Speaking of Spirit

For whatever reason, I have been under the misguided impression that today was Saturday.  Consequently, my usual early morning missive was not posted for you all.  But, perhaps this is what Spirit wanted after all.  Perhaps, I was meant to post late at night.   Today, the sun was out for the first time in over a week. So, thinking it was Saturday, I attacked the gardens, weeding and trimming to my heart's content. While I worked, I thanked God for my gardens, for my dear Roger working alongside me and for the gorgeous day, resplendent in shades of green and bird song.  When I finally stopped, it was late afternoon and we hadn't lunched, yet. So, after a quick clean up, we sat and ate, resting for a bit.  At close to 6 pm, I suddenly realized it was Sunday.  Yikes, I thought, I must be getting old! However, after talking to my granddaughter on Skype, (she and her Mom usually call me on Sunday evening) I realized that I had spent a lovel...

Franz Stuck [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons COME TO THE CIRCLE by Linda M. Rhinehart Neas Mother, You rock to a lullaby beat.   Nurturing, loving,   Guardian Angel to those   Whose tiny hands leave prints upon your heart. Come to the Circle. Woman, You stiletto march your route.   Scorned, abused,   Necessary evil to those   Whose eyes see not your soul. Come to the Circle. Daughter, You run headlong into Life.   Laughing, singing,   Radiant hope to those   Whose hands guided you along the path. Come to the Circle. Woman, You climb the corporate ladder.   Aggressive, determined,   Amazon warrior to those   Whose fears scorn the beauty of your mind. Come to the Circle. Grandma, You sit in aging silence.   Feeble, forgotten,   An empty shell to those   Whose lives fa...

Today, I took a vacation day. I slept late, lolled in bed for a bit soaking up the quiet. When I did get up, I took my tea and rice cake out into our garden (pictured above) and sat sipping the Assam tea. Birds chirped and tweeted around me. The bees were already busy visiting each blossom of lupine and nasturium.  After breakfast, I made my bed, ironed clothes, hung out wash and  did a bit of gardening. As I was hanging out the second load of laundry, I suddenly realized how happy I felt. Yes, I was happy at hanging out laundry! As I stood there, clipping towels to the line, I realized I was actually happy making my bed, ironing clothes and doing the dozens of mundane chores most of us do automatically. You see, for me, this was a treat. At 8:30 in the morning, I am usually standing before a classroom of adults, teaching English. My day is filled with meetings, teaching, planning, discussing, more planning and assessing. Once I get home, I am either preparing for eveni...

When life gets too much for me to deal with, I often retreat to my garden. Within the confines of arborvitae, lupine, rose, daylily and all the other perennials growing there, I find peace and strength.  One of my favorite actresses, Audrey Hepburn said, " To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. " I had never thought of it that way, until I found myself out weeding and pruning this year. Being in the garden, tending to the needs of my flowers and plants, weeding, pruning and planting seedlings was all an act of great faith. Why bother to plant if tomorrow wasn't possible?  I believe tomorrow is possible and that tomorrow can be better than today, which is one of the wonderful things about hope. When we have hope, we dream of possibilities.  As Emily Dickinson wrote,   I dwell in Possibility –  A fairer House than Prose –  More numerous of Windows –  Superior – for Doors –  Of Chambers as the Cedars –  Impregnable ...

This has been one of the toughest weeks I have had when it comes to staying current with the news. I literally hurt inside. Last Tuesday, I read that children were being separated, forcefully at times, from parents who had come into the country without documentation. As I researched the situation, I learned that children were being put into facilities with minimum comforts, their parents were not allowed to contact them or even know where their children were. At that time, I said I would not be silent.  As I have researched, I have had to wade through misinformation on both sides to the issues. Honestly, it is difficult to know who to believe.  One thing I know, because the administration has admitted doing it, is that children ARE being separated from their parents as a "deterrent" to continuing into the US.  I am disturbed that some people feel that because this or that happened in the past or the fact that the parents are without documents, this somehow justi...

When my first grandchild was born, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  In her tiny eyes, I saw my mother, my grandmother and the long line of women, who preceded them. I thought I was simply overly emotional from driving across three states to be with this new bundle of joy and my daughter. However, a recent meme on Facebook gave me pause to think. According to the meme, "A female fetus is born with all the eggs she will ever have in her lifetime. So, when your grandma was carrying your mum in her womb, you were a teeny tiny egg in your mum’s ovaries." That is to say, that the three of you were in one body, simultaneously. One!  The thought of this blew me away. I instantly teared up, thinking of my four daughters and my 11 grandchildren.  Then, came the naysayers. "An egg is not a fetus." True. But, it is part of who a person will become. That is to say, when your grandmother was carrying your mother, part you was also part of your mother!  In addition, the...

Memorial Day - Flag on Tomb of  fallen soldiers from King Phillip's War 1675 Memorial Day in the United States has become associated with picnics, barbecues, and the opening of summer camps. Ask most young people about the holiday and they will not be able to tell you the significance. I have heard answers ranging from "It is something to do with veterans," to "It's the first day of summer, right?"  Wrong! Memorial or Decoration Day, which has its beginnings during Civil War times from 1861 to 1865, is a day to remember those who died in the service of our country. Surprisingly, while Memorial Day has been observed in many states since the mid-1800's, it did not become a legal holiday until 1971. From its start, Memorial Day was a time of reflection, remembrance, and prayer. Graves of the fallen soldiers were decorated with flags and flowers.  Today, parades of veterans march to cemeteries, sometimes accompanied by local school ba...