The Garden

In the spring I see articles and pictures extolling the virtues of growing your own gardens and living the simple life.  There are even some who feel it should be incorporated and made mandatory.  So I wrote this very simple poem.  It’s the differences that should be celebrated and seen.

The Garden

I like to plant a garden to sit and watch it grow.

The miracle, the satisfaction, everyone should know.

I like to plant a garden and wish that you did too.

But that is me and you are you.

I see that you do not slightly care

I try to tell you – its fun let’s all share.

I get frustrated and sometimes even mad.

Inside the ache and feel it’s just too sad.

I see you are busy making the tools,

The tools I use in my garden. I am a fool.

Who will make them for me?

If we all have a garden.  Now I see.

Another writes the book I want to read.

As I watch my tiny little seeds.

Another sews the clothes I wear

Another does not slightly care.

I see the light and I can see.

You are you and I am me.

Stop the fighting. Stop the blame.

Not seeing the light is such a shame.

Words of Wisdom

“I hate when people are so negative – it’s may be the worst form of abuse one person can do to another. To make a person give up their dreams is abuse.” – wise words of wisdom from my son.

What is the Truth?

Sometimes what is thought the truth is only someone’s perception of their truth and not the truth at all.

Wade’s personal thoughts – One Dance with a Stranger

When I saw who Tony’s fiancee was I felt fear.  And that anger I need to control, that anger I sometimes feel doesn’t need controlling – ‘who cares anyway?’. Of all people Tony does not deserve Emily.

She is nothing like I imagined from her picture and she is everything I imagined.  The conflict is confusing.  Since I stared at her picture for years, thinking she was perfect, it’s not possible she can be better than perfect, but she is.  That haughty, don’t touch me look is almost transparent.  She can say what she wants, but that lonely girl expression is still in her eyes.  She does look like an ice-queen, just like Tony said.  But can’t he see below the surface?  Is he that shallow?  Of course he is.  Tony is who he is and I can’t change it either.  But I can help Emily see what he is. The biggest favor anyone could do for her is get her away from him.

Oh, oh, mom is looking at me oddly.  Why can’t she see who Tony really is? Because she’s his mother, that’s why.  Mom doesn’t want her sons to fight and I can imagine her words if we start fighting over a girl.

Emily says something scornful about my Texas drawl.  I grin with amusement.  Oh Emily you are just too much of a challenge to ignore. Mom and Tony slip from my mind and there is only Emily and I.

When Love conquers Power

I have always believed in respecting other people’s opinions regardless of how ridiculous they sound.  I do often feel a need to question if something isn’t feasible or as often the case when comments are in conflict.

Power of Love instead of Love of Power makes sense to me. I see this love of power and also see the harm it can do.  I often ask the question – what can we do to stop this love of power?  But inside I know it’s not possible as it goes back to opinions and the fact we are individuals.  It’s not up to me to judge others.

I recently watched a show and one sentence got me pondering on life.  Jackie Robinson said (in 42) …I don’t need respect. I know who I am…  A friend added to that sentence for me – I am a child of God.

My inspiration – Alan Jackson

I recently found this – and find his version – is like hearing the voice of an angel.  A beautiful,  touching song.

 

Writing Rule #2 – Truth or Myth?

Writing Rule #2:  POV – true or false?

All advice I’ve ever heard when writing is keeping your Point of View in one person’s thoughts.  I mostly follow this rule but was amazed when my favorite romance author, Judith McNaught didn’t follow this and created one of the most poignant, sexy scenes between a couple in her story –  Something Wonderful.  It’s her heroine’s first kiss and she is not even slightly interested. Her hero is well aware of his charm and where kisses can lead.  The thoughts jump back and forth between the hero and the heroine.  McNaught broke the POV rule to create a unique, memorable kiss.   

Writing Rule #1 – Truth or Myth?

I found this article very interesting and in conflict with what writer’s are usually advised, so I am re-posting it.  Thank you Elan Barnehama.

Rule #1:  Always Write what you know.   

WHY YOU SHOULD WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW -  Elan Barnehama March 5, 2013 

“I wrote a novel whose two main characters are lesbians.  This confuses some people because I am not a lesbian.  Because I am also not a woman.  And because I am not gay.

When I set out to write my novel, Finding Bluefield, I did not expect my main character to be a woman, much less for that woman to fall in love with another woman. But there I was, a straight man hooked by these two characters, Nicky and Barbara, and their voices, and the story they wanted me to tell.  As I ventured into unfamiliar-for-me- situations, my characters, Nicky and Barbara, found themselves in 1960′s Virginia navigating unknown territory during a time when relationships like theirs were mostly hidden and often dangerous….    

…I’m not sure who started encouraging writers to “write about what you know”.  At first glance it seems to make sense. Why not write about what I know when I know so much?  When I’ve done so much?  When I’ve seen so much?  But the writing process disproves this theory because the story is always better served by the narrative that could happen, that should happen…

…I wrote about characters who are different from me by gender, race, background, and religion.  There’s that risk of getting everything wrong.  But isn’t that where the fun is?  Making things up?  Finding the truth in the unknown?  It’s not always easy or comfortable, but I’ve learned to trust my characters and I’ve learned that the story truth is found in writing into the unknown…

…Maybe the real distinction, and I imagine this is true for many fiction writers, is that all my writing is autobiographical—in that it comes from me—but it’s not biographical, because it’s not about me.

In the end, if readers are able to connect it’s going to be through the essence of my characters’ humanity and the truth behind who they are and where they are going.

The obvious question is how do I know what I don’t know?  The answer is that I don’t.  I just write into unfamiliar territory and see what happens because I know that’s where the answers lie.  Sometimes I get lost.  Sometimes I get sidetracked.  If I’m lucky I find my way.  But the journey, yes the journey, is always worth it.

Moving on: – The Villa – Dominican Republic

Between Sosua and Cabarete – up the hills ‘they’ call mountains and we moved to my brother’s villa in the Dominican.  It was an exciting time.  I was looking forward to seeing the local life-styles.  The villa was beautiful with enough bedrooms, each with a bathroom and a private patio, we could all have our privacy, but be together.

It was wonderful to get up early in the morning.  There was always a breeze to sit by the pool with my coffee. It was here we had many lively discussions, some heated as siblings are apt to do and also shared many memories of our childhood days.  From my upstairs patio I could see glimpses of the ocean through the palms and foliage.   

From the Villa – Sosua

The town of Sosua was larger and this is where we went grocery shopping.  The stores were different than what we are used to.  Each store is individual and sells specific items. There are no department stores.  There are no fast-food services. We soon learned milk as we know it cannot be purchased in the Dominican.  Milk is like our canned milk there. The lovely real-estate lady, Marchina, suggested we contact a local farmer to get our dairy products.

There appears to be only one highway – loaded with traffic and especially small bikes (like mo-peds) everywhere.  These bikes are mostly rickety and falling apart and they seem to go and do as they please. Most of the cars were in no better shape.  The trucks were small – somewhat like our dump-trucks and ruled the road. So it amazed me there weren’t more accidents, but there wasn’t.  I rarely saw the police and never saw an accident.

The side streets that go anywhere but to villa’s or areas of town are rare. As we were driving along exploring we went down a street and discovered we were on a narrow, busy street filled with shops and people.  We were in downtown Sosua and there appeared to be no way out.  So we wound, turned and stopped on the side to let vehicles pass.  Finally after miles of driving it seemed we managed to get back on the main, only highway. Downtown was again like nothing I’d ever seen either.  We went to downtown Sosua to a small casino one night.  It was nothing like I expected either.  After spending hundreds and hundreds of pesos in the few machines they had – I discovered I lost $10.00. In the Dominican prostitution is legal and signs of this are all around in the downtown area.

I didn’t see many homes or shops being torn down.  They mainly appeared abandoned then something built beside it.  I assumed it was the ‘new’ shop.  I never found out if that’s the case.

Downtown Sosua