In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Teacher’s Pet.”
Tell us about a teacher who had a real impact on your life, either for the better or the worse. How is your life different today because of him or her? ~ Daily Prompt 02/01/2015
Laurna and Murna were two sisters that lived down the road from me and were my best friends in second grade. We ate lunch together every single day. One day at lunch, as usual, we were together in the lunch line and got separated by tables. I was the last one to be seated at one table and they began the next table. I was anguished over our separation. I stood up and over the noisy crowded room yelled, “Laurna, Murna!” They didn’t hear me, so I yelled again.
Suddenly a teacher who was on lunch-room duty came and grabbed me by my arm and yanked me up from the table. She told me she was taking me to my teacher for a spanking. I had no idea what for! Why was I getting a spanking? Because I yelled for my friends? Apparently, it was because this lunch duty teacher had motioned for me to sit down and I didn’t mind her. The truth is, I didn’t see her motioning for me to sit down.
When my teacher got back from lunch she took me to the back of the class behind a partition and walloped me several times with a wooden paddle. I happened to have on jeans that day so it was very painful.
After my paddling, I laid my head on my desk and cried for the remainder of school day. I was humiliated and I had been punished for something I didn’t know was wrong.
About a month after this happened, we had eye tests at school and it was discovered that I was near-sighted and needed glasses. I didn’t see that teacher motion for me to sit down because I COULDN’T see her.
I think the impact that this had on me wasn’t the fault of my teacher that only carried out what she was told to do, but of that old cranky prune that picked me up by my arm and marched me to the principal’s office.
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Burnt.”
Remember this prompt, when your home was on fire and you got to save five items? That means you left a lot of stuff behind. What are the things you wish you could have taken, but had to leave behind? ~ Daily Prompt 1/30/2015
Yesterday my house was suppose to be on fire and I was suppose to grab five things to take out with me (the family and pets were already safe). I wrote that I had been in a house fire before and that you do not take five things with you, you simply get out.
Today I am going to write about those five things I was suppose to grab and take with me and other things I would feel the loss of if they burned.
First, I would mourn the loss of my purse
Second, I would mourn the loss of my iPad and blue tooth keyboard because that is what I do all my computer work on.
Third, I would miss my camera, even though it isn’t the best on the market, it is the best for me at this time of my (no)skills of photography.
Fourth, I would miss all my art paraphernalia; pencils, erasers, measurement devices, circle templates, line drawing devices, special drawing pads, books, rulers, leads, etc.
Fifth, I would miss my clothing. Although my clothing is nothing special you don’t realize how important it is until everything you own (and wear, including under garments) are all burned and you have nothing to wear except the clothes on your back. (In my case, I was asleep when it happened so I had on a nightgown). As a footnote, the day after this fire happened, I had to call my employer and tell him I couldn’t come to work because I had nothing to wear (because of a fire) and I was fired (and he was fired shortly after).
Sixth, (this should be higher on the list, but it didn’t occur to me until now), I would mourn the loss of all my paper photographs and photograph albums.
Seventh, I would miss my Password Vault.
Eighth, I would celebrate life. I would celebrate that I was still alive and that the things I mentioned above are all replaceable except the paper pictures. Yes, I may mourn the things that I have lost in the fire but I will celebrate that which did not perish. Me. .
In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Depth.”
Although I took this photo during our last snow, this is what it looks like here in the Four Corners today. It is cold and snowing. This probably isn’t a good photo to use for depth but I’m using it anyway.
Your home is on fire. Grab five items (assume all people and animals are safe). What did you grab? – Daily Prompt
I HAVE been in a house fire and I will tell you right now you don’t think about grabbing five things. In fact, the only thing a person should think of is to GET OUT. (I personally had to break my bedroom window and crawl out).
If you are a person that is going to grab five things before you get out of the burning building then you aren’t one of the brightest bulbs on the block. But, just say you are and you want to grab five things; well… by the time you grab that third, fourth or fifth thing then you don’t need to worry about escaping because it will be too late.
This wasn’t a very smart prompt if WordPress wants to teach their clients “how to stay alive in the event of a fire.” You just lost all your clients while they were grabbing five things in a fire. As for me, I waited until the fire was out before I submitted my response to the prompt. :o)
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Fireside Chat.”
What person whom you don’t know very well in real life — it could be a blogger whose writing you enjoy, a friend you just recently made, etc. — would you like to have over for a long chat in which they tell you their life story? ~ Daily Prompt 1/22/2015
There are many friends which I have made on WordPress that I would love to sit down and chat with and hear their life story. We all have stories to tell and stories to write about. But, because I have known the pain and suffering of having a mental illness, both from the illness itself and from the shame that comes attached to it, I would love to sit down and visit with Cat and with Scarred and Scared (and others who share this experience). In fact, I would love for us to be able to share our stories of both pain and healing. I would love to be able to cry and laugh with them and give them both a hug.
I would also love to meet just about everyone I have interacted with in this WordPress world. I have come to care a great deal about many wonderful people (you know who you are). I actually started listing names but decided against it because I didn’t want to leave anyone out. You are all amazing people and I love getting to know you and sharing stories and laughter with you.
Thank you so much for being a part of my life and making it so much brighter!
What are the things you need to do within 30 minutes of waking up to ensure your day gets off on the right foot? What happened the last time you didn’t do one of these things? ~Daily Prompt 1/21/15
The first thing I do in the morning is, after, well, then I drink coffee. Two cups of coffee. While I am drinking coffee, I am checking my emails, responding to them, and reading my friends’ blog posts.
What happened the last time I didn’t do these things? I honestly don’t remember. Probably spontaneously combust.
This is one of the last photographs I have taken. It was taken on the morning of our first snow for 2015 and this was a picture of the frost on my big kitchen window. I remember thinking, “Oh please don’t let winter last long.” (I’m not a cold weather person). So… I introduce you to the “Frost on My Window.” And now, only 2 1/2 to 3 months of winter left to go.
There is a moment in time that when I think about it, I feel happy again. I feel as though I can go out and conquer the world and slay all the dragons and save all the princesses. I can ride to the highest mountain on my trusty steed and wear my armor with regal pride and … and… oh, it was so many years ago. So many years to that moment in time. My memory is not as good as it use to be and I am afraid I will lose all my memories and …. and… if that happens… where is my son and daughter? They are so tiny they could get into trouble. Where is my wife?
“Anges! Agnes! The children, they are being too quiet. Where is my wife?”
“John, settle down. It’s okay. The children are okay. You live in Arizona now. You live in a wonderful home in Arizona.”
“No, I don’t. I live in Hampton somewhere… with my wife and we have two small children.”
“No, John. Your wife is no longer with us. She is waiting for you to come when it is time for you.”
“Agnes, I want to tell you about a moment in time. A wonderful moment in time. It was…. we were…”
“John, it is time for you to sleep. Sleep now and when you wake, you will remember that sweet moment of time. And you can tell your friends at dinner.”
He smiles at me and his eyes not only twinkle as he gazes into mine, they shine with stunning otherworldly brilliance. My entire soul wants nothing more than to escape into his eyes and melt into his intense love. I feel as though I am the only person on earth.
“I wrote my book* to tell people about my life and the difficult road that I have had to travel. I wanted to let them know that you gave me the strength to endure and continue my journey. I want them to know that you are not “religion,” and you are not “hate”. I want them to know You are love.”
He smiles at me with a smile of pure love and joy and his eyes twinkled with stunning intensity into my own eyes.
Max Lucado, one of my favorite authors, introduced me to a man I had never understood before. He introduced me to a Creator who is pure Love. When I came to understand this truth, I fell in love with the Creator of the universe and savior of the world.
This was the most incredible moment of my life.
“You do know why I am here?” He asked.
“Yes,” nodding my head.
He lovingly takes my hand and I, grateful to leave the old and broken clay coccoon behind, take his hand as we walk into the light together.
The End * My book is not yet written. It is still a twinkle in my eye. I am trying to improve my writing skills before I actually pursue writing it.
BEAUTIFUL WORDS 