Tag: Life

Mirror, Mirror

Posted on December 4, 2013 by

Brown eye

Brown eye (Photo credit: Mommyof4Ruggies)

“I think your whole life shows in your face, and you should be proud of that.”

– Lauren Bacall

I’m not sure I recognize her as I should, that face starting back at me in the mirror. I look away, and then back, fascinated at what reflects back.

 A single grey hair erupts from the crown; sparkly against the darkness, it shines in glory and a sort of unexpected grandeur.

  You’ve earned this, it whispers.

Looking closely, another strand peeks out from the temple, as if playing a game of hide and seek.

Deep brown eyes stare back at me, protected by long, black lashes. I tilt my chin up just a bit, and they play along, more accustomed to looking down,

 but willing to give it a chance.

I remember, don’t you? they cry back.

I flick on the the light and lean in a bit closer.

A crescent shaped line forms around my mouth. Where did that come from?

Has my life been this full of laughter? Or has every smile just etched this deep, unknown to me?

You’ve earned this, it smiles back.

 These battle scars, these trophies of my growth, bear witness to a life well lived,

to an adventure of risks and rewards, to love and lasting memories.

This life does show on my face, and yes, I’m proud of that.

 

Writing reflections inspired by december prompt-a-day with writealm.com.

Join us by sharing your posts on Facebook, on Twitter or Instagram

 using the hashtag #writealm.

 

 

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Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Infused With Reverence

Posted on August 9, 2013 by

The simplest activities are infused with reverence.

“We see that when the activities of life are infused with reverence, they come alive with meaning and purpose. We see that when reverence is lacking from life’s activities, the result is cruelty, violence and loneliness. The physical arena is a magnificent learning environment. It is a school within which, through experimentation, we come to understand what causes us to expand and what causes us to contract, what causes us to grow and what causes us to shrivel, what nourishes our souls and what depletes them, what works and what does not.”

– Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul

I’ve written about the simplicity of life in Nicaragua; as images of our trip flash through my mind, I think about the authenticity of the people I met. Their simple lives – in outward appearances – rattle my brain as I slip back into my California home, bursting with the comforts of American life. At once, I wonder how they live without, and how do we live with?

What I come back to is the simple reverence they have for each aspect of their lives. The daily routines of existence- the preparing of food, the washing, the tending to children and animals, the care for their property-has such meaning and purpose. Nothing is taken for granted, little is wasted. And instead of a sense of lack, happiness exudes from their smiles, generosity pours from their hands and hearts.Their simple life, in reality, is much more complex than it appears.

Perhaps it is we who are simple, after all.

In Nicaragua, we learn what nourishes our souls.

We expand.

We experience reverence.

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Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Friday Photo: Giving Thanks

Posted on December 2, 2011 by

http://masonimages.com/
Yes, I know it’s the first week of December, not the third Thursday in November.  Today’s Friday Photo has no turkeys, pumpkins, corn or cranberries.  There’s nothing here that looks similar to a traditional thanks-giving post.  But that’s exactly what it is.  These photos of my son were taken by my dear uncle the day before Thanksgiving as we walked around our neighborhood, looking for nothing in particular.  What makes them so special to me are the memories that lie within them.  You see, this year my son anticipated the arrival of our out-of-town family members like it was the night before Christmas.  He couldn’t stop talking about how much fun it was on Thanksgiving because everyone was together, it was warm, cozy, and just felt great.  He couldn’t wait to go geocaching with his aunts, uncles and cousins.  He knew board games in front of the fire were a sure thing.  And of course, the dogs.  Lots of new dogs to cuddle made him a very happy guy.
So today, I’m giving thanks for all that and more.  I’m giving thanks for family that likes to be together and feels comfortable around each other.  I’m giving thanks for a safe and peaceful home where everyone gathers.  I’m giving thanks for abundant feelings of love and support from people near by and far away.  And I’m giving thanks for C-Fly, who teaches me every day that it doesn’t take a holiday to remember what a lucky mom I truly am.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Friday Photo – Harvest

Posted on October 22, 2011 by

Cameron in a Nicaraguan produce marketSometimes as I’m moving around in my day, an image gets stuck in my head that I can’t shake. Sometimes it conjures up a memory, a feeling, or provides an impulse to do something. Often, though, I just see something that I want to capture in my mind for no particular reason-it just speaks to me. I’d like to offer these images up for ‘thought contributions’-as a way to generate a community of ideas together.

At this time of year, it’s all about the harvest.  Crops are ripe, summer gardens are being sowed and then tilled under in preparation for winter planting.  But my garden this year – not so good.  I tallied less than a dozen tomatoes, and four measley peppers.  And this wasn’t due to lack of effort or care-I tilled, composted, fertilized, watered, planted and tended my crops from last April til now.  I guess this just wasn’t the year.  Mother Nature didn’t cooperate – our cool northern California spring wasn’t the right temperature to set fruit.  Our usual one hundred degree plus summer heat never really materialized, leaving valley farmers shaking their heads and hoping for the best.  Me?  I keep my plants in, hoping that those green orbs will somehow ripen if I just have faith.

So today’s Friday Photo reminded me of what an abundant life I have.  No matter what happens to my own garden, I will have enough.  I have resources to get what I need.  It might not be directly from my own hands, but it will be fresh, healthy, available and enough to sustain me and my family.  In today’s photo my son marvels at the bounty we found in Ciudad Dario, Nicaragua.  Gorgeous produce can be had there for mere pennies-but to many Nicaraguans, pennies are like diamonds.  Produce is grown on your own land, and a luxury to purchase.  There are no ‘bulk buys’ or prepackaged warehouse size amounts.  People simply buy what they can, only what they need.

I enter this harvest season with a heart full of gratitude, and a faith that next year, my harvest will be that of my own making. What hopes do you have for the next year?  Will you have an abundant harvest?

 

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Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Embracing Abundance: Harvest

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

Today’s post comes from a friend of mine, G.G. Vandagriff.  She is the award-winning author of twelve books.  She would love for you to visit and subscribe to her interactive blog for readers, authors, and prospective authors: http://ggvandagriff.com/blog.  It is embedded in her website, http://ggvandagriff.com. Enjoy!  Divertitevi!

Tuscan Countryside
I love this time of year when the nights are drawing in, fruit stands dot the streets with fresh corn, melon, peaches, pears, apples, and tomatoes.  This year, I feel especially grateful because I have been so richly blessed.  That is not just a throwaway line, it is a true expression of gratitude.  From now until the end of the year, I will do a “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” account of the specific blessings I embrace as my “abundance.”  This is a good year to do that, because our particular circumstances have been such that I have not been able to fill my bucket with material things.

Where to start?  Perhaps at the beginning of the year when I dashed off to Italy and felt guided every day into those experiences that led me to discover agape (Christ-like love).  I realized that because of a drop in my income this was likely to be my last trip for awhile, and wanted to embrace everything and take it home with me.  I did manage to do that.  For what makes Italy Italy, for me, is the overflowing love of the Italians.  And that I can feel in my heart each day.

Raised to be critical and wary, agape does not come easily to me.  That is why it is such a gift.  The only thing I can compare it to is emotional honey.  It was manifest by the stall-owner in the street market who made me a gift of a lovely turquoise ring “because you feel like you are part of my family.”  My B & B “mama” was continually showering me with care, feeding me lunch which was always pasta and leftovers from the night before, inviting me into her home for a family celebration, and going out in the rain on her motorscooter to buy me a ticket to the opera.  One day I bought a gorgeous cake from Robiglio’s and Elisabetta (my mama) and Adriana (her future  daughter-in-law, therefore my sister) and I sat down in the middle of the day and carved up this treat and laughed together as we ate it.  With Elisabetta, it is always time for love and laughter.
Duomo
I opened up like a tightly closed bud, and my writing opened up at the same time, as my “crazy lady” heroines revealed their secrets to me, and flowing from my surroundings, agape entered my book and became the balm that soothed their worries, setting them on the right path—for agape is, I realized, The Only Way to Paradise.
We know this virtue as charity, and didn’t Paul say, “though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it availeth me nothing.”?  That scripture was incomprehensible to me, until I felt charity or agape from people to whom it is a way of life.  Now, I see that this love is the great abundance.  This is what we strive for and what we receive when we are in need.
So when I think of “embracing abundance” my arms grow long and I gather to myself all those wonderful Italians who showed me how to love people outside my family with simple, everyday acts.
G. G. Vandagriff
This blog is an attempt by me to add love to the lives of all my readers.  I gain nothing from it.  It is a free gift from me to you, and will hopefully enrich your lives.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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