Freedom of Voice

Still dizzy from the merry-go-round, he stumbled over to the grassy area of the park, staring at the ground to force his head to stop spinning. Once his eyes focused, he spotted two little white puffs in the midst of the sand and patchy grass. He strolled over to get a closer look. A pair of tiny white flowers stuck out from the ground. He looked back in the direction where his mother sat, scowling at nothing in particular. He wasn't sure what he had done to make her mad this time, but it didn't take much these days--dribbling Kool-aid on his t-shirt, leaving the cap off the toothpaste, laughing too loudly while watching cartoons, sticking his tongue out at his little sister all triggered her. All he knew is she proclaimed they were going to the park for a while because she couldn't take one more minute being cooped up in the house with two brats pestering her every second of the day. It was a welcome reprieve from her normal reaction to snatch him up and shake h...

There are a multitude of times in the Bible when angels appear to advise humans to "fear not." Some will say there are 365 times to match our 365-day calendar, while others have debunked this inaccuracy.  I don't really care about the numbers--I'm not into data or trying to prove anything here. What I find equally intriguing and disturbing is our use of fear as a weapon--a way to hold ourselves and others back, keep everyone in check, get what we want. Fear is a weapon of mass destruction, one we both use and fall prey to on the daily.  Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success, fear of death, fear of what comes after death--fear grips us and has a negative impact on the decisions we make, big and small. It prevents us from living an authentic life and hinders our accomplishments. And, at its worse, fear is the foundation for hatred and misunderstanding--the building blocks that create walls between us.  We don't need bombs to blow things u...

I was never allowed to cook in my mom's kitchen.  She may have let me help prep at times--I truly don't remember--but, for the most part, it was her kitchen, and she hated messes.  She has always had a very particular way she likes things done, and cleaning up as you go is a must. I, on the other hand, am kind of a disorderly cooker, preferring to whip up a mess along with my culinary creations. I lived at home part of the time I was dating John, and I wanted to invite him to dinner--one I cooked myself.  I decided on chicken parmesan and happily set out to make him and my parents a meal we could all enjoy together. I won't bore you with the details (admittedly because I don't remember most of them--a coping mechanism for sure), but let's just say it wasn't a June Cleaver occasion, and by the time I was done cooking, I was angry and upset because I felt like my mom took over after a barrage of criticisms about the way I was preparing the meal. And, I was pre...

I have to admit, I am missing writing daily acrostic poems with my students. It became a ritual that helped us connect and provided some teachable moments. In fact, one girl would often say, "Here it comes--a lesson!" when I had a chance to sneak in Grammar 101 or tie our words into the PACE principles.  I decided today, instead of pining away for those days, I will write an acrostic. Calling out, your soul begs you to Recognize your talents, Embrace your Artistry. Today, your soul Invites you to use your Voice, listen to your Intuition, Take a stand for Your creative self. AMF 6/16/17

It's so cliche'--      finding yourself. You've been here all along--       haven't you? You've just been snubbing her--       the real you. The You that can move mountains,     leap tall buildings in a single bound. You squashed her for so long, she hid from you, retreating further into the shadows until she became invisible. An abused girl, a battered woman, afraid to speak, flinching every time you raised a hand. You wouldn't be on this search and rescue if you hadn't lost her in the first place.

You've all heard its voice: You're not good enough. No one cares what you think. You'll upset someone.  You can't do that. You'll look like a fool. The enemy within. In the Artist's Way, Julia Cameron exposes the enemy within and the core negative beliefs it espouses as a way to keep you scared. And, fear is a mighty motivator for most of us. It keeps us in check. It keeps us safe. It keeps us from humiliating ourselves. It keeps us from hurting others. Or does it? When I think about my deepest fears, most revolve around not wanting to disappoint, hurt, or look stupid in front of others.  But, topping my list is the fear of success. What? you may chide. That doesn't make any sense. Everyone wants success; it's not something to be feared.  Oh, but it is.  I don't want to harp on my upbringing or appear bitter because I know my parents did what they felt was right. But, I grew up with a lot of children should be seen, not heard kind of t...