She says the exact same words every time. “Momma, I’m going to do some magic.” She utters these words, before steppping into the bedroom and looking at herself in the mirror. And it is something she does at least a few times a day. My five year old girl loves to fix her hair and check her face. Is this normal? I don’t remember the mirror being a part of my childhood. And I must confess I am a little [...]
March 2011
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings Last week the depths of my sadness was palpable. As I wrote my post, Tell Me, honoring my father, the tears dropped on the keyboard. My fingers struggled to keep typing, knowing the words couldn’t hang in my head or in mid-air. They definitely needed a place to land. As I moved through the week, much to my surprise the assault of sadness lightened. This past weekend laughter [...]
Her small hand presses the light brown wheat dough as she sits in a chair, her fingers married to kneading. The pressure of her palm makes small imprints in the soft dough that look like tiny veins of tree branches. The kitchen smells of yeast as it lingers in the space. She recognizes that air because it whispers the spices of street vendors outside her childhood home and of her own mother’s poetry. She is my mother, but I don’t [...]
Tell me Dad, how are you doing? I wonder where you are. Sometimes in my half-sleep, I think you are going to walk into my kitchen, open the fridge and pull out a Pepsi and grab a bag of potato chips. In my version, you tell me you are doing great, that there is an unlimited supply of soda and chips where you are. Tell me Dad, can you see us? Do you know that Mom lives with us now? [...]
I am overwhelmed by my experience on Sunday night. I spent an hour and half of my life sharing the same space as Dr. Maya Angelou. She commanded her audience with her poetry and her singing. Anything I say here will not justify what I heard, felt or experienced while occupying the same space as Maya Angelou. Her story epitomizes resilience. At age 3, Maya and her brother, who was 5, were shipped to their grandmother, who lived in Stamps, [...]
Where Does the Dance Begin, Where Does It End? by Mary Oliver Don’t call this world adorable, or useful, that’s not it. It’s frisky, and a theater for more than fair winds. The eyelash of lightning is neither good nor evil. The struck tree burns like a pillar of gold. But the blue rain sinks, straight to the white feet of the trees whose mouths open. Doesn’t the wind, turning in circles, invent the dance? Haven’t the flowers moved, slowly, [...]
The news portrayed images you can’t forget. A sea of cars washed away by a giant wave, a boat decapitated by a bridge, and houses enveloped within one second, without hesitation. The most striking of this montage was a woman who waved a white sheet on the top of her home which was surrounded by water. It’s the part of the Japanese earthquake coverage that riveted me. What was her story? Did she get rescued? Were her children safe? What [...]
Hello Readers! Welcome Justine from Here Where I Have Landed. She is one of the bloggers I’ve “met” along the way. Her musings on motherhood and life are engaging and ring authentic. Please give her a warm welcome! For more neighborly tales, please visit Amy at the The Never True Tales. I have not been sleeping well lately. My mind whirs as I lay in bed, eyes closed, desperately yearning for the rest that evades me throughout the day. They [...]
I entered the room and my eyes darted to the corners. Each nook was painted a pristine white and sky blue, the blending of these two colors created a sense of serenity. The space in the room lacked chairs, white sheets provided padding on the ground. The minimalist presentation didn’t bother me. Initially, I didn’t want to sit down, but I knew I had to coax my limbs to relax so that I could land Indian style on the floor. [...]
What did she think of me when she looked at me? It was Friday night and my family decided to dine out for pizza at a local pizzeria in town. It’s a place where they know our order, the vibe always comfortable and casual. On this particular night, as we walked in, tables appeared scarce and the line was long. While husband waited in line, I snagged the second to last table, my daughter plunking down next to me. As [...]
