watching Lifetime (you know, television for women) because I can’t seem to find the remote… Actually, now that I think of it, I think I have math homework. OH NO! MY TUTOR JUST WALKED IN!
GOTTA GO!!!!
No, not so much… But an illness none the less. But, I digress…
I love doing Lippmans’ homework! Math is SO FUN (when you get it)…
Okay, I’m kind of just watching Kill Bill while the homework keeps my lap warm (come on guys, I’M RECOVERING!)…
Friday the 13th is approaching… I can feel it’s going to [...]
My favorite passage from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran:
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, “Speak to us of Children.”
And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Every so often, this passage floats into my mind and I have to go read it again. It reminds me of an important concept, that the lives of my children are theirs to live. In fact, the only life I can live is my own. I gladly share my life with others, and they share theirs with me, but still, I can only really live mine. Tonight, I’ve been in search of thoughts about teaching, searching for something profound to share with my students. I turned to The Prophet to see what was there, and although the passage was good, I was once again drawn to the thoughts about children. My mind turned away from teaching, back to the core of my adult life, to family and parenting and children. And that lead me to my other favorite passage, another that I read and reread faithfully:
Then Almitra spoke again and said, “And what of Marriage, master?”
And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together: for the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
Beautiful words to ponder, to live by. Words that reach deep inside me, that resonate within me. Words I will read again and again.
The Clubhouse has been producing Lakewood’s Promise News which can be found on the Lakewood’s Promise Website. There are so many stories that we hope to cover during the year. Camera Crew and Interviewers are needed to go out and get the footage for upcoming events. Here is what’s coming up…
Friday, November 13……. Coffee with [...]
Real experiences of returning soldiers explored in production of Into the Fire at Pierce College Nov. 5
The Pierce College veterans program is hosting a performance of Into the Fire, a moving play that chronicles the real-life experiences of veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam with disabilities and combat-related trauma.
The free performance begins at noon Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Health Education Center, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood. Following the performance, the actors and playwrights will facilitate an interactive discussion of war’s effects on families and communities.
Into the Fire recreates the real stories of both male and female veterans with such disabilities as traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, loss of limbs, chronic pain, mobility challenges, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The stories are interspersed with humor and music to allow audiences to process the veterans’ powerful stories.
In addition to the play, Pierce is welcoming veterans, active duty military, and their families to attend a special Veterans and Military Resource Fair from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Health Education Center at Pierce Fort Steilacoom. Veterans and military personnel will connect with local resources that can help with confidential counseling, financial management, childcare, veterans’ benefits, pre-deployment readiness, vocational rehabilitation, and educational funding.
In addition, the VA Mobile Unit will be on-hand for further assistance.
I forgot to mention one very important thing in my last post — Starbucks starts using their red holiday cups tomorrow (Tuesday, 11/3) and begin serving their holiday beverages, too (peppermint mochas, egg nog, gingerbread lattes, etc.)!! It could possibly be one of my most FAVORITE days of the year — outside of the day [...]
Okay, I appreciated the extra hour of sleep on Saturday night/early Sunday AM. However, after that first night there is really no benefit (for me, anyway) with falling back for the fall and winter. I get tired a lot earlier in the evening now, and wake up earlier than usual! Plus, driving home in the [...]
I ran one lap in this outfit, then I gladly stuffed it back in my bag!
We had a great run up in Bellingham yesterday. It was pretty stormy the night before, with high winds and buckets of rain, and the forecast was for showers. Instead, we got a beautiful, sunny fall day – slightly breezy, but sunny and dry. This marathon was the same course as last summer’s Wild Thing (the one where we wore dresses and performed a task at the end of each loop. This time there were no tasks, but there were costumes). It’s ten 2.6 mile loops around Lake Padden, mostly on a wide gravel trail with lots of rolling hills. I decided to experiment a little, since it was a looped course. I normally do a 4/1 run/walk at marathons. I decided to see how far I could go on my typical training pace of 9/1 run/walk. I figured it was no big deal if I burned out and had to walk, and a low-key, fun marathon was the place to give it a try.
I ran seven loops (18.2 miles) using the 9/1 pacing. By that time I was starting to get tired so I switched over to 4/1. The first 5.5 loops I ran alone, then Eric joined me for the back half of my sixth loop. Just as I was heading out of the aid station, I saw Abi coming in – she’d arrived at the marathon late and had been trying to catch up with me. I was pretty far ahead of her in terms of loops because I started an hour and 15 minutes early and she started a half hour late. She planned to run with me for my remaining loops, then finish up on her own. On our first loop together I noticed the pop machine by one of the restrooms and commented that I’d love to have a coke right then. Next time through the aid station, Abi came running out with a fistful of dollars, so we picked up a Pepsi from the machine – absolute heaven on earth. I swear, it was the best thing I ever had in my life! The sugary Pepsi revived me and gave me new energy for my last loops. I finished in 5:48 – not bad for a hilly trail type course with lots of stops at the aid station.
After the marathon, we headed to my parents for a home cooked meal and to spend the night. Eric cooked us all breakfast this morning, then while he watched half a football game with my Dad, my Mom and I laid plans for Thanksgiving and caught up on our assorted and large family. We had an easy drive home, capping off a wonderful weekend.
Eric as a “man on the run” and me after one lap in costume.
I’ve never heard anyone say that they’re excited for Monday… unless they’re on vacation or a holiday falls on a Monday which means you don’t have to work! But you always hear people excited for Friday and the beloved WEEKEND!
I am so ready for the weekend – plus, we all get an extra hour of [...]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 27, 2009
Media Contact Information
Amanda Haines, communications specialist
(253) 864-3239, ahaines@pierce.ctc.edu
Real experiences of returning soldiers explored in production of Into the Fire at Pierce College Nov. 5
The Pierce College veterans program is hosting a performance of Into the Fire, a moving play that chronicles the real-life experiences of veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam with disabilities and combat-related trauma.
The free performance begins at noon Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Health Education Center, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, 9401 Farwest Dr. SW, Lakewood. Following the performance, the actors and playwrights will facilitate an interactive discussion of war’s effects on families and communities.
Into the Fire recreates the real stories of both male and female veterans with such disabilities as traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, loss of limbs, chronic pain, mobility challenges, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The stories are interspersed with humor and music to allow audiences to process the veterans’ powerful stories.
In addition to the play, Pierce is welcoming veterans, active duty military, and their families to attend a special Veterans and Military Resource Fair from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Health Education Center at Pierce Fort Steilacoom. Veterans and military personnel will connect with local resources that can help with confidential counseling, financial management, childcare, veterans’ benefits, pre-deployment readiness, vocational rehabilitation, and educational funding.
In addition, the VA Mobile Unit will be on-hand for further assistance.
For questions on the play or the resource fair, contact the Pierce College Veterans Services office via phone at (253) 964-6505 or via email at vetmil@pierce.ctc.edu.