Tuesday, March 6, 2012

No sense

Today at church I needed the Bishop
to get up and say something to comfort me

A 22 year old boy born on Valentines Day
The son of a friend of ours
just killed himself

Josh Powell Saying
"I can't live without my kids"
Just blew himself and his two boys up

The neighbor down the street did himself in
over Christmas

I needed the Bishop to somehow
make sense of it all
But he was silent
Some things just don't make any sense
There's nothing to say

Anonymous

Sometimes I like to disappear
And just become an observer of life
Sometimes it's nice to not have anyone know my name
So they don't have any preconceived notions about me
I can reinvent myself
Be anyone I want to be
A new future
A new past
A new present
Infinite possibilities

Sunday, February 19, 2012

My Children

I have had over six hundred children in my life
Pretty prolific huh?
I have been the day mom for many of my students
They'll call me mom
And then realize and suddenly get embarassed
I don't mind if they call me mom
That means they trust me
One of my students brings me presents almost every day
She likes me to give her a hug
She came up after school yesterday and said
I love you
I wish you were my real mom
I give my students a lot of love and attention
And they give it right back to me
It's a nice exchange
My students don't take me for granted
They miss me if I have to get a sub
I love all the students whose lives I have touched through the years
They have touched my life too
My many children are very precious to me.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Books

Books and book stores are my modis operandi.
all those ideas floating around.
It's a treasure chest of thought.
Books are
unique,
creative,
individual,
They give an intimate glimpse
into someone's mind,
someone's life,
someone's experience.

My best friends are in books
In the real world people are shallow.
They don't interact that much.
They pretend or are alone in their thoughts.
But in books I can become next of kin.

The other great thing about book stores are the people,
all kinds of people.
I like to write in books stores.
The people are perfect fodder to write about.
My imagination runs wild wondering about them.
Where are they going?
Who are they?
What is their story?
Why are they smiling, sad, strange?

Books and Bookstore are my favorite pastime.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Notebooks

I always love a new fresh blank page that I can record some of life on......



Through the years of my life
There have always been notebooks
Notebooks for musing over a poem
Taking notes at a workshop
Venting my pain at life's injustices
Household budgets, travel plans, itineraries

I keep the notebooks stacked in closets, cupboards, drawers

After sixty years there is quite an accumulation
Notebooks
The Rough Drafts of my life

November Poetry

The other night my son Jameson left to go in the army. He left on my dad's birthday. That night I went for a swim and at the pool to go wash away my sorrow in the water. The pool is enclosed by big glass windows to the west. As I was swimming the most amazing sunset covered the sky and I had the most breathtaking view of it in the pool. I kind of felt like dad helped paint the sky to cheer me up. This is a poem for dad

It's funny how the things that used to bug you about a person fade when they pass on....
It was like that with my father
Now what I remember is his eyes...
Looking at me with encouragement
Tearing up when my sisters and I sang
And the time when he gave me a new baby colt for Christmas
I remember his eyes and the way they crinkled up at the corners
when he was happy
His eyes and his smile are what I remember most

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Marriage Survival Kit

These things have helped our relationship survive and thrive. Maybe it will help you too
                                     Ways to have a Successful Relationship

1. Focus on the positive traits in each other. (Write them down and think about them.)
Look for and notice them every day.

2. Tell each other every day that you love each other and compliment and praise one another often. Never take each other for granted or the energy each contributes to the relationship

3. Be affectionate not just in bed but out of bed too. Human touch is very comforting and healing. Don’t forget to hug, kiss, and cuddle often.

4. Talk everyday about everything. Don’t store or hide emotions. Get them out and deal with them before they become too big to handle or solve.

5. Be a good, open, and easy to talk to listener. Try to understand the other person’s feelings and point of view and care about how they feel.

6. Show each other respect even in the most heated argument. People turn off when
other’s start to yell or call names. Learn self control and never verbally, physically or emotionally abuse one another. “ A soft word turneth away wrath” Learn how to
manage anger in a healthy way.

7. Take a time out period if either is extremely upset. Have a signal you give each other
when things feel out of control. Give each other some time to cool down, calm down, and get centered. It’s better to take some time out than say something that will hurt the other and you may regret. When we lose our centered place, we lose our effectiveness in communication

8. Give each other some personal time and space. Everyone needs that. Talk over what each other’s needs are, then set up regular times for this. Respect each other’s time, space, and privacy. As the prophet Kahil Gibran said, “Let their be spaces in your togetherness” Time apart can also help to appreciate each other.

9. Forgive, forget and move forward. Don’t keep files of past slights or hold grudges and don’t be too proud to admit and say your sorry if you have done something wrong

10. Use the 24 hour “courtesy clause” if changes need to be made as far as time and commitments or plans with each other. Try to give each other at least 24 hour notice. If this can not be accomplished, learn to be flexible and accommodating with time. Dont' make someone wait for more than a half hour. Call them and let them know if you need to change plans.
11. Cultivate togetherness time. Find things you enjoy doing together and do them regularly ie. Walks, bike rides, working out, hiking, water sports, nature hikes, skiing, writing, crafts, painting, road trips and traveling. Join a club or take a class together to learn something new or read the same book and discuss it together. This is a good way to keep growing and changing together.

12. Be open-minded and not reactive to what the other person says. Don't become defensive. Really listen to how they feel.

13. Don’t live under preconceived ideas of how a relationship should be. Discuss with each other what you each think a good relationship should be

14. Save some exclusive time only for each other every day. Go on a date together at least once a week and take turns planning it. Try surprising each other with something special frequently like flowers, love notes , special dinners, massages, etc.

15. Make each other the Number “1" priority. If you don’t there will be problems

16. Don’t make “material things” more important than people or feelings

17. Set common goals together that are attainable and then work towards them.

18. Be honest and trustworthy all the time

19. Take responsibility and care for yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and
spiritually. Always try to look your best and be your best self. Take the time to stay healthy in body, mind, and spirit so you can offer a healthy person to your mate.

20. Don’t act selfish, spoiled, bullying or manipulative. Do not use sex to manipulate

21. Make sexual expression more than just a physical act. When you combine love and
spirituality with the sexual union, it can be the highest form of love, communication,
and intimacy. Make love often. It is very healthy and balances out the energies
of both people if both are healthy when they come together

22. It is important to have equality in all things. In tasks,, in chores, in money. Share
household responsibilities. Divide them up evenly. Take turns cooking and
cleaning up.

23. Don’t ever assume anything. Make sure everything is clear and understood
Learn to be easy going and keep the priorities straight about what is really
important in the relationship

24. Never embarrass, put down, or degrade the other person especially in public or
around friends. Always show how much you love, care and respect the other in
public situations. Don’t let sex, partying, or friends tip the relationship out of balance

25. Make sure there is good communication about money and each is doing their part
or there is a balance about money ie. (If the woman sacrifices her career to birth and raise children , then whatever the husband earns is negotiated and shared in an equitable to both parties manner. Set a time to pay bills each month and be sure each person is aware of where the money goes and how much there is. Always keep an emergency fund in case something comes up that extra money is needed. Don't spend on any major purchase without discussing it first.

26. Don’t let little annoying things become big things. If something really bugs
someone, be considerate and pay attention to the problem and do what you can to take care of the other's reasonable needs.
27. Don’t have expectations about what you think a relationship should be like. If you
do, you will be disappointed. If you have something that is very important you
want or need from the other person, learn to communicate that clearly. Don’t
expect your mate to read your mind Learn to respond quickly and do something about it if your mate has requested something of you. Find out what your mate’s needs are and don’t ignore them. Try to fulfill those needs whenever possible.

* Summing it all up, the main thing to remember is the Golden rule “Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Always be each other’s best friend and don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do to your best friend*