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About This Author
My name is Joy, and I love to write.
Why poetry, here? Because poetry uplifts its writer, and if she is lucky enough, her readers, too. Around us, so many objects abound to write about. Once a poet starts with a smallest, most trivial object, he shall discover that his pen will spill out what is most delicate or most majestic hidden inside him. Since the classics sometimes dealt with lofty subjects with a lofty language, a person with poetry in his soul may incline to emulate that. That is understandable. Poetry does that to a person: it enlarges the soul and gives it wings. Yet, to really soar, a poet needs to take off from the ground.
 
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Daily Cascade
Since my old blog "Everyday Canvas "  became overfilled, here's a new one. This new blog item will continue answering prompts, the same as the old one.
Cool water cascading to low ground
To spread good will and hope all around.
Previous ... - 1- 2 ... Next
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Prompt: Words
Have fun with these words- talented, adjust, public, nuisance, endorse, strength, strange. stumble and actor.
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On Stage
His heart in flames, chasing fame
the *actor stands, beneath the light, and
the crowd, his *public, their eyes aglow
they lean forward to feel the show
of this *talented one, while his words rule
but a *nuisance, a cough so loud and cruel,
still, he stands, but *stumbles over his words askew,
now the stage feels *strange...new, yet with *strength,
he shakes off pain, to begin all over again,
for if nerves rule one's own play, no script could *adjust
what his heart may say, while critics can choose what they
can *endorse, only the applause will chart the course.
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Prompt:
" There are people who live socially correct lives but become a shadow of themselves versus the people who sink themselves deeply into all levels of life, exploring their dreams fully regardless of the cost and to attain their goals. Are certain individuals predisposed to take risks and others not?"
Lene Gammelgaard - Climbing High.
What do you think? Have you chased or known someone who has chased a dream regardless of the cost?
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I am not very good at chasing anything. If my husband hadn't shown up on his own and I knew of his existence, I might have chased him, but I got lucky in that, too.
Fact is, I never had to chase anyone. Well, except my wild younger son when he was two years old, and he could and would run into traffic...
Where anything personal is concerned, I always kind of do what I like, and in some instances, I can also do what I am forced to do, things like chores, with no complaints. As the result, possibly fame and fortune has evaded me, but I don't really care about fame or fortune, in the first place, and I think I did okay with what I could do without having to butter up anyone or harm myself trying to climb higher.
Yes, I know people who have hurt their own well-beings, psychologically, emotionally, and even physically, while they did just about anything to reach a dream. One of them committed suicide at the end. The others became somewhat fake people. That much ambition, sometimes seen as social climbing, is not worth it.
I am not, however, against working toward a dream, but it has to be logical with a good view of the cost. After all, hope requires sacrifice, which costs something, but also, it may yield something greater, too.
Here the question is: What am I ready to sacrifice? My time, my health, my sleep, my family? Or maybe even my morals?
I mean there is a ceiling--or a stop sign--over everything, even our hopes and dreams.
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Prompt:
"I am not be perfect, I'm here to be real."
Lady Gaga
Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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Well, nobody's perfect. And I totally agree about being real or at least trying to be real.
On the other hand, I have to question the origin or rather who the person is who has uttered this quote: "Is Lady Gaga for real? If so, was she born as Lady Gaga? Why doesn't this quote carry her real name?" I mean, she has built a perfectly fake façade in order to became famous, hasn't she!
Most of us, possibly, try to be real, as to whatever the word "real" means to us. Then, we all have flaws, quirks, and moments of vulnerability. Trying to hide these aspects of ourselves behind a mask of perfection can be very tiring, in itself. Instead, accepting our imperfections and choosing to be real, even when it's uncomfortable, could make us live a more fulfilling life.
To begin with, being real reduces stress and builds better connections to other people, since we are allowing ourselves to be imperfect and accepting it. Being real, especially to ourselves, can be the best kind of self-care, too, emotionally, physically, and in many other ways.
Also focusing on progress, not perfection, is a good route to learning anything. To me, that is a part of being real.
After all, who needs the pressure of being so perfect!
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Prompt: Words
Use these words in your Blog entry today:
Shopping, Lake, Note, Picnic, Lighthouse, Beach
Have fun.
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These words reminded me of the time, more than forty years ago, when we took our sons to visit the lighthouse at Montauk point, at the end of Long Island, NY. The funny thing is, they weren't impressed at all.
"There's nothing here!" one remarked. The other said, "I thought we were going to a restaurant. When are we going to eat?"
My husband said, "But this is a very important visit..." and he went on to explain about the shipwrecks and how the lighthouses helped the sailors.
"But ships don't need this anymore! Ships have radars," the wise Alec older one said.
"They are going to turn this place into a museum," I said.
"Oh, that's okay, then!"
I still can't figure it out why the word museum somehow made a stronger impression on them. 
In fact, the Montauk lighthouse was turned into a museum in 1987, just a few years after we were there, and I still don't know why my sons preferred a museum over the lighthouse itself.
At Montauk Point
Beyond the cliffs, a *beach lies there,
where the *lighthouse stands
at the edge of the bay.
and breezes play for this beacon tall,
where ocean dreams and lets its waves
fall on history sleeping, and
a *picnic spread on a blanket near,
with memories sweet, moments dear
then, near a *lake not far inland,
a town is built by cool hands
where small shops in rows can invite
*shopping strolls into the night.
Yet, I only take *note of sailors' tales
and letters they wrote, on such choppy seas
of lore, as treasures for me to adore.
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Prompt: Childhood Memories
“I feel as if I had opened a book and found roses of yesterday sweet and fragrant, between its leaves.”
L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island
Write about this quote, which is about the author's childhood, and/or share with us an innocent, possibly fun-loving instance from your childhood that brings a smile to your lips.
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When my cousins mention something or other we did together, most of the time, that event or naughtiness--which is more like it--is erased from my memory. Could it be because I was the instigator, the starter of all mischief? Some of those things we did even made my serious mother laugh at them. Maybe because she didn't want to see my role in those. Just maybe.
Those memories, whether my mind has hushed them or not, my cousins insist that they were among the most precious and enduring experiences of their childhood. Also, it may just be that, in childhood, fun and laughter is found in the littlest of things.
For example, I had made up a game only privy to my cousins and I. It would go something like this. "Whoever at the dinner table says, 'tasty', he or she is going to grow donkey ears." Of course, each time, that trick word always changed before we sat down at the dinner table. Rarely we kids sat separately from the adults, partly because we had a very large dinner table, and when family members visited us, we sat at the table altogether. Since we kids knew the trick word, we wouldn't say it, but an adult would. Then, we would all burst into laughter and keep on giggling to the amazement of the adults, who never knew about our private little games.
Then, there are more positive memories like going to the fair the whole crowd of us with two adults as chaperones. To this day, I feel for our chaperones wherever they took us. Those trips were so much fun! Especially, when there was a fair in town. This one time, at the fair, we all insisted to be in the same swinging thing, (I think they may be called swinging busses) that held several kids and the poor guy, who was filling those swings up on a first-come-first-served basis, had to empty one and lead those other kids to a different swing.
To this day, I stay in touch with my cousins, no matter how scattered they are all over the world. Since I didn't have any siblings, my cousins became very precious to me, not only in our childhood, but up to today.
And yes, it's true. Our memories together are like "found roses of yesterday sweet and fragrant."
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Prompt: Memorial Day
Waterloo, NY was the town. which first celebrated the Memorial day on May 5, 1866. It was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
What is the picture that comes to your mind when you think of a soldier fighting in the front lines for his country?
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Memorial Day is a day for serious reflection of the sacrifice of all the women and men who fought for the rest of us, our nation. I mean holding vigils by their graves and decorating the graves of the fallen and doing all the other remembrances are fine...for those of us who are still alive.
I believe, however, we would do them much greater honor by being better citizens ourselves and thinking of and working for the common good for our country. After all, they did die for us with a wish for the goodness and fairness of our nation in their minds.
They marched through fear
and bore the cost
with such courage
no soldier is lost
under the flag
so bold and free
their hearts lie
on land and sea
thus, today is
not for play but
to thank those
who paved our way. |
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Prompt: Roses
“Roses have thorns. Those are like flower fangs. Roses are the vampires of the plant world.”
Jarod Kintz, A Memoir of Memories and Memes
What do you think of this quote and do you like or dislike roses?
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I love roses. I had a rose garden once, about forty years ago, with fifty-five different roses in it and I practiced grafting on them. I still have a two rose bushes in front of the house, no matter that the climate of Florida doesn't favor them. Then, a couple of months ago, I ordered a rose something from Amazon, which came broken with its four or five leaves in tatters. Still, instead of sending it back, I took a chance on it. I cut off the leaves and stuck the stem in a flower pot inside the porch. I really thought it had died from day one, but it didn't. It grew and it now has its first rose on it. I guess this proves that roses may be vampires. Well, just maybe,
Well, it is still puny but looks like it'll be a healthy bush.
Vampires in Bloom
in velvet grace, they bloom with flair
to find their place, in gardens fair
but beware of their thorny arms
and look beneath their petaled charms
and fangs sharp, which they hide
inside the shadows before they bite
their fancy colors with dewy gloss
a beauty to cover up your cost
they drink and drink, yet they have thirst
their scent so sweet, yet strangely cursed
with no black cloaks, but in darkness curled
roses are the vampires of my floral world
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Prompt:
On this day in 1964 The Beatles' made their 4th appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", which featured an interview and a pre-recorded performance of "You Can't Do That". Did you ever watch The Ed Sullivan Show? What's your favorite Beatles song? If not, the Beatles what was your favorite performance?
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Ahha! A blast from the past! Did I ever watch the Ed Sullivan Show? How could I not when my husband was its devotee! Except not that 1964 one because I hadn't met him, then--I mean my husband, not Ed Sullivan. I might have seen the rerun of that specific show, but I don't remember even that.
As to my favorite Beatles' songs, I guess it's "Let it be." Then, "All my Loving" "And I love her" "Till there was you" "A Hard Day's Night" "Yesterday" "I want to hold your hand" follow it. I didn't care much, though, for their earlier twist bit, but we did dance to the twist, anyway.
I remember the Beatles for their incredible success, also. They were innovative, to say the least, and their songwriting was brilliant because their songs were catchy, yet sophisticated, and their music was usually upbeat, even when they were singing of serious or even sad subjects. Those who are into music more deeply than me claim that the Beatles music held the attention of the crowds for their blending of rock, pop, classical music and far-out psychedelic beats. In other words, they pushed their boundaries and came out with great success, at the end.
Those of us who dare to write or are interested in the arts know or find out, eventually, how important pushing our boundaries can be. Yes, we can fall flat on our faces, too, but at least, we've tried, and for having tried, we've gained an inner sense of self-satisfaction.
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Prompt:
Begin your entry today with: The Heart Won't Lie
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The Heart Won't Lie
The heart won't lie, right then I knew
when my eyes met your sigh so true
I chased the stars, you climbed so high
and we still wondered where hopes did lie
I could dress doubt in silk and gold
and tell tales smoothly, clever and bold
yet, there beats a truth no mask can hide
an exact compass, my faithful guide
when logic spun its tangled thread
our hearts spoke those words unsaid
"no matter what the world does vie
let doubt retreat, let reason cry"
so, in loss, in life, in every try
I know for sure, my heart won't lie
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Prompt:
Beyond The Gates.
Use this and opening for your Blog entry today
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I believe this is a new TV show that is either is about to air or it has started to air. I also don't know which channel it will be shown in. These days, I only watch the news. So, I took this phrase as what its words suggested to me.
Beyond The Gates
I wonder what lies past those gates since
my path was choked with vine and thorn
for I was into unknown born, light or dark
or just what awaits here?
Is wonder in there or whispered doom
or just a tomb in a secret world?
At the threshold, I stand and stare...
another step? I don't dare.
Beyond those gates, shadows moan and creep
silence stirs, too dark, too deep, and
guarding a grim unknown, the hinges
now begin to groan
and for what lies past those iron gates
I'm gripped with fear for what awaits...
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Prompt:
China Hutch, Roses, Rain, Pearls and Crystals.
Use these words in Blog Prompt today.
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In Memory
Memory blooms in a humble hush, while I
stare at the old *China-Hutch in the corner,
laced with dust, lacking my mother's touch,
as in it *crystals glint while the sunlight slips,
and in my mind, I see, still, the sweet smile on
her porcelain lips, at *roses on the window sill
and her *pearls always worn with grace, and to
my wedding once, now rest in a velvet case,
wrapping my world inside their fragile place,
and the lush *rain taps fast on the glass,
to whisper of my childhood and times passed
while memory blooms in a humble hush.
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Prompt:
Do you know people who are terrible at doing just about anything, but they are convinced they're extremely talented? What are they like and would you tell them the truth about themselves?
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I haven't met any such person who was terrible at everything, but then, I haven't met all the people in the world. If I did and if there was such a person, I wouldn't say anything to them. I mean, who ever gave me the job of fixing all the problems in the world, let alone those I am not capable to understand or mend!
Truth is, I believe everyone is good at something, while some can be good at most things. Then, if some people haven't seen, experienced, or been taught a certain thing, surely they'd be bad at it at first try.
Then, I know a few who think they are good at something, say singing, while what they do is only a mockery of it. In psychology. the explanation for this is called he Dunning-Kruger effect. This is what they call a cognitive bias. It means someone with a low ability overestimates his performance with confidence, In other words, the less someone knows, the less they're able to see how much they don’t know.
There’s also an emotional layer: ego protection. Believing one is talented can serve as a psychological shield against feelings of inadequacy. Sometimes, it's easier for a person to believe they're misunderstood or underappreciated than to confront the idea that there's something that needs to be fixed in their work or behavior.
Social dynamics play a role, too. Let's take the off-key singing, again, for example. If someone sings off-key but a few friends tell them they have a "unique voice," they might latch onto that compliment while disregarding more honest feedback.
Also, when we might avoid telling someone they made a mistake or two with something, in order to protect their feelings, we unintentionally reinforce their false beliefs about talent. This brings to mind some of the reviews given here in Writing.com. About which, I'm wondering, if we didn't have the star-rating system, would the reviews be more honest?
After all, we are told to "believe in ourselves" and "follow our dreams," which can blur the line between self-belief and realistic self-assessment. This can lead to situations where enthusiasm is mistaken for perfection.
I so wish we could overcome our cognitive blind spots, emotional coping, and refusing suggestions and reinforcements from one another. If we did, it might help make our world a better place.
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Prompt: Summer
what do you think about the summer season, and/or how would you personify summer in a story or poem?
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Summer Has Walked In
Summer has walked in with
a golden grin and a crown, which
she stole from the sun, and
began dancing over my place, and
painting the sky in crimson hues
she now boogies through the trees
with a breath of fire, for she has
blown a fuse, and our gentle breeze
has escaped away, while her laughter
finds a way to better scorch with a hum,
then, playing her drum, she rolls to sea
to warm it up for you and me, still
like all guests, she'll take flight
chased away by autumn's light
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Prompt: Laughter
"There's great value in being able to step back and laugh at yourself, at life, and at attitudes. Laughter helps you put everything into perspective."
Jim Henson
what do you think about this prompt and do you ever laugh at yourself?
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I am hilariously wacky, at times, mostly due to old age...I think. Well, mostly! As the result, I have no choice but stand back and laugh at myself. And there's a reason for that. Laughing at myself makes the situation seem smaller because I have zoomed out and I'm looking at the situation with humor. Such a situation could be missaying things, repeating what I had just said, petty frustrations, misunderstandings, and above all, forgetfulness, with which I am becoming a master.
So when I laugh, I put an emotional distance between me and the situation. And that situation, now, seems suddenly smaller and more manageable. This way I don't let any disappointment or embarrassment consume me. This isn't dismissing the problem but deflating its power.
Still, laughing at myself is one thing, but hurting others' feelings is another. I draw the line when it comes to others' misfortunes. I mean, laughter may not always be positive for relationships. Some people wouldn't want a stranger laughing at their embarrassing faux pas, for example. This kind of unshared laughter can have the opposite effect. Still, talking for myself, I would probably join that stranger in laughing at myself, anyway.
This is because a good laugh acknowledges the struggle but refuses to let it be the final word. It also connects us and dissolves boundaries. Our mutual laughter signals that we see the world in the same way, if only momentarily, and it boosts our sense of connection.
Then, laughter tells us that life isn't meant to be taken so seriously, all the time. Yes, things may be difficult but they are also comically imperfect, as are we, the people. Somehow, this makes me feel a little more okay.
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Prompt: Have fun with these nine words: junket, exhibition, care, introduce, sketch, door. flock, wreck and discrimination.
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A Frame in Time
once on a *junket to a place afar, I
found an *exhibition under the stars
it was all *sketch and lore as if a key
to a locked *door
and our guide, with *care in voice and grace
on his face, set to *introduce art pieces
for we were to unlock the truth in minds
of this fancy *flock
but, a *wreck of dreams, and my hopes were
stillborn, since one frame held a form twisted
and torn, a slave in chains, and I heard the ring
of *discrimination's sting
yet, this pain so deeply stored must open hearts,
minds, and doors, just to show the darkness
and scars, if only to prove that, like time,
art, too, should always move.
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Prompt:
Writer Francois-Marie Arouet, who was better known as Voltaire was imprisoned on May 16th in 1717 for his outspoken opinions.
Let one of these Voltaire quotes inspire your entry today: "Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one."
"Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do."
"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers."
"Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable
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I think all the quotes have great or some value in themselves. I may or may not agree with parts of them, but they are somewhat indicative of our human condition. So, I'll take each quote and write a short answer to it. Then, I'll try to bring to surface about what I think about anyone who may be too judgmental, say, as if to imitate Voltaire.
1. Doubt : Yes, doubt is uncomfortable. Personally, I hate it. But then, as is certainty. It is like putting all your eggs in one basket.
2. Man or woman, if given the chance or the occasion, hold back from doing good ("Good" in the quote needs definition), certainly some guilt can be attached to their indifference.
3. Judging one by his questions rather than by his answers, in my opinion, is a fault in itself for judging anyone because what they think and do or by their questions or answers in their personal lives is nobody's business. In fact, judgmental people throw me off completely.
4. Optimism vs. misery is another thing. It is every person's right to be optimistic or wallow in misery if they choose to do so. And here goes that judgment thing, again.
So now, I'll write a bit about being judgmental here.
Forming opinions and conclusions about other people quickly and harshly, based on limited information, can have terrible outcomes and negative effects. A judgmental person may feel a fleeting sense of control or superiority, but this can come at a high cost. It damages relationships, limits personal and social growth, and does away with empathy.
In my opinion, the first victim here is the judgmental person himself. For, if he persists in being judgmental, his empathy will be shut down and he'll understand nothing about the human condition. This may limit his compassion and deeper connections with others while providing him with a very narrow view of human behavior.
Also, being judgmental reflects insecurity and hidden fears. Such a person may judge others harshly to feel better about himself, or to conform to social standards, or to deflect from his own perceived shortcomings.
Then, on the larger view, judgmental attitudes fuel stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, because they reduce people to labels and create social divides. It also creates a negative mindset that may be copied by the more vulnerable people in our societies.
Having said all that, I still think we are all judgmental to some degree, or else we wouldn't be able to survive in this complicated world, since we would end up being flaccid, weak people who cannot form true opinions or acceptable behaviors.
I think, therefore, it is okay to judge fairly another person or situation inside us, but yakking about it openly and especially in a hurtful manner can come at a high cost to ourselves. If for nothing, but because being too judgmental openly can create a false sense of superiority and can put limits on our learning from others' behaviors.
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Prompt:
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. "
Plato
Write about this quote in your Blog entry today.
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Since I promised myself, a very long time ago, to look at events and people through rose-colored glasses, so to speak. Accordingly, I hope, being unkind doesn't apply to me. Yet, I wouldn't let anyone walk all over me, either.
In fact, I try not to fight or say unkind words to anyone if I can help it. This may also be because I had no siblings and I never learned to fight properly. In everyday dealings with other people, though, I know it is important to hold my ground while paying attention to compassion and empathy, and I guess this is what Plato (or whoever?) may have meant. I say "whoever" due to the possibility that Plato's or other peoples' quotes might have shifted over time or were attributed to different origins.
In any case, this quote calls for a pause before we respond harshly to anyone. This is because inside each person lies a struggle we may not see or understand, such as pain, worry, grief, or pressure. Before making a quick judgment, therefore, it may be a good idea to hold back from making unkind, wrong, and complicated assumptions. Instead, we may even offer understanding, if only because we know that some people hide their pain behind smiles and easy conversations.
By acting with understanding, we may not be able to solve everyone’s battles, but we can make their fight a little less lonely by offering empathy and compassion. Choosing kindness, then, may mean choosing connection and accepting others' humanity.
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Prompt:
"All the world is made of faith, trust and Pixie dust."
Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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I tend to believe that "all the world" is a kindergarten, making us get ready for the first grade. That may be why faith and trust are needed, so we learn to behave in class. As to pixie dust, it brings to my mind Tinker Bell who scattered around a golden, sparkling powder, which now, may also enable us to fly and grant us other abilities so we can pay attention to the preliminary teachings of our lives.
Sprinkles from the fairy's wing urges my heart,
again, to sing and cheer, with no map, no path,
no need to fuss—just faith, and
trust, and pixie dust
shimmering like stars in moonlit nights, whisper
where my truth lies and offer me skies
to leave this world behind with faith,
trust, and pixie dust.
So in bliss, I close my eyes and I dream to fly
with a spirit high and Power to guide, hoping
to try for a life like magic with just faith,
trust, and pixie dust.
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Prompt:
What drains your energy in your life? And in what ways can you stay grounded in stressful situations?
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In my life, right now, things getting broken or not working properly drain my energy. I'm not a handyman, so it is quite disturbing to not know where the trouble is. I mean if it is a small appliance or something it is easily replaceable. When it has to do with the plumbing, AC or things like that, I'm at a loss. Then, of course, managing money is also on the table, which I have gotten quite good at, but it still is a source of stress.
Normally, I try to fix most anything if I can, or I try tp find someone to do it for me. If the culprit is not fixable, I try to steer my mind away from such situations.
I guess not taking care of one's physical and emotional needs may have an effect on the energy drain, mostly. I believe, I manage better in such areas than I do with plumbing. Then, with most folks overcommitting with activities or responsibilities can add to their energy-drain, same as unresolved issues and past hurts knocking on memory's door. Negative relationships and family issues can drain a person's energy, too.
Luckily, at the moment, my stress is only the result of the AC's thermostat, which I am sure, will be taken care of soon by the handyman who is going to arrive sometime during the week. I just hope the weather complies.
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Prompt:
Let this quote inspire your entry: “In May, anything seemed possible. If only I could learn to harness time itself. To make every month like May! Or, perhaps, to live backward in time, so that whenever the end of the month arrived, I could turn May right around and live it all over again.” ― T.A. Barron
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I don't know what makes May so special, for T.A. Barron. I think he must have had a fantastic May to want to live it over again. In my case. though, I'm usually more curious about tomorrow than today, as beautiful as today might be.
This could be because I hesitate to relive anything that has passed, for fear that the second replica won't feel the same. It is, however, a fact that May falls on a crossroad between the end of winter and the beginning of summer. For many people, this time of year signals energy, creativity, and optimism.
On the other side of the coin, this quote can be taken as a quiet lament. May, no matter how radiant, does pass like every month. This brings up a universal human desire to hold onto our inspirations and happier selves and, so to speak, to a state of awakening.
Not that I'm lamenting the end of May, but as much as I like looking forward, I also fear a scorching June and the rest of the summer for, where I live, summers bring hurricanes and awful heat. Then, it is possible that, at times this summer, I may want to go back to May again.
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