Stain-glass Eyes

No matter where I travel, the same stages apply.  The preparation, the anticipation, the timing.  Then...  bang, everything stops and I wait.  Waiting is hard after all the anticipation.  I’ve tried to skip the anticipation stage. When it comes to seeing my sweet sister, in Tennessee, it’s impossible. I only have to go from Detroit to Nashville, but it seems like an endless production.  Early check-in on the computer.  Checking on reservation for shuttle to the airport.  Taking things out of luggage, I don’t have to have, after I realize it’s MUCH too heavy. Last minute check on the weather.  Putting plants out, for neighbor to water.  Hauling my guitar, one large luggage and a heavy backpack to sidewalk to wait for the shuttle. Kiosk Ready for Printing Tickets Shuttling to the airport. Printing my ticket at the kiosk. Paying for checked bag. Tagging guitar and luggage.  Holding on my sanity through security checks.  Boarding, squeezing into seat betwe

My mom, Paula, in Ireland. (She'll be glad to get her hands in her flower garden soon) My mom shared this writing with me.  I wanted to post it, to share with my readers. “We must become so alone, so utterly alone, that we withdraw into our innermost self. It is a way of bitter suffering. But then our solitude is overcome, we are no longer alone, for we find that our innermost self is the spirit, that it is God, the indivisible. And suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of the world, yet undisturbed by its multiplicity, for our innermost soul we know ourselves to be one with all being.”  ― Hermann Hesse HAPPY SPRING! Student Arwork Eyüboğlu,  Ümraniye/İstanbul, Turkey

The elders say, "The longest road you're going to have to walk is from here to here.  From your head to your heart."  But they also say you can't speak to people as a leader unless you've made the return journey.  From the heart back to the head.                                        Phill Lane, Jr.; Yankton Sioux, (1992) Young Girl Dancing at Sugar Island Powwow That’s difficult for a person, like me, who has held the belief - I will know what a person is like-at first sight, first meeting, first interaction.  I have to admit, I’ve tried to discard this rule.  Discarding all “Rules” is more my mission, lately.    St. Ignactious Loyola St. Ignace, Michigan  Catholicism Has Had a Huge Impact.   More "Laws"  I Need to Reassess. Rules about people, I learned, were rigid.  Not of the yielding kind.  They've demanded so much from me.  Yet, I still quote laws in my head, unconsciously.  I automatically exp

I listen to the “Bill Monroe For Breakfast” quite religiously on Saturday mornings, on WCBN.  Tex Manheim, (his real name is Jim), does this show and features Bluegrass music.  He’s knowledgeable and plays Bluegrass genre in depth.   Tex, Multi-tasking during his "Bill Monroe Show" I thought his name was Bill (because of the name of the show).  That’s how little I know about Bluegrass.  But, Tex never acts like he’s above any ignorant person.  He takes requests by phone or e-mail and talks about the composers, artists and even adds current Bluegrass composers and musicians to his show.  I’ve learned quite a bit by listening in.  There’s never a dull moment. Stacks of CDs and Vinyls I’ve had a special love for Bluegrass, for years.  It always makes me want to tap my feet, clap and move.  But, I know so little about it. One of the reasons I moved to Ann Arbor was my hope to be in a Bluegrass band.  I want to sing and play with others who love music.  I lo

Me, Walking Along the Berlin Wall I’ve been practicing some strategies to be more aware of my feelings.  What the feelings are, where they pop up from, and how to handle them consciously, when I make choices.  When I have a flood of feelings, I'm learning  to step back and put them in perspective.   Not an easy thing to do, sometimes.   I want to share a strategy with you.  It helps me to "picture" feelings I am trying to put in perspective. This strategy came from a set of books I read.  I talked to my friend, Madeline, today.  She's a reader of my blog, as well as a friend.  After I talked to her  I thought, "I'm going to finish something I was writing about feelings!" I borrowed the complete set of “Harry Potter” books from my nephew, Brendan, a couple of months ago.   It was a stack! I was determined to read them beginning book to the last. I’ve needed to form my own thoughts on R.J. Rowling’s writing.  I read only two of them,