I don’t have much to write about except somehow, it is so familiar to my life…
Here’s what came to mind…
Category: Awakenings
Thank You
What, by some, would be called the “R” rated version but so powerful.
There is nothing “R” about it unless you count REAL.
This one is “G” in case you prefer.
But it’s the lyrics that are the point anyway….
Thank You by Alanis Morissette
Lyrics
How ’bout getting off these antibiotics
How ’bout stopping eating when I’m full up
How ’bout them transparent dangling carrots
How ’bout that ever elusive kudo
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
How ’bout me not blaming you for everything
How ’bout me enjoying the moment for once
How ’bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
How ’bout grieving it all one at a time
Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
The moment I let go of it was the moment
I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it
Was the moment I touched down
How ’bout no longer being masochistic
How ’bout remembering your divinity
How ’bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out
How ’bout not equating death with stopping
Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you thank you silence
Written by Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard • Copyright © The Bicycle Music Company, Universal Music Publishing Group
Gratitude 11/21/17
This song was posted on my friend Karuna’s amazing blog. I loved it before and am so glad to be reminded of it.
The song AND video are delightful, all the way to the end.
For some people, I won’t say who (but they are around my age), it may take a whole run through to get hooked on it.
Enjoy!
Veteran’s Day 11/11/17
I guess every generation has its war. For mine, it was Vietnam.
I was so angry about that war and I could not have told you why………other than my well-intentioned, but naive Flower Child commitment to nonviolence.
Even though I could not have justified it with any political understanding, I marched and protested and wrote passionate letters and participated in every way I could think of…believing with my whole being that we could actually stop the war.
Though I lost my innocence back then, as well as many friends, I never lost my belief in pacifism.
It took going to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in DC some time in the early 1980’s for me to finally be able to make room in my black and white thinking about the Vietnam war. I had never even considered how many of those names on the Wall represented men and women who chose, out of honor and deep-held passions of their own, to fight for our country.
I was still biased, and so angry on that trip. I made pencil etchings of 17 names, “brothers” from my childhood, that had served in Vietnam…but did not make it back home. Each one of them had been drafted.
Now, this print of Lee Teter’s Vietnam Reflections War Memorial Poster sits in the most prominent position in my office/Group Room. Everyone who comes to me for therapy is greeted by this powerful image. Such a small homage to all those we lost, in that war, as well as because of that war.
We didn’t know back then what we know now. So many of us would do it all differently…
especially the welcoming home part….
This is one of my favorite videos ever.
I ask for forgiveness for not knowing this back then.
And I dedicate this post, with deep gratitude for their service, to the following people I am blessed to have had in my life. Most, but not all, served during the Vietnam War.
Colonel Louis Ford (Tad)-United States Air Force
Thomas Alvin Bessey-National Guard Mounted Cavalry
Jean McMaster Bessey- US Navy WAVES
Captain Brian Lee Ford-US Air Force
James Fletcher-US Army
Jimmy Schack
Mary Paananen
David Taylor
Joe LaFayette
Eddie Leachman
Ari Cowan
Bret Burkholder
Vince Horan
Saralee Blum
Jim Sorensen
Ron Holst
Michael Adams
Dale Beuning
Colonel James Kowalski
Kirk Boettcher
Mriana Williams
Richard Hartman
James Malone
Shawn Dennis
Colonel James Sampson
Steve Dryden
Don Ulmer
Lou Chirillo
Dave Bartholomew
Jason Bogar
Colonel Bill Head
Captain Roy Gurd
Jerry and Jennifer Niehaus
Carol’s first husband
Lenore’s first husband
(I know I am leaving out some names…so sorry)
PS Sorry I could not get WordPress to work yesterday so this post is a day late…
Peek for WPC 11-1-17
We had rented a beautiful house on the river, just the four of us. Me, my son, his wife and their son.
My grandson was 19 months old. I noticed him frozen in his tracks, a very unusual moment for this extremely active toddler. He was standing at the bathroom door, peeking through the crack.
He stood there for the longest time…long enough for me to run for my camera.
Psychological, spiritual, or Oedipal, I wasn’t sure, but I knew I was witnessing something profound.
This precious little boy was completely in love, captivated by his mother who was sitting in the bathtub, washing her hair.
An Interruption in your regularly scheduled program….
I will get back to savoring and sharing our Epic Roots Trip this summer soon…
But THIS just came across my desk and I have to share it with you!
It’s a newsletter from Karen Drucker, a long-time acquaintance (talented musician, presenter and comedienne) containing a link to her new album, but also a new music video.
I included the whole thing so you can read about Karen but it is the music video (down toward the bottom under “News Flash”) that really got to me. I hope you are also moved to share it. Here’s the link, and yes, I got her permission to post this YouTube.
Thanks.
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SYW 10-23-17
OK, hit another writing snag and am using this great challenge to loosen up the writing muscles. Thank you Cee.
The questions (and my answers) this week on Cee’s “Share Your World” challenge are as follows.
Was school easy or difficult for you? How so?
Really difficult, for so many reasons…mostly an undiagnosed learning disability, I suppose, but a lot of mixed messages. In the 4th grade, I wrote the story of my pet duck (Fluffy). My teacher told me I was failing the 4th grade (how can that even happen?) and that my writing was stupid. (She should have failed the 4th grade.) But the principal, who read my story, gave me a “Writing Award” and posted my story in the class case outside his office for the rest of the year.
Read more about Fluffy here:
List some of your favorite types of animals.
See question number One. Of course, I love ducks. It has grown to all birds now. But I really can’t think of an animal I don’t like. Maybe not all of them up close and personal, but I love learning about animals. Do you know much about Lemurs in Madagascar? Fascinating!
What is your favorite large city you have been to? What is the one thing you remember most?
Well, I’m torn between San Diego and Seattle, both cities I have lived in. I guess what strikes me the most is the similarity between the surrounding areas of each. Though there is a major discrepancy in weather, as well as flora and fauna, the topography is so much alike. Desert nearby, as well Visible mountains. And water. It’s everywhere in both cities. Bays, inlets, streams and rivers, islands that require boats or ferries to access, and yacht harbors!! So many yacht harbors.
I can’t actually remember if the seabird above is from San Diego or Seattle…
What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.
Sreejit Poole’s Dungeon Prompt. The topic is so fascinating and his description, very compelling. He calls it Rage against the Machine. I sat down immediately to write out my response. I’m not done yet (see above comment re:hitting writing snag) but have enjoyed being so immersed in the way I am answering his challenge. Very inspirational, and a great balancing exercise, for me, about Dark vs Light. How to write about the dark without going dark myself….
Take a look at his site if you haven’t yet.
https://theseekersdungeon.com/2017/10/14/rage-against-the-machine-month-in-the-dungeon/
https://ceenphotography.com/2017/10/23/share-your-world-october-23-2017/
Song Lyric Sunday
Especially for you Helen! I have a great story about this song but when I looked it up, I found that many, many others do also.
Here’s mine.
To become a practitioner in the kind of therapy I do takes a ton of personal work first.
You have to practice what you preach. You have to model behavior you hope to see in others. You have to be impeccable….ALL THE TIME! Not just in front of your clients.
After 30 years of practice, I figured I had this one down, until my wonderful therapist/mentor/teacher/”Mom” passed away! She is the person who first shared this song with me and it became my anthem for myself, and eventually for many clients. But when Elaine died, I had forgotten all about this song.
At her memorial, with hundreds of people there, someone told me they got a “message” from Elaine that I was supposed to go up to the front of the room and lead the group in a song.
I said “WHAT??”
First of all, I do NOT sing in front of people after a traumatic high school event where my choir teacher broke my heart and spirit by telling me to please just lipsync because my voice was so bad.
And second of all, how was I supposed to know what song!!
I resisted…but my training kicked in (and maybe a little “fake it ’til you make it” self-love).
I’m not one to ignore channeling or messages from beyond or whatever it was, so I marched up there, and without a second thought, I belted out THIS VERY SONG! Clear, loud, and, later I was told, even on key!! I lead the group in singing several rounds because anyone who knew Elaine, knew this beautiful song! (I still get goose bumps remembering this moment!)
That action, compelled somehow by someone else’s belief in me, finished one more piece of work for me that had lingered all these years!
Close your eyes when you listen and imagine these words coming from the person you most need to hear them from.
Love,
Kathie
https://helenswordsoflife.com/2017/09/30/song-lyric-sunday-theme-for-10117/
ChosenPerspectives on Structure for WPC 8/30/17
How is this not the biggest waste ever of a perfectly fine “structure” ????
I’m just saying….
SongLyricSunday-Breathe
https://helenswordsoflife.com/2017/09/02/song-lyric-sunday-theme-for-9317/#respond
Here’s my song for this Sunday. Love the lyrics, especially
Two AM and I’m still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, its no longer
Inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd
‘Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you’ll use them, however you want to
It’s how I feel every time I post on my blog!