This week, I would like you to write about your feelings towards this New Year and/or what you do in the first few days of January. Aim to write no more than three short, tight paragraphs, followed by a traditional haiku that includes reference to the season. ——————————————————-
On New Year’s Day we celebrated my firstborn’s 43rd birthday. She was the New Year’s baby in our area in 1980. What a fine distraction I have had since that wonderous day! The traditional drumbeat of regrets and fearful anticipation that seems to permeate New Year’s Day had always made it my least favorite holiday. A perfect baby girl changed my whole outlook, and, for that, I am eternally grateful. Any baby’s birth holds endless promise and possibilities and encompasses the true meaning of a beginning. Now, I choose to turn inward embracing gratitude all through the dark cold month of January not the least bit concerned with future ‘what ifs.’. This identical spirit to Christmas continues warming me all through the winter months.
January first A perfect message of hope Comes from your own heart
There’s an interesting personal story that I’d like to share about this song. My birthday falls during the second week of April. On one birthday, I received 3 popular 45 singles from my Mom. She had asked the local music store for three current hot selling songs for her young daughter, and they sold her Monday, Monday by the Mamas and the Papas, Kicks by Paul Revere and the Raiders, and Rhapsody in the Rain by Lou Christie. I now know that it was my 10th birthday because I looked up these singles to find their releases were all in March 1966. (Kicks had been released in England in February 1966 but its popularity, on the U.S. charts, began in March.) When today’s prompt was revealed, Rhapsody in the Rain popped immediately to mind. I’m amazed at the clarity of my memory for all three gifted songs from that same birthday. They are forever linked together by such a thoughtful gift from Mom. At 10-years-old, I felt so “groovy” beginning a record collection. ❤ It’s extra cool that this post happens 56 years after the song’s release during the same month of year! (The flipside of this single had a song called Trapeze. I liked that song too.)
This song was a bone of contention during its time. Although most of we youngsters either didn’t pay attention or naively didn’t understand song lyrics that were risqué, there was a movement to keep this off of the airways. I was the latter type. I rediscovered quite a few oldies, once I was in my twenties, that I had no clue were ‘naughty’ when they were released. Ah, innocence. ❤ ” The Catholic Church helped get this banned on many radio stations, which only made people want to hear it more (You’d think they’d have learned after banning Gary U.S. Bonds’ “Quarter To Three”). It’s mild by today’s standards, but a hot topic back when you didn’t sing about “Makin’ love in the storm” with a teenage girl. “
Rhapsody In The Rain Lou Christie (Lou Christie – Twyla Herbert)
Baby the raindrops play for me A lonely rhapsody ’cause on our first date We were makin’ out in the rain
And in this car our love went much too far It was exciting as thunder Tonight I wonder where you are
Refrain: The windshield wipers seemed to say “Together – together – together – together” And now they are saying “Oh, ne… ver, ne… ver” Ooh-wee, ooh-wee, baby
Chorus: Rhapsody in the rain Rhapsody in the rain Angels keep cryin’ for me (don’t… stop) Angels keep cryin’ for me (don’t… stop)
Baby, I’m parked outside your door Remember makin’ love, makin’ love, we were makin’ love in the storm (Sha-la-la-la la-la)
Refrain 2: And then a flash from above Lightning – lightning – lightning – lightning Just li-ike our love It was exciting, exciting Ooh-wee, ooh-wee, baby
Choose at least one #1 hit (on your birthday) and include it, using the exact wording of the song’s title, in your poem. Be sure to credit the song(s) and artist(s) at the end of your poem. You may or may not choose to share the year of the song….but do share the date!
Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been hooked on a feeling That Nature is proof of God.
I spent countless hours Watching the sky, sniffing, and listening. Relishing all my senses.
I came to, now, know, Nature answers the questions That God wants us to ask.
Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede was #1 for only one week in 1974 encompassing my 18th birthday on April 11th. (https://dversepoets.com).
The dampened pine needles smoldered as the sun rose evaporating the morning dew. Nine year old, Bella skipped along the time-worn familiar path on her way to the meadow beyond. It was her birthday and the birds were singing their new day greeting while a mossy fresh aroma filled the air. She stopped abruptly when she spotted something new. A small hand-crafted door filled the base, of an ancient oak, where a large hole had always been before she’d reached this long-awaited age to walk alone to the meadow. Silently, she tip-toed toward the ancient oak and stooped to examine what her eyes refused to believe. The door had an iron ring for a handle and heavy iron hinges. She could hear muffled music playing and sprite-like, high-pitched, voices inside. Suddenly, everything went silent- no birds, no music, and no voices. Goosebumps raised on every inch of her skin when, out-of-nowhere, she felt a warm exhale on the back of her neck. Bella turned desperately slowly, numbed by terror. There stood a wolf and he was upright on two feet! The beast towered over her and snarled with its jaws dripping saliva. Then she hit the ground with a terrible teeth shaking jolt!
By the time her grandmother called her to breakfast, Bella had decided that her nightmare, and bruising fall from her bed, was an omen to stop pestering everyone to walk alone along the familiar wooded path. She silently, and happily, would wait until she was 10!
Many smiles for me last week, especially yesterday. It was my birthday. My grown up married former day care friend, now friend, texted me from Australia. He’s studying to be a Veterinarian and has been there for two of four years. He never forgets. Another adult (age 21) former day care friend also contacted me with an old photo of us from long ago. It was of us celebrating a birthday.
I had lunch with my kids and granddaughters. Which always makes a Mom/Grandma happy! Finally, my son is a chef at a local bistro and surprised me with a fancy dessert that he brought home after hours. It’s called Coconut Cake with Mango Curd and Pineapple. YUMMY! It would have been even prettier if it wasn’t in a take-out container.
Oh… many local birds kept me company while I sipped coffee on a lovely birthday morning outside. Doves, robins, sparrows, blue jays, crows, and a persistent cardinal who serenaded me for twenty minutes. MY heart is full!
Today is my sister’s birthday. Happy Birthday Donna!
She and her husband are exceptional dog parents. They adopt older dogs by choice. Older dogs have lots of emotional baggage and an even shorter life span to share. These “hard to adopt” canines are lucky indeed.
I am also fascinated by dog behavior and its compatibility with humans. The film attached is a remarkable “eye opener” to what makes dogs and humans click.
This blog post is in honor of Donna, Mike and their dogs, past, present, and future.
An important reminder to all dog owners. They count on you for their happiness and this is an emotional bond that should never be taken lightly. The reward is a pal like no other.
As my mind wandered (it’s never home), I was enjoying the anticipation of this Monday’s Trivial Pursuit Tournament. My sister and I have the day off in celebration of our April birthdays. (2 days apart)
As luck would have it, I had found out that a few of my friends have the day off too. Donna and I would have fun playing Trivial Pursuit alone, but a tournament with Chinese take-out and Twisted teas, on the side, sounded even better.
So it’s set. Monday we’ll be having a real party.
My next thought, there will be 5 of us. I would propose that the “Birthday Girls” take on the “Guests”. As the home team, we will play with the game that my sister and I have used about 3 other times.
Thought: There may be a question that I have already had in a game played before. What will I do? With hardly any hesitation, I’d reveal this to the guests and ask for a different one.
Thought: How many other people would do the same if the predicament was theirs?
Thought: Why do some people play fair and others “cheat”, especially when they won’t likely get caught?
Integrity is, after all, a selfish thing. Yup, it is a good feeling that we give ourselves. Nothing more, nothing less. The lack of it in society today seems to support those alarming statements. Somehow, people have lost the ability to feel “good” about being moral, not all of them, but an alarming number of them. What we do when no one is watching is ultimately our true measure. My grandfather told me that when he operated the telegraph office, alone, at the railroad, his boss would stop by and profess his visit was to, “keep an honest man, honest.”
We all like to think we are moral and “good”. William J. Bennet (The Moral Compass) so well stated, “Integrity comes with practice. By making moral choices, over and over.”
So, who really benefits from integrity. The person who has it reaps the biggest reward, therefore, it IS selfish.
Definition of SELFISH
1
: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
2
: arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others <a selfish act>
3
: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function <selfish DNA>; also: being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication <selfish genes>
— self·ish·lyadverb
— self·ish·nessnoun
Okay…I’m trying to be thought-provoking. In all honesty, isn’t life about self.
Doesn’t the hero who charges into a burning building do it because he/she needs to, in order to live with themselves?
They ultimately choose the lesser of two evils: Cowardice and nightmares OR burns/death and freedom from guilt.
It seems to be like the scientific principle of every force being a push. Even when you think you are “pulling” the Radio Flyer by the handle, aren’t you really pushing on the inside of the handle to move it?
SO, You have wandered awhile with my mind. You are on your own now…I have dishes to do. 🙂
BTW- Isn’t it fun when you press spell check and the message “no writing errors” pops up? A good feeling that we, once again, usually only experience alone. Have a good day!
Mensen maken de samenleving en nemen daarin een positie in. Deze website geeft toegang tot een diversiteit aan artikelen die gaan over 'samenleven', belicht vanuit verschillende perspectieven. De artikelen hebben gemeen dat er gezocht wordt naar wat 'mensen bindt, in plaats van wat hen scheidt'.
Engaging in some lyrical athletics whilst painting pictures with words and pounding the pavement. I run; blog; write poetry; chase after my kids & drink coffee.
Sillyfrog's Blog 