It made me think long and hard about what I would write if someone asked me what I stand for. Living in the dash, 1939 – ????, I need to realize that I am on the latter 1/4 of the dash line (if each quarter represents 1/4 of a century – because of course, I intend to live to be 100).
And I’ll still be playing my accordion in 2039… you bet!!
Give the question some thought and see what you come up with. Here is what I wrote back to Sehr Jalil. (You should click on that link and see what SHE wrote in her blog about that! Quite interesting!!)
My response:
peace
love
honesty
kindness
shared joy
integrity
I believe these are the teachings of Christ, who said the greatest of these is LOVE. So I send you the gift of love today, my dear WP friends.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Christopher Reeve
“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable.”
Denis Waitley
“Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire—you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.”
Walt Disney
“The secret of making dreams come true can be summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy; and the greatest of these is Confidence.”
Henry David Thoreau
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”
Today is my mom’s birthday. She’d be 104 today. I woke early and was greeted by this gorgeous sunrise peeking over the beautiful Madison Range.
As I zoomed in on it, it became more vibrant.
Orange was my mom’s favorite color. Good morning, Mom! I see you smiling down from heaven. I remember your best days, and set aside the years when Alzheimer’s robbed you of the sparkle, the tenacity, and the wisdom that marked your best days.
Mom & Dad’s wedding picture 1937Mom & Dad’s 30th AnniversaryMom wore her Rebekah Lodge badges with honor and dignity.
Always involved in activities, Mom loved the Rebekahs (female branch of the Odd Fellows), and her bridge club, which weekly met in our living room. Even into her 80’s she loved her 20-Ands Club. She represented a lot of “Ands.” She was an impeccable dresser, beautifully groomed. Managed always to stay fit. She was probably the person who invented the “Selfie”!!
I wrote this poem on December 18, 2004 with Mom in mind. I used phrases she spoke in her last weeks on earth. She was big on giving orders – right up to her last days – even telling God when to take her “home.” She died the day after I composed this, on December 19th.
Before I Die
Before I leave this earth I have a few requests Listen up, my dears, Tomorrow there’ll be tests.
Take my diamond necklace And convert it into cash. Use it for my funeral, Then live life within the dash.
It’s too late for me, friends, To change the things I’ve done; But you have time to listen And teach others of God’s Son.
“The Dash” is all the years Between birth and when you die. Those in-between years Are where your stories lie.
Take my gold and silver, Go out and help the poor. Make amends for all the years I lived from store to store.
Take my many angels, Give them to folks who are Ill, hurting, or lonely. Tell them about the star:
The star of Bethlehem that Was where the angels went To see the newborn baby – Our Lord from Heaven sent.
Take my many clothes and find Folks who are in need. Take the food that I have stashed. Go to the hungry. Feed!
Take my shoes and slippers. Take them all and give Them to the cold and homeless. Help them to warmer live.
Take my chairs and tables, The lamps and bedding, too. Give them to a Home or Mission. They’ll help out quite a few.
Then look around your house, friends. And see the excess treasure. Take it to the needy. You’ll be blessed beyond all measure.
Live your life within the dash In loving generosity. Before you leave this earth, Reach out in pure humility.
Take your gold and silver. Go out and help the poor. God will bless you richly, and You will never want for more.
Her diamond necklace DID pay for her funeral!
And we did give most of her angels away – my friend/former student, Lorei, hung them with a note on the doorknobs of the other residents at her care facility where mom lived. Mom had dozens of angels in her collection! And, we gave her clothes and other “stuff” to the people and places that could use them.
However, I have a few of her angels in my “Sanctuary” upstairs. My maiden name is “DeAngeles” (translates to “of angels” – in Italian). Mom lives in me… and today I celebrate her sunrise, her best qualities, and the gifts she instilled in me: self-confidence, unconditional love, tenacity, and a love of poetry.
Happy Birthday, Mom! I am “Living in the Dash” just as you taught me.
When I posted this, it was supposed to be a tribute to a fellow blogger who shared Maya Angelou’s poem, “Continue.” But, when my post aired, the poem was missing. I have since tried to find it, but to no avail… until now.
I wrote, “I love this Maya Angelou poem. I had not seen it before. Have you?” And then, there was no poem for you to see!!
One thing I did find during my search was this quote by Maya Angelou, “My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart.”
This is our month on JanBeek of gratitude and kindness… and Maya’s heart and talent surely expand the love this blog is meant to share with you.
God bless this amazing woman! She was so wise… and such a deep thinker and talented writer!
I continued my search for her poem titled, Continue, and finally found it!! It was on Phil Ebersole’s blog with a sub-title of, “Thoughts about politics and the passing scene”
To be who and how you are To astonish a mean world With your acts of kindness
Continue
To allow humor to lighten the burden Of your tender heart
Continue
In a society dark with cruelty To let the people hear the grandeur Of God in the peals of your laughter
Continue
To let your eloquence Elevate the people to heights They had only imagined
Continue
To remind the people that Each is as good as the other And the no one is beneath Nor above you
Continue
To remember your own young years And look with favor upon the lost And the least and the lonely
Continue
To put the mantel of your protection Around the bodies of The young and defenseless
Continue
To take the hand of the despised And diseased and walk proudly with them In the high street Some might see you and Be encouraged to do likewise
Continue
To plant a public kiss of concern On the cheek of the sick And the aged and infirm And count that as a Natural action to be expected
Continue
To let gratitude be the pillow Upon which you kneel to Say your nightly prayer And let faith be the bridge You build to overcome evil And welcome good
Continue
To ignore no vision Which comes to enlarge your range And increase your spirit
Continue
To dare to love deeply And risk everything For the good thing
Continue
To float Happily in the sea of infinite substance Which set aside riches for you Before you had a name
Continue
And by doing so You and your work Will be able to continue Eternally Thank you, Phil Ebersole, for sharing Maya’s poem. I’m glad I located it again so I could share it here.
And thank you, Maya Angelou, for your life and shared wisdom. I hope St. Peter introduces us when I get to Heaven.
If you’ve followed my blog for a week or more, You know that I attend the Presbyterian Church in Ennis, Montana each Sunday, and I take sermon notes. I take them in poetry – that’s just the way my brain filters the message as I hear it. It helps me listen, and remember, and share with Bob when we get home.
Today’s sermon by our pastor, Rev. Steve Hundley, was titled, “What is Heaven Like?” Here’s my take-away on it:
If Heaven is as it should be, Then I’m gonna sit on the bank Of a beautiful river with my rod And thank God for every yank.
But I know Heaven is beyond My wildest imagination. I know it’ll be flowing with life, With no death, tears or stagnation.
I’m gonna ask God for help to Understand what Heaven is like; And since I have a Harley here, I’m gonna ask if I’ll have my bike.
I’m gonna ask God for help to Understand how I’ll recognize The loved ones who went before me. Will I know ’em when I look in their eyes?
Our Bible assures us that we Will experience joy beyond bounds, So I’m sure I’ll know the angels Who’ll welcome me with glorious sounds.
I know I’ll be healed and whole In Eternity with those I love. So, Heaven will be as it should be When I join my Lord in Heaven above.
When I get to Heaven, I’m gonna Run and leap like a frisky deer. So, when I leave this earth, friends, Don’t weep, don’t cry; Take joy and cheer!
Bikers will find their Harley, and …
I’ll meet my Bostons there!
And Jesus will meet me at the Pearly Gates!
It’ll be Thanksgiving with all our loved ones gathered ’round, and it’ll feel like a Homecoming!
Stuart’s story is magnificently told. Do click on the link and go to the magazine to read it! It will rise up like yeast in you and cause you to want to share it, too!
I’m excited to let you know I have another essay appearing in the current issue of AlexandriaLiving magazine!
It’s always a thrill to work with the kind folks at the magazine and as an Alexandria, Virginia resident it was especially fun to contribute.
Below is the link to my piece in the online version of AlexandriaLiving. Check it out, and if you like, please comment on the magazine website in the space just below the essay. We would love to hear your feedback!
Thanks to all those who’ve asked what I’ve been up to lately. Blogging continues to be great fun and has proven to be an exciting pathway to opportunities like this. Exciting!
“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.” ~ J.M. Barrie
Yesterday’s big winds Brought today’s beautiful snow; Fairies tossed feathers!
Wind blew from the south Yesterday’s ferocious sound Brought today’s beauty
Look carefully, you may see the fairies at work!
I caught your cute smile – Yes, you can laugh heartily! Laughter’s contagious.
