Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Hunter
"If travel is searching
And home has been found
I'm not stopping
I'm going hunting
I'm the hunter....."
Monday, November 14, 2011
Bullies (Sad kids)
My 9 year old son's tired words today about the children at school, "It's like I am a tree and everyday they take to me with potato peelers. Or somedays rip a branch off." We talked more and he sighed, "I think they must be being bullied by others and they feel like they need to pass it on. So they bully me to deal with their own frustrations. It's kinda like a pushing and shoving. I don't want to push back because imagine a planet like that? Always pushing and shoving. If someone bullies them, they bully me and if I bullied others it would eventually infect the whole world."
Our 9 year old is being consistently tormented for being "gay". And his friends for being "black." This bothers him (in his words) 1. because he's not gay ("I'm a kid for goodness sake, what do I know about gay love?") and 2. because for some unknown reason being gay and/or black is considered an insult and this makes no sense.
He's done the "right" thing and talked to his teacher about it. And she is trying her best to crack down on it with a kid sent outside the classroom today because she heard his torments. But she's fighting an uphill battle. Prejudice and hate speech isn't being taught at school it's being taught at home. And in an age appropriate way, my husband explained this to our humanity loving 9 year old.
The best thing you can teach your child is respect. Respect for themselves and respect for others. My husband explained, "Don't see them as bullies. See them as sad kids who have been taught wrong. It's not their fault. They don't have as much information to cope with life as you have. So don't even worry. Be like a duck. Let the words slide off."
We talked more in the afternoon light on our family bed, finishing on an oldie but a goodie: "Mahatma Gandhi said, Be the change you want to see in the world." He paused, cracked a big smile and said, "I'll have those hugs now."
Our 9 year old is being consistently tormented for being "gay". And his friends for being "black." This bothers him (in his words) 1. because he's not gay ("I'm a kid for goodness sake, what do I know about gay love?") and 2. because for some unknown reason being gay and/or black is considered an insult and this makes no sense.
He's done the "right" thing and talked to his teacher about it. And she is trying her best to crack down on it with a kid sent outside the classroom today because she heard his torments. But she's fighting an uphill battle. Prejudice and hate speech isn't being taught at school it's being taught at home. And in an age appropriate way, my husband explained this to our humanity loving 9 year old.
The best thing you can teach your child is respect. Respect for themselves and respect for others. My husband explained, "Don't see them as bullies. See them as sad kids who have been taught wrong. It's not their fault. They don't have as much information to cope with life as you have. So don't even worry. Be like a duck. Let the words slide off."
We talked more in the afternoon light on our family bed, finishing on an oldie but a goodie: "Mahatma Gandhi said, Be the change you want to see in the world." He paused, cracked a big smile and said, "I'll have those hugs now."
Monday, April 25, 2011
Mind Photos
Whenever I learn new information I take a "mind photo" of whatever I happen to be looking at at that moment. Here are some descriptions of a few mind photos I have taken over the years. Randomly selected examples. (I am thinking I might make this into a visual art piece somehow.)
As a preschooler my mother scorns me for using the "N" word in a childhood ditty. When I question her on it she tells me the "N" word is a very bad name for a black man. I think, "Why would there be a bad name for a black man?" - Close up, straight on of a dark coloured hedge with pointy leaves.
As a young child my mother age appropriately explains Hitler. I think, "Why would an adult be so cruel? Don't only children make bad decisions?" - Mid shot from a low angle of a bay window. The sky is grey but bright enough to blackout the cushions sitting beneath the windowsill.
As a young child my parents tell me they are separating. I think, "But I thought you loved each other? What does love look like then? What a fool I've been." - Close up, high angle of a dirty sheepskin rug on the floor.
At 17 I am told that my boyfriend has just been killed in a motorbike accident. I think, "He's too young. Death waits for no one and gives no warning?" - Close up, high angle of escalator teeth coming together, folding under each other. This one is a moving image as the new information was given to me while I was moving.
As a young woman my best friend tells me he is in love with me. I think, "This must be happiness. How lucky am I?"- Medium shot, low angle of the side and underside of a bridge over the motorway. The sky is overcast but bright. Another moving image.
As a preschooler my mother scorns me for using the "N" word in a childhood ditty. When I question her on it she tells me the "N" word is a very bad name for a black man. I think, "Why would there be a bad name for a black man?" - Close up, straight on of a dark coloured hedge with pointy leaves.
As a young child my mother age appropriately explains Hitler. I think, "Why would an adult be so cruel? Don't only children make bad decisions?" - Mid shot from a low angle of a bay window. The sky is grey but bright enough to blackout the cushions sitting beneath the windowsill.
As a young child my parents tell me they are separating. I think, "But I thought you loved each other? What does love look like then? What a fool I've been." - Close up, high angle of a dirty sheepskin rug on the floor.
At 17 I am told that my boyfriend has just been killed in a motorbike accident. I think, "He's too young. Death waits for no one and gives no warning?" - Close up, high angle of escalator teeth coming together, folding under each other. This one is a moving image as the new information was given to me while I was moving.
As a young woman my best friend tells me he is in love with me. I think, "This must be happiness. How lucky am I?"- Medium shot, low angle of the side and underside of a bridge over the motorway. The sky is overcast but bright. Another moving image.
Friday, March 11, 2011
A song for My Love.
"Forgive us our sins as we forgive others who sin against us."
My photos of my husband and I for "The Lord's Prayer."
*You can listen to the song by Mumford & Sons HERE.
What a difference a year can make.
You are never alone in your loneliness.
My photos of my husband and I for "The Lord's Prayer."
Sigh No More.
Serve God, love me and mend
This is not the end
Live unbruised, we are friends
I'm sorry
Sigh no more, no more
One foot in sea and one on shore
My heart was never pure
You know me
But man is a giddy thing
Oh man is a giddy thing
Love it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment, a cry
Of my heart to see
The beauty of love as it was made to be.
*You can listen to the song by Mumford & Sons HERE.
What a difference a year can make.
You are never alone in your loneliness.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A woman child's whisper.
My childhood has left me with bound feet.
I've grown wrong.
Walking, keeping balance, not falling is unnatural.
I stand at the edge of the playground
Smiling
Looking busy.
One day these bound feet will grow wings.
I've grown wrong.
Walking, keeping balance, not falling is unnatural.
I stand at the edge of the playground
Smiling
Looking busy.
One day these bound feet will grow wings.
Monday, January 24, 2011
It's late
Can't sleep. Have things I wanna write. Can't write cause I need some sleep. Here's some pics that distracted me from my task...
(Pictures not my own.)
(Pictures not my own.)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
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