Today it has been forty years since the voice of Nat King Cole was silenced.
I have always been a fan of his music. He had a voice that reached out to touch your soul. I would have to say he had a voice which would make angels weep and saints deny their god. He was also a genius at the piano, his interpretations were to music what Michelangelo's paintings were to art. Truly this man had been gifted by God.
He also had a gentle heart. Members of a white supremacist group attacked and tried to kidnap him at a show in Birmingham Alabama. He finished the show and apologized to the audience for the disturbance. This got him a reputation as an "Uncle Tom". Thurgood Marshall even referred to him as such. He endured harassment when he and his family settled into an all white neighborhood. He refused to perform at segregated establishments.
Many questioned his handling of all these things. Perhaps he knew that you can't change the way people think without changing their heart. Just because one doesn't holler and scream doesn't signal acceptance. Sometimes the quiet and steady working for change is best. In his own way he made just as big an impact as Martin Luther King.
Maybe he knew as he had sung "the greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" -Nature Boy
15 February 2005
14 February 2005
Love
One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.
Sophocles 496 BC - 406 BC
Today is the day set aside to celebrate and ponder the meaning of love. There have been poems, songs, and oratories written about love and it's meaning.
Despite of the profusion of words dedicated to explaining it, love can only truly be defined by the feeling of it.
Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.
St. Thomas of Aquinas 1225 AD - 1274 AD
From a personal perspective, I love love. God loves me so much He sent His son to save me. That is the ultimate of love.
Sophocles 496 BC - 406 BC
Today is the day set aside to celebrate and ponder the meaning of love. There have been poems, songs, and oratories written about love and it's meaning.
Despite of the profusion of words dedicated to explaining it, love can only truly be defined by the feeling of it.
Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.
St. Thomas of Aquinas 1225 AD - 1274 AD
From a personal perspective, I love love. God loves me so much He sent His son to save me. That is the ultimate of love.
12 February 2005
Acoustics
Last night I was with my favorite little girls again. We spent the first part of the evening making cookies. After watching a bit of video and reading several stories, we were getting everyone ready for bed. This involves making sure all the tiny pearly white teeth were well cleaned from the cookies sampled when they came out of the oven.
Only one girl can fit on the step stool at a time so we were taking turns brushing teeth. Julia was waiting for her chance at the sink and serenading us with all of her favorite tunes. I was helping her sister when I heard her voice changing. I look back to see her leaning over the toilet and singing her heart out.
I tried not to laugh and told her we don't sing over the toilet. She asked "Why don't we sing into the toilet? It sounds real good and loud." I explained that the shape of the bowl made for good acoustics. I then explained acoustics. I admitted the sound might be better focused but that as a general rule singing into the toilet is not something usually done.
Someday when she is a huge recording star I will remind her of her first "studio".
Only one girl can fit on the step stool at a time so we were taking turns brushing teeth. Julia was waiting for her chance at the sink and serenading us with all of her favorite tunes. I was helping her sister when I heard her voice changing. I look back to see her leaning over the toilet and singing her heart out.
I tried not to laugh and told her we don't sing over the toilet. She asked "Why don't we sing into the toilet? It sounds real good and loud." I explained that the shape of the bowl made for good acoustics. I then explained acoustics. I admitted the sound might be better focused but that as a general rule singing into the toilet is not something usually done.
Someday when she is a huge recording star I will remind her of her first "studio".
11 February 2005
09 February 2005
Ash Wednesday
This was my first day off in a long while and I was looking forward to catching up on sleep and a few errands.
One of the ways I volunteer my time is to be a coach for young girls who have no one to help them as they accomplish the difficult process of labor. I never know when I leave the house how long it will be until I return. Needless to say I did not make it to the noon service I had planned on attending.
Since I moved down here I have had the opportunity to learn more about how other denominations keep Lent. My Greek Orthodox friends observe a strict account of Lent. What I find intriguing is how informed their children are about what the season means and why they do what they do. I think it is great that the young are so well informed about their faith.
No matter what your personal customs are it is good to take this time before Easter to contemplate just why we need the saving grace of God. I hope this season brings you much comfort.
One of the ways I volunteer my time is to be a coach for young girls who have no one to help them as they accomplish the difficult process of labor. I never know when I leave the house how long it will be until I return. Needless to say I did not make it to the noon service I had planned on attending.
Since I moved down here I have had the opportunity to learn more about how other denominations keep Lent. My Greek Orthodox friends observe a strict account of Lent. What I find intriguing is how informed their children are about what the season means and why they do what they do. I think it is great that the young are so well informed about their faith.
No matter what your personal customs are it is good to take this time before Easter to contemplate just why we need the saving grace of God. I hope this season brings you much comfort.
08 February 2005
What?
I was cruising around the internet and got a tip from a friend to check out an article that had made her say what?
In the first place I don't think I would look to a multi-married celebrity for any marriage advice, but this is just too bizarre to ignore. Evidently Mr. Smith believes his marriage will survive because they have agreed that honesty is the basis for a long lasting relationship. While this is true, they have also concluded that fidelity is not a necessary part of the same. This made my head and heart hurt. If you can't count on the most important person in your life to be just for you, what is the point?
Even sadder is the fact that this is considered newsworthy and that so many are seeing it as an enlightened view of marriage in this century.
I think I'll try to find the brain cells I used reading about this and see if I can have them wiped clean.
In the first place I don't think I would look to a multi-married celebrity for any marriage advice, but this is just too bizarre to ignore. Evidently Mr. Smith believes his marriage will survive because they have agreed that honesty is the basis for a long lasting relationship. While this is true, they have also concluded that fidelity is not a necessary part of the same. This made my head and heart hurt. If you can't count on the most important person in your life to be just for you, what is the point?
Even sadder is the fact that this is considered newsworthy and that so many are seeing it as an enlightened view of marriage in this century.
I think I'll try to find the brain cells I used reading about this and see if I can have them wiped clean.
07 February 2005
The great part of being wrong
"It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all." Edward de Bono
Here is someone who recognizes the importance of being wrong. I have learned more from my mistakes than all my lessons combined. I have always felt comfortable with the fact that I am a hopelessly flawed individual.
There is great comfort in not being perfect and allowing yourself the luxury of being wrong. It takes the pressure off and frees you. Some of my most colossal goof ups have brought forth great achievements. It's hard to argue with the "success" of failure.
I was chatting with a friend tonight and she was feeling upset she had a project at work to flop. She was entrenched in the feeling of failure and didn't want to leave it. I shared the quote above with her and reminded her of all the ideas she had seen through to completion. She's truly brilliant and generous to others. I just suggested now might be a good time to be generous to herself. She'll bounce right back now that she has cut herself some slack.
Here is someone who recognizes the importance of being wrong. I have learned more from my mistakes than all my lessons combined. I have always felt comfortable with the fact that I am a hopelessly flawed individual.
There is great comfort in not being perfect and allowing yourself the luxury of being wrong. It takes the pressure off and frees you. Some of my most colossal goof ups have brought forth great achievements. It's hard to argue with the "success" of failure.
I was chatting with a friend tonight and she was feeling upset she had a project at work to flop. She was entrenched in the feeling of failure and didn't want to leave it. I shared the quote above with her and reminded her of all the ideas she had seen through to completion. She's truly brilliant and generous to others. I just suggested now might be a good time to be generous to herself. She'll bounce right back now that she has cut herself some slack.
06 February 2005
Practice
I am so tired now I am going to need a nap before I go to bed. Today was the last day of our big sale. I went in for five hours of the final mayhem.
In spite of the extreme exhaustion the past weeks have brought, I really enjoyed the whole process. I spent every day doing space planning. I am glad for the opportunity to refine my skills. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it does make pretty damn good.
I can do a better job now just because of the sheer number of hours I have invested in the process. This whole experience reminds me of the first few months after I started doing yoga. For a long time I was inept and struggled with every workout. Then one day things started to click. I could move from pose to pose without having to really think about it.
As with anything, the more I do it, the better at it I become. So....I should do more often the things I want to be good at.
In spite of the extreme exhaustion the past weeks have brought, I really enjoyed the whole process. I spent every day doing space planning. I am glad for the opportunity to refine my skills. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it does make pretty damn good.
I can do a better job now just because of the sheer number of hours I have invested in the process. This whole experience reminds me of the first few months after I started doing yoga. For a long time I was inept and struggled with every workout. Then one day things started to click. I could move from pose to pose without having to really think about it.
As with anything, the more I do it, the better at it I become. So....I should do more often the things I want to be good at.
03 February 2005
A bumpy start
Every morning I start the day with prayer and yoga before I get out of bed. No matter how the rest of the day goes, the beginning is always grand. Sometimes that's the only comfort for the day when you happen to live with chronic pain.
That being said, today got off with a bang. Arthritis has been a pretty overwhelming companion this winter. When I went to get out of bed he reared his ugly head and getting up became a battle of what seemed to be gigantic proportions. Too stubborn to give in I waged war against my own body. Normally this is a battle I can win, today I lost. In what can only be described as the least graceful moment of my life, I managed a few steps before my knees gave out and I fell bashing my head in to the wall.
Now you may be wondering why I shared this story with you. Well, I was feeling pretty confident as I lay in bed this morning. I was certain I could handle whatever today saw fit to throw my way. This of course is a prime example of arrogance, and I should know better. This stumble was a perfect way to disabuse myself from the idea I could manage the day on my own. Nothing like an up close and personal object lesson.
So, the day started again as I lay on the floor chuckling over the whole thing and the way my stupidity constantly amazes me.
That being said, today got off with a bang. Arthritis has been a pretty overwhelming companion this winter. When I went to get out of bed he reared his ugly head and getting up became a battle of what seemed to be gigantic proportions. Too stubborn to give in I waged war against my own body. Normally this is a battle I can win, today I lost. In what can only be described as the least graceful moment of my life, I managed a few steps before my knees gave out and I fell bashing my head in to the wall.
Now you may be wondering why I shared this story with you. Well, I was feeling pretty confident as I lay in bed this morning. I was certain I could handle whatever today saw fit to throw my way. This of course is a prime example of arrogance, and I should know better. This stumble was a perfect way to disabuse myself from the idea I could manage the day on my own. Nothing like an up close and personal object lesson.
So, the day started again as I lay on the floor chuckling over the whole thing and the way my stupidity constantly amazes me.
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