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Motivated by a lack of material.

Archive for the category “Quickbits”

21 Apr 2016

Has God Abandoned You

Hopefully, you are not in a place where this question will even come to mind. However, life being what it is, you have been there or you will be there at some point in your life. Does Christian faith allow for such doubt, and even if it does not what of you if you find yourself in the grips of such turmoil?

We hurt, we become confused, and we grow tired. That is reality. We are in search of reassurance that our pain WILL be healed, our hearts will be restored and we will continue on. Yet in those moments that feel like a lifetime, isn’t it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The concept of FAITH in a world that bases worthiness and authenticity on guarantees, is a challenge in and of itself. Therefore you have to consider the rainbow; they are indications that a storm has happened somewhere, but it also shows you it is over and the path is clear once again.

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03 Dec 2015
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I Wish I Could Dance

As I sit at my computer and listen to the silliest music ever (but I love it just the same) over and over again (my family get this), I find myself wanting to tap my foot sway my body, nod my head. I wish I could dance, because dancing seems to be a happy thing to do. This time of year, I just want to be happy. I just want the people I care about to be happy. Honestly, I want everyone to experience that kind of happy. However, I am VERY uncoordinated. I am also very aware of this fact and do not want to feel embarrassed by my lack of rhythm. I will sit on the sidelines to watch and admire others. My granddaughter and I dance together, but I am so bad that even she in her five years, recognizes Abuela  looks like she is in trouble so she better sit down. I imagine Kai (my grandson) when he gets older, will stop me as well. Smile, laugh, because I am and I do. They bring me unadulterated JOY.  Grandchildren do that for you.

A very good friend of mine, my Libra sister Tammy sent me a DVD of the Jackson Five cartoon series, now remember she sent the DVD to ME. Well I played the video while I was in Addison’s room(at my house) and she was engrossed on the computer. She stopped and came over sat besides me and started watching. Soon she was standing up singing along and dancing to the music from a 1971 cartoon. I got up and we danced together wildly..and this time she did not stop me. This went on for about 10 minutes solid.

So for no apparent reason at all, I needed a smile today and I thought of Addison, The Jackson Five and how I wished I could dance. Then I realized when those two circumstances come together whether or not I can, I do.

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07 Oct 2015
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Hiatus

Have you ever needed a break? A break that was such, you did not know how long you would require. If you find yourself unable to think/concentrate focus..it is time to rest your weary brain. My time had come. I was tripping, literally, over everything. Hopefully slowing myself down, eliminating some technology would allow me to reconnect with that which is real, that which truly counts.

The time passed and I looked around and it seemed as though time had stopped. The things I needed to accomplish still sat in the state which had prompted me to take a break from what I love, my writing. My writing helps me think and I had cut off my brain of sorts. My hiatus was to give me a chance to reorganize, I told myself but it was an escape, a run away from some real things that were happening around me, to me. The fact that the disarray still existed told me, I couldn’t run.

I woke up and scanned through some old photographs; a friend of mine from childhood had posted one in particular on Mother’s Day..I had not laid eyes on that lady for 45 years and it sent a chill down my spine. Tears welled in my eyes and a frog formed in my throat, I knew what my friend was feeling and I knew what I had been brushing aside, pushing past. The inevitable WILL come for us all, I don’t know why I though I had a formula to make it different for me.

Hiatus CANCELLED, Life RESUME.

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28 Oct 2014
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The Best Way You Can

“I did my best, but I guess my best wasn’t good enough..” Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever felt this way towards someone. I will not allow myself to visit a place that will confirm I have felt the latter. I know the truth.  Besides it is much easier to live with yourself if you can say you are the tragic one.

I want to speak from the perspective of an individual who realized someone gave their best. What I had to come to grips with was that this individual gave it a “scouts-try”, in spite of me never giving credit for that try, that effort. I was too busy pointing fingers and giving examples of what “I” thought should happen. At the oddest moment things became clear to me, as though I was emerging from a fog.

We all have different talents and skill levels, sometimes we get caught up in what our opinions and perspectives are, we forget that there are other factors involved. In the midst of your self-absorbed righteousness perhaps a pause will allow you to observe something you my have discounted and/or overlooked. Then you will begin to be able to see that which you claim no one else can understand; that someone else does matter, someone else does count.

Therefore when you do your best, even if your best may not appear to be good enough, nothing can be more rewarding then knowing this in your heart, and in reality you are one-up on a whole lot of people who don’t even give a half try.

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28 Oct 2014
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October-Fest

Well my Libra friend and I have discussed over the years we have known one another how terrible our shared birthday month generally is. I thought it was just me, but my Libra -sister affirmed it was not a good time for her either. We still wanted to believe it would be better and held onto the hope of such an occurrence. However maybe this year, the year of the “double nickles” for us may be changing things, at least for now and perhaps from now on.

ILoveAutumn; the temperatures start to drop, the leaves begin to change, I am reminded the holidays are on fast approach and I feel renewed. I always attributed this feeling of overall good, to the fact I made my grand entrance to the world during this time of year.  October is my month and I love everything about it from the birthstone, the opal legend says it is bad luck to wear for anyone other than a person who is actually born in October, to Halloween. There is Oktoberfest for beer lovers, I do happen to hate beer though, but whatever, anything to sing the praises to my month! Pumpkin-Patches popping up all over everywhere; I am magically transported back to a place where I can clearly recall the first time I watched “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and now a joy I now share with my granddaughter.

In three short days October will disappear for another 12 months, and this year I will miss my month with all the bitter-sweet events and memories. However, I will be able to say there was far more sweet than bitter this time and I am looking forward to seeing you same time next year.

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08 Sep 2014
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Sometimes You Just Have To Cry

This morning I was on my facebook timeline and I looked at a post my little sister put on it a couple days ago. It was  Crystal Gayle’s song “Don’t It make My Brown Eyes Blue”. Initially I smiled because it was one of my father’s favorite songs. I then looked over it’s information and saw/realized it was a hit the year I graduated from high school. I knew back in those days country music was not on the top of my listening lists, but I remember liking it quite a bit. enough to buy it and share it with my dad. Before I knew it there it was this silent yet open mouth cry/laugh.

Sounds weird, well it was. I was laughing at how dad played that song over and over and over again, I was laughing at how I knew he loved Crystal Gayle and dubbed her  so beautiful and I knew a great deal of what he found beautiful about her was her gorgeous hair,  I laughed about the irony of her hit about brown eyes being blue when her truly beautiful eyes were clearly not brown, and the cry was about how much I miss my dad every single day.

Though not a single tear was shed, I felt cleansed and free. I knew I needed that feeling, that cry, and I wanted to express to some of my readers that it is okay if you are sometimes overcome with the need to cry. Don’t fight it; just go with it, something needs to get out and it may be a smiling memory you’ve been putting on the back-burner of your mind. My brown eyes weren’t blue at all, but I thank Miss Crystal Gayle for that happy memory.

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05 Apr 2014
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What Is It About Richard?

I woke to the sound of birds singing, bright sunshine and cold! Ah yes but Spring is here. The music that is playing in my mind is “Under The Bridges Of Paris” the instrumental from Shall We Dance.  “What is it about Richard”, I ask myself.

Come on now, we all have these images of what the ideal romantic mate would be like.  Richard Gere is mine. It is fantasy, and it is fun! I loved and lusted after the likes of Billy Dee Williams, Denzel Washington, Boris Kodjoie to name only a few. No one can hold a candle to Brad Pitt in the looks department and he is/has become basically a saint in my eyes now. However Richard… he will always make me believe what I want to believe, that love/amour is like the scent of  jasmine flowers floating past you on a spring day, unforgettable.

What is it about Richard, women would argue his looks. I see the tiny eyes and rather large average nose. He has great hair though, dark brown salt and pepper or gray, it is great and it looks great on him. Is it the roles he has played in? Can mere portrayals change and alter actual images? Lets look at some facts about the subject of this piece and the object of my admiration. Richard Gere is an educated man, he is a cultured man, he is a humanitarian, he is more than what meets the eye and that is refreshing in an environment such as the one that exists in Hollywood. That is a both a plus and a minus; Richard gives us a picture of normal, well-adjusted, attractive and unaffected, but he is a by-product Hollywood, the place where pictures (which are merely images) are what is what it sells.

When I watch Richard onscreen he is simply selling what I happen to be buying, perfectly packaged, a welcomed escape, an illusion.

 

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15 Feb 2014

Looking Forward

It was that time again, the annual physical.THANKFULLY! Now I am not one of those folks who dreads doctors and hospitals. I have been a rather healthy individual. I have had bouts with weight, but other that that I have been blessed. I was also blessed to be back in a “situation”that allowed me to once again have health care benefits.

I start the process late January early February. I did the vision, dental, and medical within days of one another. Everything was as I suspected. I got contact lenses for the first time and I had a couple of cavities to be filled.I came through the annoying/uncomfortable female screenings with flying colors. All in all for someone who has not been under a doctor’s care since 2009, I have to say I was happy.

Now the fact that I could lose 15 to 20 pounds did not make me happy, but it did not surprise me. I could say at 5’10” I still did not have to be inducted into the 200 lbs club. Judge me if you choose , but in that process think about the frame that carries those pounds and allow me the excuse, ” I have big bones”.  Hey if you cannot laugh at yourself…. I saw Red Velvet cupcakes, Red Velvet pancakes, kettle chips, and NO EXERCISE flash before my eyes. I knew what I had to do, for once again the Osmosis Method of Working Out was NOT working out.

My journey began Saturday February 8, 2014  I want to tell you this will be the last time I face this challenge; I now have the answer because even though I may have the answer, I realize I may not always use the knowledge and information I have obtained as I should. Therefore, I will say I am hopeful that I do not get to this place again armed with that same knowledge. Thus far it is feeling good and my intention is to not only keep it up until I reach the desired weight, but to make this program a way of life. I am not SIMPLY looking forward to fitting into those jeans again, I am just looking forward to living.

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18 Sep 2013
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Morning Glory And Jasmine

What was in the air yesterday. I felt a twinge of Autumn. YAY AUTUMN! It is rapidly approaching and I for one could not be happier. Yet it wasn’t as simple as that. Little tiny innuendos, fluttery feelings, and odd expressions.

The call came from out of the blue, the request was innocent, the offer was genuine, and the gesture was pure. What all of these things had in common was they originated from a source that was once connected to a love relationship. Four different love relationships whose only common ground was “Yours Truly” and in the sense I was made aware of each of these occurrences. I will not detail how or when, that is not important what is significant is the connection; the meaning of these two flowers(language of flowers) , what they represent in the legends, and this short piece.

Waiting for sunrise like the Morning Glory waits to bloom, as the scents of Jasmine lingers long after you have walked past them on the street, sometimes the affects of love stays with you. It resides somewhere safely and quietly. It has no ulterior motives or plans, and it will remain unnoticed. Then one day rummaging through papers, or a slight turn on the street, a song on the radio will jar that feeling, that memory. The next thing you know, there is a call or an email or a chance visit with no expectation, no requirements to meet, just an opportunity to briefly reconnect to a place of warm smiles and breathtaking emotions.  I am again reminded that there will always be room in my life for a romantic story and that there is no shortage of them. Thank God for that.

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21 Aug 2013

Howlin At The Moon

My Libra sisters and I are on so many of the same wave lengths it is utterly amazing at times. There are people who discount astrology and I understand. However at our age it kinda gives you that “back to childhood fairy-story type of feel with a steroid shot of real world infused”. Artistic, musically inclined, masters of the written and spoken word; needless to say the hopeless but NOT hapless romantic spirit prevails in each of us.

Last night as I left my favorite grocery store in Georgia, I could not help but admire the large wonderful moon. I used my camera in my phone, but my hands were not as steady as they should be with this article, as I carted a couple of bags hurriedly to my car. Parking lot lights ablaze, I did not get close to the splendor of this beautiful showing.  I started to try again but I had an impediment, so I could not attempt  more photos. There will be other times, other moon showings like this one. Some night the midst of autumn when the cool crispness is in the air again, the heavenly bodies seemingly close enough to touch, but being earthbound all you can do is admire them from afar. I comforted myself with that thought. However, this morning I awoke to find on my facebook page front and center two shots of the moon eight hours earlier and on the opposite coast. IRONY, I thought as I smiled at the two lovely clear shots. I said,” I wonder what she was thinking as she gazed at the moon and felt so compelled to photograph it.” I have to say in reality and did not wonder; I could read her mind loud and clear, obviously she was reading mine. Thanks Tammy!

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