THE WAITING GAME

PATIENCE IS POWER.

Patience is more than just waiting.  Patience is restraint when you are provoked and hope when you are low.  It is about striving to get up no matter how far you have fallen.  And to do it without hurting others.  It is a means of purifying your heart...

Many of us feel like we spend a majority of our lives waiting and longing for what comes next.  We wait in line to ride the roller coaster, to pay for the groceries, to taste our lattes.  We wait for our food to be delivered to the table, the day we can get our driver's license, that text or call from someone special.  We wait for that college acceptance or (gulp) rejection letter.  We wait for healing when we are sick, that special vacation when all is well.

We wait for our father, mother, sibling, son or daughter to return from duty in places faraway.  We wait to be noticed...chosen...loved.  We are always waiting for the next season, hoping better things will come once we graduate, give our lives to a career worthy of of our talents, find that perfect person to marry, and then we wait to start our own families.  We live in an age that caters to our impatience: instantaneous overseas communication, overnight shipping and microwave ovens, fast food and fast tracks.  We are constantly looking forward to the next best thing, hoping to get through the now so we can get to the "then."

But is holding out for what's to come the smartest strategy?  We all want to live meaningful lives full of experiences and accomplishments we can be proud of.  We want a story to tell our grandchildren. But many of us fail to recognize that the best moments are the ones happening...

Right now.

Maybe the best time in our lives isn't ahead of us or behind us.  Maybe it is actually somewhere in the in between.  Maybe the "mundane" is really what it means to be alive.  Maybe we have an incredible opportunity to make of it what we will--to resent its lack of adventure or simply rejoice in the beauty of taking a moment to relish our next breath.

Real life doesn't happen on the big screen.  Sometimes, it's boring.  Sometimes, it is lackluster.   And as hard as we may try to hurry it all up, we are still often stuck in the waiting game...those less than remarkable moments.

So, what do we do with those?

We learn to embrace the wait.  We fall in love with the in-between, relishing those interruptions

instead of resenting them.  And in doing this...in allowing ourselves these moments to wait, we might just learn a few lessons that strengthen and nurture our souls.

When we are forced to slow down, we are reminded of the truth: we are not in control. Whether stopped at a light, stalled in a line, or put on hold, we can let it tie us into knots of anxiety, or we can accept that we cannot live in the past or the future; all we have is the right now, so we may as well take our time!  Waiting is not a detour, it is a very important part of the journey.  We need to learn to appreciate the space in between Point A and B.  After all, it is in this space that we grow.  It may happen slowly--almost painfully so--but one day, we will wake up and be amazed at the distance we have come!

Waiting can be about much more than waiting, and it can certainly involve more than the digital pacifiers we carry around with us.  We need to reframe waiting as an opportunity to disconnect from the task driven part of ourselves that craves stimulation and reconnect with the other, quieter part that longs for stillness, peace and reflection.  Maybe we can start to think anew about waiting as the space between the notes of music, a deep breath after a steep climb, a blank page dividing the chapters of a book, a patch of green in a towering, grey city.

In both the Jewish and Christian traditions, we are currently in a season of waiting.  Only one candle at a time may be lit on the Menorah and advent wreath.  Both holidays commemorate a "waiting" for a miracle, and both require a great measure of faith, hope and love and patience.  What better time then to stop and think? To create and capture rather than consume?  To work out unresolved issues and let yourselves daydream and take in the surroundings of right where you are?

Trust the wait.  Embrace the uncertainty.  Enjoy the beauty of "becoming."  Because when nothing is certain...

Anything is possible! 

Please enjoy this very special story/lesson on patience:  http://elitedaily.com/life/culture/story-one-taxi-driver-will-change-entire-day/

Then take some time to tell me what you thought.  What was the hardest thing you have ever had to wait for?  Did you learn anything in having to wait?  What was it? 

I wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas, Happiest of Hanukkahs, and most wondrous of holidays! 

  

A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS...

Right now, one of the big trends on facebook is the gratitude posts.  People will post something for which they are grateful each day and then number the days.  I love the idea.  I think that in this world with all of its choices, daily stresses, and, well, just everything on the news everyday, it is a good way to refocus, reset, and empower ourselves with all the many positive things and blessings we have in this country and community.

A relative of the gratitude post is the list of "My Favorite Things."  Making such a list of the things you hold most dear can provide a springboard for a gratitude list.  It is the perfect time at the beginning of the year to direct your mind to those things that are positive in your life--those things that make your heart happy.  In one of my favorite musicals, The Sound of Music, the Von Trapp family governess, Maria, even sings about her favorite things to help the eight children in her charge refocus their fears on a stormy night to think of things that make them smile...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IagRZBvLtw

So, here are the rules for this week's post:  Make a list of your 25 most favorite THINGS.  The key word is THINGS.  No people allowed on your list.  That removes the pressure you may feel to name every family member and friend.  People and things should never be categorized together.  People come first.  This list is much more light-hearted.

It was REALLY tougher than I thought to narrow it down to 25 for me (initially, I was afraid I would draw a blank!) but here is what came to mind first for me.  If you get stuck, go back and listen to Maria's song again, or review my list for inspiration, but really try to just take pen to paper and write what comes to your mind first.  It will probably be the most honest answer.  :)

Let's start the Christmas Season off with a list of all the things we love...those things for which we are most grateful.

Your soul will thank you.

MRS. CARAWAY'S FAVORITE THINGS...(in no particular order)

1.   Cathedral bells

 2.  Classical/Romantic piano music
3.  Fire places and how it feels to sit next to them on a cold day or evening
4.  Christmas Eve
5.  Ireland - the most beautiful country I have seen to date, and the loveliest people!
6.  Big Ben in London, and the view of it from Westminster Abbey
7.  The walk along the Seine from Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame in the autumn.
8.  Hanalei Bay & Secrets Beach (Kauai)
9.  WW2 History
10.  Handwritten letters with wax seals
11.  Romeo and Juliet  (and Shakespearean language)
12.  Books, movies and plays that make me cry, for joy and sadness (I can watch Phantom of the Opera over and over and over again)
13. Things that sparkle (candlelight, glitter, crystals, diamonds, etc.)
14.  Standing on a stage after a late night dress rehearsal...and it's dark, and there's anticipation everywhere....
15. The color red

16.  Reading or writing inside on a cold rainy day
17.  Twinings English Breakfast Tea
18.  The sound of my children laughing
19.  Watching my plays and my favorite plays come to life on the stage with my favorite people in them.
20.  Lacy, vintage dresses and button up boots (the combo of it)
21.  Flowers--especially poppies
22.  My faith (which gives me hope--my favorite virtue next to love)
23.  Perfume (I LOVE trying it all on!)

24.  The way it feels outside just before the snow falls (the sacred quiet of it--like nature holding its breath)
25.  Heroes - the real kind

                                                     

THE LIFE THAT'S FOUND IN LITERATURE....

"When masterful storytelling aligns perfectly with a humanitarian payload, the effects will be felt around the world, transcending genre or political agenda." (Tom Blunt)
What is it about a good book?  It can draw you right out of this world with all of its pressures, problems, demands and reality and into another time, place and existence, until you are immersed and all sense of the passage of real time seems to vanish.  Characters on the page become real, breathing entities - they are your dearest friends.  You are racing towards the end of the story, desperately seeking resolution, while at the same time terrified to see the whole experience come to an end.  What will you do without the experiences of these beloved characters to occupy your thoughts?  There have been many occasions when I have closed a book and desperately wondered how life dared to continue marching along as if nothing had just happened.  Now that I had read that book-experienced those pages-I would never be the same.  I was forever changed.  I am not too ashamed to admit that when I finished The Book Thief for the first time, I carried it around with me for a few days because I just wasn't ready to let go of that story - of that experience.  I couldn't even think about reading something new.  I wasn't ready.  For me, finishing a great book is like finishing a relationship:  you just need time to fully heal before starting a new one.

We have all heard about the benefits of reading.  It inspires creativity and imagination.  It makes us

better writers.  It allows us to see the world through different lenses.  But can reading great literature, fiction, in particular, actually help us be "more human?"  According to a recent article by Tom Blunt of Penguin Random House Publishing, those who regularly ingest good fiction tend to be able to empathize more with others; in other words, you may be be able to acknowledge and understand that other people have other points of view outside your own.  The reason?  Because when you read a great work of fiction, you see the world through another person's eyes, namely, the protagonist or main character.  You get a glimpse into their world and experiences, and are thus able to sympathize with their feelings, thoughts and beliefs!  Therefore, reading good fiction does more than build your imagination, it makes you better equipped to understand your fellow human beings in the real world, and accept varying points of view with more compassion.

Now, I personally didn't need another reason to read good fiction, but articles like this are kind of like those news bulletins that reveal that chocolate is actually GOOD for your health.  It just makes the whole pursuit of something you love a little sweeter!

Enjoy this article by Tom Blunt.  Read it carefully, then post your overall impression of the article. What did you like reading most?  What surprised you?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

And, if you have any great recommendations in fiction, well, go ahead and post those, too!

Link:  https://medium.com/@penguinrandomus/this-is-how-literary-fiction-teaches-us-to-be-human-53d468dba179#.5j3txg35e

 

THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH in an uncertain world...

"There is an eternal landscape, a geography of the soul.  We spend our entire lives looking for the outlines." ~Josephine Hart

Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, each one of us is on a quest for truth.  It is human nature to wonder--to seek--to fill the gaps of knowledge, and color in the spaces between the known and the unknown.  We are not satisfied to "let it be" and accept that perhaps some information is beyond our grasp.  It is what makes life frustrating and wonderful.  It is what makes us pathetic and extraordinary at the same time.

We are seekers.

And thank goodness we are.  If we weren't, polio would still plague us.  The world would be flat.  Lands and islands would remain undiscovered.  We want answers.  We want to be able to look into the looking glass and see not the murky image but the real one.  We are searching for the truth.

Whether it's the Truth with a capital T or the truth about something specific, it is the same general concept.  Every subject you take in school supports this search:  What really happened on December 7, 1941 and what were the events that led up to it?  What is the answer to this mathematical puzzle, or what steps did Einstein take to derive his theory of relativity?  What is the author really trying to tell us in this passage, and does this symbolize anything profoundly universal?  We want the answers, and we want them to make sense to us.  We want to know, once and for all.  

Schools seek to teach us not only how to uncover "truth," but how to recognize when something might be masquerading as truth.  It starts early--some might argue too early--in elementary grades when we try to identify the differences between facts and opinions.  We try to define both--put them into a neat little box--so we can easily and quickly recognize both and decipher their differences.  

But...that begs another question...can "truth" be characterized in this way?  Can opinions also be facts?  What about morals and ethics?  Are they facts?  According to many dictionary definitions, they are not. So if our notions of right and wrong cannot be characterized as truth, but merely opinion, then why was the world so outraged recently when a cartoonist was brutally murdered because someone did not like what he had to say?  What right do we have to point fingers if "Murder is wrong" is a moral opinion, not fact?

So much to sift through.  I would like to challenge you to read this opinion article recently submitted to the New York Times.  Not only is it an excellent  piece of persuasive writing, but it also challenges the way we define truth and differentiate truth from opinion.  After you read, please answer the following questions:  1.  What, if anything, is wrong with the current distinction between fact and opinion?  2.  Is there such thing as "moral truths" or does everything that is classified as a moral or belief indicate opinion only?  3.  Is there such a thing as truth?  How do we recognize it? 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/opinionator/2015/03/02/why-our-children-dont-think-there-are-moral-facts/?_r=0&referrer

Maybe the search for the truth will always remain just that:  a search.  As the quote indicates at the top of this post, maybe truth is eternal.  Therein lies the quandary:  

We are bound creatures searching for  something boundless....

THE PROFOUND, THE HEART GRIPPING, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL: INSPIRED WORDS FROM LITERATURE

 “One must be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.” —Cassandra Clare, The Infernal Devices

From the immortal words of Shakespeare to the poetry of Yeats; the tragic romance of Wuthering Heights to the terrifying beauty of Dracula, words continue to make our hearts beat a little faster, our lungs breathe in a little deeper, and our eyes see a little more clearly of all the deeper meaning that lies in every single moment of life.  

In both year one and year two, we are exploring the power of language--the power of words.  A good writer is extremely powerful.  His or her ability to put ink on paper in such an order that our emotions are moved in several different directions--often in the very same page--as we sit in our favorite chair eagerly devouring the story is nothing short of miraculous.  Words nourish us, hurt us, build us up, tear us down, make our hearts swell with love and romance or puncture with the most gut wrenching pain; words can leave us empty, in a puddle of our own tears while bystanding family members stand in wonder and confused dismay.

I have finished books before and been left a complete wreck; I have looked around at the world and wondered, "How can everything continue on as normal, as if none of this story ever happened?  Why isn't everyone else as heartbroken as I am right now?  How can they smile?"  I have also been left by a book thinking that life is more beauteous and amazing and miraculous than I have ever managed to notice before; that language is the same thing as art and that pages of what I just finished reading should be framed, and hung on the walls of the Getty and Louvre.  

Marcus Zusak writes in The Book Thief in that special, gorgeous, metaphorical way of his that words are the keys to power.  We have all heard  "The pen is mightier than the sword."  This Buzz Feed author who wrote the article in the link I am sharing with you  knows it, too.  Here, she has compiled what she claims are 50 of the most beautiful lines of literature.  While I have no idea how anyone could narrow it down to 50, I have to agree that every one of these lines belongs on a list of this description.  As I read some of them, I stopped, closed my eyes, and drank in the words like some sort of liquid nirvana.  Does that sound crazy?  I know what you're thinking:  How does Mrs. Caraway get so excited about a specific arrangement of words in a sentence?

Maybe I am a literature geek.  If that's the label that means I am obsessed with words, their power, and a life-changing story, then I wear the label proudly.  One of my proudest moments in recent years was having the opportunity to direct my Will Power Troupe in Romeo and Juliet, a performance of the words that Shakespeare organized in a script to tell an ancient story of violence and feudal hatred that is shot through the very heart by a love that transcends time.  We can debate the historical fact about whether the story is completely true or not, but here is something I do know for a fact: The appeal of  Romeo and Juliet isn't necessarily that it is "real," but something about it is universal.  It is what, in our hearts, we truly believe love to be:  powerful, heartbreaking, beautiful.  It's timeless.  Every time I watched my cast perform, it was like I was watching it all for the first time.  The words of this story clutched my heart, and they always will.

Whether it's Shakespeare or Stroker,  Whitman or Wilde, the words of a skilled word artist will do that to us time and time again.  And you know what?  Thank goodness they do.  For when we are sitting in our favorite chair, drowning in a puddle of our own tears and torn hearts, cursing the writer for putting us in that condition while our family members look on bewildered and concerned, we know, in that moment, we are alive.  We are human.  We can feel the depths of sorrow and the limitlessness of joy.  As a writer and a reader, I celebrate that.

Read through this list, pick a quote or two that speaks the loudest to you, and reflect on it.  What does it mean?  How does it speak to your heart?  What do you love about it?  THEN, (you are not done yet!) share a quote NOT on this list from a favorite book and tell us why you love it.

I'll lead off:  my favorite quote on this list is #45 from The Kite Runner.  It absolutely transfixed me the first time I read it in that novel.  It was life changing--a perception of forgiveness that spoke right to my soul.  Another favorite (not on this list) is from a book we will read in year 2 very soon:  Markus Zusak's The Book Thief.   It is one I always go back to...not just because of the words, but because of what they mean now that I connect them to the story as a whole: "I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."  When you read the book, you'll see why.  

Now...it's your turn!  Quote away!  Feel the power of the words that tug on your heart!

Link:  http://pulptastic.com/50-beautiful-sentences-literature/

KNOW THYSELF - 2017

Communication break-down can occur at any time and in many different settings.  There's Group Project Anxiety: everyone has great ideas at discussion meetings, but you feel like the only one with a sense of urgency to get any actual work done.  There's Discussion Frustration:  whenever you engage in a discussion with your group, you feel as if your thoughts and ideas are not valued or brushed aside with no regard to your feelings.  And finally, there is just sheer information overload: why is it that after a full day of school, you feel completely zapped of energy, consumed by an overwhelming need to be where people are not?

We all realize that we are social creatures.  We seek out and thrive within interpersonal relationships. We long to be heard and appreciated, to create and explore.  This is probably not new information.  Rewarding as they may be, however, relationships of every type are complex and not without their

difficulties.  People are different.  Where we come from, our experiences, our beliefs, and our DNA all go into who we are, how we see and interpret the world, and how we communicate.

Many corporations have invested large sums of money on consultants with one goal in mind:  to improve inter-office communication and efficiency.  Where do you begin?  The communicators, themselves!  Knowing who you are helps you to better understand how and why you communicate the way that you do.  Knowing who your co-workers are can help you better understand how to communicate with them more effectively and efficiently.

So, as Aristotle taught centuries ago, we will begin by seeking the wisdom that comes from knowing ourselves.  Here is a link to a personality inventory:  http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test  Once you complete the test, you can have your results emailed to yourself and you can read all about your personality type: how you relate to others, how others see you, how you work, etc.

The test takes about 20 minutes, but it provides a wealth of information as it analyzes four distinct areas of personality and then adds a fifth area that analyzes overall identity.  It is created from a combination of the infamous Myers/Briggs and Carl Jung's Theory of Psychological Types.  The four areas are explained as follows:

1.  Introversion vs Extroversion: (I vs. E) This is more than just "shy" vs. "outgoing."  In fact, according to Jung, it is really not about that at all.  It has to do more with where you get your energy.  Do you find yourself getting energized when you are around others, or do you find that you need to be away from people to re-energize?
2.  Intuitive vs. Sensing: (N vs. S) Intuitives are creative, imaginative and curious individuals who are open-minded.  They tend to go with novelty over stability and see/feel possibilities.  They tend to have strong discernment in new situations.  Sensing or Observant individuals are practical, pragmatic and down to earth.  They tend to have strong habits and rather than going with their gut, they are more focused on what has happened or what is happening.

3.  Feeling vs. Thinking: (F vs. T) Feeling individuals are sensitive and emotionally expressive.  They are more empathetic and tend to be less competitive than T's.  They tend to focus on social harmony and cooperation.   Thinkers focus on objectivity and rationality, prioritizing logic over emotion.  They tend to hide their feelings and value efficiency over cooperation.

4.  Judging vs. Perceiving or Prospecting: (J vs. P)  Judging personalities are decisive, thorough and highly organized.  They value clarity, predictability and closure preferring structure and planning to spontaneity.  Perceiving individuals are good at improvising and spotting opportunities.  They are flexible, relaxed, non-conformists who prefer to keep their options open.

Identity Variables of Assertive vs. Turbulent: (A vs. T)  Assertive types are confident, self-assured and pretty resistant to stress.  They do not push themselves too hard.  The turbulent types are self-conscious and sensitive to stress.  They are perfectionistic types who experience a wide array of emotions.

So, test away, and then....
1.  IDENTIFY YOUR FOUR LETTER PERSONALITY, then put a dash, and A OR T.
2.  COMMENT ON ANY SURPRISES OR EXPECTATIONS.

 For example:  I am an INFJ - T.   This was absolutely no surprise to me, but a big surprise to those who know me, as I come across as an extrovert (SO not true!)   I think this is because I am a people pleaser, a trait I am working hard on to mellow.  I am also a J, but BARELY.  I need to feel organized in my environment, but DO NOT open any drawers!  They show my true, right-brained, messy creativity!  Now, it's your turn!

YOU ARE LITERALLY WELCOMED!

Many of us have asked over the years this key question of our instructors with regards to their course of study:  Why is this important?  When am I ever going to use this?  OR Why do I need this in life?

I am pleased to offer you an answer.  It may not be THE answer, but it is an answer, just the same. Every course of study offers you a perspective: a glimpse into the secrets of the world and life all around you.  Every course of study is, therefore, in and of itself, a form of LANGUAGE!

Math is the language of creation and design.  Everything you see, touch, smell, taste and hear out there involves some type of calculation, proportion and energy.

We observe what these things are made of and how they interact and correspond to one another, and the conclusions we make about what we see may fall under the realms of science and/or art.

When we, ourselves speak or write about all that we see, feel and hear within the world, offering our explanations and reflections, or tell stories about our existence in this world and our relationships with one another, we are using our skills of language and literature.

Finally, as we move through our life's journey, observing, explaining, telling and reflecting, we, in turn, affect the world and those in it in a way that is unique and significant.  We are, in turn, affected by the words, actions and choices of others around us, as well as the acts of nature in our world. These interactions down through time become a study of history.

So, as you can see, the question really isn't why is any course of study important, but rather, how does this detail add to the grand picture of everything in and around me?  Why do you need these courses of study?  Because they are literally a part of you and your life:  all that is, that was, and is to be!

As we get ready to begin our year, I would love to hear about you!  What are you most looking forward to?  What are your fears?  What are your goals and hopes for this year...in ANY course of study?  What would you like me to know about you as a scholar and individual?  (You may include special talents and/or interests that you have, as well!)

Thank you, and here is to a BRILLIANT YEAR....in all of our courses of study!