The Quiet

I watched and read different things all weekend and yesterday about 9/11/11, and each time, I was lead to a quiet place. I remembered the quiet skies that day with no air travel after the devastation, and as members of my family watched the same things as I did on TV, they were quiet, also. Nothing needed to be said out loud.

 

 

Yesterday being the first day people could actually visit the Ground Zero memorial pools, I heard on the news that the sound of the water itself drowned out any noise around you creating its own silence.

 

 

Being outdoors in the beautiful warm weather of yesterday and today, I started to notice the quiet things that surrounded me, each having its own definition of silence and peacefulness.

 

 

Quiet is:

rippling water.

a light breeze.

an American flag's wave.
a sunset's color.

a sun's beam.

a blue sky's cloudlessness.

a butterfly's flutter.

a petal's fall.

a moon's glow.

a swan's swim.

a tied boat's dance.

a fish's jump.

a turtle's walk.

a bird's flight.

a fish bite.

a willow's weep.

a cricket's song.

a pier's creak.

a fishing pole's whip.

a dragonfly's hover.

a bee's buzz.

a worm's wiggle.

a mouse's nibble.

a dove's coo.

a bare foot's sound.

a child's breath.

a cat's purr.
a dog's whimper.

a humming bird's hum.

a loved one's sigh.

a tear drop.

 

 

I love the quiet and all it brings.

Routines

A lot can be said for a routine even though it can be very boring at times.

We do get bored by a routine if we keep having to do something. If we have to make one more sandwich and put it in a baggie, we think we will go daffy--try 40 years of doing that!!! But without that sandwich, we pay a lot more going out for lunch, so we continue to do it. Routine can save money.

If we do something long enough though, it does become part of us like brushing our teeth. If we go to bed purposely not brushing because we're too tired, etc., we feel guilty. We may get up immediately and brush, or tomorrow, we will do a better job of brushing because it's part of us and our good dental training as children. Routine can save us from harm.

Children rely on routine to feel secure. They want their blankies every night and the favorite cereal in the morning. We depend on coffee/tea/pop in the morning to get us off on the right foot. Without this routine, whole days can be ruined!! Routine gives us a sense of comfort.

As a retiree, I'm not getting much done--not as much as I expected to when I was working. It took me long enough to realize it, but I don't have a real routine! I still brush my teeth and drink coffee in the morning, but I don't have to make those sandwiches in a baggie anymore--woohoo!!! That is one routine I don't need to continue to survive this life!!! I do think I need some new routines, however!

I thought I would write more and I haven't. I intended to write a post this morning, and I have been working on one that just doesn't come together, but I get sidetracked as usual. I even read a few posts today to get me motivated. I read Elsie's (Elsie Tries Writing), and she talked about her routine of walking and this time finding a bunch of small bones--how interesting is that! She is going to share her findings with another teacher who might display them on her Wonder Table.

I walk in the morning, so my goal was to find something on my walk that I could write about. I did take a few pictures--nothing to move me right now. I then went on my nature walk in my garden and ended up pulling weeds and dead plants. I took more pictures. Now I'm at my computer deciding what to write about. I even made a list of things I could write about--when all else fails.

I think I have slipped back into my old routine of thinking a post should be earth shattering, bound book-worthy, and absolutely spell-binding. Some old routines can hurt you, too.

I forget a post is a slice of life story--wanderings and wonderings. I do need to come up with a writing routine and remember that the smallest things can be a post. Here's to a writing routine and small things once again!!!!

Twilight of Summer

Mornings come later.
Shadows cast early.
Cicadas play songs.
Petunias lose flair.
Veggies grow hardy.
Flowers go to seed.
Birds meet in flocks.
Grass begs for water.
Fairs bring their bounties.
Fireworks wane.
Schools replace sand toys.
Busses drone down roads.
Children opt for indoors.
Parents: "We made it!"

For fall is peeking through
And winter's portal will open,
So celebrate summer's twilight
With all its warmth and beauty still.

A First

Aching foot, leg, and hip--

Bring them to the fingers that heal.

Dimmed lights lead to silence.

Soft music fed the ears.

Thirty minutes went way too fast--

Please, a place to sleep nearby?

Going outside shattered the calm, but

With a relaxing giggle, this was my reply,

"Why did I wait this long for a massage?"

Retirement

23 & 24 years old.
I do
In sickness and health
Til death do us part.

64 & 65.
Both retired
In health still
Til death do us part.

Reflection & renewal.

Fear & joy.

The journey continues.

Never Too Young or Old

Leaving the teaching field for retirement does not let one just ride off into the sunset as I thought I would.

More personal activities take precedence now which is the greatest part of retirement, and I find teaching is still a large part of me but on a different scale. I still want to create, read, write and be an influence. Trying to influence 80 students every day for 180 days a year was becoming quite an overwhelming task for me in the last few years before retirement. It was time to go to a different place.

My arena now consists of 2-4 children who are all different ages and have different needs--mainly 2 1/2 years to 6 1/2 years. There are 3 boys and one girl. I cannot be with them 180 days a year, but I can make a difference when I am with them. I am a grandparent, and I love being with them especially when they create.

We all have our writers notebooks now--some are writing, and some are just drawing. I am tickled to death especially when Lilly (4 1/2) finds and grabs her notebook without prompting and says, "I'm ready." We try to write/draw with "No walk, no talk"--really hard to do!!! Noah (4 1/2) likes to print his name and others words with his race car drawings. Lucas (6 1/2) prints sentences with many different drawings, and James (2 1/2) loves markers and circles!

Then we share and clap for one another. After that, we write/draw again because we want to.

This activity doesn't last long right now, but this is better than any sunset!!!

As a Result

As grandparents, we are always looking for something to catch the eye of our grandchildren, their attention, their minds, or their food palates to make our time with them special. Yes, we can always buy them something special. Buying is easy. It's the time spent with them that counts.

When:

buying them a game, we must play it with them.

purchasing trucks and cars, we must rev it up with them.

giving a fishing pole, we must fish with them.

making food for them, we must include them in the preparation.

buying coloring books, paper, markers, paints, and crayons, we must design with them.

getting out the Playdoh/Legos/building kits, we must build with them.

picking up a book, we must read to/with them.

choosing a writers notebook and writing utensil for them, we must write/sketch with them.

being a grandparent, we must really be with them when we are with them.

being with them, we will share our hearts, our minds, and our souls.

As a result, we will always be with them in their hearts.