Mo is an affectionate name my mother acquired about seven years ago when I tried adopting and domesticating a feral cat I had named Moses. Somehow in the naming of that cat, from it came my mothers’ new nickname of Mo. The cat could not be domesticated and eventually returned to the wild yet the nickname has hung around for my mother. That explaining who Mo is.
Mo has passion for most everything she does. She is one to put thought and feeling into her words prior to speaking, her postcards before sending and her love before giving. This is what makes her postcards, letters, emails, pictures and packages so special.
She recently took a trip to New York City. She had the privilege of staying on Broadway at Times Square at the Marriott Hotel. We talked daily and she would share with me the daily events as if I were with her. She took in a Broadway play and the sights and sounds of NYC. She observed the mass of people and cars and the trash on the sidewalks. She dined in elegant restaurants and shopped on 5th Avenue alongside other tourist and locals. She had her first ride in a limousine, took fabulous pictures and she bought postcards.
Each postcard was selected with each person she would send it to in mind. She would mull over the entire picture and description of the card prior to making her selection ensuring it would have a special meaning, phrase or notation of a connection she and the receiver would understand. Mo would then wait till the timing was right when she could sit down quietly and add her personal words of thought, love and meaning as if the receiver was experiencing or could experience the scene on the card with her. Her handwriting is flowing and beautiful with an elegance all its own.
Once the postcard has the sentiments written on it, now is the time to locate a stamp and send it on its way. Again, this is not something to be taken lightly. Mo wants the stamps to represent the postcard, trip and a memory made. It is important for her to select the right stamp symbolizing something significant, as with the postcards. Oh yes, the postmark is as important as the process of selecting the card, stamp and right words. She wants to ensure the postmark is from the place in which she is visiting. She creates a unique souvenir for the recipient thus being the small, flat package of a postcard decorated with meaningful words and stamps sent with love from Mo.
Mo mailed two postcards to me while she was on her trip to New York City. She was home at least a week or so prior to them showing up in my mailbox though. I still enjoyed opening the mailbox door and seeing the postcards waiting for me with their bright and sunny greetings and love from Mo. I examined the postcards and took in each word she had written. I observed the stamp and smiled at the small gift sent from New York City, stamp, postmark and all. Each card was meaningful in one way or another. I could feel her enthusiasm as I took in the contents and meaning of each postcard fully decorated from Mo to me. I thanked God for giving me a mother that found joy in small acts of kindness in something as simple as a postcard.
The next time you receive a postcard from Mo, take a good look at it and see if you can recognize the connection she is making with you. Know the gift was not a frivolous act grasped at the last minute but a cherished momentum selected and sent with much passion to someone she cares a great deal about.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Why I Do Not blog Daily
Each morning I review my To Do List and see what agenda lineup is on the days forecast. For the past several weeks, I continue to carry forward the item noted as BLOG. Day after day, I find myself taking care of most every thing on each daily list with only a few carrying over to the next day’s list To Do. I am the type of person that strives on accomplishing everything possible plus a few extras on my To Do list but lately it has bothered me that I continue to put on the bottom and carry over the item noted BLOG.
As some of you know, I started this BLOG at the encouragement of a friend of mine. My initial thought was it would be easy to post something daily or at least every other day. After all, I am a woman with a voice and with much to say. Loving to write and express my voice, I find myself mulling over story titles, coming up with great one liners and examining the daily events and the people involved in my thought process as my artist mind continuously moves in motions of telling a story whether on paper or my head.
There is a part of me, which feels obligated to my BLOG readers to post something frequently and to feed my loyal supporters the feast in which they come to nourish. As I cook up a new story or express the ingredients of an old recipe, I feel good being able to write with spirit, passion and love. When I write, there is a part of me that stays with the story for I become a part of it in some manner. I write from the heart and with feeling and when the spirit tells me to write. Passion flows from my emotions. Usually, it comes easy, naturally and time permitting. I am guided from an invisible force and sometimes amaze myself as to what ends up on paper and even more excited when it makes profound sense to others and me. I am lifted when I hear from a reader that tells of how one sentence or story touched their lives and made a difference, if only at that moment.
You would think with such passion, support and encouragement from others, it would come easy to post something daily. Well, it is not!
I am the type of person that is moved by other human beings and their passions and pains and by what the Spirit of God asks of me. Since I have chosen to make wiser spiritual choices for my life and not focus on ME as I did when I was younger, my life has expanded to include many different facets of people, places, causes and things. This being the sole reasons I am not capable of posting a positive on my BLOG daily or even weekly. Let me explain.
There are so many opportunities in this world to make a difference whether in your own life or the lives of others. As I have spoke of in past postings on my BLOG, I am a woman with many passions and with expanded interest in all areas of human development. This is where the problem lies with me being able to post something daily.
I am involved as a peer, peer advocate, volunteer and peer educator with Women Rising Project, which is an organization for HIV+ women in central Texas. My passion for writing is not limited to BLOG postings, which is only a small part of where my writings end up. Some are submitted to the projects newsletters and I am always available to write an advocate letter or help others when asked. Well, ok, sometimes I do not have to be asked and I take on the task because it sparks the passion. I am usually good about sending greeting cards and letters via snail mail to friends and family along with keeping up with responding to emails of value. Remembering birthdays is important to me along with acknowledging a special occasion or event. Sending a Thank You card is of utmost importance on my list of common respect and courtesies. It is a good way to show someone you care enough to take the time to give them a bit of nostalgia that has almost gone by the way side these days. And besides, it is always nice to open ones mailbox and find something other than bills, past due and cut off notices and the weekly load of junk mail.
With my involvement at the women’s project come opportunities to attend continuing education workshops and conferences to further my network connections, hone my skills and absorb knowledge and energy from others. I take every opportunity I can to attend these events and gain what I can to make my life and the lives of others better. Last week I was in attendance of a Street Outreach Workers Conference thus taking time away from BLOGGING. I also had a couple of days of down time afterwards for I must have picked up a bug and was exhausted from 3 days of traveling.
For a number of years now, I have had the internal spiritual message to do something to give back to the community, fill a need that is not being met in the general area and provide myself a focal point of which would satisfy some of my entrepreneur appetite. I will soon be opening a clothing closet for disadvantaged folks transitioning into the work force or that are in need of clothing. I can remember prior to my diagnosis and for some time afterwards, my weight had plummeted to below 100 pounds and my clothes were falling off of me. I could not afford to purchase a new wardrobe and it was quiet embarrassing. Even now, my weight can fluctuate due to the medication, aging and other factors throwing me into an entirely different size than I was the day prior. There was also a time in my life that I only had one dress suitable for interviewing so I wore that till I landed a job. Even more embarrassment came when I had to throw together a wardrobe to maintain that position out of bits and pieces of clothing I did have. So, I can understand first hand the need and importance of having clothing that fits. Along with clothing for interviewing and job performance once hired, people in transition usually are in need of self-esteem building and possible professional polishing tips so I will offer a curriculum based on self worth also. Another reason I am not able to BLOG daily, I am working on the paperwork to develop this nonprofit status, locate a building and all the craziness that goes along with starting a business. Any donations of clothing, money or a building in my area are always welcomed.
Take into consideration I am also my mother’s ears and business of life interpreter, for she is hard of hearing (almost deaf in one ear) and does not understand much of the new modern age electronics and how things work in today’s fast paced society. This is fine with me however; all communication is via long distance and snail mail for we live a good 6-hour drive apart from one another. This is time consuming only, I am not complaining. I love my mother dearly and love being able to help her. I only wish we lived much closer geographically so I could help her more and spend quality time with her. She really is a super kind of lady.
In order to maintain a clean, uncluttered and peaceful household, I must partake in domestic engineering duties daily and weekly staying on top of the dirt, dishes and demands of living in a clean environment. My home is very important to my soul and the place I spend much of my time. Treating it with respect and kindness is a small way of expressing the gratitude I have for it being the sanctuary it is for me.
My boyfriend and I live together thus being another distraction of finding time to BLOG. Anyone that is involved or has been involved in an intimate, long-term relationship knows of the time and energy expelled to grow and nurture that relationship. The compromises it takes on both parts to have someone other than YOU in your life, sharing the same space and time. This comes as a challenge some days for choices have to be made as to where and how you will divide your time.
It is not hard to fill a 24-hour day and still have much on your TO DO list. Playing catch up is a never-ending task while living a full quality life. So, please forgive me readers for not posting something to the world on my BLOG daily or even weekly. As you can see, my days are filled and guided by the spirit, which moves me, time permitting. I am appreciative of each day and the events that occur, people that are connected to the joys of living with God. Even if things on my TO DO list do not include BLOGGING or other items, at the end of each day, I know I contributed what I could for that day.
May your day be filled with the spirit of your God.
Christine, July 2008
As some of you know, I started this BLOG at the encouragement of a friend of mine. My initial thought was it would be easy to post something daily or at least every other day. After all, I am a woman with a voice and with much to say. Loving to write and express my voice, I find myself mulling over story titles, coming up with great one liners and examining the daily events and the people involved in my thought process as my artist mind continuously moves in motions of telling a story whether on paper or my head.
There is a part of me, which feels obligated to my BLOG readers to post something frequently and to feed my loyal supporters the feast in which they come to nourish. As I cook up a new story or express the ingredients of an old recipe, I feel good being able to write with spirit, passion and love. When I write, there is a part of me that stays with the story for I become a part of it in some manner. I write from the heart and with feeling and when the spirit tells me to write. Passion flows from my emotions. Usually, it comes easy, naturally and time permitting. I am guided from an invisible force and sometimes amaze myself as to what ends up on paper and even more excited when it makes profound sense to others and me. I am lifted when I hear from a reader that tells of how one sentence or story touched their lives and made a difference, if only at that moment.
You would think with such passion, support and encouragement from others, it would come easy to post something daily. Well, it is not!
I am the type of person that is moved by other human beings and their passions and pains and by what the Spirit of God asks of me. Since I have chosen to make wiser spiritual choices for my life and not focus on ME as I did when I was younger, my life has expanded to include many different facets of people, places, causes and things. This being the sole reasons I am not capable of posting a positive on my BLOG daily or even weekly. Let me explain.
There are so many opportunities in this world to make a difference whether in your own life or the lives of others. As I have spoke of in past postings on my BLOG, I am a woman with many passions and with expanded interest in all areas of human development. This is where the problem lies with me being able to post something daily.
I am involved as a peer, peer advocate, volunteer and peer educator with Women Rising Project, which is an organization for HIV+ women in central Texas. My passion for writing is not limited to BLOG postings, which is only a small part of where my writings end up. Some are submitted to the projects newsletters and I am always available to write an advocate letter or help others when asked. Well, ok, sometimes I do not have to be asked and I take on the task because it sparks the passion. I am usually good about sending greeting cards and letters via snail mail to friends and family along with keeping up with responding to emails of value. Remembering birthdays is important to me along with acknowledging a special occasion or event. Sending a Thank You card is of utmost importance on my list of common respect and courtesies. It is a good way to show someone you care enough to take the time to give them a bit of nostalgia that has almost gone by the way side these days. And besides, it is always nice to open ones mailbox and find something other than bills, past due and cut off notices and the weekly load of junk mail.
With my involvement at the women’s project come opportunities to attend continuing education workshops and conferences to further my network connections, hone my skills and absorb knowledge and energy from others. I take every opportunity I can to attend these events and gain what I can to make my life and the lives of others better. Last week I was in attendance of a Street Outreach Workers Conference thus taking time away from BLOGGING. I also had a couple of days of down time afterwards for I must have picked up a bug and was exhausted from 3 days of traveling.
For a number of years now, I have had the internal spiritual message to do something to give back to the community, fill a need that is not being met in the general area and provide myself a focal point of which would satisfy some of my entrepreneur appetite. I will soon be opening a clothing closet for disadvantaged folks transitioning into the work force or that are in need of clothing. I can remember prior to my diagnosis and for some time afterwards, my weight had plummeted to below 100 pounds and my clothes were falling off of me. I could not afford to purchase a new wardrobe and it was quiet embarrassing. Even now, my weight can fluctuate due to the medication, aging and other factors throwing me into an entirely different size than I was the day prior. There was also a time in my life that I only had one dress suitable for interviewing so I wore that till I landed a job. Even more embarrassment came when I had to throw together a wardrobe to maintain that position out of bits and pieces of clothing I did have. So, I can understand first hand the need and importance of having clothing that fits. Along with clothing for interviewing and job performance once hired, people in transition usually are in need of self-esteem building and possible professional polishing tips so I will offer a curriculum based on self worth also. Another reason I am not able to BLOG daily, I am working on the paperwork to develop this nonprofit status, locate a building and all the craziness that goes along with starting a business. Any donations of clothing, money or a building in my area are always welcomed.
Take into consideration I am also my mother’s ears and business of life interpreter, for she is hard of hearing (almost deaf in one ear) and does not understand much of the new modern age electronics and how things work in today’s fast paced society. This is fine with me however; all communication is via long distance and snail mail for we live a good 6-hour drive apart from one another. This is time consuming only, I am not complaining. I love my mother dearly and love being able to help her. I only wish we lived much closer geographically so I could help her more and spend quality time with her. She really is a super kind of lady.
In order to maintain a clean, uncluttered and peaceful household, I must partake in domestic engineering duties daily and weekly staying on top of the dirt, dishes and demands of living in a clean environment. My home is very important to my soul and the place I spend much of my time. Treating it with respect and kindness is a small way of expressing the gratitude I have for it being the sanctuary it is for me.
My boyfriend and I live together thus being another distraction of finding time to BLOG. Anyone that is involved or has been involved in an intimate, long-term relationship knows of the time and energy expelled to grow and nurture that relationship. The compromises it takes on both parts to have someone other than YOU in your life, sharing the same space and time. This comes as a challenge some days for choices have to be made as to where and how you will divide your time.
It is not hard to fill a 24-hour day and still have much on your TO DO list. Playing catch up is a never-ending task while living a full quality life. So, please forgive me readers for not posting something to the world on my BLOG daily or even weekly. As you can see, my days are filled and guided by the spirit, which moves me, time permitting. I am appreciative of each day and the events that occur, people that are connected to the joys of living with God. Even if things on my TO DO list do not include BLOGGING or other items, at the end of each day, I know I contributed what I could for that day.
May your day be filled with the spirit of your God.
Christine, July 2008
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