First smile from my baby~
Fingertips at my back~
Purple hued sunsets o’er mountain or sea.
A word fitly spoken~
Laughing toddlers at play~
Secret gifts sent before there’s a plea.
Sep20
Tag Archives: Weekly Photo Challenge
Sep6
But I Don’t Wanna Go On a ‘Bencher!
Adventure.
There’s so much in a word. What’s your take on the word adventure?
Some say it’s about taking a risk, trying something new, or exploring new territory.
Some say life’s an adventure.
Here’s a little story, based on a real episode, involving adventure:
They passed the turn toward home, and Missy, though only three, knew they had missed it. “Wher’re we goin’?”
“We’re going on an adventure!,” Nana proffered, in her most excited tone.
“But I don’t wanna go on a ‘bencher! I want my mommy!”
Nana drew in a breath and considered her response. She knew the meltdown would only last a few minutes, but it broke her heart every time. She knew, by now–by the tone of Missy’s voice, the rate of her breathing, the look on her face–whether she was ready for an explanation, or comfort, or distraction, or whether words would only make it worse. This time she chose a brief explanation, followed by a time of respite for Missy to regain her composure. When the time was right, Nana brought in the highlights of the upcoming trip.
“We’re going to Tampa, to see Cousin Stevie, play in the pool, and visit a place with lots of pretty fish to see!”
“Stevie? Yay, Stevie! I miss him so much!”
Missy cheered up. The rest of the trip she counted cows and horses on the hillside, “loved” her new bedroom, devoured popsicles at the pool and hung on Cousin Stevie all through the exciting trip through the aquarium. It ended too soon.
Along the way
One Cool Chick
Checking out Giant Mr. Grouper with “Cousin Stevie”
On the ride back home, Missy’s love for adventure blossomed.
“I like Tampa. When can we go on another ‘bencher, Nana?”
Lookin’ for Adventure!
No matter the level of risk involved, all adventures are a little scary. We can’t always have our mommies with us. Sometimes we get stuck and afraid of stepping out. Sometimes outside forces launch us on adventures we’re not so sure we want to go on. When this happens, we can take time to process it, like Missy did, and end up embracing the experience. If we look for the good, there’s always something to gain. . . eventually.
With risks weighed against benefits, we can usually make good choices about our adventures in life.
That’s my take on adventures for today. What’s yours? Have you a little story of adventure you can share? It’s your turn now!
Joan T. Warren
With appreciation for this week’s WordPress Prompt.
Aug9
Feel with your Eyes
There is beauty all around us, if we look beyond the guise we can see it with our fingers we can feel it with our eyes we can smell it in a memory and appreciate the ties There are textures, scents and glories Whether near or far, the prize we can listen to its calling […]
Jul20
It’s not all about what’s inside.
These days we have disposable containers, because what matters is what’s inside. Right?
Besides, what’s inside is not the same as the container, right?
Not so, on either count. Often the two are so melded, so interactive, so mutually dependent, that we just can’t separate them. We can’t value them separately, either.
Take, for example, a good book and its cover. Oh, you don’t think so? Well, how about Uranium-235 and its core container? Or, here’s a good one: the inner self and its human body.
Successful grandkids: My granddaughter contained my grandson the troll, in an unexpected snare.
We are quite attached to these bodies, our containers.
Think about it; when we were little, we’d fall and scrape our knee, and it hurt. We cried. Our inner selves felt as if the world was coming to an end; at least until some sweet and very tall human kissed it, bandaged it, and promised, “No Mercurachrome.”
As children, we saw dead bugs, dead flowers, maybe even some dearly loved dead pets. Our inner selves realized those dead ones aren’t coming back. Most of us learned to be more careful with our bodies, to avoid the pain–and, hopefully, not go away forever.
I know I did. I wanted to grow up to be . . . alive! Then, when I grew up, I wanted to live to raise my daughter. Then, to see my grandchildren succeed. Still, I want to live, to create gifts for future generations.
Speaking of grandkids, I’ve seen this generation grow up playing war and street-gang video games, with avatars instead of real people. They don’t even flinch as they gun down innocent bystanders in the midst of the game. On top of that, the heroes get right up and keep going.
But life is for real, and so is death.
Many religions teach us about the inner person, the spirit, and a glorious afterlife. These teachings are inspirational. They are vital, compelling and comforting. Yet something about this begs more.
Maybe it’s the poor track record religion plays in war and peace.
Maybe it’s the impersonal way many religions try to comfort those who mourn.
Or maybe it’s the fallout of valuing inner, spirit-life as eternal, while considering the containers disposable.
Ask anyone who has lost a loved one; it’s not easy to separate the person from the container that now is gone. There is no one in their arms to hold. The loved one’s laughter no longer fills the room. Yes, the memory remains, and gives some comfort. A little comfort. To the grieving widow, child, and friend, though, the container is gone, and so the person inside.
Last year on this day we lost our beloved . . . been in a daze for over a year. . .
Containers are important.
With so much talk about what is in the container, what about the container itself? With such emphasis on inner life, and on the glorious afterlife, do we devalue the precious containers that are vital to achieving our purpose here on earth?
Just tonight, I opened my refrigerator to get a salad I hadn’t been in the mood for yesterday. Having not been sealed in a container, the salad had wilted. I regrouped, and slid it into the juicer with the other veggies. As the juice flowed out, I wondered: what if there were no container to hold the juice? That juice would have spilled out, rather than fulfilling its purpose– to nourish my body.
Our bodies–our containers–are important. They are more than avatars in a game! Take care of your body and treasure what it holds. Encourage others to nurture their bodies. Respect life in others. Feed your bodies with healthy, organic food. Exercise regularly in whatever way you can, building up to and maintaining your best physical state. Take care of the relationships and the planet we need for our containers’ survival. Live in balance: work, rest and play.
For without your container, how will your purpose here be fulfilled?
For we hold these treasures in jars of clay –II Cor. 4
Joan T. Warren
Heart to Heart in a Shielded World
This post grew from:
Containers | The Daily Post
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/containers/
And further developed into a mystery ending with encouragement from:
Mystery Ending | The Daily Post
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_writing_challenge/telephone/
Jul8
Wife of Stone
A story of contrast, our WordPress photo challenge for this week.
As we toured our cruise ship last January, it seemed one gentleman found his companion for the trip and brought her a drink! Perhaps the cruise to Cozumel would soften her a bit?
Thanks to my sweet hubby for snapping the shot, and apologies that it may be a bit grainy; he took it from the level above, and I cropped it for today’s post.
Enjoy!
Joan T. Warren
Jun23
The Pause Between
Between back yard and front, is a place where I lay
things destined for garbage, things tattered and frayed
I pause there to notice
A beauty unseen
As nature embraces what I’d thrown away.
Joan T. Warren
For this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge, “Between.”
Jun8
Send me to my Room
“Go to your room!”
Remember when that was a punishment?
Not anymore! Now, when I get a quiet moment free, I sneak off to my room. It’s a quiet place. Cozy and clean. Room to think.
This week’s photo challenge is about room. Room has varied meanings and contexts. You may have noticed my love for open spaces. I usually share photos of oceans, shorelines and mountain ranges. At home, though, there are many wonderful places I enjoy. I chose my room today, as it is the perfect place to get away for a quick think. No one else’s needs or thoughts crowd mine. Just me.
I choose soft colors and fabrics, comfy bedding and treasured family heirlooms and pictures to create this personal haven of rest. Home and Garden magazine hasn’t knocked on my door–there’s been no designer to make it magazine-perfect–but the evening light visits through the woods out back. My comforter from Tuesday Morning cost a lot less than Pottery Barn’s, but it is soft and white just the same. The antique marble and mother-of-pearl inlay table has a crack in the marble and is missing plenty of mother-of-pearl, but my dad had it stripped of black lacquer when I was a little girl and I loved it so much that I’d polish in between the little bird carvings around the edges. He caught me taking care of it and promised it to me. The chair may not be the most modern touch, but it is a family heirloom from a relative who was more like a mother to me than my own mother could be. Each photo brings good memories with warm-fuzzies attached. The platter is an anniversary gift from the “copper” year. All in all, it is my room, and you can send me here anytime!
Where do you go when you just have a few minutes to recharge? How have you made it a special place to suit your needs?
May26
Life is Better with a Twist: Weekly Photo Challenge
This gallery contains 5 photos.
We may think we want to order our lives with predictable precision. We may think we can build protective fortresses to ward off suffering and pain. Life throws us challenges, though. How we choose to respond to these unexpected and unwanted difficulties makes all the difference in how we experience life overall. Will we build […]
May17
Weekly Photo Challenge: Work of Art or Clean-Up Time?
You know how some pieces of abstract art are the result of throwing paint on a canvas? Well, in response to this week’s photo challenge, to represent art in unexpected forms, I started thinking about some of the similarly-formed abstracts that typically annoy me every day at home. Hmmm. Maybe there is beauty and form and meaning in this mess! Maybe someday, when all the kids are gone, maybe — just maybe — I’ll miss these works of art.
Or, maybe not.
Clean-up time.
Joan T. Warren
May11
On the Move: Church for Introverts
Fading fast, treasured steps and memories.
Church for introverts.
For WordPress Weekly Photo challenge,On the Move
Joan T. Warren
Randy’s iphone
May11
On the Move: Kids and Water, Unstoppable
Two unstoppable forces that are always a part of my days: kids and water.
For WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, On the Move
Taken with my iphone.
Joan T. Warren
Apr26
Weekly Photo Challenge: Letters
For the back story, check out this poem about OT:
April is National OT Month and Poetry Month
Oh, and thanks, WordPress, for this week’s challenge. Check out other responses here:
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/letters/
Joan T. Warren
Apr25
Weekly Photo Challenge: On Top
Easter Sunrise from a spot aptly named ‘Pretty Place,’ at YMCA Camp Greenville, SC.
This, after a night spent on the top bunk in a rustic cabin, just certain the rain would never stop.
Joan T. Warren: Heart to Heart 