Chatham, Virginia dresses up for Independence Day celebration. Homes and businesses are decorated for the competition. Flags and red, white, and blue everywhere celebrate patriotism and love of country.
Small Town Living
A New Outlook
Recently, I turned 60. For some reason, this birthday felt different, an important milestone, a rite of passage. I had a small get together at home to celebrate the occasion. I honestly can say that I don’t know how time went by so fast; yesterday, I was 20, today I am 60. Do I feel old? Not quite, but there are a few things that have changed physically. Maybe I am not able to ride a skateboard anymore, and for certain, as of lately, days feel shorter. A mind trick? Maybe.
That day, I asked for birthday advice and here is what I got: don’t eat sugar, walk every day, go window shopping (my husband), and enjoy life every single day. At first, it seemed like the words of wisdom I was expecting did not come through; however, after thinking about it a bit more, it was really good advice. Some writers tend to become a bit isolated, sedentary, and develop or nourish a sweet tooth; for me, this was good advice.
The days that followed, I pondered and reminisced about all the years gone by, and as expected, many questions came to mind, especially “what ifs.” Some decisions I regretted, some were smart, and many other could have gone better. There have been good times and not so good times. Times that could have broken my spirit but did not. Times of blessings, and times of hope, times of disappointment, and also regret. As written in the Bible, there is a time for everything under the sun. Could I have done better? Sure, I could have, and this is true for every person on this planet; no one is perfect.
After more pondering and soul searching, I adjusted my life map, and with God’s blessing, I am looking forward to the next chapters. One thing that came up from all that pondering was a new outlook and modus operandi. I will approach each day with this question in mind: what can I multiply today? Whether it is words, knowledge, steps (fitness), money, acts of love and kindness, or other time-worthy endeavor, I would love to multiply something each day.
I thought about the constants throughout my life. After all, I have experienced so many changes throughout the years, in all areas of life. I could see the constants and appreciate them more so: the love of God, the love of my husband, family, and friends, my pets, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; my love for these will never end, ditto for pizza.
To all of you, a toast to living. And may,
“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” Numbers 6: 24-26
Old Word Series (2)
While I was rereading The Royal Path of Life by T.L. Haines A.M./L.W. Yaggy M.S., it occurred to me that there were many words that we don’t see much in books today. Many of them I understood by just rereading the sentence and focusing on the context, but other words I had to look up. This aroused my curiosity, and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of these words and the meaning in a series of posts.
The Royal Path of Life was written in 1876; I own a revised edition (1884). What I love about this book besides the engraved leather binding, gilded title, and gorgeous woodcuts illustrations is the common sense and wisdom found throughout its pages which bleed of the way of living of the times. Here are six words I found interesting. Many words today are derivatives, and many of these old words are obsolete.
From Merriam-Webster and OED
Macademize – To construct or finish (a road) by compacting into a solid mass a layer of small broken stone on a convex well-drained roadbed and using a binder. First known use 1823. Used after John Louden McAdam (1756-1836), civil engineer, pioneer of this method.
Bespattered (bespatter) – Spatter. Synonyms – dash, spatter, splatter, plash, splash. First known use in 1602. I could not find the etymology of this word.
Bedimmed (bedim) – To make less bright. To make indistinct. First known use 1565. From dim, Germanic, Old English.
Trifles (trifle) – Something of little value, substance, or importance. First known use 14th century. Middle English period. From Anglo French.
Irksome – Tedious. First known use 15th century. Formed within English by derivation.
Timorous – Of a timid disposition. Fearful. First known use 15th century. Middle English. From Medieval Latin (timorous), from Latin (timor).
Some of these words, one can make up the meaning, especially when they are close to Latin or Spanish (if you speak the language), for example, timorous. I hope you enjoyed these interesting words.
Life’s Lemons
For the purpose of this post, I will use an allegory. Ever heard the saying, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade?” It is certainly a positive outlook, but many people see the lemonade making as one time event. What if you are tiered of life’s lemons? What if you are just tired of making lemonade? What if you just don’t care about making any more lemonade because you are just not up to it anymore? Life is unpredictable, and some of us don’t get one or two lemons, we get an entire orchard. Life is not fair, and maybe, by now you are just tired of making lemonade and drinking it too. You have reached the point of letting these lemons rot, and you don’t even care if they stink.
Many of us have been there at one point or another, and if not, count yourself blessed and be grateful for it. Society expects people to grab the juicer and start making lemonade right away, many times in the midst of a lemon rainfall. If we don’t, we are “lacking courage” or are labeled of “too little faith,” or many other things. Many times, we are expected to bounce back at the blink of an eye, and we are bombarded with positive thinking messages and expectations, as if we are being rushed to get well and function again; it is expected. It is what people do, to bounce back from a “sour episode” as soon as possible, to keep going on, to keep on living. And that is what we want to do. Deep inside we wish that tomorrow was different as quickly as possible. It is harder when other people depend on us.
Every person is different, and we all react in similar or not too similar ways to life’s situations. The way I see it is that we know our own internal temperature; we know our life’s speed, and we know how hurt and affected we have been by an avalanche of lemons. Or maybe, one large lemon is all it takes to weaken our strength and make us doubt our own courage. Besides God, we are the only ones to know how we truly feel, how hard we did fall, and how much time until we can even stand up, much more give that first step again. We should not feel pressured by the growing line in front of our lemonade stand. If any pressure, it should be our own desire or eagerness to join the land of the happy living again.
Whether or not we are ready to make lemonade, in our terms that is, we should consider a few things. We don’t have to make lemonade right away, and we don’t have to make it alone. There are people standing in line at the lemonade stand that are willing to go behind the counter and help us make lemonade; some might even cheer us up while we try. We just have to let them know how thin and fragile our glass is at the time, so they don’t stir too fast in their eagerness to help. But most important, we have the help and love of the Creator of it all (of the lemons, the lemonade stand, the lemon-makers, the helpers …) and He is certainly waiting patiently and lovingly for us to make the sweetest lemonade of all.
Old Words Series (1)
I love to collect antique books (and writing instruments). There is some magic about these tomes. Although none of mine have great monetary value, these tomes are valuable to me. Whether for its old-fashion wisdom, their depiction of a long-gone era, rich in the culture of the time, or the way these look (material, colors, patterns used in their making …), these books are a delight for me, a gift to my senses.
While I was rereading The Royal Path of Life by T.L. Haines A.M./L.W. Yaggy M.S., it occurred to me that there were many words that we don’t see much in books today. Many of them I understood by just rereading the sentence and focusing on the context, but other words I had to look up. This aroused my curiosity, and I thought it would be a good idea to share some of these words and the meaning in a series of posts.
The Royal Path of Life was written in 1876; I own a revised edition (1884). What I love about this book besides the engraved leather binding, gilded title, and gorgeous woodcuts illustrations is the common sense and wisdom found throughout its pages which bleed of the way of living of the times. Here are five words I found interesting. Many words today are derivatives, and many of these old words are obsolete.
Sundered – to break apart or in two: separate by or as if by violence or by intervening time or space. (Merriam-Webster). Earliest known use: old English period, pre-1150. (from OED)
Cynosure – One that serves to direct or guide. A center of attraction or attention. (Merriam-Webster). Its origins are Greek, and it passed into Latin, later French, then to English. Earliest known use was in the late 1500s (OED).
Sire – Father, male ancestor, a man of rank and authority. (Merriam- Webster). From the old English pre-1150. Inherited from Germanic. Last recorded in the 1500. It is obsolete. (OED)
Sinews – I only found the word sinew, what seems to be a derivative. It means solid resilient strength, power. (Merriam-Webster). The earliest known use, early 1500. From the old English, pre-1150.
Boon – A timely benefit: blessing. Benefit favor. Favorable (archaic meaning). (Merriam-Webster). From the earliest Middle English period (1150-1500), A borrowing from the Scandinavian. (OED).
Even if we never use these words again, it is a good mental exercise, and entertaining as well. Hope you enjoy reading about these old words. Does anybody say commode anymore?
Veggie Garden Bliss
Finally! We have been postponing working on the grape vine project or planting due to some rain. Last weekend we were able to tackle all this. We bought the necessary materials and plants, and now, everything is in place. Last year, deer ate all the grapes because the vine was intertwined on the veggie garden fence and easy to access. We cut and cleaned it up during the winter to see if we could do something that would make the vine a bit less accessible inside the veggie garden. However, the vine started to grow fast again, shooting new growth everywhere, before we could start training it, and the weather did not help. My husband came up with the idea of getting three metal stakes and wire and placing these on the ground inside the veggie garden and making four rows of wire so the vine could grow. It was a quick project and under $50. I don’t know if the deer would be able to reach it or jump the fence; I hope not. This is what it looks like.
This year we are planting tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onion, strawberries, and I still have to get a raspberry bush. The blueberries are already on their delicious way. Lettuce has already grown from seeds that fell on the ground last year. I already collected some.
Overall, the garden is looking good this year, thanks to the rain we have been getting. Every year, it looks better as plants mature. We trimmed some bushes, moved some plants around, and repotted other. We added some fresh mulch, cleaned up the sitting areas, and replaced some chairs. Aside for cleaning and repainting the grill (we had to wait for the birds to leave the nest inside), we are ready to welcome Summer. We have a few projects planned already; I will share some here.
Finding My Way Back, an Update (and books and roses)
Finding my way back to my book in progress, The Girl Who Could Not Love, hasn’t been easy. I stopped. I tried. I stopped once more. I had to put it aside for some time despite wanting to continue writing it. Something was not right. It lay dormant, and eventually, I knew I had to come back to it. It has been on my mind all this time, morning, night, and in between; however, distant, but calling me. It is the book that begs to be written to a hesitant writer that has finally surrender to it. Whether to answer the call or not, is not important anymore; it is why. Why is this story haunting me? Why the fight between pen and heart? Why do I want to write this story? Why won’t the story quit? Why won’t I quit?
While reading Never Too Late (or was it Shine On? I read them back-to-back) by Claire Cook, I thought about something she mentioned. It is to ask yourself in the reinvention journey, but in her case while writing a book, what stands in the way of my protagonist? I asked that question about my novel, and my protagonist. The answer, me. I was standing in the way. So, I had to ask myself the question, and I got my deep-rooted answer. I am working on it.
In the meantime, I have been reading up a storm, some of which are these. I am currently reading It’s Rising Time by Kim Kiyosaki. I am enjoying this book very much. I like the writing style of Kim Kiyosaki; it is straight and to the point. So far, I think that this is a book that every woman should read. Next on the agenda is Life Glows On by Claire Cook. Her non-fiction books are straight from the heart and fueled by her experience, as a woman who reinvented herself.
The garden always calls this time of the year. About two years ago, I planted two tiny rose bushes. One of them, the red rose bush, has grown considerably when compared to the other, a pink rose bush. I planted these at the same time, and they have grown under similar conditions. Both were labeled miniature rose bushes. Just as people, they continue to grow at a different pace. Just like writer’s stories, they bloom and develop at different stages.
Miniature or not, both rose bushes have their own enchantment.
Perfect Timing
Although we had a mild winter, for some reason, it feels a long one. We had a bit of a cool down this week, and even frost overnight. I am glad that I did not jump ahead and planted any veggies, otherwise the timing would have been wrong.
In life, perfect timing seems to be an important issue, more than money or drive. How many times people have had all the money and resources, but it was just not the “right time?” Whatever the project or venture, it did not come to fruition. Immediately, we tend to label it as failure, and even label ourselves as such. What was important for us were results. We forget quickly about the journey, all the effort, work, and focus we put into a project. As if that doesn’t count at all. We only see that we failed. Simply put, results were more important than the journey itself. By disregarding our journey, we forget the lessons learned, and sometimes, the lesson is more important than the result we were hoping for, but we fail to see it because we are too focused on the outcome. After all, we labor hard for something, right? Most people do. We trade something for something else. Time for money, money for things … In the meantime, we forget all that we learned, and how it shaped us. Because we are so conditioned to trade something for something, when we trade our hard work and effort, our mental focus, even emotional energy, and something does not materialize at the end, we blame and label ourselves as failure, and even punish ourselves deep in our hearts. We end up feeling frustrated, tired, lost, and another mental game starts. We think that there must be something wrong with us because we start comparing ourselves to others who have obtained the results we wanted and worked so hard, even sacrificed for, but never materialized. Once we jump into that rollercoaster, our self-esteem is (naturally) going to suffer; then, our trust and believe in ourselves are lost.
What is perfect timing? Many define it as being in the right place at the right time, other people as a kiss from Lady Luck. I define it as learning to be quiet enough that I can see the picture, appreciate the lesson, and wait for the direction that God has for me. I view perfect timing as God’s timing, separate from my human perception of how things should be and end. Learning that has made a difference in my life and how I define success and failure. Perfect timing is God’s speed.
Faith Moves Mountains
Faith moves mountains. Jesus said that (Matthew 17:20). It is truth for Christians, or it should. Why is it so hard to believe what seems impossible? Maybe because of our human nature. We tend to focus on the problem more than the outcome. Faith is defined as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) That seems to go against our human nature, yet we have all the capacity for hope and conviction. It is in our darkest hour that we put that truth to the test. Our mountain suddenly seems insurmountable compared to our conviction at the moment; however, hope can only grow, and grow bigger than a mountain. Our assurance doesn’t come from our own human effort, but from the One who said that a little faith moves mountains.
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20-21
Whatever our mountain, let’s climb it with hope and conviction, eventually, it won’t be in our field of vision; it would have moved from the horizon.
The Passing of Time
It is a rainy day. As I sit in my favorite chair, I glance at the cedar trees that line up the driveway. They dance gently in the wind. The trees have grown so tall since the first time I saw them, back then, when we looked at the property. They were at most, three feet tall, growing wild and free. We considered getting rid of them to open up more land, but my love of pine trees convinced me to keep them all, and I am glad we did, because now, I can look at these trees and smile. They are so lovely, most of them towering over 25 feet, a testament to the passing of time.
I used to think that time is just human invention, human perception to guide humanity throughout the days while living in a material world. In a way, it is true; however, time is more than that. Nature speaks of it “all the time” throughout the seasons, the harvest, the growth of anything and everything on earth. Throughout the journey that each one of us sets on. Time is the silent keeper of our days. One has only to look outside, especially now that winter has given way to spring, and see how the landscape changes daily. Have you ever been amazed at how fast the trees grow their leaves? As if overnight.
The miracle of life throughout the eyes of time. Time becomes more precious when we don’t have enough of it. Youth doesn’t mind the passing of time in the same way, unless life depends on it. In late golden years, time becomes precious, almost borrowed, a divine gift of sorts. It takes on a different meaning; it becomes the friend and foe of life, a duality that only a soul who has lived well comprehends, while finding peace in that knowledge. The eternity of time suddenly seems to dissolve; it has a beginning and end.
Inkspeare 