A Movie Theater with a Mission

If you haven’t seen the following, this is a very inspiring clip that warmed my heart, and I hope it does yours, too.  Enjoy!

http://www.nbcnews.com/feature/making-a-difference/movie-theater-mission-employing-disabled-n313021

Don't Quit

Hi All,

We made it through another week--Yippy skippy!  You all know my fascination with poetry, but since I don't time to write my own these days I've been finding inspirational ones with my friend, Alta.  This is a poem that speaks to me during these final weeks of my fall semester.  Thank you for your continuing support.  Love you all!

Don't Quit

 

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Carolinian Land

Today, I rummaged through my old writings, and found this poem I thought you all would enjoy.  In it, I try to capture the land’s beauty.  Feel free to post any comments.  Again, thanks for tuning in every week and I hope you all have a marvelous weekend! 

Carolinian Land

How barren are you, 

The wind sweeping across your surface. 

Remnants of grass toss to and fro,

Making you a never-ending sea of shining, flexible, delicate thread. 

Nothing but that whimsical grass is seen playing in the soft breeze;

Evoking an enigma of your quiet, yet effervescent presence. 

You will forever be loved as my own,

Even though you are miles away.

A barren land that is so honored and

Cherished that you will never be forgotten or discarded.

May your beauty remain throughout

Eternity. 

Capturing The Essence of my Blog Experience

Hi all!  This week, I felt compelled to share something with you I wrote last semester.  Below is an excerpt from an essay about my blog writing venture.  Although it applies to theories we studied in the classroom, the snippet I include captures the essence of my overall joy in my experience in writing “Journey of Hope”.  I hope you find as much joy in reading my blog as much as I do composing it!  Thank you for reading and your continuing support! 

"…In retrospect, I think my blog embodies the Expressivist view, discussed earlier in the semester.  This theory takes a subjective view of reality in that truth is found within, and is discovered through internal apprehension.  It also posits that truth is conceived as the result of a private vision that must be constantly consulted in writing.  I always have a vision before I write, but I also invent as I write my blog.  For me, discovery happens when I write, and every time I create a new entry, I discover something new about my writing.  We all have our own personal idea of what reality is, but when I put that reality in writing, then my reality becomes permanent.  If I discover a new revelation, or a new truth through my blog, I write about it.  

Finally, another theory my blog embodies is the New Rhetoric approach, which takes the social constructivists’ view that “reality is found through interaction of subject and object with language and audience as mediating agencies.”  Even though I am not an intern at United Cerebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania anymore, positive comments still appear on my posts.  It is an honor for me to be the shaper of reality in my blog.  I only know when I write my blog, truth has power, and readers respond to that power!"

P.S.  I welcome all comments!  :)

My Voice

I hope everyone had a good week.  I've decided to post a newly written poem I created for my English class this week.  I hope you all enjoy and comments are welcome.  Have a fantastic weekend! 

My Voice

It was summer; the summer after high school graduation,

all the fanfare gone,

all the anticipated success gone—

There I sat in my bedroom—

Waiting for what was to come—

Waiting to hear my voice—

A voice that could not be heard

Over the static of my own inhibitions—

Lost in a crowd of my mind,

I reached out to find my own voice—

A single, solitary voice that was mine. 

Diminished by imaginary voices, I reached towards my authentic being—

My real voice—

Traveling to that place, I felt in awe of my power—

My own rhythm—

My own sense of myself—

It was a new world—

A new, uncharted land.

At first, I was afraid,

Afraid to unleash that voice inside.

I knew was always there,

Like a friendly apparition—

Looking at a blank slate—

I fervently prayed for my voice to come—

To free itself from self-imposed chains—

It finally came, to my astonishment and relief.

And, oh, did it come in a torrent of thoughts and feelings—

Of those I did not know existed and they swam in my soul—

As I let the words flow,

I felt a release—

A release of my inner self that asked to be revealed

Throughout my life—

The friendly ghost finally freed—

Never to be held captive again.

To the surprise of all, that voice has remained to this day—

Strong in its desire to be heard and acknowledged—

That has a new thought to impart everyday—

My authentic voice is now audible—

For the world to heed!