and then we visit awhile, and then one day our bodies become old and we go back to God.”

Nadia said, “But I will miss you, Nanny, when you die!”

Of course, that tender response brought tears to my eyes, so I added, “Well, I will always be with you, Nadia and Ayden, because then I will be an angel watching over you.  And you just need to remember that I am there…”

Ayden persisted, “But then do we become angels too? I am a boy…can boys be angels? Every picture of an angel I see has long hair and looks like a girl!”

Nadia chimed in, “An angel? Really?”  She was definitely more enthusiastic about being an angel and was laughing with delight, “Then I can fly like the birds into the sky?”

I addressed Ayden’s question first, “Ayden, yes boys are angels too! Some artists are still learning to draw! There are boy angels! When you are an angel, you can visit anyone anytime…you can float on the clouds…it will be a wonderful party.”

Ayden seemed relieved and he said, “You mean, I can fly like a bird too?”

“Yes, Adyen! High like the eagles!” I said enthusiastically.

Nadia said, “I am still little. I don’t want to die yet.”

To this I replied, “I do not want you to die either, as I would be very, very sad and miss you!  But  I am sure you will have a long life.  I plan to be around for a long time…so we will have lots of fun!” It was getting a bit serious for me–and I realized that we were discussing a very important concept for them.  I did not want them to deny their perceptions of death, that there is suffering, but there is also much more than that! But we cannot accept life, without accepting that death is a part of life—yes, too deep…too deep for me.  All this is running through my brain, and they were persistent in wanting answers.

Then Nadia said, “But what about our bones?”

“Well, I began, “Do you know how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly?” [thank goodness for Dora the Explorer and the science channel that they both love to watch! Ayden wants to be a Zookeeper! and Nadia is convinced she wants to be Rapunzel– the beautiful princess with the long, blond hair!]

Both responded, “Yes!”

Well, that is what happens when we die; we become an angel, our bones stay behind, and just like the caterpillar turns into a butterfly, we turn into angels and then we live with God in Love.”

They were swinging into the air and they seemed content and I was content.

Wooden Angel Stock Photo

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petaled drop love

Love Songs (Heart album)

Love Songs (Heart album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

love is so desired

love sets us on fire

we forget the when, the where, the why

our molecules will do anything to feel that lie

we are lost in the wonder of it all

we hear nothing but the love call

it carries us to the beyond

and when it is lost…we cannot respond

our song dies

only tears linger in our eyes

we reach for the stars

but our heart is left ajar

we flounder through the rain

left stunned and in pain

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Thank you, Ami Fidèle, for the Liebster Blog Award!

 I’ m happy and grateful to have been nominated for the Liebster Blog Award 05/2013/01   by Ami Fidèle http://amidereve.wordpress.com/author/amidereve/

liebster-blog-award

As usual there are several rules in accepting the Liebster Award– they are:

1. Accept the award, post the picture of the Liebster Award on the top of your post and say who nominated you for the award and list their blog site.

2. List 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers for the Liebster Award and list their blog sites.

4. Notify the bloggers of their award.

5.Ask the award winners 11 questions to answer when they accept their Liebster Award.

6. Answer the questions left for you by the blogger who gave you the award.

My Nominations of 11 other bloggers for the Liebster Award and their blog sites:

[Please note:  The chronological order has nothing to do with beauty–or wonder—each are BEAUTIFUL in their own way and should all be #1 ! I just wanted to be sure to follow the rules and award 11, so I numbered them! (smile)]

1. http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com  Laurie’s blog offers helpful understandings of who you are and how to BE your best self as well as stories of the heart.

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2. http://simonmussell.com   Simon presents to us deep reflections about how we live, why we live, what we live, and how we can live better…choices.

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3. http://daylighttune.wordpress.com    Yoshiko and Hikari Yori have jointly written a beautiful blog of insightful reflections of daily life and the presence of Jesus in their lives by a husband and wife.

4. http://beebeesworld.wordpress.com     Beebee is a versatile blogger, who writes poetry and weaves her family’s experiences in and our of her lovely postings! She writes about nature and real life. She is also a photographer with a keen eye for the subtleties of life.

5. http://sachemspeaks.wordpress.com   This dear author, Sachem,  shares with us his Native American heritage, specifically the Eastern Woodland American Traditional Native People. The stories he speaks of are so beautiful and take my heart to a simple way to live life, close to Mother Earth and to the heart of people.  It also speaks of the harsh history of our ancestors and the horrible treatment of his people. This blog will give you an honest perspective into the lives of Sachem’s people and could only lead us all to more respect for the Native Americans and help us to all love one another.

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6. http://davesjourneyandadventure.wordpress.com   David Eugene’s blog provides useful information about healthy vegetables, nature and the world! He travels and is engaged in life…very interesting blog!

http://davesjourneyandadventure.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/david3.jpg

7. http://victoria-writes.com/   Victoria is an aspiring author for Young Adult literature (if I understood the YA correctly!)  who is on the way to great success. Her blog is refreshing to read and her mood is light, ambitious and happy! Her joy is felt in her words and her determination is to be admired!

8. http://seraphim6.me   This is a delightful blog of writing and photography, and in the author’s own words, “having fun.”

dabbler

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9. http://secret-cities.com/  OR   http://inherit-the-earth.com  Kieran Meeke   presents a traveler’s heart’s delight without leaving the comfort of your home. He is the author of several sites and is a travel writer and editor….what more could we ask for?!  The  London blog presents us with photographs and  a bit of history with each.  The “Inherit the Earth” blog takes us to Africa, Australia, the Middle East—everywhere on the globe! Enjoy!

Kieran in Syria, 2009

10. http://personsofpassion.wordpress.com   This woman writes with such passion and heartfelt sensitivity towards so many! Her writings and poetry are beautiful and penetrate deep into your heart!

11.    http://themovingsilent.wordpress.com       Karzan Kardozi is a sensitive writer and photographer from Iraq. The first story of his that caught me deeply was Thalassemia: Shadow of Death.  This story moved me because of the sensitivity in which it was written about the family that he came to know over time and the suffering of the family from the generic disease.  Karzan writes with his heart! Karzan’s main focus is on films and cinema–his reviews  are so interesting to read! But even more profound that all that he writes, is the documentary that he is working on and that should be known around the world:  Halabja Documentary: Nasrin’s Story.

 

 

 

 

11 questions from me to respond to with your acceptance of the Liebster Award (or choose 5 of the 11):

1.  What is the first thing you do in the morning?

2.  What is your best quality and draw us a portrait of yourself in writing or a poem.

3.  Which is your favorite meal of the day…breakfast? lunch? dinner? and describe it.

4.  What do you enjoy most in life?

5.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

6.  What do you “see” when you write? What is the your writing process? 

7. Why are you a blogger? 

8. What is the most important lesson you have learned in your life?

9. What is your greatest fear and how do you work through it?

10. If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be and why?

11.  What do you imagine life to be like after death?

 

11 random facts about myself

1.  I like coffee…5 cups throughout the day…even in the evening! I never drink decaffeinated coffee–because if one is going to drink coffee, then I feel it is coffee that must be drunk.

2.  I am a gardener and only discovered it by accident! I began with one flower garden and now I have seven! No one told me about the weeds or the mosquitoes!

3.  I once played Canasta for hours on end with my older sister, Barbara. She would beat me every time with a concealed hand, and me with a handful of half the deck! I miss not having her to play the game with.

4. When I was young, I would climb fully grown cedar trees to the highest branch and enjoy the freedom of the wind!

5.  I doodle when I am listening to lectures—I am listening–I think it keeps me more focused than if I sat still and only appeared to be listening.I think I listen more than those who give that appearance! LOL

6.  Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day…and I enjoy morning coffee with a veggie omelet. If  I only had breakfast each day, I would be content. Then I think of how many people in the world have nothing…it saddens me.

7.  Recycling is very important to me and I get very upset with people who litter the environment. I am very concerned about Mother Earth.

8.  I am totally against “Fracking!” It is going to ruin the 4 water basins that lie under the USA. Fracking ruins groundwater! It is so WRONG and is Corporations again who care nothing about Mother Earth or any of us. Without water, we are all dead.

9.  I love to laugh! And look for opportunities to make others happy…I smile even if I am sad…and soon I am happy.  What else can I do?

10. I wear socks to bed…my feet get cold…

11. I love chocolate…I guess everyone does! A day without a piece of chocolate, it like a day without breath!

Response to the questions left to me by Ami Fidele

1. Why do you write?I write to give voice to my feelings that are otherwise left unspoken.  I write as a way to BE with others…to offer the best of myself…to offer my real self to others.
2. Do you play an instrument? If so, which one?I play the piano a little…not even to perform for anyone…but I love to play to amuse myself…and to soften my heart.  I had three piano teachers…each five years apart…and each for only a year…the piano teachers kept leaving the countryside!
3. In what style do you prefer writing?I have no preference…the poetic form contributes to me being more succinct…and it leaves me happier, I guess.  Essays allow me to vent…lol.
4. What music is playing on your speakers right now?  I do not have any music on…just the silence of the day…sometimes I play music–Bach, Chopin, Susan Boyle, Adell, the Bee Gees, John Denver, Neil Diamond, the Beatles, Yanni, Nanny Mouskouri,
5. Do you think in pictures when you write?  Great question!  I will have to pay attention—I never thought of that—I “see” the person or idea  in front of me…I “see” groups of words in my brain…clusters of feelings overpower me and the words just flow out (sometimes–lol) I think I am a spatial, visual thinker.  Often when I am speaking, I look off into the empty space to gather my thoughts—I do not know WHY, but it works…even though, many people think I am not paying attention to them, I am…I just need to gather my thoughts “out there.”
6. What’s your writing process like?   My feelings overwhelm me, as I am quite sensitive to my environment and the words of others…a gift but difficult at times also. When  a particular idea attracts me, I cannot wait to get to the keyboard and it just pours out of me…then I return and make the grammatical corrections, etc (that is the difficult task and boring)…
7. Among your work, do you have favorite poem? If so  which one and why? I guess this response is the same as the one I have for books…I did memorize STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING by Robert Frost—maybe that says something about being a favorite??? I love the first snowfall…the change of scenery that nature provides us…I love some time alone…I need it…and this is a “quiet” poem…and choice is involved in it–a choice to keep the promises…
8. What’s your favorite book and why?  Different authors speak to me at different moments in my life. So the favorites continually change!
9. What  season of the year is your favorite?  I am fortunate to be in a climate of 4 seasons—I love each one for what it offers—I cannot say I love one more than the other!
10. Should you write to/about a specific person do your give the poem to them or do prefer to you keep it?  When I write for someone in particular, I give it to them, ninety-nine per cent of the time.
11. Instead writing, what other art form can you imagine yourself expressing yourself through or already do express yourself through? I express myself very well in my oil paintings! I love to work in that medium! The colors are so rich and vibrant and I totally lose myself when I am painting—I become one with the brush or my hands…sometimes I use my hands to paint…lol.

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A day in the life – when you are trapped in your body

A Woman of great courage! A Woman who has such deep strength…giving the best of herself everyday…Her determination to LIVE as fully as you and me…and then I dare to complain when I have a body that moves…Very Inspiring Woman!

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Not Only My Heart — I Gave Him the Sky

a beautiful love story…real and deep…gifts of the heart…a real Knowing of one another…

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suffering…part one

FOR YOU LOVE PEACE .......... MAMITA SUFFER PA...

FOR YOU LOVE PEACE ………. MAMITA SUFFER PAIN SKY ANGEL REMEMBER FOREVER REST …….. (Photo credit: LUZ-2011)

I feel overwhelmed today with the suffering of this world. With the death of Shane, a young, passionate writer on WordPress, it has struck me deeply again.

I once saw suffering only as tremendous pain and loss.  While it certainly is that, it can be understood on another level. Since last evening, after my night at the Mindfulness Center and our meditation on “Suffering,”  I have come to see it in a different light.  Now I understand suffering refers to the impermanence of people, things, and events in our lives.

Change is the only permanent thing. Nothing ever stays the same…a concept that I am sure I heard in songs over the sixty some years of my life, but never really understood the depth of that idea of which I do now.  Buddha is quoted as saying, “I teach one thing only–that is suffering and the end of suffering.”  I am not sure if I grasp that fully, but I believe that one thing that it can mean, is that if we see suffering as impermanence…then the time it will cease, is when we leave this life. Then it will end.

Of course there is  more to life than suffering…there is much love…that sustains us and keeps us going. Without love, the world would have ceased long ago. Love convinces me that there is something or Someone greater than ourselves.  I firmly believe that all of life exists in the Heart of God…and that Heart is Universal Love. And I believe when we leave Mother Earth our energy is not destroyed but returns to the Creator of Love.  It is inevitable that we each will die. Death is escaped by no one. We can run and hide from it…but it is going to happen to each of us…and I am thinking that in our Western society, we tend to run from it with all that we have. Because we are so busy running, we fail to live in the moment. We are running from our own mortality.  And why do we fear what will happen eventually? Perhaps if we resisted it less, we could live the present in a more fuller sense.  We would not be running, but we would be living in the NOW.

I believe that the Loving God has taken my young friend, Shane, into Loving Arms.  I think death is not permanent…just another change…into greater becoming.