When the solution is simple, God is answering. ~Albert Einstein
If Life Were Simple
Where would the teddy bears go?
Their always friendly eyes,
Their hug-able-ness,
Their never shrinking warmth.
Who would drink hot chocolate?
It's creamy flow,
It's frothy cocoa-ness,
It's power to ease a hurting heart.
Where would one put the glow-in-the-dark stars?
Their illuminating quality,
Their stick-able-ness,
Their ability to bring about memories.
Who would listen to the creek?
It's majesty to mold,
It's plainness to view,
It's soothing tones.
Most of all, where would the friend be?
The friend who danced with you in the rain,
who held your hand through the dark,
who made you soup when you were sick,
and from that first hug, never let go of the person you could be.
Where would they go, if life were simple?
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Adventure #4: The Sorting Hat
Harry: Not Slytherin. Not Slytherin.
Sorting Hat: Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Choices...sometimes difficult to make, other times it's very clear what you want. However, some decisions lead to what I call The Sorting Hat Effect. Recently in our house it's been discussed that my roommate's favorite color isn't actually pink or green but is in fact red because of the coloring of clothing she picks and the cuteness level to her of most things red. If this were the case, then my favorite color would switch from green back to blue. I disagree that this is how favorite colors are discovered.
For Mr. Potter in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, once the Sorting Hat is placed on his head, it has the inclination to place him in Slytherin. Personally, I think the Hat was just messing with him to see his reaction. But Rowling is a genius in that she created that pivotal moment proving that "It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny" (Jean Nidetch). This also connects later when Harry relates this story to reassure his son.
If you'll follow me just a bit longer, The Sorting Hat Effect is then applicable to many of our choices. It is not chance that determines my favorite color. Yes, it seems destined that if I always head for blue clothing then blue is my favorite color. However, I've chosen green and therein lies the destiny of my favorite color! It is my choice. So if the Sorting Hat were sitting on my head right now, it would declare for the world that my favorite color is in fact green!
Harry: Please, please. Anything but Slytherin, anything but Slytherin.
Sorting Hat: Well if you're sure, better be... GRYFFINDOR!
Sorting Hat: Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Choices...sometimes difficult to make, other times it's very clear what you want. However, some decisions lead to what I call The Sorting Hat Effect. Recently in our house it's been discussed that my roommate's favorite color isn't actually pink or green but is in fact red because of the coloring of clothing she picks and the cuteness level to her of most things red. If this were the case, then my favorite color would switch from green back to blue. I disagree that this is how favorite colors are discovered.
For Mr. Potter in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, once the Sorting Hat is placed on his head, it has the inclination to place him in Slytherin. Personally, I think the Hat was just messing with him to see his reaction. But Rowling is a genius in that she created that pivotal moment proving that "It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny" (Jean Nidetch). This also connects later when Harry relates this story to reassure his son.
If you'll follow me just a bit longer, The Sorting Hat Effect is then applicable to many of our choices. It is not chance that determines my favorite color. Yes, it seems destined that if I always head for blue clothing then blue is my favorite color. However, I've chosen green and therein lies the destiny of my favorite color! It is my choice. So if the Sorting Hat were sitting on my head right now, it would declare for the world that my favorite color is in fact green!
Harry: Please, please. Anything but Slytherin, anything but Slytherin.
Sorting Hat: Well if you're sure, better be... GRYFFINDOR!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Adventures #3: Being different.
"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." ~e.e. cummings
Bravery, I feel, is the act of showing the world who you are. It is not so much that you have to be different; it is, however, that you must be honest. Or rather, I must be honest. I find myself lost in opinions, thinking that somehow those opinions are who I need to be. What kind of thinking is that? Since it has taken so much time to reach a point where I'm glad to be me, why should I let opinions or suggestions destroy that? I shouldn't.
Here's my proposal...I'm still a work-in-progress. I may never be finished. At least, not in this life. But as that work-in-progress, I'm going to continue to choose who I want to be. Also, I'm going to make my opinions and suggestions genuine and gentle. But most of all, I'm going to be honest. And if that puts me in the range of different...happy to be here.
Bravery, I feel, is the act of showing the world who you are. It is not so much that you have to be different; it is, however, that you must be honest. Or rather, I must be honest. I find myself lost in opinions, thinking that somehow those opinions are who I need to be. What kind of thinking is that? Since it has taken so much time to reach a point where I'm glad to be me, why should I let opinions or suggestions destroy that? I shouldn't.
Here's my proposal...I'm still a work-in-progress. I may never be finished. At least, not in this life. But as that work-in-progress, I'm going to continue to choose who I want to be. Also, I'm going to make my opinions and suggestions genuine and gentle. But most of all, I'm going to be honest. And if that puts me in the range of different...happy to be here.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Adventures #1 & #2: Hellos and Goodbyes
"Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."
There's nothing quite like a good hello. A hello brings a whole new world into existence. Whether it's introducing yourself in a parking lot to someone walking the same direction or simply sitting down and finding that there's someone brave enough to bridge the gap to sit right next to you. There's always fate to blame as well. The unavoidable but essential meeting that came at just the right time, like a faculty meeting where your future mentor teacher just said something silly and you realize your next placement will be just as good as the first one. Whatever kind of hello it is, the essence of a hello is good.
Which brings me to goodbyes...who named them that? Whether temporary or extensive, goodbyes are heck. But...I have had a recent realization. This actually came from a temporary goodbye I just said to a roommate. As I dropped her off at the airport, I thought about how the goodbye shouldn't be as bad because the hello was only two weeks away.
So here's my conclusion: the heck part of hello is that its eventual end is a goodbye. But the good part of goodbye is the opportunity of the hello on the other end. And that's the beauty of this vicious cycle - neither hello or goodbye is permanent and there's always more.
There's nothing quite like a good hello. A hello brings a whole new world into existence. Whether it's introducing yourself in a parking lot to someone walking the same direction or simply sitting down and finding that there's someone brave enough to bridge the gap to sit right next to you. There's always fate to blame as well. The unavoidable but essential meeting that came at just the right time, like a faculty meeting where your future mentor teacher just said something silly and you realize your next placement will be just as good as the first one. Whatever kind of hello it is, the essence of a hello is good.
Which brings me to goodbyes...who named them that? Whether temporary or extensive, goodbyes are heck. But...I have had a recent realization. This actually came from a temporary goodbye I just said to a roommate. As I dropped her off at the airport, I thought about how the goodbye shouldn't be as bad because the hello was only two weeks away.
So here's my conclusion: the heck part of hello is that its eventual end is a goodbye. But the good part of goodbye is the opportunity of the hello on the other end. And that's the beauty of this vicious cycle - neither hello or goodbye is permanent and there's always more.
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