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“If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can’t help but learn” Bernie Siegel
Archive for March, 2009
Psychscribe Quote #57
March 27, 2009A Comforting Ancient Story
March 25, 2009
My dear friend SanityFound sent me this ancient story to comfort and fortify me about my upcoming visit to my dying uncle. It did indeed comfort me, and it resonated with truth. I hope it helps some other reader here:
In ancient times it was believed that when someone gets an illness, someone who doesn’t die suddenly, it is God giving those that passed on a chance to be with those who visit the the ones soon to pass. In ancient times those who loved the one who was ill would visit them, staying a while at their bedside with their eyes closed, just breathing and feeling. They said it comforted them feeling those gone already surrounding their loved one.
God brings the angels who know the one soon passing so that they do not fear, and to give comfort to those visiting.
The Life Cycle
March 23, 2009Even as I celebrate my daughter’s pregnancy and my son’s imminent marriage, I got terrible news last night. My favorite uncle, brother to the father I’ve been grieving on this blog, has pancreatic cancer. The very same cancer that took my father’s life. Lethal and fast moving. And, even though I wasn’t present when my father died, I now know it was a very painful death. A death my uncle witnessed. I feel sick at heart over what he has in store for him. What he knows he has in store for him. I always imagine, no matter where my illness takes me, that the doctors would give me enough painkillers that there wouldn’t be much pain. Apparently that’s not always the case.
This is the uncle who taught me to ice skate with my beloved twin cousins, Lenny and Joe, both already dead before their time.. He took us on wild sledding rides, the three of us screeching in terrified glee. He taught us to dive into our pool head first, hands properly pointed above our heads. To make a game of raking autumn leaves and watching him set fire to them…then toasting marshmallows, carefully, his hand on our wrists to be sure we were safe. He taught the twins, already raucous, to make practical jokes at my expense. He was the one who made noise on the roof for Santa on Christmas Eve, complete with bells for sound effects. Who truly enjoyed the company of us three little rug rats. And most importantly, who took us off the hands of our stressed out parents and provided a safety haven whenever we needed it most.
I want to run to him and see him, its been years. I will go with my aunt, his sister,when she is over the shock and ready to plan our flight. I confess I am terrified. It already feels so like what we went through with my father. I want to be strong and supportive but I’m afraid the similarities will curl me into a useless emotional fetal position..I keep telling myself that he’s not my father. He’s my uncle. I keep telling myself that he is 75. My father was 53. I tell myself that we all have to die of something. As he has said, he’s had a good run.
It doesn’t help. It doesn’t help at all. My roots are dying one by one, as nature intended. Thank God a new one is sprouting in my daughter’s womb.
What Is Your Favorite Quote?
March 20, 2009
I periodically post favorite quotes from my collection, my Psychscribe Quotes. But today I’m wondering what yours might be? If you send them on, I’ll post them all together with links to your site.
The bookends featured above can be found for sale here. ( I have no financial interest in this business, nor any personal aquaintance with the owners. I just liked the image…and the bookends !:)
Baby V
March 19, 2009(12 week sonogram found on youtube- NOT OUR BABY!)
I cannot even begin to describe what an experience it was to see the baby on the sonogram. I stood next to my son-in-law, my daughter of course on the examining table, holding her husband’s hand, as we watched in awe. That was no flat, lifeless screen as shown in the photo on my previous post. It was like an in utero video. At twelve weeks he was moving around, very active, and even sucking his thumb! There we were, three adults, dumbstruck. “Oh wow!” was pretty much the extent of the conversation from all three of us while the tech did her thing. My daughter’s “oh how cute!!!!!” periodically punctuated the conversation. She, as we all did, really melted when we saw the thumb sucking. That and our repeated question “is it a boy or a girl????” The tech kept demurring that she couldn’t be certain at twelve weeks, but finally, having found the penis, she announced “Its a boy!”
We all exclaimed in joy! My daughter was no longer carrying an “it” but a male baby. From the moment I heard it, I no longer felt merely the excitement of the pregnancy. Now he had an identity. I felt love for him . For that tiny little guy so active inside his mom. For Baby V, already named before his mom even got pregnant.
At twelve weeks, this baby was no future unknown. This baby was now.
And I feel so very honored that they invited me to participate in this intimate, joyous stage of their journey. I love all three of them with all my heart.
My Future Grandchild
March 17, 2009
(An Embryo at 12 weeks- not ours)
I am so excited. I’m going with my daughter and son-in-law for the 12 week sonogram tonight. What a way to meet my grandchild! I don’t remember them back in my day… Apparently this tech has a 100% success rate reading these things for gender, but of course the 20 week one will be definitive. I have many deep thoughts about this baby’s soon to be arrival into our family, but that will be another post for another time. Just had to share the present thrill. Even my own Drama Mama (thanks for that one, Amber!) is excited. She will be a great grandma, and we even have a great great grandma waiting in the wings. More tomorrow, friends.
TimeSnatcher5
March 17, 2009
© TimeSnatcher 2009
This is the Delaware River, walking distance from my house. Sure can’t wait to see some green!
When I am Happiest
March 16, 2009
I’m happiest when I’m creating. I am totally present. It feels like God flows right through me. Peace and energy simultaneously! What could be better than that??? Pure joy! I honestly feel that both physical and spiritual healing continue to take place in me, the more I allow my creativity free reign. Poetry, jewelry designs, decoupage, photography- all of it. I’m working on a new jewelry design which i will show you later. I went to take photos of what i’ve done to show you guys but my battery was dead on my new camera 😦
Anyway, just thought I’d share a happy mood for a change. By the way, the photo is not me but my sister and dearest friend, who shares my joy as described here…she’s an incredible mixed media artist so we are starting a business together. God I love her.
UTI- Sick Humor
March 16, 2009
Economy Crashing Home – AGAIN
March 15, 2009
Gloria Steinem once said that the personal is political. And I fully experienced what she meant. Now, in my life, the political is becoming personal.
At least my husband’s job is intact…for now. Maybe it was a rumor that the business would fold, but the scare certainly got our attention regarding our vulnerability in this economy . Now, two other family members are definitely being hit. These are not rumors. Both of them had their own businesses which in another economy would have made it. Now, they’ve lost everything. Oh I know, I know, material things are not the most important things. We all write about our values and all the wonderful abstractions that fill our souls and are what count. We talk about the value of suffering and what we learn from it.
But it hurts like hell to watch your loved ones go through something like this. First, their grief over their lost businesses. I know. I’ve been there. You put your all into it and still you have to close the doors. And then the fear. Their fear and yours. What will they do next? What is there to do next in this economy? They’re qualified for jobs… just like the millions of other equally qualified people who are waiting on line for interviews.
I know, health comes first. Believe me I know. But right after that comes a sense of safety and security in the world as we’ve known it. And that, for now, is gone.
First it was physical terrorism. Now our economy crumbling. It sure feels like another type of terrorism, doesn’t it?
Psychscribe Quote # 56
March 10, 2009For my friend VanessaLeigh, who organized a vigil acknowledging the eve of the beginning of testimony regarding Prop 8 in California:
“Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.” Margaret Chase Smith
Blogs much better than Facebook
March 7, 2009I admit I’ve only been fooling around with it since yesterday, but I’m convinced that those youngsters have made it purposely confusing in order to keep out parents and poor old boomers like me who find it increasingly difficult to multitask.
Well that’s ok, everyone deserves a place of their own. This is mine.
Hey Guys, Remember Me?
March 4, 2009Well…I’m back….the art show was a mixed bag…it was run very poorly and it turned out that we vendors were just another event for the retreat attendees, crammed in between seminars, massages, and various other enticing distractions…so attendance was light and we were all disappointed at that. I sold eight pieces of jewelry so I’m grateful, people really liked it, but some people didn’t even sell one thing after all the work. I felt so badly for them. My sister lugged 30 framed art pieces and sold only one small one.
But we’re not giving up, we learned a lot in terms of pricing, display, etc. and also connected with other people who gave us locations of craft shows that bring serious buyers. Also, of course, people were tight with spending due to the economy. But I had fun and it was a rush when people actually wanted to buy something that I made!
Anyway, its taken me till now to recuperate. I slept for days afterward. That’s all for now, back to my day job 🙂 I will be catching up on all your blogs in the coming days.
Doctor Knows Best
March 2, 2009
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