Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite musicals of all time. The very best Tevye of all times was played with sensitivity, humor, and joyeux de vivre by my beloved husband Nyle. I always wanted the chance to portray Golda to his Tevya...sigh, I'm certain that in Heaven we'll finally get our chance.
This last week I went to a production of Fiddler by a group of talented teenagers. Oh trust me, Tevye was no NYLE SMITH, but he did a terrific job for a teenage boy. It was strange for me to have an all teenage cast sing the poignant song, "Sunrise, Sunset." I mean in our teens how do any of us comprehend that someday we actually WILL be old? It seems impossible at that stage of life to comprehend that we will ever be older than 21.
Today we went to an Open House for one of our beloved friends who just returned from a two year LDS Mission in Brazil. I first met this young man when he was about three years old. He was a red headed dynamo. He was particularly talented at getting involved in mischief. Just about the time that Wes would get on my last nerve he would do something so incredibly adorable that I knew that I would love him forever and beyond!
One night our oldest daughter was babysitting for Wes and several of his siblings. Wes simply refused to stay in bed, and since he shared his bedroom he was keeping his sisters awake as well. Our girl was just beginning her babysitting career. She called me almost in tears asking for my help. I went over with my superior parental authority (at least I thought I had this power, I have since learned that I was delusional in this regard).
I pretty much wrestled Wes into bed. I then began to sing him lullabies. I have perfected the ability over the years of singing such soothing songs that I can lull the most fractious and rambunctious of children to sleep.
After singing a couple of songs to Wes he said, "May I sing MY favorite song to you?" I figured he would sing some nursery rhyme, something elegant and refined such as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Imagine my surprise when he began to sing in clear little boy tones, "When you walk through a storm keep your head up high, and don't be afraid of the dark..." This amazing song is from the musical "Carousel." I have never before or since heard it performed word perfect by a small boy.
In the years since I've come to understand that Wes got into mischief generally because he's quite brilliant. When he would get bored, the trouble would begin. If that brilliant mind, and need for activity could be channeled he was a joy to be with.
Wes grew into a loving young man. One example is a warm spring afternoon when I drove around a corner and there he was with a group of his high school buddies. He literally waved at me to stop my car. He ran across the road to hug me with one of his all engulfing hugs. When Wes hugs you, you know you've been good and properly hugged! No sissy stilted hugs from this dear boy!
Somehow today seeing twenty-one year old Wes felt unreal, as though he should still be that brilliant, red-headed little boy of my dreams in his clear, sincerely sweet voice singing, "Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, and you'll never walk alone..." Yet even though he's now handsome, and grown up I will always keep that precious boy that he used to be alive and close to my heart.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass....it's about learning to dance in the rain!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
They Were Muddy!
My husband was speaking to a student who was struggling with a title for her dissertation. He asked about the subject matter. She replied that her subject was Peasants in Medieval times. Nyle's quick response was to my mind an excellent title. He suggested that she entitle it, "Peasant's, They Were Muddy."
Now moving sharply forward several hundred years we have "Mormon Pioneers, They Were Muddy." Those pioneers left home and family to come to Utah. They had endured mobbings, their leaders had been murdered and they had been forced out of one city after another.
In 1847 a group of pioneers came to a lovely mountainous place in Utah. Imagine how disappointed they were to find that the two most abundant building supplies were rocks, and mud. There were trees but they were way up high in the mountains. The trees up high were scrub oak and pine, neither an ideal material for building homes, churches, and other types of buildings.
When they began to plow the fields to provide food for the next winter they again found enormous quantities of rocks, small to large. They spent great periods of time removing rocks. So the piles of rocks began to pile up.
These pioneers were not just muddy they were innovative. They said, "Hey we have rocks and mud. Why don't we use those materials to build?" Voila (OK, most of the pioneers did not speak French but if they did they would use that word), walls, houses, rock gardens, all sorts of creative methods of using rocks and mud developed.
Is anyone reading this asking themselves, "Ummmm....what is she trying to discuss with those muddy peasants and pioneers?" I promise that at long last I am coming to the point of my Post.
Pioneers and peasants shared one thing in common besides the letter P at the beginning of those titles. They worked HARD. In fact in the dictionary next to HARD I believe it states, "The way that muddy Peasants and Pioneers worked." They also needed a great amount of patience and vision to see past the drawbacks, and envision a future for a place that had mostly rocks and mud and little else.
How amazed those pioneers would be to see the beautiful town that has grown up where once there was mostly only rocks and mud. There are thousands of people living in beautiful mansions (which still use rocks and mud, just on a grander scale).
When we are stuck in the minute to minute existence of life do we ever stop and envision what a difference our life will make to the future? Are we using the things that have been put before us to make our lives better? Are we busily counting our blessings instead of bemoaning our struggles?
So the next time all you can see is "Rocks and Mud," think of those muddy peasants and pioneers. While they worked on the future they were thinking about you.
Now moving sharply forward several hundred years we have "Mormon Pioneers, They Were Muddy." Those pioneers left home and family to come to Utah. They had endured mobbings, their leaders had been murdered and they had been forced out of one city after another.
In 1847 a group of pioneers came to a lovely mountainous place in Utah. Imagine how disappointed they were to find that the two most abundant building supplies were rocks, and mud. There were trees but they were way up high in the mountains. The trees up high were scrub oak and pine, neither an ideal material for building homes, churches, and other types of buildings.
When they began to plow the fields to provide food for the next winter they again found enormous quantities of rocks, small to large. They spent great periods of time removing rocks. So the piles of rocks began to pile up.
These pioneers were not just muddy they were innovative. They said, "Hey we have rocks and mud. Why don't we use those materials to build?" Voila (OK, most of the pioneers did not speak French but if they did they would use that word), walls, houses, rock gardens, all sorts of creative methods of using rocks and mud developed.
Is anyone reading this asking themselves, "Ummmm....what is she trying to discuss with those muddy peasants and pioneers?" I promise that at long last I am coming to the point of my Post.
Pioneers and peasants shared one thing in common besides the letter P at the beginning of those titles. They worked HARD. In fact in the dictionary next to HARD I believe it states, "The way that muddy Peasants and Pioneers worked." They also needed a great amount of patience and vision to see past the drawbacks, and envision a future for a place that had mostly rocks and mud and little else.
How amazed those pioneers would be to see the beautiful town that has grown up where once there was mostly only rocks and mud. There are thousands of people living in beautiful mansions (which still use rocks and mud, just on a grander scale).
When we are stuck in the minute to minute existence of life do we ever stop and envision what a difference our life will make to the future? Are we using the things that have been put before us to make our lives better? Are we busily counting our blessings instead of bemoaning our struggles?
So the next time all you can see is "Rocks and Mud," think of those muddy peasants and pioneers. While they worked on the future they were thinking about you.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Random Act of Auntiness
Slim, and not very tall yet my eight year old great-nephew was baptized on Saturday. In our faith, (Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints) that involves baptism by immersion. I was so very proud of this young tyke who made his own decision to be baptized.
I hope that as he moves forward into the rest of his life that this memory will be strong in his brain. The memory of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, Parents, all coming together lovingly to support him will move forward into life with him. He will NEVER be alone in this lifetime unless he chooses to be. At any given time he has only to reach out, either to his large family, or to his memory of that sacred day. When he reaches out he will remember how beloved he is. I hope that will help him in the tougher times that life brings to all of us if we live long enough.
During one point in the services when we were waiting for Andrew to dress and come back to the baptismal room there was a grand reunion. Family was connecting with a uniquely Smith/Powell form of love, and laughter. The officiator said that in sacred circumstances such visiting would seem inappropriate, HOWEVER, there was such a genuine spirit of love in our reunion that it was sacred.
It caused me to reflect on the ultimate reunion. That time after this life is finished. I will again be with my sweetheart forever. Oh what a grand reunion that will be.
So, I started with Andrew and I shall end with Andrew. Thank you dear for being such a remarkable, handsome, loving, young man. I know that you are loved by a huge number of family, but remember always that one great-aunt named CJ loves you!
I hope that as he moves forward into the rest of his life that this memory will be strong in his brain. The memory of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends, Parents, all coming together lovingly to support him will move forward into life with him. He will NEVER be alone in this lifetime unless he chooses to be. At any given time he has only to reach out, either to his large family, or to his memory of that sacred day. When he reaches out he will remember how beloved he is. I hope that will help him in the tougher times that life brings to all of us if we live long enough.
During one point in the services when we were waiting for Andrew to dress and come back to the baptismal room there was a grand reunion. Family was connecting with a uniquely Smith/Powell form of love, and laughter. The officiator said that in sacred circumstances such visiting would seem inappropriate, HOWEVER, there was such a genuine spirit of love in our reunion that it was sacred.
It caused me to reflect on the ultimate reunion. That time after this life is finished. I will again be with my sweetheart forever. Oh what a grand reunion that will be.
So, I started with Andrew and I shall end with Andrew. Thank you dear for being such a remarkable, handsome, loving, young man. I know that you are loved by a huge number of family, but remember always that one great-aunt named CJ loves you!
Welcome to Monday
So...it is the oft dreaded day known as Monday. The dread is well expressed in the little jingle, "I owe, I owe so off to work I go..." Sung to the tune of Heigh Ho from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Now since I have used this jingle to represent Mondays it seems appropriate to take the idea one step further. The seven dwarfs are as follows, Doc, Dopey, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, and Twitchy, (um...I may or may not have made up the last one's name because I can't remember the actual name of the 7th dwarf....shhhh....don't tell Disney...lol) Let us examine the names of the dwarfs which actually represent the characteristics of their personalities.
On Monday which dwarf are you? If you are Happy....please contact me, I would LOVE to meet you! If you are any of the other dwarfs, well let's just say I'm sad for your co-workers. Worse yet if you transform between the dwarves rapidly, YIKES! I believe that there is a psychological name for this condition but we won't go into that now.
So, on this Monday morning if you are feeling Grumpy, Dopey, or Sleepy, try to remember that it really truly is a great blessing to have a way to earn money to pay for little luxuries, you know like rent, food, and toilet paper? Remembering this idea may help you segue from any of those sad dwarfs to Happy...and after all don't we all want to be Happy?
Now since I have used this jingle to represent Mondays it seems appropriate to take the idea one step further. The seven dwarfs are as follows, Doc, Dopey, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, and Twitchy, (um...I may or may not have made up the last one's name because I can't remember the actual name of the 7th dwarf....shhhh....don't tell Disney...lol) Let us examine the names of the dwarfs which actually represent the characteristics of their personalities.
On Monday which dwarf are you? If you are Happy....please contact me, I would LOVE to meet you! If you are any of the other dwarfs, well let's just say I'm sad for your co-workers. Worse yet if you transform between the dwarves rapidly, YIKES! I believe that there is a psychological name for this condition but we won't go into that now.
So, on this Monday morning if you are feeling Grumpy, Dopey, or Sleepy, try to remember that it really truly is a great blessing to have a way to earn money to pay for little luxuries, you know like rent, food, and toilet paper? Remembering this idea may help you segue from any of those sad dwarfs to Happy...and after all don't we all want to be Happy?
Friday, February 8, 2013
Todays Expressions and Impressions
My post yesterday introduced my word experimentation. So here is today's phrasing.
1. SIMPLE: The clouds had layers.
2. MORE DETAILED: Sunset defined the colors of cloud.
3. STILL MORE DETAILED: Clouds were painted in layers in the sunset.
4. MOST DETAILED: Gray, turquoise, and silvery-white, the clouds painted the day into night.
Now it's your turn...remember, I want interactive here. I'm excited to hear from you!
1. SIMPLE: The clouds had layers.
2. MORE DETAILED: Sunset defined the colors of cloud.
3. STILL MORE DETAILED: Clouds were painted in layers in the sunset.
4. MOST DETAILED: Gray, turquoise, and silvery-white, the clouds painted the day into night.
Now it's your turn...remember, I want interactive here. I'm excited to hear from you!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Creative Wordsmithing
Wordsmith....the definition is a person who crafts unique word arrangements as they describe things that may be ever so ordinary. In old England people didn't have last names. Their trade was the name they used. For example John the Blacksmith, Harold the Tinsmith, etc. etc. Ever wonder why there are so many Smith's? At one point in history everyone was required to have a last name. So the front of their work was dropped and they became SMITH'S. Think of all the Smithing professions, Tinsmiths, Wordsmiths, Coppersmiths, Blacksmiths, on and on and on. But I digress from my initial reason for posting.
This week I'm going to do a simple exercise with my writing. I'm going to look at everyday sights and come up with different words of description. Here is my example for this morning.
I saw trees with smog ice, bare of leaves, reaching to the sky. Next example: Lacy etched tree fronds scratched at the steely, stormy, silvered, sky. Simplistic: The tree had ice from smog. Simpler still Frozen tree iced. OK that last one may or may NOT be a complete sentence but this is a CREATIVE exercise NOT an exercise countained by the discipline of grammar and punctuation.
Now it's your turn....please oh please, somebody respond by listing some of YOUR examples of everyday things that you observe. I guess it goes without saying but PLEASE do not express things that are less than refined. I LOVE my blog posts to be interactive so let lose your inhibitions and start describing, I can't wait to hear from you!
This week I'm going to do a simple exercise with my writing. I'm going to look at everyday sights and come up with different words of description. Here is my example for this morning.
I saw trees with smog ice, bare of leaves, reaching to the sky. Next example: Lacy etched tree fronds scratched at the steely, stormy, silvered, sky. Simplistic: The tree had ice from smog. Simpler still Frozen tree iced. OK that last one may or may NOT be a complete sentence but this is a CREATIVE exercise NOT an exercise countained by the discipline of grammar and punctuation.
Now it's your turn....please oh please, somebody respond by listing some of YOUR examples of everyday things that you observe. I guess it goes without saying but PLEASE do not express things that are less than refined. I LOVE my blog posts to be interactive so let lose your inhibitions and start describing, I can't wait to hear from you!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The Auntie Example
Aunts....in the western United States the title for this relative is usually pronounced the same as the small creature on the ground ant. In the East and Midwest of America the title is pronounced Ahnt, or Ahntie. Somehow that sounds better to me.....ahntie.
Shakespeare wisely said in his play, Romeo and Juliet, "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." So I suppose whether you call these relatives by the title of Ant or Ahnt or Ahntie doesn't matter. What matters is the relationship with these people.
I have many, MANY Aunts. When I married my husband I gained four more. One of my husband's aunts (she's now mine as well....I plan on keeping her as mine for eternity!!!) the very first time she met me pulled me in for a hug. I was feeling huge feelings of insecurity. Nyle and I were getting married in a few weeks. I didn't know his family AT ALL....and we had been engaged and disengaged two or three times in a year.
This same beloved Ahntie, Aunt Jane said words that are engraved on my heart forever, "Welcome to our family CJ. I love you already. I know that you will be a great blessing to Nyle, and to all of our family." WOW! Those sweet words have echoed in my heart and soul for the last 28 years.
This week, I lost two Aunts....Aunt Della, and Auntie Jane. The two didn't have much in common. Each of them was from a different side of my large, lovely family. The one thing they did have in common was that for the last several years of their lives they both struggled with dementia. One of the darkest times in life is watching someone that you love leave before their body is finished. As their personalities faded away the memories that I shared with them became more and more precious.
I can not feel sad for their deaths. For both of them it is a great release. I believe that once again they are in their best healthiest selves. Even if I did NOT believe in life after death (and it is very real to me), even if I ascribed to the theory that there is NOTHING after death, we simply cease to exist, I would be happy for them to have left behind the burdens of pain, and dementia.
Yet within their struggles I see the strengths that are cultivated by the families. Unselfishness that is shown in the caring for these two ladies who have been dear to me. Moments of poignance when they would be themselves even for a brief period of time.
What I would wish is that I could have a time machine. I would sail back in time to New Year's Day at my Aunt Della's. I would watch her happy animated face as she made making a 4 or 5 course meal for 50 look effortless. I would hear her musical laugh ringing out again. I would hug her tight and tell her how much I love her.
Ahntie Jane....I would snuggle up and go to sleep with her in her double bed. I don't think we slept all that much but we had fun giggling and gabbing. The years seemed to fall away and we were both young girls having a slumber (slumberLESS) party. I would eat her amazing biscuits that were so light and fluffy you HAD to put gravy on them or they would simply float off the plate. (OK, that last statement may be a bit exaggerated, but not much!) I would sing, and sing, and sing to Ahntie Jane. She always told me that she LOVED to hear me sing, and I LOVED to sing to her.
Both of these aunts were examples to me of faith, of courage in the hardest of times, and laughter in all times. Both of them blessed me with many, MANY wonderful cousins, and cousins children, and left behind a large legacy of love.
Salute to you both ladies, Aunt Della, and Auntie Jane. I love you both. Even though your turn on this old earth is finished you will always be a part of me. I am excited for that time when once again we are together. Aunt Della, please play the piano for me (she was a terrific piano player) so that I can sing to Aunt Jane, and then we'll have a HUGE round of playing card games. Maybe in the eternities Auntie Jane will cook for me, and I will sing to her....I know that I would appreciate the trade off (I appreciate good cooking but don't really like to do it myself)....NYLE would definitely appreciate it too!
Shakespeare wisely said in his play, Romeo and Juliet, "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." So I suppose whether you call these relatives by the title of Ant or Ahnt or Ahntie doesn't matter. What matters is the relationship with these people.
I have many, MANY Aunts. When I married my husband I gained four more. One of my husband's aunts (she's now mine as well....I plan on keeping her as mine for eternity!!!) the very first time she met me pulled me in for a hug. I was feeling huge feelings of insecurity. Nyle and I were getting married in a few weeks. I didn't know his family AT ALL....and we had been engaged and disengaged two or three times in a year.
This same beloved Ahntie, Aunt Jane said words that are engraved on my heart forever, "Welcome to our family CJ. I love you already. I know that you will be a great blessing to Nyle, and to all of our family." WOW! Those sweet words have echoed in my heart and soul for the last 28 years.
This week, I lost two Aunts....Aunt Della, and Auntie Jane. The two didn't have much in common. Each of them was from a different side of my large, lovely family. The one thing they did have in common was that for the last several years of their lives they both struggled with dementia. One of the darkest times in life is watching someone that you love leave before their body is finished. As their personalities faded away the memories that I shared with them became more and more precious.
I can not feel sad for their deaths. For both of them it is a great release. I believe that once again they are in their best healthiest selves. Even if I did NOT believe in life after death (and it is very real to me), even if I ascribed to the theory that there is NOTHING after death, we simply cease to exist, I would be happy for them to have left behind the burdens of pain, and dementia.
Yet within their struggles I see the strengths that are cultivated by the families. Unselfishness that is shown in the caring for these two ladies who have been dear to me. Moments of poignance when they would be themselves even for a brief period of time.
What I would wish is that I could have a time machine. I would sail back in time to New Year's Day at my Aunt Della's. I would watch her happy animated face as she made making a 4 or 5 course meal for 50 look effortless. I would hear her musical laugh ringing out again. I would hug her tight and tell her how much I love her.
Ahntie Jane....I would snuggle up and go to sleep with her in her double bed. I don't think we slept all that much but we had fun giggling and gabbing. The years seemed to fall away and we were both young girls having a slumber (slumberLESS) party. I would eat her amazing biscuits that were so light and fluffy you HAD to put gravy on them or they would simply float off the plate. (OK, that last statement may be a bit exaggerated, but not much!) I would sing, and sing, and sing to Ahntie Jane. She always told me that she LOVED to hear me sing, and I LOVED to sing to her.
Both of these aunts were examples to me of faith, of courage in the hardest of times, and laughter in all times. Both of them blessed me with many, MANY wonderful cousins, and cousins children, and left behind a large legacy of love.
Salute to you both ladies, Aunt Della, and Auntie Jane. I love you both. Even though your turn on this old earth is finished you will always be a part of me. I am excited for that time when once again we are together. Aunt Della, please play the piano for me (she was a terrific piano player) so that I can sing to Aunt Jane, and then we'll have a HUGE round of playing card games. Maybe in the eternities Auntie Jane will cook for me, and I will sing to her....I know that I would appreciate the trade off (I appreciate good cooking but don't really like to do it myself)....NYLE would definitely appreciate it too!
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