Thursday, January 29, 2015

{Life's Archives} Moving to Seattle!

I've been reading a lot of things I've written days, months and even years ago...in some cases over a decade ago. It is interesting to see who I was then and who I became over time (both in short and long term). I am interesting in keeping these thoughts and sharing some of them. I am calling this series "Life's Archives" because it is a place where I can revisit thoughts I've had in the past, even if they contradict thoughts I hold now.

The first one I found is actually not that old. This is what I wrote about our move to Seattle almost 8 months ago. I was so excited about our move.

Written on June 8, 2014


It is official, Stephen has accepted a job with Amazon! That means we will be moving to Seattle in just a few short weeks. I am so excited and I can't believe it is happening all at the same time.

First of all, just the fact that this move is exciting and not terrifying is a magnificent testament to God working in my life. I have been fearful to try new things and go new places for as long as I can remember. God has transformed me in the past couple years into someone who can be brave. That has been my mantra this year, to do something brave everyday. The year isn't even halfway over yet and it has already accumulated into something huge! A change that I really do need bravery for, not only for myself, but for my whole family.

This really is huge because I have never been to the west coast. I have not been further west than Treasure Island, FL, where we were married. We looked it up, that is technically further west than Johnson City, TN where we have family, which is the other western most point I have been. However, I am not afraid. I see it as a wonderful adventure where I get to learn a new city and explore a whole new part of the country.

The only truly sad part is leaving my friends behind. I've made some amazing friends here and I will miss them greatly.

***************************

It's simple and beautiful and still true. I'm not sure I ever finished my thought, but it is fun to look back on the anticipation of moving and smile. Needless to say, everything worked out wonderfully. My family loves this city, I absolutely do. I have changed so much in many ways since I moved here. It feels like a positive direction...at least I have joy, peace and confidence in a way I hadn't before. I do miss my friends still. Honestly, I hope I always will.

I believe it is a good experiment to look back at who you were to realize how far you have come. 

I look forward to revisiting more thoughts like this one - time will tell.


Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Believe in the Truth

A man named Brandon Stanton followed a passion that led him to take portraits of people in New York City. He has now published two books and maintains over 10 million followers on Facebook. You can check out his website [HERE].

I tell you this to say that I am a huge fan of his work. Not only because he has followed his dream and created a passionate body of work, but also for the interactions he has with such a diverse group of people. I love that he brings out people's personality and sometimes how they feel or what they are thinking in that particular moment.

I love that idea...feeling the moment.

This was posted on the "Humans of New York" Facebook page some time ago, but this particular quotation really made me think and I want to share it with you:

"Going through life without God is like being an astronaut tumbling out of control in outer space. You grab on to this, but it breaks, and you tumble some more. Every time you lose something that you tried to hold on to-- your marriage, your job, your mom-- you start tumbling even faster. So you've got to stay close. You can't cut your umbilical cord. But you don't have to go to church. God is everywhere. God is that blade of grass trying to come up through the concrete. So many people go to church, and leave church, not even realizing that they are the church. You just need to make a determination in your mind that you want to find and believe in the truth."
Brandon Stanton, "Humans of New York"
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Throughout my life my idea of God has evolved and matured. I experienced another significant change after moving out of the "Bible-belt" South to Seattle. God is not often a household tradition here like it is in the south. There are so many different types of people here that believe in all different religions. Yet somehow, they all manage to live together peacefully and respectfully just as the Bible preaches. It is a beautiful thing to witness.

This change in religious mentality got me thinking about truth. The gentleman above says that we try to hold on to things, I infer to keep us grounded. Often we lose those things or become so afraid of losing them (things and people alike) that it changes us and not for the better. It makes us dependent and needy, neither of which are attractive qualities or even ones that the Bible encourages.

I understand that "tumbling out of control" he speaks of. I describe it as a downward spiral. Especially if several things are going on at once, it is easy to get angry, depressed and anxious. Honestly, this happens to me all the time. However, I am now beginning to practice this idea of believing in truth and it has been a fun journey to find it.

Truth is defined in the dictionary as "the true or actual state of matter," "conformity with fact or reality," and "an obvious or accepted fact." It is interesting to me that the definition of truth is relative to what you (or society) believes. I can state a truth that is accurate in one part of the world but not in another because within that area it is considered "accepted fact."

I've never believed much in the brick and mortar of church. It is just fact that when a large group of people come together and organize into a hierarchy and receive funding from others it is inevitable it will be corrupted on some level. It happens in every aspect of life (i.e. business, government and yes also in church). But the people within that organization are so much more. They can depend on each other and lift each other up. And that is a beautiful thing.

God is everywhere. That is what I believe as well. This is why this gentleman's quotation means so much to me. Pretty much all my life I have said that nature is my church...it still is. There is nothing more peaceful and connecting than escaping into the sanctuary of God's creation. I don't need to go to church to experience God, I am the church. God lives in me. Because I believe in God, I believe in myself. I can do it. I can succeed. I will not fail, but simply learn from my mistakes. I am enough and I am worthy of the things (of integrity) that I want.

This has been a great shift in perspective for me. "You just need to make a determination in your mind that you want to find and believe in the truth." I am learning to believe in myself...and that is making all the difference.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Hugs

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A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away. ~Bil Keane, "Family Circus"

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Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you. ~Jacques Prevert

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A hug is a handshake from the heart. ~Author Unknown


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Hugs are universal medicine. ~Author Unknown

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A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange. ~Author Unknown


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I don't discriminate - I'm an equal-opportunity hugger. ~Author Unknown

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A hug is the shortest distance between friends. ~Author Unknown

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Sometimes all you need is a hug.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

NFL Championship Game Day!

Football plays a big part of life in our house. We all settle in the living room every Sunday (as well as most Monday and Thursday nights) to watch the NFL play. We cook lots of food and enjoy the family time.

Stephen is a die hard Patriots fan. I've never really had a strong alliance to any one team. My Grandfather cheered for the Redskins and the Panthers were the local team where I grew up. But neither of those teams captured my spirit. So, for the last nine years (the number of football seasons Stephen and I have known each other now) I've been cheering for the Patriots.

However, this year we moved to Seattle. Turns out they have a pretty amazing football team. Say good enough to win the Superbowl last year.

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Stephen is still a die hard Patriots fan. However, my loyalties have wavered. Not just because the Seahawks won the super bowl last year, but because they are a benevolent group of guys. The entire organization plays an integral part in the community.

Seahawks players, Sea Gals and staff visit patients at local hospitals during the holidays and distribute Seahawks holiday goods to the patients:
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Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and his foundation, Blanket Coverage, hosted 25 families at the VMAC and surprised them with Christmas gifts:
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Quarterback Russell Wilson is a regular face in the Seattle's Children's hospital. The hospital's patients give him a big thank you for his support and encouragement:

I am humbled and proud to live in this city where so many people are trying to make a difference in the world. The Seahawks provide a rallying point for the community. The entire city becomes infected with pride and joy at watching the Seahawks play. Whether they play well or poorly, their fans are there cheering them on and giving a roar to the game. The players and the community win together and lose together...Seattle is the 12th man.

I love this video. The artists are local and shot this video all around Seattle. Zoey's school is even featured in it (the playground) though Zoey does not appear. It shows a glimpse of the spirit found everywhere in Seattle:

Thankfully, the Patriots are AFC and the Seahawks are NFC so Stephen and I are not often at odds in our football alliances. However, today is a special day. Both teams are only one game away from making the Superbowl. Today I will cheer for the Seahawks and then later for the Patriots. I have full respect for New England's powerhouse as well.

It will be a great day in the McCusker household. Full of football, super awesome nachos and lots of cheering (hopefully no booing).

Super Awesome Nacho Dip -- Thank you Stephen!
Waking up today brought a torrential downpour. It was raining so hard our patio couldn't drain it fast enough. It rains a lot in Seattle, but it doesn't often rain hard. It is more like a constant wetness and drizzle as opposed to the sky falling out. Today though, it shall be a good day in football with a wet and intense game.

I like it when the Seahawks play at home, it's always fun to hear your weather report on National television.

The view outside our window this morning.
The city is ready, I am ready and the game is starting...

The Seattle Space Needle
Photo by Stephen McCusker
Go Seahawks!


Go Pats too because Seahawks vs. Patriots would be the perfect Superbowl! I would win either way.


Woohoo, I love football season!

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UPDATE:

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Well that day of football could not have gone better! The Seahawks battle back from behind for a magnificent win! The Patriots dominated the entire game to a glorious triumph. It was a great day of football and it leads to quite the matchup in a couple weeks. Patriots vs. Seahawks in the Superbowl...it is a win win for me and I am so excited!



Saturday, January 17, 2015

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

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This entire trilogy is a beautiful, empowering coming of age story. It includes a long build up that honestly took a while for me to get into each book, especially this one. However, once the action started to unravel I couldn't put it down. There are so many quotable moments in this book about life, self-discovery, feminism, societal status and love.

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Quotes:

"I wish to live for myself. I should never want to be trapped."
"One needn't be trapped. One's life can be made so rich by sharing burdens and joys."
"I've not seen it to be so," Fee mumbles.
Mademoiselle LeFarge nods, considering. "It takes the right sort of husband, I suppose, the sort who'll be a friend and not a master. A husband who will care for his wife with small, everyday kindnesses and trust her with his confidences. And a wife must be such a friend in return."

And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.

"Reminds us that greatness lies even in the smallest of moments, in the humblest of hearts, and we shall, each of us, be called to greatness. Whether we shall rise to meet it or let it slip away is the challenge put before us all."

People have a habit of inventing fictions they will believe wholeheartedly in order to ignore the truth they cannot accept.

Power changes everything till it is difficult to say who are the heroes and who the villains.
...
And magic itself is neither good nor bad; it is the intent that makes it either.

Wendy has found her way back to me and still clings to my sleeve. "Is it terrible dark, miss?"
It is funny that she should be afraid of the dark when she cannot see it, but I suppose that is the sort of fear one feels deep in the soul.

I'm like everyone else in this stupid, bloody, amazing world. I'm flawed. Impossibly so. But hopeful. I'm still me.

The ladies pass the time with gossip and hearsay. This is what they have in place of freedom--game and gossip. Their lives are small and careful. I do not wish to live this way. I should like to make my mark. To venture opinions that may not be polite or even correct but are mine nonetheless. If I am to be hanged for anything, I should like to feel that I go to the gallows on my own strength.

Gemma, you see how it is. They've planned our entire lives, from what we shall wear to whom we shall marry and where we shall live. It's one lump of sugar in your tea whether you like it or not and you'd best smile even if you're dying deep inside. We're like pretty horses, and just as on horses, they mean to put blinders on us so we can't look left or right but only straight ahead where they would lead. Please, please, please, Gemma, let's not die inside before we have to.

Peace is not happenstance. It is a living fire that must be fed constantly. It must be tended to with vigilance, else it dies out.

No person has ever held all the power. There must be a balance between chaos and order, dark and light. With the Temple magic bound to you, the realms are no longer in balance. The power could change you...and you could change the magic.

If you would understand the present, you must come to know the past.

We sit and listen and are enthralled anew, for good stories, it seems, never lose their magic.

Kartik places a sovereign in the lady's cup, and I know that it's likely all he has.
"Why did you do that?" I ask.
He kicks a rock on the ground, balancing it nimbly between his feet like a ball. "She needed it."
Father says it isn't good to give money to beggers. They'll only spend it unwisely on drink or other pleasures. "She might buy ale with it."
He shrugs. "Then she'll have ale. It isn't the pound that matters; it's the hope...I know what it's like to fight for things that others take for granted."

The ships' masts press against the fog, letting us know they're here. In the distance there's a foghorn. Some vessel is slipping out farther toward the sea.
"Such a mournful sound. So lonely," I say, hugging my knees to my chest. "Do you ever feel that way?"
"Lonely?"
I search for the words. "Restless. As if you haven't really met yourself yet. As if you'd passed yourself once in the fog, and your heart leaped-- "Ah! There I am! I've been missing that piece!" But it happens too fast, and then that part of you disappears into the fog again. And you spend the rest of your days looking for it."
He nods, and I think he's appeasing me. I feel stupid for having said it. It's sentimental and true, and I've revealed a part of myself I shouldn't have.
"Do you know what I think?" Kartik says at last.
"What?"
"Sometimes, I think you can glimpse it in another."

"You have a talisman of Kali," I answer.
"The Terrible Mother."
"The goddess of destruction."
"The destruction of ignorance," Mother Elena says, correcting me. "She is the one to help us walk through the fire of knowledge, to know our darkness that we should not fear it but should be freed, for there is both chaos and order within us."

"I thought I could save you both," he says.
"I don't need saving! I needed to trust you!"
"I'm sorry," he says simply. "People make mistakes, Gemma. We take the wrong action for the right reasons, and the right action for the wrong reasons."

Around us the night creatures have their say. We are surrounded by a symphony of crickets and frogs. Neither of us feels the need to speak, and I suppose that is one of the qualities I find comforting in Kartik. We can be alone together.

There are times when I wish I could go back and change the course of my life. Make different choices...But the past cannot be changed, and we carry our choices with us, forward, into the unknown. We can only move on.

"Mother insisted on paying for a chaperon tonight," Felicity whispers. "She believes it will make us look more important."
As we walk, the men survey us as if we're lands that might be won, either by agreement or in battle. The room buzzes with talk of the hunt and Parliament, horses and estates, but their eyes never stray too far from us. There are bargains to be struck, seeds to be planted. And I wonder, if women were not daughters and wives, mothers and young ladies, prospects or spinsters, if we were not seen through the eyes of others, would we exist at all?
"We might pass the time with cake," Madame Lumiere suggests.
I do not want to I pass the time. I want to grab hold of it and leave my mark upon the world.

"Can you imagine how great our reach would be if we were to have power such as yours at our control? Think like an Englishwoman, Miss Doyle! What could this power do for the empire, for the future sons of England?"
"You're forgetting: We are not all English, and we are not all men," I say, insinuating myself into his chess game. I move a pawn forward, taking his bishop unawares. "What of Amar and Kartik and others like them? What of my sex--or of men of Mr. Fowlson's station? Will any of us sit at your table?"
"Some rule; others are meant to be subjects." His knight takes my queen, putting my king in danger. "What do you say, Miss Doyle? Your whole future could be arranged to your liking. Everything you could possibly want."

I spend the day after the ball, Sunday, with my family before returning to Spence. The seamstress has come to fit my gown to me and make minor adjustments. I stand before the mirror in my half-finished gown whilst she takes in a pinch here, adds a ruffle there. Grandmama hovers nearby, barking instructions to the woman, fretting over every little detail. I pay her no mind, for the girl staring back at me from the mirror is starting to become her own woman. I can't say exactly what it is; it's not something that can be named. I only know that she's there, emerging from me like a sculpture from marble, and I'm most anxious to meet her.

"However did you do that?" I ask him, for I find the trick merry even if Fee doesn't.
"In truth, it is the simplest act in the world. The trick works because you wish it to. You must remember, my dear lady, the most important rule of any successful illusion: First, the people must want to believe in it."

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"Hello," he says. He smiles, and it is brighter than the sun. He reaches down; I take his hand; and the world falls away again. We stand in a garden made fragrant by lotus blossoms as large as beds.
"Where are we?" I ask. My voice sounds strange in my ears.
"We're here," he says, as if that answers everything, and in a sense, it does.
He takes his knife and draws a ring around me in the dirt.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"This circle symbolizes the joining of our souls," he answers. He circles me seven times, stepping into the enclosure on the seventh. We stand facing each other. He presses his palms to mine.
I do not know if I am dreaming.
He slips his hand behind my neck, pulling me gently toward him. His hands twine in my hair and he rubs the strands between his fingers like a fine silk he longs to purchase. And then his mouth is on mine, hungry, searching, overpowering.
This is a new world, and I will travel it.
I don't know what I should like his to say: I love you. You are beautiful. Never leave me. It seems I hear all of this and yet he says only one word, my name, and I realize I have never heard him say it this way before: as if I am known. The skin of his chest is smooth under the weight of my fingers. When my lips brush against the hollow of his throat, he makes a sound that is a bit like a sigh and a growl.
"Gemma..."
His lips are on me in a fever of kissing. My mouth. My jaw. My neck. The insides of my arms. He places his hands at the small of my back and kisses my stomach through the rough fabric of my dress, sending sparks through my veins. he lifts my hair and warms the back of my neck with his mouth, trailing kisses down my spine while his hands cup my breasts gently. The laces of my corset are loosened. I'm able to breathe him in now. Kartik has shed his shirt. I don't recall when it happened, and for some reason, I forget to be shamed by it. I only note his beauty: the smooth brown of his skin, the breadth of his shoulders, the muscles of his arms, so very different from my own. The rose-strewn ground is soft and yielding under my body. Kartik presses against me, and I feel as if I could sink right through the giving earth. Instead, I push against him, feeling warm, till I think I could die from it.
"Are you certain...?"
For once, I do not feel apart. I kiss him again, letting my tongue explore the warmth just inside his lips. Kartik's eyes flutter, and then he opens them wide, with a look I cannot describe, as if he has just glimpsed something precious that he thought lost. He pulls me tightly to him. My hands grip his shoulders. Our mouths and bodies speak for us in a new language as the trees share loose a rain of petals that stick to our slickness like skins we will wear forever. And just like that, I am changed.

I press our palms together. Our fingers tingle where they touch. His eyelids flicker and then they open wide in understanding of the magical gift I've given him.
Reluctantly, I take my hand away. "You can do anything."
"Anything," he repeats.
I nod.
"Well, then."
He closes the small distance between us and puts his lips against mine. They are soft but the kiss is firm. He puts his hand sweetly on the back of my neck and pulls my face to him with the other. He kisses me again, harder this time, but it's just as lovely. His lips are so necessary that I cannot imagine how I can live without tasting them always. Perhaps this is how girls fall--not in some crime of enchantment at the hands of a wicked ne're-do-well, a grand before and after in which they are innocent victims who have no say in the matter. Perhaps they simply are kissed and want to kiss back. Perhaps they even kiss first. And why should they not?
I count the kisses--one, two, three, eight. Quickly, I pull away to catch my breath and my bearings. "But...you could have whatever you wished."
"Exactly," he says, nuzzling my neck.
"But," I say, "you could turn stones to rubies or ride in a fine gentleman's carriage."
Kartik puts his hands on either side of my face. "To each his own magic," he says, and kisses me again.

"I was the wrong girl for all of this."
He leans against the end of the pew, his arms folded across his chest. "No, you're not."
"You don't know what I've done, else you wouldn't say that."
"Why don't you tell me?"
It seems to take forever for the words to travel through the wreckage inside me. But they do come, and I don't spare myself. I tell him everything, and he listens. I'm afraid he'll hate me for it, but when I've finished he only nods.
"Say something," I whisper. "Please."
"The warning was for the birth of May. Now we know what it meant, I suppose," he says, thinking already, and I smile a little because I know this means he's heard, and we have moved on. "We'll go after her."

You must be the change you want to see in the world.

"We might still save the realms," he says.
"We?"
"I'm not running away again. That is not my destiny."
He slips his hand under my chin and tilts it up, and I kiss him first.
"I thought you stopped believing in destiny," I remind him.
"I haven't stopped believing in you."
I smile in spite of everything. I need his belief just now. "Do you think.." I stop.
"What?" he murmurs into my hair. His lips are warm.
"Do you think, if we were to stay in the realms, that we could be together?"
"This is the world we live in, Gemma, for better or for worse. Make of it what you can," he says, and I pull him to me.

"War." Gorgon spits the word. "That is what they call it to give the illusion of honor and law. It is chaos. Madness and blood and the hunger to win. It has always been thus and shall always be so."

"You're cruel!" Felicity screams after me. She starts to cry. I know I've done the right thing but I couldn't feel worse about it, and I suppose that is part of what it is to lead.

I should leave her to it, but I can't. "She was gone for some time. You were the only force that kept her from turning completely. That's magic. Perhaps the most powerful I've seen."

It is the taste of forgetting. Of sleep and dreams with no waking. Never to long or yearn, to struggle or hurt or love or desire ever again. And I understand that this is what it truly means to lose your soul.

"Our days are numbered in the book of days, Most High," Gorgon murmurs as the garden comes once more into view. "That is what gives them sweetness and purpose."

"There is never any turning back, Gemma. You have to go forward. Make the future yours," Kartik says.

"They can't know what has happened."
She wants me to take what magic I have left and blot every memory of this evening from their minds. To make them forget so that they can carry on as before. There will always be the Cecilys, Marthas, and Elizabeths of the world--those who cannot bear the burden of truth. They will drink their tea. Weigh their words. Wear hats against the sun. Squeeze their minds into corsets, lest some errant thought should escape and ruin the smooth illusion they hold of themselves and the world as they like it.
It is a luxury, this forgetting. No one will come to take away the things I wish I had not seen, the things I wish I did not know. I shall have to live with them.
I wrench away from her grip. "Why should I?"
I do it anyways. Once I am certain the girls are asleep, I creep into their rooms, one by one, and lay my hands across their furrowed brows, which wear the trouble of all they've witnessed. I watch while those brows ease into smooth, blank canvases beneath my fingers. It is a form of healing, and I am surprised by how much it heals me to do it. When the girls awake, they will remember it for a moment, but then they will tell themselves it was only a dream best forgotten.
I have done what Mrs. Nightwing said I should do. But I do not take all their memories from them. I leave them with one small token of the evening: doubt. A feeling that perhaps there is something more. It is nothing more than a seed. Whether it shall grown into something more useful, I cannot say.

There is an ancient tribal proverb I once heard in India. It says that before we can see properly we must first shed our tears to clear the way.
I cry for days.

I have done what they expected of me. I have curtsied for my Queen and made my debut. This is what I have anticipated eagerly for years. So why do I feel so unsatisfied? Everyone is merry. They haven't a care in the world. And perhaps that is it. How terrible it is to have no cares, no longings. I do not fit. I feel too deeply and want too much. As cages go, it is a gilded one, but I shall not live well in it or any cage, for that matter.

"I know I shall make beastly mistakes, Father--"
"The world does not forgive mistakes so quickly, my girl." He sounds bitter and sad.
"Then if the world will not forgive me," I say softly, "I shall have to learn to forgive myself."

We fall into the great continuing circle of dancers. Some leave the floor, tired but giddy; others have only just arrived. They are eager to wear their new status as ladies, to be paraded about and lauded until they see themselves with new eyes. The fathers beam at their daughters, thinking them perfect flowers in need of their protection, while the mothers watch from the margins, certain this moment is their doing. We create the illusions we need to go on. And one day, when they no longer dazzle or comfort, we tear them down, brick by glittering brick, until we are left with nothing but the bright light of honesty. The light is liberating. Necessary. Terrifying. We stand naked and emptied before it. And when it is too much for our eyes to take, we build a new illusion to shield us from its relentless truth.

Why should we girls not have the same privileges as men? Why do we police ourselves so stringently - whittling each other down with cutting remarks or holding ourselves back from greatness with a harness woven of fear and shame and longing? If we do not deem ourselves worthy first, how shall we ever ask for more?

When I dream, I dream of him. For several nights now he's come to me, waving from a distant shore as if he's been waiting patiently for me to arrive. He doesn't utter a word, but his smile says everything. How are you? I've missed you. Yes, all is well. Don't worry.
Where he stands, the trees are in full bloom, brilliant with flowers of every color imaginable. Parts of the ground are still scorched and rocky. There are hard, bald patches where nothing may ever grow again. It is hard to tell. But in other spots, tiny green shoots struggle their way up. Rich black dirt smooths over the surface of things. The earth heals itself.
Kartik takes a stick and digs in the soft, new soil. He's making something but I cannot tell what it is yet. The clouds shift. Shafts of sunlight peek through, and now I can see what he has drawn. It is a symbol: two hands interlocked, surrounded by a perfect, unbroken circle. Love. The day is breaking free. It bathes everything in a fierce light. Kartik is fading from view.
No, I call. Come back.
I'm here, he says.
But I can't see. It's too bright.
You can't hold back the light, Gemma. I'm here. Trust me.
The water washes over the riverbank, erasing the edges till there's nothing. But I saw it. I know it's there. And when I wake, the room is white with the morning sun. The light is so bright it hurts my eyes. But I don't dare close them. I won't. Instead, I try to adjust to the dawn, letting the tears fall where they may, because it is morning; it is morning, and there is so much to see.


Friday, January 16, 2015

{Writing Prompt} The Vacant Day


[Just a note: I'm am excited to write fiction again and this is completely fiction. I'm not sure why this topic is my first post of fiction, but who really understands inspiration? The inspiration came from a TV show (One Tree Hill) when one of the character's mother dies. It is a powerful moment in the series and I wanted to write something powerful. Without any further delay... here's my writing prompt: a death in the family]

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This counter is always piled high with clutter. Stray pieces of mail and notes continuously mark the edges of the wide table. Flowers invariably flow out of a cherished vase my grandmother handed down to me with flowers petals falling onto the dark wood.

Today, though, it is clean. It is empty. A clear crystal vase sits vacant with no petals surrounding it's base. Not even one stray post-it note rests on the surface.

I sit here as empty as this table, as clear as the deserted vase. Wherever the clutter has disappeared, that is where I am too.

Loss comes in many different forms. It is dealt with in many different ways. I see my sister in tears and my brother full of anger. But I feel nothing.

I feel him before I see him. He enters the room behind me, a quiet presence, but a strong one, tuned precisely to me. Honestly, it's nice to feel something again, even if only for a moment. Peace, that is what he brings, however fleeting.

He sits down on the stool beside me, not saying a word. I can't look at his face, I can't even move. He takes my hand, but it is like he is reaching for someone else, like I am not present in my own body.

He lifts my hand in his, pressing a very soft kiss on the back of my hand. This gentle gesture is one that is familiar from his lips. It brings me back to him. My hand tingles, but then I remember why I don't want to feel.

"It's raining." I state. I'm not even sure if I'm talking to him. I surprise myself by talking at all.

"Of course it's raining. We live in Seattle." I sense the smile playing on his lips, though he and I both know this is not the time for humor. Then again, maybe this is the perfect time for humor. Maybe this is when we need it the most. But I don't feel like laughing.

"I think I am raining."

I don't know what I mean by this. I don't know what I think. I don't even know what day it is. All I know is that I am overcast. I can sense the dark clouds rolling in. I am preparing for a storm, but I don't believe it will come from the sky.

He says nothing. He knows me well. He stands and puts his arms around my shoulders, hugging me close to his chest. I can feel his warmth, and his reliable heartbeat. As he places a gentle kiss to the top of my head, I can feel myself waking up. This is not a good thing.

I let him hold me. I draw in his strength. I know I will need it later. I hold onto this void and stare at the vacant table. I never knew it was such a dark brown. Was it always like this? Did the grain always run so deep into the wood? I never noticed before.

***

The rain stops few events in Seattle. We stand vanquished in the graveyard as the ominous mist surrounds us. My sister has all but fainted in her husband's arms. My brother stands at attention with his fists red from his impervious grip. I stand tall with my husband behind me. He stands close, his presence a comfort, but he does not reach out to touch me. Again, he knows me so well. He knows that I have to stand on my own or I would not be able to stand at all. He gives me strength just by being there, just by being.

My daughter sings "Close to You" by the Carpenters. Her voice is more beautiful than an angel. That is something she and my mother shared. This song was one they shared. They shared so much, we shared so much. I admit this young lady, who is too young to know death, is dealing with it better than I. At least I know she feels. I see tears falling silently down her cheeks as she steps back in line with our family.

I am the oldest. I am supposed to keep it all together. I am supposed to be the fighter, the leader, the one everyone can lean on. I am none of those things. I am broken.

I am supposed to speak.

I do not know what I am supposed to say.

I turn to my husband as if he has any answers on this day. He doesn't. His gaze is one full of pride, love and peace.

Without him, I would be unable to do what I need now.

What do you say at your own mother's funeral? There just aren't words.

I don't step forward. I don't move. But somehow, I manage to speak.

"There aren't words." I say.

The whimpers from the larger than expected crowd silence. The eyes of those I love look to me, I can feel their weight. I can feel their expectation. It is a heavy burden to bear.

"When someone is loved so much, they never leave us. They may be gone in body, but their spirit is forever embedded in the ones they leave behind. My mom was loved by everyone who knew her. Whether they were family or friends, co-workers or strangers. She had a light inside of her that I have rarely seen in the world. I learned everything from her. How to cook, how to crochet and how to drive. How to be a good wife and a good mother. How to be a woman of worth. How to laugh in the face of adversity. How to live. I learned so much from her just by sitting beside her. There are not words that can describe the love my mom held because she never held onto it. She let it flow freely to anyone who came near her. That is a quality that I admire in her, one that I continue to strive for. My mom was loved by so many," I pause looking around, unable to see anyone in the back of the crowd. I wonder if they can even hear me? "She is with us each today. She loved you so much. Her light will continue to shine in each of you. There is no greater legacy. I love you mom."

My breath catches. My husband rests his hand on the small of my back. I know that I can stop. That is enough. I have said what needed to be said.

A few others speak. My aunt has a word to say as well one of my cousins. I know they were delivering beautiful words, but I couldn't understand any of them. Neither my brother or sister speak. This does not surprise me. My husband doesn't speak. This does surprise me. But not enough to truly register in the moment.

People are leaving now. It is finished. I stand where I am.

My husband leans into my ear, "Do you need a minute?"

My answer is a barely perceivable nod.

I see him take our daughter's hand out of the corner of my eye. As they walk away I hear her question, "Is mommy going to be okay?"

I sense more than see him glance back at me planted where I stood staring straight ahead, "Yes sweetie. Mommy is going to be okay. It will just take time."

Only his voice could penetrate my darkness.

He knows me so well.

I find comfort in his words. They are honest and true. Our daughter will take comfort in them too. But right now, there is nothing. Just me and the flowers. So many flowers. My words were true. My mother was loved. We only expected about 50 people to show up to the funeral. Over 300 came. Even I did not know how far my mother's love reached. I am touched. Or I will be. In time.

I take three flowers out of the arrangement closest to me. They are bright orange orchids, my mom's favorite. The ribbon draped over the wreath says Mother. Of course my remarkable husband would know exactly what to get. He always knows what I need.

I place one bright orange stem on the casket. Two men are waiting for the family to leave so they can get to work. They are trying to be patient, but I understand, they still have lives to live. Someone has to bury the dead.

With two orchids still in my hand, one for me and one for my daughter, I turned around and walked away. There was nothing else to say. When you love someone the way I love my mom, all the words have already been said time and time again.

Now it was time to live.

**********


Wednesday, January 14, 2015

After A While


After A While

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning and company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes open, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.

Written by Veronica A. Shoffstall (at age 19)
Published in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul

**********************************************

This is a poem I found in high school in a book, "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul." It meant a lot to me then, it molded my perspective as a young girl just trying to find her way in the world. Looking back on it more than 10 years later, I would say it affected me more than I originally thought.

Back then, this was always a concept I strove to understand. Now, it is absolutely my perspective on life.

I remember a time when every little thing that happened or I imagined happened meant the entire world. It turns out, that just isn't the case. I would look at myself in the mirror and wonder if I was really worth it, It turns out, I am.

I want to say that I wish I could go back and tell myself these things, but they were there in front of me in the form of this poem. It just took time and experience to find my own grace. "After A While" is part of the reason I developed that perspective on life in the first place, it helped me grow up. It let me know that I was not only enough, but also a strong woman with great worth.

I am thankful for things like this that I had when I was younger. It means even more that I can look at it now that I'm older and it still means something special. Life is an intricate weave that brings all of our past and present together to make a masterpiece that is still changing and growing into something even more beautiful.

Believe in Yourself!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Look At That View!

The other day as I was walking home, I decided to take a small detour and visit a pier overlooking Puget Sound. I walk next to this beautiful body of water almost everyday, but sometimes I forget to cherish the beauty of it. This day was not a day that the majesty of it all was lost on me. I stopped to simply enjoy it.

The colors as the sun set were absolutely beautiful. It was like the water was glowing for the mountains to see. The wind was steady, but it wrapped around me gently, like a friend. There was only enough chill in the air to enjoy being cocooned in a warm, plushy coat. 

I looked out over my city and just took it all in. The beauty, the pleasure and the comfort that comes when you love where you live. That moment was full of contentment. It was a overwhelming feeling that almost hurt, it brought me so much joy. 

I took a few pictures of what I saw during this moment. It doesn't do any of it justice, but it is a reminder of my moment of true contentment. You can never stop and enjoy living often enough.



 Live, Laugh, Love,
Often

Monday, January 12, 2015

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Sunday was Stephen's birthday. It was a quiet day. It was perfect. We spent the day home, together. Also, we watched lots of football. It doesn't get much better than that.

Happy Birthday, my love!


Zoey was so excited about Stephen's birthday. I had to wake up and go to work for the early morning, but Stephen said the first thing out of her mouth that morning was, "Happy Birthday Daddy!" She is a pretty awesome girl, I know that meant the world to Stephen.

These two fill my heart to overflowing.

I think Zoey was possibly more excited about Stephen's birthday than he was!

Brownies are much better than cake, at least according to this one.



Zoey picked out Stephen's birthday present all by herself. As soon as he opened it, she set into explaining all the awesome things about the Lego set she picked out. I am sensing a common theme lately. Legos and more Legos!


It was a wonderful day. I'm glad we could make it special for Stephen, just by being together. My family means the world to me. My love for them grows deeper as each year passes. Who knew life could be this good?

My Cup Runs Over,

Friday, January 9, 2015

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol is one of those songs that will forever mean the world to me. It came out the year Stephen and I were engaged. I remember we were sitting in his apartment in Florida the first time I heard it.

That was a very difficult time of life for me. Stephen was working 80 hour weeks at EA and I was living back in Clemson, SC finishing up my Bachelor's in English. It was my senior year and honestly I was ready to be done with school and start my life with my love. I drove eight hours on average twice a month to see him, if only for a day. It was a time of self discovery, but also a time full of loneliness and anticipation for "life" to begin.

Every time I hear this song I am sitting at Stephen's desk on edge ready to go do something. Stephen, who was probably tired from working so much, was sitting next to me. I remember him sitting back and taking my hand. He said, "Can't we just sit for a few minutes and listen to this song."

"Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

I sat with him and fell in love all over again.

To this day, it is one song that I can't help but stop everything I'm doing and enjoy the stillness as long as it is on.

There are many ways that I've grown with this song. Since that day, sitting with Stephen, I have listened to this song to many times to count. These words have been with me through times of loneliness and love. They have pulled me out of hard times and confirmed happy ones. 

There is just something about a song that can mark time like nothing else. This is one of those songs for me. It is a beautiful, powerful song that has changed my life, always for the better.



"Chasing Cars"
by Snow Patrol

We'll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don't need
Anything
Or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel

Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we’re told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?


Thursday, January 8, 2015

Enjoy the Little Moments!

Today was a really great day. It's one of those days where I simply stopped to enjoy the little things in life. I was able to get up and go to work, get my hair cut, and go to lunch with my amazing husband at a really wonderful sushi restaurant in downtown Seattle. It was a fulfilling day where I can't help but smile throughout it. I enjoy days like this...days of contentment.

A before and after of my hair cut.

I don't really like going to get my hair cut. In fact, I often leave disappointed. However, this time, the  hairstylist really seemed to grasp what my hair needed. After explaining what I wanted, she went right to work. I wanted it to be a little sorter, but only by a few inches and lighter. She cut it to the perfect length and then put long layers in it so they were noticeable. It made my hair so much lighter, which I love. She also gave me long, swooping bangs that end where my layers begin, I love how it frames my face. I even like the part on the side, though it will take some time to get used to that. It is a small thing to get my hair done, but it makes me feel confident. I like that.

#SeattleSunset

To top off the day we had another amazing sunset over the Puget Sound. This is what I saw while I waited for Zoey to get off the bus. It is like our own little piece of heaven.

Our view of the Olympic Mountains

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Enjoy the little things in life!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

"Broken" by Seether

I don't really have an elaborate story about this song, but I really love it. The chorus really speaks to me when it says, "'Cause I'm broken when I'm open/ And I don't feel like I am strong enough." I know it isn't really what the entire song is about, but this lyric makes me think of how vulnerable I feel when I am open, when I put myself out there and I often don't feel strong enough, especially to take cruel placed criticism. But we are. You get up and move on and live, no matter what. Being open is the only way to truly live and find happiness. And as far as strength goes, it is there when we need it. One day maybe I can find where it hides in between those moments. Anyway, I love the music and how it makes me feel. Hope you enjoy...



"Broken"
by Seether (feat. Amy Lee)

I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

You've gone away, you don't feel me here anymore.

The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

[2x]
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away

You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

The Best Thing Is Right In Front Of You

There is this story in one of Zoey's books that sneaks into my head sometimes when I have doubts about myself. The story is called "Sweet Surprises" by Lisa Ann Marsoli and stars Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Belle was always my favorite princess because she read lots of books. I also loved that she could see the best in people, though it took me many years to grow up before I realized that was the reason.

Disney's Princess Collection

In "Sweet Surprises," Belle frequents a bake shop where a young girl, Claire, works with her father. The two exchange stories and pastries and become great friends. Claire expresses to Belle that she wants to be really good at something, like Belle is good at storytelling. Claire tries many things to find out what she is good at. She tries storytelling, dress making, singing, painting and even art. But, she is not very good at any of those things. She gets really discouraged and goes home. Meanwhile, Belle decides to try and bake a special cake for her father's birthday. Belle makes a huge mess in the kitchen and ends up with nothing to give her father. Claire, who is at home in the kitchen, comes in to save the day. She makes a beautiful cake that Maurice, Belle's father, will not soon forget. Belle points out to Claire that her talent was right in front of her the entire time. She did not have to go search out the thing that she was good at and that made her happy, it was right there all along ready to pick her up when she was down.

I feel like I, too often, do what Claire did. I seek to find that thing that makes me whole, that makes me happy. I look to be an artist or a musician and become sad when I come up short. It is hard to see that the thing that makes you happiest is the thing right in front of you the whole time. It is the thing that picks you up when you are down.

photo credit

For me, that thing, is writing. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. When I'm not writing, I'm reading and collecting quotes and well, honestly, writing. I can't help myself. I don't know that I'm really any good at writing, and I don't expect to become the next Great American Novelist or anything. Nonetheless, writing is not what I do, it is who I am. I can figure out the mysteries of the universe simply by combining 26 letters in different ways. I am at home with a blank piece of paper and I feel a little lighter with a pen in my hand.

I am not saying that I shouldn't try new things, even learn to master some. I love drawing and I'm finally figuring out that I can be halfway decent at it when I take the time and practice. I enjoy music and even creating it sometimes, though, I'm not ever going to do much more than blast it while I'm writing. Trying new things is good, putting yourself out there is good. But, putting yourself out there is easier when you can come home to what you love.

I write this now because there is a little seed of doubt creeping into my mind. I have been blogging actively again for a couple weeks now, and I have to say, I am loving it. Sometimes I wonder how my words are being received. Do I post too many quotes? Do I write enough content? Am I funny? Or do I just come across as silly? I don't know the answers to these questions. I don't know that I want to.

photo credit

Writing is as natural to me as breathing. I am at a point in my life where I feel the need to share what is inside of me. What I write is less about how people respond and more about who I really am. Because believe it or not, I don't have it all figured out. I don't think I ever will. My opinions change over the years and my mood changes over the course of the day. Maybe someone can relate to me, maybe not. But what you see here, on this blog, this is me. I am not hiding anymore and I do feel a little vulnerable.

When I have a little spell of doubt, I think of this story. I don't have to be good at a lot of things, everyone has their talents. But when the world gets tough, when I have a lot on my mind, I go where I feel at home. I open my blog to a new post, or go to my notebook to a new page, and begin filling the page with my soul. Sometimes, it comes out pretty. Sometimes, it comes out harsh. Sometimes, it doesn't make any sense at all. But somewhere along the way, by the time I reach the end of my page, I understand the world a little better.

What do you do to make sense of the world?

Welcome to my home,