Friday, April 22, 2011

relying on the kindness of strangers

It's so easy to get jaded in this world. A rude bus driver, that one woman who incessantly yells at her children in the most nasal, whiny yet raspy voice you've ever heard; the close "friend" who steals your cashed paycheck right off your desk while you're finishing a last minute chore. These are examples of why we finally throw our hands in the air and say "that's it, I'll not trust another living soul as long as I live."

For awhile this works out well. We go along in our lives as though in our human hamster wheels...go to work, go home, go to the store, go to the bar...go home, go to work, on and on...we don't touch anyone and we certainly try our hardest not to let anyone touch US!

Every now and then someone comes along to shift our perspective back and we can once again breathe a sigh of warm relief and realize that bitterness makes one brittle; unforgiveness makes one tired and ill.

I was running late yesterday on my flight home from a week-long conference. Tired, broke (really REALLY broke) and physically sore I waited in line behind a long line of people from another country who try as they might could not fit the required weight limit in their stainless steel luggage and who in broken english were trying their hardest to dissuade the counter worker from keeping the rules. Time ticked by and although I'd arrived at the airport in ample time, my little margin was wearing thin. I finally got to the counter, got my boarding pass, checked my luggage and was told HURRY boarding starts in 25 minutes.

Off I hurried to get to what I thought I had heard was gate D6. My legs were hurting and I know I probably looked pretty pitiful when the dulcet tones of a beautiful airline goddess said to me "Miss, please come this way" and she ushered me through a delightful gate from the long line of those awaiting security checks to being the second in line. Bless her heart. I was relieved and my carry on and I sailed through.

I got to gate D6 and realized I had made a mistake, it was actually gate D26 I was supposed to be at so I hurried to my correct gate, got on the plane and for the rest of my trip everything was amazing.

Thank you kind lady in Las Vegas, you have restored the balance of my reality!!!!!!!

Monday, April 4, 2011

this moms view...

i hear horrific news from afar
and on the winds i hear cries of mothers
searching for children long lost in
the tumult

my spirit weeps when a child i see
picking through
piles of rubble in tears
once home

far away or right next door
mothers arise to
battle the horrors
of night

creatures of prey
rustle through walls
each day more terror
is wrought

and one day soon
the songs will arise
sung from mothers of forever
woven of the sun
and harmonized
by light

yes one day soon
when songs arise
sung by mothers
notes of justice
on wings of laughter
healing

Not that I believe moms are always right because if you walk down any aisle in any supermarket it's clear they're not, but I'm reminded of mothers such as the mom of Chief Joseph, or Yellow Wolf, any of the courageous men who fought for our tribes' sovereignty and I'm reminded even of battles long before us...there is always of a mom who taught a warrior the right way...if you listen closely you can hear them singing in the background when any world trauma happens...or any world joy...or even just if its a clear sunny day...

Wild n Woolly!

OMG such a weekend it was...

My granddaughters arrived in shifts...the two youngest arrived first, as princesses ought, tiaras awry from the long drive however nothing daunted, they stepped from the chariot with due dignity giving way to screams of adoration over the two "Fats" (Buttons and Sussy the dogs).

The oldest granddaughter arrived late at night carried in on a litter of soft blankets and her dad's jacket...

Oh yes, and my daughter J and son D also arrived with their significant others in tow...

The raucous laughter at bawdy jokes...amazing food prepared by daughter-in-law who's in culinary school...sleepy songs sung to restless toddlers...an impromptu bonfire (actually, this was a "Tom Sawyer-ish" scheme I thought of on the fly...something like this - "I love this big fire out here...it's fun because I just keep finding things to BURN in it" and viola! my yard was cleaned!)...FINALLY some time to catch up on "girl" talk with my two daughters...

I am rich and my life is BEAUTIFUL.