...repatriators!
« March 2015 | Main | May 2015 »
April 2015
04/30/2015
04/29/2015
After the Storms...
...there is beauty to behold!
04/28/2015
04/26/2015
These Chairs...
...are where?
Surely, you can guess
with this little hint on the left!
04/25/2015
Shining Lights
Since I began teaching on the adjunct faculty at the Tulane School of Social Work in 2013, I've learned that most of the professors celebrate the end of the course semester with some kind of closing ritual. Sometimes there are specific things that the students want to do or share. Sometimes, it's just about the chance to share food and casual conversation.
I always try to do something a little special that is meaningful to me. In the past, I've:had my students pick meaningful words or quotes out of a jar and the following year I made bookmarks. This year was different. I had a smaller class this semester, and I only had one class. With 12 students, I could make something even nicer and a little more time consuming. I knew it had to be the tiny votive candles enlightening some special place, person or thing. While I toil, I ponder. I also ponder on my bike rides to and from school. I wanted to make this last class special. I think I succeeded.
I had lined the little decorative votives up on the ledge of the board. Once everyone arrived, I asked them to come up and choose one of their own and return to their seat and DO NOT TOUCH it until I offer further instructions (Of course, that didn't exactly happen.) I turned out the classroom lights, so that we were basically in the dark and said: Each of you are special. Each of you have your very own light as a social worker and you bring your light and your uniqueness to the profession. Turn on your lights. Together, we are stronger and even more special.
Let Your Light Shine!
04/24/2015
Smiling
From dusk to dark-my early bike ride home from the Louisiana Philharmonic Symphony's performance in City Park was eased into evening and night with stages of light. It began with the smiling moon at dusk, as I left my friends. From there, I discovered: an arch of water and light that made me think of St. Louis; charmingly lit porches on Ponce de Leon; and,-
-the smiling moon from home on my own front porch. I smiled back!
Smiling back at the moon is a nice way to end any evening!
Happy Friday!
04/23/2015
Semester Endings
As you can see, Teaching Assistant Sam has been beside me every step of the way this semester. After helping me with the Genogram Assignments, she's been wondering about her own feline family. She sat right beside me as I made our closing ritual celebration items, AND deviled eggs. When I get home today, there will still be final grades to tally and a wait to see who completed the on-line course evaluations, but soon we will be able to breathe even easier.
Up next, a weekend of workshops May 8 and 9 and a couple more scheduled for later in the summer and September. I'll be back with more soon.
04/22/2015
Poignant on Paper
Yesterday, I wrote about my most "meaningful" Write_On return when I was reflecting on reciprocity. Fortunately, I learned a long time ago that whatever you do you must do for the JOY of doing it...NOT, because you expect to get something in return. That said, there are those times when you get MORE.
I'd mailed Mom and Dad's Write_On card and note from St. Louis, but I had never really heard if they had received it. When I mentioned it to Dad on Sunday, he said that he was sure they had and they were sending me something for Write_On too. Low and behold on Monday, it arrived.
For two people who wrote constantly and beautifully all of their lives; writing is now a chore for them for different reasons. I opened my envelope with the pretty clown stamp on the cover to find squirrel note paper with a note from both Mom and Dad for National Letter Writing Month. Seeing their very different handwriting together and their sentiments made me smile. The tears came when I turned to the back where Dad had written something so true and so touching: "It's hard writing from a wheel chair."
As we all get older, sometimes in tiny steps and sometimes all at once; we lose big and small things that were important to us in our lives. I try to be aware of that for my parents and even for myself. I know how hard it was for my parents to write that card, but it was important to them. They wanted to participate. As Dad also wrote: "This is letter writing month so we are tryng to do our best." And if it's possible, I love them even more.
Write_On
04/21/2015
Write_On Reciprocity
Part of the fun of the Write_On Campaign for National Letter Writing Month in April, is getting letters and goodies back. I have such creative friends and family. Getting something back in the mail has been a treat. Some friends have chosen to respond via email and/or Facebook. I received a beautiful thank you card from Mike and John, and a postcard from Amanda Brown.
My sister Kat with her usual creativity enclosed stamps, notes, confetti, stickers, and had a very special Maya Angelou stamp on the card. My high school/college friend, Pattie Redenbaugh Tierney had made beautiful hand-stamped envelopes with famous chef stamps, and a very appropos card for me inside. It was fun.
My most meaningful Write_On response came to me in yesterday's mail. It made me smile and cry all at the same time. More on that Write_On response tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone who has participated-my last batch of 20 went out in Monday's mail. I think I'm finished for now, but you never know. Don't forget:
WRITE_ON!
04/20/2015
Wild and Otherwise
There's nothing like coming home to wildflowers from friends and roses blooming in your garden and growing wild along the train tracks. I've been blooming spoiled!