Where, Oh Where...

...has the summer gone???!!!

Was it the camping trip, swimming lessons, or lacrosse camp? Engineering, basketball, or golf camps? Paddle boating on the Tidal Basin or standing in awe at architectural masterpieces depicted in Lego? Maybe it was the trip to the beach... Oh I know, it was the "semi-extreme make-over" that occurred in my home and the 8-week summer session that I taught.

Yes, this has been a very full summer. And although I'm not ready for it to end I know that it must.

Possessions do not bring riches to our lives. Experiences do.

Now I understand. My whirlwind of a summer has made me a multi-billionaire!

Until next time...

A Memoir

On July 4th my aunt, Norlishia A. Jackson, succumbed to ovarian cancer. My life and our family will never be the same.

Aunt Nor was a freelance writer. From the moment she learned of my desire to do the same, she served as a mentor and resource. She posed one question to me every time we spoke. "What cha' workin' on?" It was a gentle reminder to me that as a writer, I should always have a work in progress.

She served as an editor and contributing writer to the Delta Journal, the primary publication of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through the years she wrote several speeches for the sorority's past presidents and other national officers. She was also instrumental in chartering the Federal City Alumnae Chapter here in Washington, DC. Her work was so profound in Delta that prominent members of the sorority, poet Nikki Giovanni and Dr. Gloria R. Scott (the first African-American to serve as president of the Girl Scouts of America and past president of Bennett College) knew her well and made special trips to speak at the service.

Aunt Nor was creative, funny, giving, loving, and a take-no-stuff sort of woman - all at the same time. She was the best story teller I've ever known. She could tell a story that would make you laugh days, months, even years later. She loved our large extended family and kept us connected through gatherings, newsletters, and a family directory that she created. She was crazy about her sisters and even crazier about her grandchildren, or should I call them her "diva-children" (She refused to be grandma so "Diva" she was).

I could go on and on and on but I won't. Instead, with a grateful and heavy heart, I'll simply say...

I miss you and love you so much Aunt Nor.

Unencumbered

It was our family's first camping trip. We pitched a tent, unrolled our sleeping bags, and "roughed it" with a group of friends and their kids. We had the time of our lives.

It was hot. We were smelly. There were bugs of all sorts and other small creatures. We felt sticky, a bit grimy, and were constantly covered in bug spray - the strong kind. Oh, and did I mention it was hot?

I thought about the fact that people camp all of the time and I wondered why. I slowed my pace, pondered, and eventually I got it.

A neck-craning look up at the very tall trees surrounding us put me in awe as their cone-filled tops swayed in a breeze we never felt. I shared a shower with the brightest green frog I'd ever seen, well...except maybe on the Planet Earth DVD. A lonesome stroll back to the tent surprised a raccoon who was seconds away from tearing our garbage from its post. And a walk to the bathroom in the pitch black of night revealed the brightest stars I've ever seen.

The kids ran and played and created a constant backdrop of giggles and laughter. They scootered and skated on the narrowly paved road. They tossed a football, beanbags, and water balloons. They enjoyed a nearby beach - in their clothes. And they discovered.

At the end of the day when we zipped our tent they looked up and exclaimed, "we could live like this!" And they meant it.

Burdens come with conveniences and luxuries but we seldom step away from them long enough to realize it. In the woods, we were unencumbered. All of us felt it. There were no Nintendos, no internet, and no agendas. There was the simple company of family and good friends. And there was leisure.

The experience was invaluable. I now understand a way of existence that I hadn't known prior to that weekend. And I know how to get it when I need it. Could you use a bit of freedom? If so, I suggest you pack a tent, gather close friends, and head for the woods.

Until next time...

The Sweater!!!

There are no words to describe how I feel in this photo. I'm wearing the VERY 1st sweater I've ever knit. I've been working on it off and on for over a year.

There's something to be said for pressing on even when you can't see the end. That's what I did - one stitch at a time. I had a GREAT mentor (Thanks, Jess!) who said that there are 84,000 stitches to this pattern. I doubled that number, easily. If you count all of the mistakes that I frogged, I'm sure I made it twice.

Inca (the sweater pattern) taught me more about knitting then I could have ever learned in a class; everything from knitting cables to grafting wool. I learned how to see and correct errors and how to adjust pattern instructions.

And I experienced, yet again, a key life principle: No matter what, never give up.

Until next time...

Making Adjustments

After four years I have returned to working outside of the home. And it's been a major adjustment. I'm adjusting. My family is adjusting. Even my laundry is adjusting.

Transition is not always easy. But it is necessary. When life brings change it beckons us to move in step with that change. Some adjustments are small, like a lean in the movie theater when the person in front of you shifts in their seat. Others are not so small, like learning a "new normal" after the death of a loved one.

Change is a good thing. Growing through that change is even better. For this reason, I have decided to do the best that I can at each point of decision. And when it gets tough, I'll remember that it won't be this way forever.

Just look at me. I think I've grown an inch!

Until next time...

Knitter's Delight!

Those of us in the Washington metropolitan area are experiencing a knitter's delight! The Blizzard of 2010, affectionately known as "Snowpocalypse", has altered our normal course of life and given us lots of down time. This always means more time to knit...at least for me.

Okay so I still have laundry to do and three snowed-in children. My husband is feeling "snow fatigued" and I'm cooking around the clock. But when did that ever matter???!!! I'm taking complete advantage of the situation and I invite snowed-in knitters worldwide to join me.

Dig through your stash. Find that pattern - you know, the one that you've been meaning to start. And cast on.

Until next time...

Alive On The Inside

What appears dead on the outside may really be alive and growing on the inside. There, I've said it. I've made my point in the very first sentence.

The other day I noticed that one of the stalks in my Lucky Bamboo arrangement was dead. It was yellow with black spots and it was dried out. Gone were the firm leaves and the vibrant green color. Or so I thought.

As I went to throw it out I noticed something quite peculiar. The very top was bright green and two new leaves were sprouting from it, firm leaves. Even the roots contained new sprouts.

I stepped back and thought - Should I keep it or get rid of it? I was in a quandary. Relationships, opportunities, dreams, and endeavors came to mind. How many things have I given up on and discarded because they appeared dead on the outside or felt dry to the touch?

How many have you?

In case you were wondering, I chose to keep the ugly stalk. And it's still alive...on the inside.

Until next time...