finding a new way…

In the birth of Spring

the tiny bud falls from the tree

too early for its demise…

In the midst of love

uneasiness like a sliver under the skin

either works its way out with pampering and care

or

 takes hold, digs deeper, hidden in darkness

eroding what hope remains…

somewhere and somehow in that eternal mess of frustration and despair

the SPIRIT to LIVE surfaces

beckons us on to find a new way

Choice is always there

Openness

or

Retreating

Alberta, Canada  "Dawn Breaking" Photo Credit: Jane Johann c.2013

Alberta, Canada “Dawn Breaking” Photo Credit: Jane Johann c.2013

“In the final analysis,

the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmutes itself into some very different questions,

no longer asking why something happened,

but asking how we will respond,

what we intend to do now that it happened.” 

 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Courage to Begin Again…and Again…and Again

Photo Credit;  Jane H. Johann,  Dec. 2014 "Moving On"

Photo Credit; Jane H. Johann, Dec. 2014 “Moving On”

put your feet back into the shoes

take one step forward

and then …

another…

and another…

and another…

keep walking

until you find JOY

be attentive

JOY is all around YOU

be attentive

to your inner soul

be attentive

to the LIGHT within

open yourself to receive

allow the LIGHT to surface

Courage, my friend, courage

 

the hidden heart

quietly she beats

upon the threshold of a dream

anticipation shot short

Oil Painting  by Jane H Johann,  2012

Oil Painting
by Jane H Johann,
2012

reality — cascading scream

 

profound sorrow of a child

the child opens her hand

offers the dandelion

 

the child opens her hand

offers her scribbles

 

the child opens her hand

offers her stuffed toy

 

the child opens her hand

offers a whisper

 

the child opens her hand

offers her hand

 

NO RESPONSE

"Spring Daffodil" Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann, Palmyra, WI , USA April, 2015

“Spring Daffodil” Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann, Palmyra, WI , USA April, 2015

 

the child droops her head

in all her beauty

sadness abounds

 

 

Early Morning Philosophical Question

Nadia, who became 6 the day after Christmas, this past year, with inquisitive eyes, posed this question to me early this morning, “Nanny, have the eyes in the back of your head, woken up yet?”

The depth of that question leaves me pondering.

Happy Sunday to all!

"Spring Daffodil" Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann, Palmyra, WI , USA April, 2015

“Spring Daffodil” Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann, Palmyra, WI , USA April, 2015

Published Anthology: SLICES of LIFE

SLICES of LIFE BOOK IMAGE COVER

My FIRST official publication!  And I owe it to the heart of my granddaughter, Nadia Jane Krenn, who inspired me to write it!

I also want to express my gratitude to Sheri de Grom, who suggested that I send a story to Russell Towne. I never would have been included had it not been for her encouragement and persistence urging me to submit a story.  Thank you, Sheri!

Sheri has her own very wonderful, informative blog: http://www.sheridegrom.com/ I know some of you are already familiar with her superb writing!

Any royalties I receive from the sale of the book, I am going to put into a college fund for Nadia and her brother, Ayden.  So far I have earned the sum of  $4.83 in royalties for our story. :).  However, since I wrote this sentence several days ago, I will no longer receive any royalties. Fame is so fleeting! This weekend, the gentleman who put the did the compilation of stories and grunt work, no longer sees it as a lucrative book, and requested that we free him from the responsibility of sending us any future royalties.

However, I had to pay a $35 to have it considered for publication and then I bought 10 copies from Amazon after it was published for $ 84.50….so I have personally spent $119.50 to have one and a half page story published.  LOL  🙂   SO perhaps I should have invested the $119.50 in stock?

Now I have to ask myself. was it worth it?

I will respond with a enthusiastic, “Yes!”   “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!”  🙂  I now have a clear understanding of Vanity Press. 🙂

 

 

I submitted six stories, and ONE story was selected for inclusion in the book, SLICES of LIFE, an anthology complied by Russell Towne (Author, Compiler) and Sandy Lardinois (Editor, Contributor).   It can be purchased on Amazon.com for $8.96, if you feel so inclined. Thank you!

The authors of the stories in this anthology are:   Russ Towne; Sandy Lardinois; Gail M. Nelson, Sheri de Grom; Mimi Krumholz; Pozanghera, Marie; Yvonne Deane; Koji D. Kanemoto; Teresa Karlinski; Pamela Read; Marie Lukaski Wallace; Bill Webb;               Jane Johann; Kimberly Laettner; E.H. Landell; Sherri Matthews; Diane Rawn.

 

“From heart-warming memories of childhood, to humorous perspectives on aging, inspiring stories of survival against nearly insurmountable challenges, to hilariously disastrous social encounters, this non-fiction anthology has it all! Features thirty-two stories exploring the challenges, triumphs, and humor of life as seen through the eyes and experienced in the hearts of fifteen writers.”

ORDINARY TERROR: COMING OF AGE IN MEXICO NARCO

It is sad and painful to read…but we cannot bury our heads in the sand and act like it does not exist. Despite the horrific story, may we have the courage to live on, like the young woman, Valerie. We have to be willing to speak up and use our limited power to vote so that racism, injustice, and murder of people, comes to a stop. As individuals, we must lift up our courage and we have to live in HOPE and PROMISE. Hope that the violence will stop. Promise for life for others and the children of the future.

Please direct your comments to the author of this piece,  Clarie O’Brien. Her blog is: https://electricinthedesert.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/ordinary-terror-coming-of-age-in-mexico-narco/#comment-6595.

Thank you.

Claire Marie O'Brien's avatarEléctrica in the Desert

mexico-violence

____EXCLUSIVE  BY CLAIRE O’BRIEN___________________

First published by

  At my school, the students created a gigantic number 43, each candle symbolizing a missing student, so that anybody from the sky — the UFOs, the airplanes, God, perhaps? —  could see and understand the sorrow that the Mexican students are dwelling with. Maybe now the people  will understand why it rains: even the sky is crying .”

Valerie Rodarte,  Mexican university student

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____________________________________________________

A street of small adobe houses runs through a middle class neighborhood on the outskirts of a Mexican city. It looks peaceful enough at first glance.

But those who live there know better.

To residents who have gazed at the street over time, the signs of a neighborhood transformed by seven years of horrific violence are clear. A big iron gate blocks off the entrance, and curtains are drawn across every locked window. People walk directly from their…

View original post 1,739 more words

HOPE

reality finally dropped kicked me

raindrop petals whispered from within

“I am not as strong as I thought I was…”

time will follow you through your shadows

walk beyond

and

walk in hope

*

not so much anticipation

much more

a thought of trust…

a desire to reach beyond

knowing that the GOOD will sustain us

with the belief that the goal can be reached

walk beyond

and

walk in hope

 

"Hope-filled Easter Beginnings" April 5, 2015 Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann

“Hope-filled Easter Beginnings” April 5, 2015
Photo Credit: Jane H. Johann

 

the Resurrection~

walking in the belief

that we are not walking alone

that the truth of the God-man-son/sun Jesus

lives in the LIGHT of LOVE

lives and walks in HOPE

as we accept the invitation to be with

walking  beyond

and

walking  in hope

with each other

*

Namaste

We are all ONE

Lara Johann-Reichart LIFE in TOGO Update

809px-Flag_of_Togo.svg     Lara is close to completing her second year in Togo. Late last November, she began a project to add three classrooms to an overcrowded school building in the village of Mango.  She met her goal!  With equal contributions from the village people, from friends back in the States, from people on WordPress and from an African organization, the money was raised and the goal came to fruition!  Here are some photos of the new CLASSROOMS!  Thank YOU to all who contributed to this great project. It is beautiful that so many hands from so many different parts of the world came together to make this happen!

T  H  A  N  K     Y  O  U

We built a school! Thank you to everyone for your support – Sagbiebou is so excited to have 3 new classrooms & an improved school for our students! This month we are going to be doing student-centered teaching training with the teachers to help them transition from classes of over 100 to only 50. My village would like to tell you a big and hearty, FALA FALA! Or in English, Thank you so much!

 

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New Classrooms in Togo

 

If anyone wants to send books or school supplies, please do so!  They need chalk, chalkboards, pencils, pens, paper, erasers, paints and books!  You can send them to:   PCV Lara Johann-Reichart or Matthew, Mentor Teacher.  US Peace Corps. — Corps de la Paix,   B.P. 89. , MANGO,  TOGO

Easter Joy

Jellybean colored LIFE

the Sun-SON is risen

Spring green giggle delights

feast on freshness

live

JOY

Grandchildren, Ayden &  Nadia, Easter Egg Hunt, 2013

Grandchildren, Ayden & Nadia, Easter Egg Hunt, 2013

 

See the LIGHT in you

See the LIGHT in others

LIVE the LIGHT

Be the LIGHT

Be ALIVE

BE

***

Wishing YOU all a joyous Easter! and Beautiful Spring!