Alphabiography

I recently assigned an alphabiography to my 6th grade students. For each letter of the alphabet, they had to write 4 sentences regarding a meaningful topic (could be a noun, adjective, verb) to that letter. After reading theirs, I was inspired to write my own. My version is presenting itself in poem form:

A is for Acceptance

I am learning to accept what is

to see every “flaw, mistake, tragedy” as beautiful

I’m getting better at not asking “why?”

And replacing it with “why not?”

*My Alphabiography project

Thanksgiving in August

You know someone who is always cheerful and helpful, don’t you? This person has a big heart and is dependable when you need them most.

Don’t wait for Professional Administrative’s Day to give him or her a small token of appreciation. Don’t wait for birthdays or holidays.

Say thank you. Write a card. Give a small gift.

Make a positive, unexpected gesture. See what happens…

For Poetry Lovers Everywhere

If you’re a writer and/or a lover of poetry, you’re likely to be familiar with Poets.org. They offer “Poem-A-Day.” According to their website:

“Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 200 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year.”

Today’s poem is a particularly good one, from Ira Sadoff:

Old Selves

Ira Sadoff, 1945

Ok, I no longer want them,
the many selves I had to manage

that once exhausted friends. I believed

in angels then, thought I might be
an angel—that was me, flying off

on a tangent, just so we could land
on one of my many balconies

so we could look down on everyone.

This reminds me of my youth: the self-centeredness, naivete, and drama. He captures it all in just a few words.

Check out poets.org. They feature the works of poets from past and present. I’ve replaced the daily news with a poem each day and it does the soul wonders!

Registrant’s Regret

Driving home, I asked the freshman high school daughter how school was today.

“I think I am really starting to dislike my science class now.”

“Why?”

“Because our teacher handed us a fifty-page document titled ‘Science Fair Projects.'”

I laughed.

“I could have taken chemistry!”

Beginner’s Mind

Beginner’s Mind is a term in Buddhist thought referring to how fresh “things” are to someone who is just beginning. I am a beginner when it comes to art (just completed my first online class)! Our society tends to laugh or look down at beginners. But when and how else are you to get good? You have to start at the beginning.

I love learning about basic lines and curves and putting them together to create art. Wow. I surrendered to it. I don’t judge. I just draw. Using Skillshare’s free classes (to start with), I took “Become a Pencil Ninja.” After completing it, my eye caught one of the feedback comments, “This is a perfect class for children.” I had to laugh…for children, indeed. I am a child when it comes to drawing.

Next up: a self portrait. This looks like it will be much more challenging!

face

Skillshare is pretty cool. You can teach classes as well ask take them. Check them out! Skillshare.com.

The Terrible Terrier

I love her quiet presence

– wide-eyed and expectant –

she lives each day without self-judgment

She is ready to play at any time,

faithful, affectionate and constant,

she delights in all life has to offer

people keep their distance from her breed

believing them to be vicious

when they merely mirror their human companions

they are mute and misunderstood

Once a mascot for 20th century America,

and even called “nanny dogs,”

Pits can sustain much pain without yelping

The language barrier rendered us speechless

but my Korean grandmother’s love for me was a quiet companion

playful, devoted and boundless

Wave Your White Flag

Acceptance of what is real is one of the main precepts of freedom, according to the great spiritual thinkers. Most of us have not met complete inner peace because we resist reality. Our egos take over and react: We complain about things that “happen to us.”

Practicing full surrender to reality means accepting (completely) the fact that you have to take your car into the garage for the second time in two weeks (this time, to fix the tail lights).

It means that you are not disappointed or frustrated when technology fails, when your plane gets delayed or when you realize you sent the wrong email to the wrong person.

Full surrender means you accept that you just got canned and you’re now unemployed….you accept the sudden death of a loved one or that you lost your (fill-in-the-blank) competition.

If you can accept all that life brings you, then you are well on your way to true happiness.

Apps Used to Stand for Appetizers

Apps have become so ubiquitous that we joke, “There’s an app for that.”

And yes, technology can help you achieve your goals and it can entertain you, but when it comes to creating art or work or works of art, there is no substitute for the consistent effort and focus on it.

Sitting under a tree, pondering nature all around you…that is how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity. So legend has it.

Objective and careful observation of nature, our pets, our loved ones is how we will help society. Sustained effort for the greater good is what will be effective. Apps and other technology alone won’t do it.

Buying Fishing Tackle

Her name was Daisy.

She got blue ice cream.

After she named all the colors of the various dots on the ice cream window (blue, red, orange, green, and purple), I told her parents that she was adorable. I asked her, “How old are you?”

She held three fingers up.

“Wow, you know all of your colors and you jump so high and you’re only three?”

She nodded yes. Not proud, not shy, just being factual.

“My name is Daisy. What is your name?” Her voice was a shiny bell.

“Caroline.”

“How old are you?”

Her parents and I laughed.

“A LOT older than you!”

Her brows furrowed and she asked, “Why can’t you tell me?”

And I realized that I have bought into it hook, line and sinker*. Why was I being coy about my age? Because I’m a woman? Because 49 is old?

“I’m 49.”

She turned to her ice cream, satisfied. Not judgmental. Not shocked. Simply satisfied.

I watched her spoon blue ice cream into her mouth.

And I thought, I’m 49. I’m not proud, not shy, just factual.

*American idiomatic phrase

Your Voice

The Internet is abuzz with information, commercials, stunts, and opinions. Much of it is not helpful. When cultivating your own platform for media, be strong in your voice, in your stances and in your intention.

Simply pursuing followers and fame will lead to an absence of good intentions and common sense. For example, Monalisa Perez shot her YouTuber boyfriend Pedro Luiz III through a book he was certain would stop the bullet.

It is far more sweet to own your tiny corner of authenticity than to walk the stage of fraud.

Kismet

Daily Practice

Author: chungwipff