Today I am thinking about seeds. As a gardener, vegetables begin as simple seeds. As an author, writing ideas begin as kernels and either blossom into successful work or fail to grow into a completed piece. In both instances, one must have the foresight to recognize what is within the seed. Just as a gardener plans her plot, an author sees not only the night sky but a vision beyond. [above poem published on Cold Moon Journal 5/26/23] But for either, the hard work must be done. The gardener tills the soil and plants the seeds, waters, and weeds. An author must be ever alert for inspiration, jot thoughts in an omnipresent pocket notebook, and sit for hours and days on end, writing on paper or inputting line after line in a word processing program. This summer has been incredibly hot and dry. Despite nurture and watering, some plants have failed to thrive, other hardier specimens are prolific producers. Despite buzzing bees, neither my zucchini nor squash have fruited. As an author, I mus...
Announcing a new family member: we have adopted a rescue Shih Tzu. His official kennel name is Benji Blue Fox, but that’s a big name for a 19-pound boy, so he is Benji to us. We met him at our dog groomer a week before we left for Key West. A foster dog mom brought him in because he was too much for her home circumstances. The moment we saw him, we fell in love. He looks like the reincarnation of our former Shih Tzu, Haiku. In only 10 months, this poor boy has had a horrible set of circumstances. His original owner fell on him, injured his leg, and left him crying all night. When he finally got to the veterinarian, he was diagnosed with a broken leg. Benji sports a left rear leg cast. He has been in three foster homes since that event. He has now found his forever home. We took him to our vet this week. His leg is healing nicely, but he needs to wear the cast for two more weeks. Despite the immobilizing device he runs and plays, and goes up and down steps without difficulty. Benji is h...
Life has its good and bad moments, some rougher than others, but how we deal with the hard times molds us into better images of ourselves. How we cope with setbacks, misfortune, and hardships varies from person to person. Not facing a dire situation in the short term may impact our mental health in the long term. Individuals mired in poverty and despair may rise above the muck by pursuing intensive studies, elevating their social and economic status. J.D. Vance outlines his upbringing and emergence in Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis . If there were no night, we would not appreciate the day, nor could we see the stars and the vastness of the heavens. We must partake of the bitter with the sweet. There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless. ~ James E. Faust Have you encountered difficult periods in your lifetime? How have you managed those situations: head-on or head...
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