Back to Reality

Hi All,

Please excuse my lack of blogging over these past few weeks.  These “lazy, crazy days of summer” have gotten away from me, I think.  The month of July was a busy one!   I’m still working out kinks of my new computer, but it is wonderful all the same.  Of course, I made my yearly pilgrimage to the beach a few weeks ago and then made a quick trip to New York last week.  Both were really great times.  Whew, I think I’m still trying to catch my breath! 

All in all, this has been a great summer for me so far, filled with laughter and good times.  I can only hope that yours is as bright as mine.  I think I’m done being a world traveler for now.  I’m back, folks!

See you next week.

Home Again Home Again, Jiggity-Jig

I had a wonderful time at the beach this week.  I want to put a shout-out to all my friends—old and new and my Mom—for making this all possible.   You’re truly the best!

More later.

Have a great weekend, all.

Headed to the Beach

I’m headed to the beach in two days.  Let the celebration begin!

Beach

I just returned from the beach and had a wonderful time.  Thanks to my friends, I had a beautiful week.  I'll reiterate a philosophy of mine...that summer rocks!

I hope your week was as perfect. 

Gift From the Sea

Today, I’m posting an excerpt from one of my all-time favorite books, Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  Even though I first read the book a long time ago, its words always remained with me and served me well in life.  I hope this has the calming effect on you that it does me. 

“When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.”
― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea

Pebbles and Shells

I want to thank my friends for an amazing time at the beach last week.  It was a time for reflection—to review the past year’s events and achievements, but also to look ahead—to prepare for life changes and anticipate their effect on my thoughts, words and deeds.  I must say as I start to focus on my final year at Messiah College, I feel a sense of urgency and uncertainness.  Last week, as I saw the tide roll in and out though, a peaceful serenity washed over me, and I realized the waves of the ocean is like life itself—continuous pebbles and shells wash onto shore, only to be swept away again.  Doesn’t that sound like life?  No one knows what pebbles and shells they’ll encounter, but once in a while, they discover a beautiful one and cling to them with every breath they have.  That makes everything all right in the world.  I know no matter my life challenges, I’ll always find beautiful pebbles and shells in all of my travels!  I hope you do as well.

Hemmingway and Me

Below is a part of an essay I wrote a few years ago for a writing class.  Although it’s been in my archives for years, I think it signifies life’s journey: not only for me, but also for all.  Enjoy!

                                                                                                                      July 19, 2008

Dear Diary,

        Today is a day I think I will remember for the rest of my life.  Imagine me—a published poet!  It’s a great milestone for my 27^th year.  It’s hard to believe my thoughts and emotions are packaged with those of other poets in a book for the entire world to see.  It’s hard to wrap my mind around the magnitude of it all—and to think the poem was borne out of my spirit’s despair!

        I vividly recall how the poem first took seed in my mind.  About a month or two ago, I was feeling really low about my life, and about how it seemed I had made little progress.  The pace of my journey seemed so slow.  I pondered my fate as a writer, a college student, and as a human being in general.  “Where will this journey ultimately end up,” I asked myself.  I wondered if my trials and hard work would count for nothing and lead nowhere.

        Then, I began to remind myself of how very far I had come, just in the past two years.  Why was I in such of a hurry trying to accomplish my goals in such a short period of time?  I still have time. I have the rest of my life!

        Right now, the last stanza of my newly published poem echoes in my mind:

Hemmingway failed in

Life’s adventure.

Not Me.

Never me.

It was another awakening—just the beginning.  This summer has added another layer to my spirit.   I guess I’m ready and eager for life’s next adventure—no matter what it may hold and where it leads.

Beach Trip

Sometimes, we need to remember the gifts that are bestowed upon us every single day.  Last week was a reminder to me although untoward events occur; there is always a positive aspect to every situation and to treasure those gifts.

I absolutely love the beach, but we haven’t gone as much this summer as we have in the past.  The opportunity arose for me to go with my friend, Alta, and two of her Mennonite buddies.  As the day approached, my heart swelled.  I was ready to burst by the time the day arrived.  The van was packed and loaded, and after saying goodbye to Mom, Alta and I were on our way.  Halfway through our trip, we heard a loud boom…we discovered one of the tires went flat!  We sat and waited for two hours, and we were on our way again, minus the flat tire…Crisis averted.  Hooray!

After spending three fun-filled days at the beach, it was time to go home.  I was a little sad to go, but ready to see my Mom.  The old adage applied; it’s good to be away, but even better to go home!  As Alta and I made our way to Pennsylvania, I noticed an odd smell coming from the van.  The smell became stronger, and Alta managed to pull into a garage.  After waiting two hours, my Mom finally made it to to Delaware and rescued us.  Needless to say, Alta and I were both ready to spit nails!

Looking back on our trip, though, I realized as much as we had our trials, we were also blessed: Blessed that we had a wonderful time while at the beach.  I swear I never laughed so hard in my life!  The time at the beach signified to me that whatever obstacles come into our path, there is always a way to overcome them, even if that means a little sweat and dirt along the way!