If Stories Come to You, ...

“If stories come to you, care for them and learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.” Barry Lopez, in Crow and Weasel
Our stories are not supposed to be horded and kept in the recesses of our brains, but rather, they should be thrown to the four corners of the world. Just like love, we cannot worry ourselves with the constant concern that it is returned. We know that when we give we receive if not immediately, then ultimately.
Sharing our stories are gentle caresses to the listener’s ears. They are colorful masterpieces to the reader’s eyes. We may truly never fully, completely understand the impact that our experiences have on others. I will share this story, as that is what I do:
I had a student some years back. Q.O.D., is what I use every day to encourage my students to think, share, write, ponder. Most of my stories have some degree of moral, ethical lesson embedded within it. Daily I share my own experiences. Most of the time, I choose a quote that represents something that has happened to me over the 24 hours prior to my coming into class. You see, I never choose the quote until the beginning of my school day. It is in the spontaneity of the moment that guarantees the experience to be real, and “in the moment.” Typically, my students realize this within the first 2 weeks of teaching them.
One student in particular was a bit of an outcast. She gained from my sharing of personal experiences that she can be somebody. She shared in an essay that now she believes that she can go on to college, and she can achieve because if Ms. LaLuna can with all that has happened to her, than she can too.
I never would have imagined as I looked out over my class of students that 1) I was even being heard, and 2) that it would have been her to have “gotten it.”
So my dear friends, if you have taken the time to read this little Q.O.D, then I pray you will see the value in sharing your story. It is the one thing that you have that no one else has, and it is only when you decide to give it away can you give it, and keep it all at the same time. It is in giving away your story that it becomes real.

ArtSeesDiner

Becoming a writer is no easy task. It requires the willingness to realize that you might not be able to write at all. So with that said, or written as it were, I am attempting to become a writer. Yes, me, I am moving away from blogdom, not to be confused with boredom, although they are both of the "doms" and in keeping with that stream of jargdom, I welcome you to the kingdom of ME, by way of The Box!

Metamorphosis, Beatles 101 and life taking on wings!

“and then on August 24th of 2007, the sky suddenly parted”

Yes, I know that sounds a bit extreme, but that is what the guy wrote! Yes, you see, I came across his profile, his amazing brown eyes flashed at me, his serious, smile-less face was looking write through me. I had to know him. I had seen him months earlier, but it was not a situation that I could reach out and communicate. I wasn’t ready.

I came across him again, in the most unusual of places, I will not tell the story as it is reserved for my grand-kids when they are post-25! Anyway, it isn’t that big of a deal, but then again, it is huge! I went on one of those social-network sites for the purposes of grabbing glances into my daughter’s lives, as well as some of my family members. I was detached, out there on my own you might say. Starting a new phase in my life, and I was missing out on so many stories that I heard them sharing. So, I broke down and joined. I found it to be cathartic, enlightening, fun, I stretched my minimal techno skills from a level 1, to a level 2.5! Now, I am desiring to be the blogging queen, through my “soapblogging” endeavors, maybe I will discover the writer within.

It is also a desire to become an “Indie” producers of sorts. Through my writing and my singing, something creative should transpire. Time will tell. Oh, the guy that claimed the sky parted…well, I fell in love. I did not think it was possible, I thought those days were over. I was going to be the strong-willed, independent type that would forge on alone, determined to make it without the love of a man. I vowed friends and only friends with men for all eternity. Well, I was wrong, again. Now, I am forging a life with an amazing man, friend, buddy, singing partner, I really like this human being, really! Can you believe he insist on doing the dishes! He won’t let me help! I get to cook, and he enjoys the gastronomic endeavors of this culinary queen, little writer, wanna be ~~there is also another trade-off~~ I have to go through my Beatle’s lessons, Woody Allen, 101…listen to him sing and play the guitar and piano…struggle as I learn how to play, cribbage…just to name a few… and laugh every step of the way!

The Steve and Mary Show is off and running. Not long after the 24^th of August and the sky suddenly parted, so did the pathway down to pick up luggage at the airport terminal. LaGuardia hasn’t been the same since this curly blonde haired piece of fluff showed up in red ballet slippers and a Charlie Brown t-shirt, scared out of her wits, but knowing with every step towards the amazing smile, brown eyes laughing, strong physique adorned, proud, in the favored orange man that life would never be the same and chances passed up for decorum were not going to be lost on this girlie girl. Some moments in time are meant to not be passed by! Thank you Lord for going with me…~~As he hugged me, NO, cocooned me, I indeed went through a metamorphosis…now this butterfly is ready to fly and dance, dance a dance that all princesses should dance at least one time in their lives. My new mantra, which is actually an old mantra, but a new mantra, as it is a new year….”BRING IT ON!”

Blessings!