Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Words left in the shifting sands..

After walking the shores in South Jersey, I wondered where my inspiration would come from, then when I least expected it, the sand showed me everything I needed to know. As we are bombarded by the media with incoming messages that all we know is likely to change and not necessarily for the better. I wondered if these words were indeed true, or were they like the small and large sand castles that lined the shores last summer. Many beach lovers, especially the young children with the help of their moms and dads, spent hours creating sand castles. Some, in between eating their hot dogs and drinking their warm soda, actually drew a crowd. A competition began and their castle's took on a life of their own. Each bigger and more uniquely beautiful than the other as the day went on. The rest of us re-lathered with suntan lotion dragged our blankets over to our favorite spots, and watched them until the sun slowly took their spotlight away. Today in the chill of a winter sun, the castles are all gone, having been wiped away by the reality of the season and changing tides. The barren beach is now left with only pock marks where fragments of litter lie and where castles once sat. We wonder about our times and our truths, and because we believe, or not, we do know that new castles will be built by our young when the time is right. And even though we have no control over these things, the seasons will gracefully grant us another chance to enjoy the warmth of summers and to live as if the tides will never come.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

"There are two ways of spreading light, be the candle or the mirror that reflects it"

Extreme Makeover was one of the most popular TV programs during the last nine years.
Those who volunteered and those who contributed to its success received the accolades they so deserved.  The final show was in Joplin Missouri where they began the resurrection of a town that was hit by a devastating tornado last summer.

In addition to building and furnishing seven homes in a week. More was being done behind the scenes, the community park was rebuilt and college scholarships were offered to graduating seniors. Massive donations, and corporate support found  ways to begin getting Joplin back on their feet again.

That is the true power of the people.

 There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it * Edith Wharton

Just don't blow it out !

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Recycling good thoughts


As the new year is off and running, writers are looking for inspiration again.  Each of us searching for the thought that opens the flood of energy that drives us and keeps us at our laptops. We hunger for words that reach our dormant finger tips and have a mind of their own.

I find myself bored by the mundane and the redundancy in today's political unrest. We are witnessing the subtle indoctrination of our youth,both in our society and in our great halls of education. The language used has been changed to meet and great an idealistic, but unrealistic new world vision. One that has failed in the past, yet it appears we are doomed to repeat.

If we were truly to learn from our mistakes,and to move forward to rights and freedoms for all, our best lessons would be in our history. Yet,it is said, that has been changed to be part of the larger plan, one that is not within our control As if the puppets with strings to the puppeteer.

We are unable to insulate ourselves or our families  from the negative forces we all live with. However, we do have the power as writers to perpetuate the positive things in our culture and be sure that it stays out there and is read .We can recycle the wisdom of the past and make it part of today.We can consider it a calling and make it our own. Such as reminding others of the wise words of George Washington:

"Be courteous to all,be intimate with a few,and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."