Posted on February 4, 2012 by Jennifer Wolfe
He stands on the edge
of
childhood
open wide
ready
to embrace the world
He balances between
me
and
them
ready
to let go
He straddles the vastness
of
the majestic Sierra
and the confines
of the salty shore
ready
to move forward
Confident
Certain
Shouting
“I am strong”
to the Paiutes who came before
and
they believed him
primark
Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jennifer Wolfe
“Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing.”
— Oscar Wilde
Sometimes we take the simple things for granted. It seems like so many people spend their days racing around, trying to get from one place to another and steamroll whatever gets in their way.
We consume, presume and resume in a never ending cycle. Life feels like a treadmill, and when we take one misstep it spits us off, crumpled into the dirt.
We search for the next best new thing, the next victim of our stress, the next issue to argue over.
Today’s photo is simple. Soft. Quiet. Close up. To some it may look simply like snow on sticks.
But take a closer glance.
To me, it reminds me to stop, slow down, take a step in, and look.
Listen.
See what the world is offering.
It’s simple.
Posted on January 20, 2012 by Jennifer Wolfe
This is how my son sees himself:
Invincible.
Capable.
Brave.
He can hang from trees, climb rocks, take down an intruder
and
fly down a ski course.
He can run fast and think hard.
This is how I see my son:
Gentle.
Intelligent.
Fearless.
He can snuggle his dog, play the piano, help a stranger
and
make lemon pasta.
He can think fast and run hard.
He is still a little boy, yet almost a little man.
Change is hard.
Fascinating.
Frustrating.
Beautiful.
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Jennifer Wolfe
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“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
– Zora Neale Hurston
Zora had a point. We all may start off each new year with our to-do and to-don’t lists, our resolutions, our diet plans, our financial makeovers, travel itineraries and dreams for the upcoming year, but somewhere things always seem to go a little off course.
There’s a reason why gym memberships and weight loss centers see a spike in memberships in January and a decline just a few months later. Humans just seem to operate that way. What seems ‘good’ or ‘right’ or ‘popular’ in one moment can quickly fade to black in another.
Today’s world is creating a culture that allows and even encourages shallow thinking. Instant messaging, texting, information at our fingertips and the ability to lose ourselves in games, videos and social media that we carry in our pockets fosters constant mind chatter. Working parents and over scheduled kids find it easier to succumb to these temptations, seduced by the images and messages of what ‘we’ should be like, look like, and act like. Sadly, many of these icons are just as lost as the people who are finding solace in their stories.
Perhaps what we need to do most is re-look at the way we see ourselves. By focusing on the ‘issues’ we see in our lives we deny the deeper, richer, more powerful parts to surface. Comparing ourselves to some media enhanced ideal of the perfect mother, father, parent, student, child, family or athlete surely places us in a state of lack. Instead, finding solitude and time alone may allow us to relax and listen for what is really meaningful and valuable, and give us a chance to question what is missing in our lives.
What if we intentionally go into this new year to either ask for questions or search for answers in our lives? What if we push aside all the lists and resolutions and instead resolve to look within? What if we spent 10 minutes a day on ourselves, in solitude, asking and listening for answers and resolving to trust in the messages we receive? What would happen? Would that be scary? What would shift in our lives?
This year, let’s set ourselves up for success. Throw out that resolution list and instead use that time to plan a daily session of solitude. Ask questions. Listen for the answers. Choose this year to be the one that makes a difference.
You might just amaze yourself.
Posted on December 18, 2011 by Jennifer Wolfe
The week before winter break is never easy for a middle school teacher. The combination of high energy and anticipation levels of the students juxtaposed with the need to finish units, projects and assessments makes for an exhausting experience. Add to that the needs of my own children at home, the cards, gifts and holiday cheer and I am not sure if I am coming or going.
Late last night as Leno wrapped up his monologue, I catch myself in an unsettling space between gearing up and winding down. A kaleidoscope of ‘to-dos’ spins through my mind. Fortunately, sleep kicks in, and eight short hours later, I have a flash of clarity.
After driving through the mountains in the predawn hours, my son and I pass Donner Lake, and in that moment, as the water and sky met and steam hissed from its surface, I quickly stop the car. My brain pauses and we drink in the tranquility of the water before us. Silently I breathe deeply, wait, and shift back into gear with a new sense of calm.
Try it. Breathe. Pause. Wait. Shift.
