Martin Luther King Jr., Courage

Dear Sillies,

How are you? Well, that's too big of a question, so I'll just say BE SAFE. Be warm. Be loved. We're faring okay despite CA's state of emergency. But the stormy weather won't let up any time soon. I'm keeping positive thoughts for us all.

And for today: I was fortunate enough to be in the audience over twenty years ago when Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King's then widow, who passed away in 2006; gave a moving speech. Even more awesome, that speech was delivered to a Jewish audience. (George Santos wasn't there. Note: He's Jew-ish. He was born Catholic. Ask him. Smiles. Oy vey.) As I was saying, I couldn't have felt more directly connected with the Reverend's teachings.

As catastropic as things may seem, there's always reason for hope. Without hope, there's no courage. 

A hopeful, brave week to you!

Courage

Extending the dance 

When you’ve long lost your groove
Swimming to shore too frail to move.

Stepping towards light, when darkness abounds
Permitting a laugh amid no other sounds.

Confronting a beast no one should endure
It strikes with no warning, no reprieve and no cure.
 

Snuggling with hope, when the pain you can’t bare
Unveiling your heart in the face of despair.

Conveying a smile, when you’d much rather cry
Speaking the truth though it’s safer to lie.

Taking a stance, when integrity’s lost
Forcing what’s right in spite of the cost.  

Holding to faith in your value and worth
Maintaining a grace that softens the earth.  

Passing with ease
As you air your last breath
A hero whose soul
Transcends life

and death.

                           

                                     by me, Robyn Alana Engel

Heroism, Rope Burns, Anniversary Repost

Dear Sillies,
   I'm cheating. I've been getting over a bug and have nothing new for you. Instead, I decided to see what I posted exactly one year ago. I'm pleased that my eyes met this sweet, inspiring post. It feels like a dose of what I and maybe you and the world needs now.
   I highlighted the bits that bring the post to date.
   Be good to yourselves.
   You're loved.

   Eighty four days since the Camp Fire [now 449 days], strength, unity, and resilience continue to pervade. It's a beautiful thing! At the heart of it all: children--our most unsung heroes. 
    I visit(ed) a local elementary school weekly, for work. That one school seamlessly integrated a former Paradise elementary school. And I mean, seamlessly. 2 schools in 1! With almost no time to prepare for the expansion, the kids and staff readily posted murals and artistic creations to warmly welcome their new peers.

    While playing tetherball, a girl approached to say "I'm in first grade." I believe her point was that she's in first grade and nearly my height, but she was too polite to go there. Note: She is now in second grade an undoubtedly taller than me.
   Other kids who noticed my lack of tetherball savvy suggested that I hit the ball harder. (I tried. I really did. I still lost, 15 games to 0 games.) 
   By the way, did you know that a "cheap shot" amounts to one's opponent hitting the other's body with the ball, the result of which is that the person hit by the ball is out!? Perhaps dodge-ball is a less vicious option.

   Excuse me, while I leave to ice on my rope burns.They're gone now!
   Be well, my friends.

"There are heroes all around us doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways."

Talmudic Inspiration

Dear Hearts,
   I've been, once again, for the seemingly millionth time, at a loss. Sometimes silence says it best. Yet I saw this on a friend's Facebook page yesterday -- a quote from the Talmud.*
   *While the Old Testament (Jewish Bible), is written in narrative, the Talmud is more of a scholarly collection of philosophies regarding how to live life. These words instantly calmed me.   
   One of our biggest challenges is keeping ourselves and each other afloat, while the greater forces in control of the media promote grand helplessness.
   I hope this offers warm inspiration.
   Love you, and I'll be back with something by Wednesday.

Courage, A Poetic Repost

Hi, Dear Sillies,
   Certain events brought me back to this one. I'm sorry I haven't generated new poetry lately. It comes and goes and has been gone for a while (except when I wrote The Trumpeter).
   Happy October, dear ones.
   Be good to yourselves.

Extending the dance, 

When you’ve long lost your groove
Swimming to shore too frail to move.

Stepping towards light, when darkness abounds
Permitting a laugh amid no other sounds.

Confronting a beast no one should endure
It strikes with no warning, no reprieve and no cure.
 

Snuggling with hope, when the pain you can’t bear
Unveiling your heart in the face of despair.

Conveying a smile, when you’d much rather cry
Speaking the truth though it’s safer to lie.

Taking a stance, when integrity’s lost
Forcing what’s right in spite of the cost.  

Holding to faith in your value and worth
Maintaining a grace that softens the earth.  

Passing with ease
As you air your last breath

A hero whose soul
Transcends life
and death.

Photo by me, 9/17, Greek Perspective

Inspiration, Weirdness, Scorpio and Methie

Hi, Friends,

   Throughout the world was sent a big, bold message on the side of love, fairness, and justice for everyone. It was incredibly touching, uplifting, and hopeful to be in a crowd of thousands at Chico's March for Women. Did any of you go to a March? Watch from home?  Awesome, yes? I don't have photos, but I wanted to acknowledge such a historic day before I turn to selfish, micro matters.

-----------------------------------------More Prelude to the Bar Brawl--
   You've met Scorpio. After his restless legs scurried out of my apartment to take a "break" (cuz, yeah, imagine the agony of dating me for an entire three weeks!), he ignored me completely. Nearly two months passed. Despite being hurt, I didn't reach out and figured it was for the best. I still frequented the bar where we met. Mind you, I hate the bar scene and don't drink at all. Many of my friends, though, are musicians, and there's a lively Open Mic at this bar.
   You might recall that Scorpio hardly ever drinks alcohol, or so he told me. But when I saw him on a bar stool one night in December, he was red-faced, dopey, and gulping down beers.

   both photos - google images

   Meet Methie.* Methie is missing a front tooth. Imagine Methie with said missing tooth in the exact middle (versus to one side or the other) of her mouth; 15 years older; and not nearly as pretty as the woman pictured. I'd been friendly with Methie off and on for a few years. Methie knows she's the world's greatest singer, though her voice is loud, screechy, and off-key. Methie likes men, especially men who talk to her. Methie drinks and smokes pot, like much of the community. As far as harder stuff, *let's just say that methamphetamines are known to completely destroy a person's mouth and gums.  And meth is tragically highly used in these here parts.
   Why'd I introduce you to Methie? Because after I saw drunken Scorpio, I noticed that he and Methie were talking. It appeared they'd already become acquainted.
   My friend Brandi and I sat at a table midway between the bar and the stage. 
   Minutes later, Methie casually approached us. "Hi Methie," I said, "so you were talking to my ex."
   "I know, but he said you're not dating anymore Robyn. We're just talking, we both like hiking, Is that okay?" --Methie's speech rate increased, and she talked in weirdly spiraled contradictions that allowed no room for my response-- "we're only talking Robyn, we're going hiking, we both like to hike, we've been hanging out for three weeks, we're only friends. I'm so sorry. Is it okay?" Her face contorted into an expression of: I'm getting some and you're not but I'm pretending to care about you.
   "Well no, Methie, it's awkward. You don't date a friend's ex, girl code. That's dis--"
   Methie interrupted with a shout: "I didn't know you were dating until recently! We both like hiking. That's all. Okay, I won't hang out with him. I respect you too much." Methie nodded, as if she'd convinced herself. She then rushed over to drunken Scorpio at the bar. Next thing I saw was Methie with her arm around drunken Scorpio's shoulder. She escorted him to a booth a few yards from us, and within direct eye shot, one foot from the stage. There, they sat snuggly, as if about to perform for me. Blood pounded through my veins. I was hurt, perplexed, enraged.
    Brandi turned to me, "Wait, Robyn, you were friends before, right?"
    "Well, yeah, not good friends, but we were friendly."
    "That's wrong of her. And Robyn," Brandi extended her neck to take a hard look at Methie, "Good Lord, you're way cuter! And at least you have all your teeth!"     -to be continued.

Courage, Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr.

Where have all my followers gone? I don't see your pretty, smiley faces on my right sidebar anymore, and this makes me very sad. The GFC gadget thing-a-majiggy seems to have disappeared. Is anyone else having the same problem? Can you see your pretty, smiley faces on my right sidebar? Any advice?

On a much more poignant note, I'm re-posting Courage. Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you for forcing what's right, in spite of the cost. It's up to us to carry the torch that you so courageously lit. Your journey is now, in a very real way, our duty.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Courage 

Extending the dance, 

When you’ve long lost your groove

Swimming to shore too frail to move.

Stepping towards light, when darkness abounds
Permitting a laugh amid no other sounds.

Confronting a beast no one should endure
It strikes with no warning, no reprieve and no cure.
 

Snuggling with hope, when the pain you can’t bare
Unveiling your heart in the face of despair.

Conveying a smile, when you’d much rather cry
Speaking the truth though it’s safer to lie.

Taking a stance, when integrity’s lost
Forcing what’s right in spite of the cost.  

Holding to faith in your value and worth
Maintaining a grace that softens the earth.  

Passing with ease
As you air your last breath

A hero whose soul
Transcends life
and death.

-Robyn Alana Engel

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ photo by me, 2017, Chico's Bidwell Park
 
Next: More on the Scorpio saga and my bar brawl. 

Please be safe. Weather reports are scary. Take it easy and be gentle with yourself. 
You're loved and you're worthy, and I hope you'll soon magically reappear on my sidebar.