TRY!
Hello, I meant to write sooner but I wanted to ponder this topic. About a week ago, I was taking care of my 94 year old patient, Dorothy. She is a neat lady, who I know is a "divine appointment" in my life.
Each time I have a PT session with her, to help her not lose strength, we have a routine. It involves her saying to me that she doesn't think her legs will work, and I say something about let's give it a try. Last week she responded, "Try...the longest word in the English language."
While I counted to twenty as she lifted her leg, I had a little conversation in my head. It went something like this:
Self: Hmm, that was an interesting statement.
Out Loud: 8,9,10
Self: Try...she may have hit on something.
Out Loud: 13,14,15
Self: Everyday, she tries.
Out Loud: 17,18,19
Self: Everyday, she looks forward to trying.
Out Loud: 20, Good Job Dorothy!
Perhaps I have too much time on my hands, but the remainder of that day and the rest of the week, I thought about Dorothy and her declaration of the word "TRY."
I have come to the conclusion that try really IS the longest word in the English language. It may only be three letters long, but those three letters represent a spirit that resides in each and everyone of us, every single day of our life. I know that when I try to do something, or write something, or be something, there are times that it feels like I'll never hit my twentieth repetition. I'll never see the end. I'll never reach the goal. But that isn't the point, is it?
The point is, that we are just supposed to "try."
If we don't try, we'll never know. We'll never know if we can write that book, or lose that pound, or learn to love. We'll never know our potential.
The universe doesn't say to us, "Before you die you must successfully produce....(fill in the blank)." It just wants us to "try." And then it gives us a whole bunch of days to keep on trying.
Look at Dorothy, she's been trying for 94 years. And some days, she reaches her twenty repetitions and some days she doesn't, but everyday she tries.
When I grow up, I want to be just like Dorothy.
Have hope,
Donna
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
I Believe We Should All Roar
Hello!
I believe we all should roar.
For at least a few months now, there has been a lot of roaring going on at my house. Being very busy, I tuned out the roaring along with the microwave beeping, the washing machine buzzing and the telephone ringing. I have become accustomed to tuning in and out at will. The roaring was just another tune-out.
When I talk about roaring, I mean actual lion roaring-with the loud, deep throat gravelly roaring followed by the happy smirk and giggle from my six year old son. I'm not sure what really precipitated roaring to be such a happy phenomenon in my family, all I know is that my husband and son have been "roaring" between the two of them for some time now.
It's kind of ritualistic when I step back and observe it. One, usually my son, bounces down the stairs, his eyes on his dad at the computer, sneaks up behind him and lets out a lion cub roar. Then my husband, feigning surprise and fright, turns around and belts out a great big daddy roar. Then the two of them start wrestling and roaring and eventually they settle into activities.
Now, I'm not much of a roar-er. (At least the animal kind.)
Since Christmas though, my husband has been in and out of the hospital battling a kidney stone and infection. He's been home in between admissions but, as you can imagine, feeling a little under the weather. Over the past two weeks, I've become the object of "roaring." At first, I thought it was silly and cute. But as the roaring became more persistent, and almost constant, I felt I had to take a moment to analyze the situation.
What I realized was this...my little lion cub was missing his big lion dad and had no other way to express his unease except to roar at me. So being the cool, hip, lioness that I am, the next time lion cub roared at me...I roared back.
Well, after my roaring, little lion cub looked at me, laughed and said, "You don't scare me like daddy does." I took that as a challenge. So for the last week or so, I've worked on perfecting my "roar." I roar in the morning when I wake my son up for school. I roar as we put on mittens and coats and boots. I roar at stop signs and in the grocery line. I roar so much I'm going hoarse and all I get is a giggle, and a "you don't scare me."
I almost gave up, that is until we were on the way to pick up dad from the hospital Saturday morning. The two of us were standing in the elevator "driving" up to the third floor. It was silent. I looked over at my little lion who was staring at the elevator floor numbers lighting up as we ascended. He was very intent on our journey. I smiled to myself and took in a huge breath. Then I let out the most hugest, growliest, guttural lion roar that even a real lioness would have stood up and been proud.
My little guy jumped, then smiled, and exclaimed with a big-faced grin, "Wow mom, you scared me." I nodded like it was nothing and said, "There's more where that came from," and I hugged and tickled him.
Now, there's a whole lot of roaring going on in our house, and I've never been more tuned in.
Hope you find something to roar about in your home this year.
Have hope,
Donna
I believe we all should roar.
For at least a few months now, there has been a lot of roaring going on at my house. Being very busy, I tuned out the roaring along with the microwave beeping, the washing machine buzzing and the telephone ringing. I have become accustomed to tuning in and out at will. The roaring was just another tune-out.
When I talk about roaring, I mean actual lion roaring-with the loud, deep throat gravelly roaring followed by the happy smirk and giggle from my six year old son. I'm not sure what really precipitated roaring to be such a happy phenomenon in my family, all I know is that my husband and son have been "roaring" between the two of them for some time now.
It's kind of ritualistic when I step back and observe it. One, usually my son, bounces down the stairs, his eyes on his dad at the computer, sneaks up behind him and lets out a lion cub roar. Then my husband, feigning surprise and fright, turns around and belts out a great big daddy roar. Then the two of them start wrestling and roaring and eventually they settle into activities.
Now, I'm not much of a roar-er. (At least the animal kind.)
Since Christmas though, my husband has been in and out of the hospital battling a kidney stone and infection. He's been home in between admissions but, as you can imagine, feeling a little under the weather. Over the past two weeks, I've become the object of "roaring." At first, I thought it was silly and cute. But as the roaring became more persistent, and almost constant, I felt I had to take a moment to analyze the situation.
What I realized was this...my little lion cub was missing his big lion dad and had no other way to express his unease except to roar at me. So being the cool, hip, lioness that I am, the next time lion cub roared at me...I roared back.
Well, after my roaring, little lion cub looked at me, laughed and said, "You don't scare me like daddy does." I took that as a challenge. So for the last week or so, I've worked on perfecting my "roar." I roar in the morning when I wake my son up for school. I roar as we put on mittens and coats and boots. I roar at stop signs and in the grocery line. I roar so much I'm going hoarse and all I get is a giggle, and a "you don't scare me."
I almost gave up, that is until we were on the way to pick up dad from the hospital Saturday morning. The two of us were standing in the elevator "driving" up to the third floor. It was silent. I looked over at my little lion who was staring at the elevator floor numbers lighting up as we ascended. He was very intent on our journey. I smiled to myself and took in a huge breath. Then I let out the most hugest, growliest, guttural lion roar that even a real lioness would have stood up and been proud.
My little guy jumped, then smiled, and exclaimed with a big-faced grin, "Wow mom, you scared me." I nodded like it was nothing and said, "There's more where that came from," and I hugged and tickled him.
Now, there's a whole lot of roaring going on in our house, and I've never been more tuned in.
Hope you find something to roar about in your home this year.
Have hope,
Donna
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy 2008!
Hello!
It's the first day of 2008 and I'm writing in this blog. I am going to make a weekly effort this year. Let's hope I can do it.
Last night, my daughter performed with her orchestra at a First Night event in Saratoga Springs, NY. We went along with a friend of my husband's, Barry, who was visiting from Middlebury, Vermont. We had a great time together and were sufficiently entertained by rock and roll groups and John Lennon. Yup, he showed up at one venue and sang for us.
After we got home, my six year old tried and tried to make it to midnight but pooped out at 11:15 PM. I tried to wake him so that he could watch the "ball drop" but to no avail. How come one cannot get little one's to go to sleep or wake up at their parent's will?
I am looking forward to 2008. My children's book artwork arrived at my door in December and I was profoundly humbled by the illustrator's talent in depicting my words. She has such a gift and I'm honored to be a recipient of it. I'll keep you posted with the book's progression.
I survived my fall semester at Russell Sage. I did amazingly well, even considering I was taking two British Lit courses (18th century and 1850's to present). But I attribute that to amazing professors. I was accepted into a Masters in Teaching program at a local college beginning in January. I'm working out the particulars of schedule and finances to make it happen.
I'm intrigued with the upcoming election year and hoping for a brighter future. As many of you, I imagine, I have been sadden by the state of affairs in this country and in how this country "plays" with the rest of the world. I try to be hopeful that we can change course but only time will tell. So, my mantra, "get involved, get educated, get our country back on the right track."
(I expect to hear from a few people about that statement.)
It's snowing today and my family is out to the mall shopping and movie-ing. I am enjoying some peace and quiet, reading and catching up on correspondence. I just finished a book called "Love in the Present Tense" by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Google it-the book was unlike anything I've ever read. She is an amazing storyteller.
Okay, I'm going to sign off because I covet the quiet house and I want to have a few more selfish moments to myself (as well as a piece of chocolate). I truly hope for life's best to all my readers and promise (did you read that?) I'll be writing again...soon.
Have hope,
Donna
It's the first day of 2008 and I'm writing in this blog. I am going to make a weekly effort this year. Let's hope I can do it.
Last night, my daughter performed with her orchestra at a First Night event in Saratoga Springs, NY. We went along with a friend of my husband's, Barry, who was visiting from Middlebury, Vermont. We had a great time together and were sufficiently entertained by rock and roll groups and John Lennon. Yup, he showed up at one venue and sang for us.
After we got home, my six year old tried and tried to make it to midnight but pooped out at 11:15 PM. I tried to wake him so that he could watch the "ball drop" but to no avail. How come one cannot get little one's to go to sleep or wake up at their parent's will?
I am looking forward to 2008. My children's book artwork arrived at my door in December and I was profoundly humbled by the illustrator's talent in depicting my words. She has such a gift and I'm honored to be a recipient of it. I'll keep you posted with the book's progression.
I survived my fall semester at Russell Sage. I did amazingly well, even considering I was taking two British Lit courses (18th century and 1850's to present). But I attribute that to amazing professors. I was accepted into a Masters in Teaching program at a local college beginning in January. I'm working out the particulars of schedule and finances to make it happen.
I'm intrigued with the upcoming election year and hoping for a brighter future. As many of you, I imagine, I have been sadden by the state of affairs in this country and in how this country "plays" with the rest of the world. I try to be hopeful that we can change course but only time will tell. So, my mantra, "get involved, get educated, get our country back on the right track."
(I expect to hear from a few people about that statement.)
It's snowing today and my family is out to the mall shopping and movie-ing. I am enjoying some peace and quiet, reading and catching up on correspondence. I just finished a book called "Love in the Present Tense" by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Google it-the book was unlike anything I've ever read. She is an amazing storyteller.
Okay, I'm going to sign off because I covet the quiet house and I want to have a few more selfish moments to myself (as well as a piece of chocolate). I truly hope for life's best to all my readers and promise (did you read that?) I'll be writing again...soon.
Have hope,
Donna
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