Mouths of Babes

Red Delicious

 Remember love

Serves and saves and weeps

With you.  Love understands

And holds you and is there for you

Even when it can’t protect you

From yourself.

 If thou art a master, be sometimes blind; if a servant, sometimes deaf. 

Thomas Fuller

    

Memories: lying in bed teaching my sister to say my name.  Over and over.  I had learned to read by the Phonics method, sounding things out.  It seems to have made an impression because, with her tucked in bed beside me, I would say my name over and over to my sister, in syllables,   MO-Neee-Kuh.   MO-Neee-Kuh, and she would repeat it.  Night after night, we practiced.  Anything but Do-Do.  Anything.  What was wrong with Do-Do, I had no idea, except that it gave no end of amusement to the adults in our life who laughed and told their friends about it, over and over.  It was something about the way they laughed that made me feel ashamed, because until then, it was her name for me.  "Quite enough for me", I thought.  So we practiced and practiced.  She slipped in Do Do a few more times, and sighing, deeply sensitive to it in my heart, I accepted her version of my name because I understood that she did not mean it in any harmful way.  Later, at night, we worked on it together until she could say my name effortlessly. And then I was sorry, because it was so cute that she had her own name for me.

“The sea is nothing but a library of all the tears in history.” 

― Lemony Snicket

    The quietest people have the loudest minds.

Miracle Tree

   
A little girl stood on the couch getting her picture taken one day.  She had been dressed up in a very beautiful dress of blue organza like fabric, and something soft and sheer layered over it, with a blue sash tied in a bow in the back.  Used to being the center of attention, she was unaware of being cossetted.   The dress was very pretty and she was a very beloved child.  The oohs and ahhs commenced, the compliments were lavish and enthusiastic.  The required camera was produced, the pictures were snapped and it was a happy time.  Still, something about that scene concerned her father and although years later she could not remember any words he spoke,  the little girl felt his concern like a sharp warning.  The message may have been unspoken, but it was clear.  She was not to think anyone was special, including herself.   Not that she did, but the potential was there.  The message was to be aware, don't let adulation fool you.

     Keep both feet firmly planted on the ground.  Never think you are someone more special than anyone else.  A mantra, I think they would call it now.  Parents don't know, do they, what impressions are being made in the hearts and lives of children?  A child of three or four is watching so closely what their parent does that even the slightest gesture is noticed.  It cannot be said whether it is for good or bad.  It just is. Impressions are made, habits formed, and eventually we learn whether the influence was for good or not. These impressions become so much a part of our lives.  I am thankful that I had two parents, because I learned very different things from each of them.

    Every person is special in some way to someone. My purpose is to treat every person well, in such a way that the people who think they are special would not be disappointed.  Of course, being human, I don't expect that I will always be able to reach my goal.  Of course we see people in a sad condition, and some we probably can't help very much, if at all. Perhaps we don't have the funds, the time, the knowledge, and anyway people have to want to do it themselves or nothing will change no matter how much you try.  It is best to live so that by watching you they will be inspired to think, and to understand that if you can thrive, then they can, too.  If we are only focusing on what we don't have, then we are going to be disappointed by what we see others enjoy that we lack  We could think we are abused, and become disheartened, but we each own the stars, we own our vision, or whatever sense we have; to smell and feel and see, to walk and run, to become stronger and more balanced.

    It is important that we remember the beautiful, the wonderful things in life.  We must not let the sad things completely overwhelm us and remove our pleasure in the joyful things.   We must not think we can always fix everything, and if we feel it is important to fix something, it seems to me that we can usually find something that needs fixed right in our own "backyard", our own nest.  It is possible we even need to fix our own judgment, to make sure it is from a factual and realistic position.  

In true education, anything that comes to our hand is as good as a book: the prank of a page- boy, the blunder of a servant, a bit of table talk - they are all part of the curriculum. 

Michel de Montaigne

 “When someone is crying, of course, the noble thing to do is to 

comfort them. But if someone is trying to hide their tears, 

it may also be noble to pretend you do not notice them.” 

― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change. 

Katharine Hepburn 

Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done. 

Peter Drucker 

Acting is the most minor of gifts. After all, Shirley Temple could do it when she was four. 

Katharine Hepburn 

Wreckage

The "Spirited Woman" -  Downtown, Cody, Wyoming

Plumber's Helper: Belle, polite in and out, now waiting for an invitation

Someone's Picnic Spot and Playground - Over the Fence.

 Home Gym