doctoral candidate in rhetoric and scientific and technical communication
words
she is beautiful
011 years ago
I was reading a computing magazine at the library yesterday, waiting for my student to arrive, and learning about which classes I should take to finish my degree and still continue on with my in-process IT career.
She walks up, all five feet of her, long brown hair, dark brown eyes and smiles her shy smile.
I’m so pleased to see her. We have had difficulties getting together because of her recent pregnancy and delivery of a new baby girl.
She’s smart. She’s really smart. I learn from her as much as she learns from me.
We laugh. A lot. And that is good, especially now. I need to hear laughter and, I think, so does she.
We decided to try something new yesterday. We’d been reading the newspaper on the recent events and doing flash cards. But I thought it may be time for empowerment…for her to feel like she really is a driving force in all of this.
After the flash cards, which she showed me she had been working at as she pronounced her “j” and “y” correctly (not an easy feat when you’ve been pronouncing it one way your entire life and it now sounds different in the new language you are trying to learn!), I stopped and looked at her.
Her eyes shine. They sparkle. She’s incredibly beautiful. Especially when she smiles.
I asked her if she’d like to get a library card. Oh…if I could only express to you the way her face lit up…if only I could tell you how excited she got when she heard the words.
We went up to the counter to get the card. Some of the questions were difficult and she would look to me for assurances but she did wonderfully. I was so proud of her. I know it was a huge step.
We picked out a book together. It was a book on gardening. We started to read it together and then I asked her if she’d like to check it out. She nodded.
Our library has a system where you can check out books by yourself on the computer. As we slid the card under the scanner, her name popped up. I pointed it out to her and she smiled widely. We slid the book under the scanner and the printout of her due date came out. I explained to her how it worked.
“That’s it?” she asked.
I nodded. “It’s that easy,” I told her. I went on to explain that if she didn’t enjoy that book, we’d pick out another. I also told her that she could bring her girls in and check out books for them.
That is why she wants to learn to speak and read better. So she can help her girls, so she can read to them (3 girls under the age of 4), and so she can help her oldest with her schooling.
Her smile grew wider.
My heart welled with what I can only describe as love.
musings…snow, mountains, ocean, and spirit…
0I can’t wait to go home for Thanksgiving. While Southern California is beautiful in so many ways, it’s just not Thanksgiving to me if the temperature isn’t in the 40s or below. This 70 degree thing is just to much. Isn’t that summer weather?
I want to make snow angels with my precious pumpkin girl niece. I want to see her cheeks grow rosy and her big blue eyes open wide as we make a snowman. I want to hear her giggle as she delves into cranberry sauce.
A friend and I were talking about earthly things. We both have a love of the ocean. It really speaks to us and we tend to share it here on the cork. It is something that is just deep within and we don’t even live near the ocean. But, when we do have the chance, we visit it.
The mountains, though, are incredibly special. I live at 7000 feet at the base of the highest mountains in Arizona. These are spectacular mountains. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful as when they are covered with snow. They don’t turn that classic blue of the Rockies. They don’t actually even look cold. They glow. They are like a beacon. I dream of my sacred mountains when I’m away too long. The ski resort on my mountains is opening today. For me, that is a mixed message. Is it ok to tear up sacred mountains for commerce? Probably not. But I love to ski. I really do. I feel the Kachina spirits when I’m up there, snow beneath me, blue skies above. I’m caught in-between.
We always hear that “It’s the season of giving.” Why is this the only season that we choose to give? Shouldn’t we do it all of the time? I’m not talking about gifts or money, but about ourselves. A little can go a long way, as the cliche goes.
I am so impressed with Construction Guy, Goddess KALI, and Connie. Their work is the epitome of giving. They are giving a lot of themselves with the CWL project. I read that in their words. And they aren’t asking for anything back. This is the one time that I can say that I see everyone pull together. It amazes me to see such diversity come together for the good of our own community.
It’s funny how a certain person crops up during the “giving season” and turns the cork into a hotbed of turmoil. We don’t hear from him all year and then, when everything is going smoothly and people want to contribute, he pops up. Same time, same place, same bat channel.
Adam Sandler is singing his Turkey song. I know that the Hanukkah song is just around the corner.
I’d like to think that we are inherently good and lose our way occasionally. I’d really like to think that. Maybe I’m a dreamer…
Peace to you all. And to those who celebrate Thanksgiving, have a safe and happy one.