Category Archives: Twists and Turns

Restlessness

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Now that school is almost done for the year, I’m beginning to feel quite restless.  I need to head out of town for a few days and soon!  A change of scenery refreshes me.  Fortunately, Bela and I are heading to DC in a couple of weeks for the film exhibit for the American History Film Project (AHFP).  Bela is a great sidekick—easy to get along with and loves to travel.

I hope Bela takes advantage of the chance to see the war memorials and soak up some history in the short time we will be there.  I look forward to visiting friends I made last year.  Stay tuned—I’ll post all about it when we get home!

 

 

Nebraska Calling!

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Sweden’s tourism brainiacs had a super cool idea……they created a phone number for interested parties (like me) to call to speak with a random Swede in a random place there.  As soon as I discovered this, I was determined to call Sweden.

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I made that call this morning!  After a brief wait, I was connected to Olivia in Stockholm.  She was a delightful conversationalist who was happy to teach me things about her country.  When I told her I was calling from Nebraska, she was surprised.  She was even kind enough to speak to the principal of the school (my boss).  Since he happened to pass by my room while I was on the phone, I figured he might want to know what was going on.

I have always been fascinated by other cultures, so I may end up calling again with more questions for a volunteer Swedish ambassador.

 

Planting Seeds

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My colleagues and I had an “event” today in a neighboring city, and we all expended a lot of time and energy to make it fun and successful.  I was hoping to be able to use my Spanish because I had invited several gals.  I didn’t get any takers this time, but I figure nothing grows unless you plant seeds.  That’s what I’m doing now—planting seeds as I invite ladies—and hoping for a harvest at some point.  That harvest may be in the form of business relationships or friendships.  Either way, I come out a winner.

Today’s event gave me a chance to practice what I’ve learned and look my best at the same time.  The cupcakes were a tasty bonus!

 

 

Change that Channel

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Am I the only one who watches maybe five or ten minutes of a show and then has to flip the channel because I’ve suddenly had enough?  That happened to me this morning.  Again.  I won’t tell the actual name of the show, but it involves people getting married.  I felt like I was getting “stuck on stupid” due to things people were saying about gender roles and marriage in general.

I, of course, base that last statement on my experiences with my own mate.  The TV mother-in-laws said a woman should keep romance alive, take care of the house and let her husband be the boss.  WHAT???  In a good marriage (relationship), there is no boss.  It would (ideally) be a partnership, right?  There will always be chores that one person usually does, but in real life, partners have to function as a team and do things that may not be easy.  That means two people working together to make a future.  There’s no boss, and nobody gets paid a salary.

According to the ladies on the show, my mate and I did everything all wrong!  Funny thing is, our “wrong” sure did work well!  I have no objection to what people call old-fashioned values.  I do, however, object to a warped view of marriage and what each gender “should” do.

Just Believe

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This morning—for the last few mornings, actually—I was thinking about all of the things I need.  I have tried to remember to trust in the Lord, but I’m human.  It’s a challenge to let go of things that bring me down.

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A rainbow always reminds me of God’s grace and power.

While I was in the shower, I was still pondering everything, but I remembered that God already knows what we need.  I took a moment to thank God for the hot water coming out of the tap.  Then I started thinking about all of the other things I rarely notice until we don’t have them.  It’s easy to take things for granted because (say it with me) we are human.  It’s our nature to worry and get worked up about things we simply can’t control.

I reminded myself that God knows.  He’s not limited by time, money or ability like we are.  He is perfect.  We are not, but we can strive for perfection and accept grace.  I will have to keep reminding myself of these things.  If and when I forget, I’m counting on you to remind me.

 

Slow Down!

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That’s what I keep telling myself.  I have to slow down, take a breath and relax from time to time.  Even when my body is at rest, my brain is racing.  I can’t be the only person who lies in bed just thinking for hours, can I?

Lately, my brain has been focused on growing my new business—making contacts, creating punch cards, ordering samples, etc.   When I hit on a great idea, I share it with my friends who are in the same line of work.  That’s the best part about my brain racing because I love to collaborate and brainstorm with friends.  Maybe that is how I relax.

 

Plan B

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I have recently started a new business venture to go along with my regular teaching job.  After teaching for sixteen years, I know that lessons don’t always go according to plan.  No matter how carefully we make plans, things happen and we have to improvise.  You other teachers definitely understand and can cite thousands of examples, I’m sure!

Anna, my coach/mentor/friend, and I had a great day yesterday and a Plan A for today.  A bit before nine this morning, she informed me that she had to cancel due to illness, so I was forced to wing it (or as some say “drop back and punt”).  Enter Plan B.

I was in a panic at first, but Anna sent me a message telling me to take it ten minutes at a time.  That was today’s mantra.  Guess what?  It worked out just fine!  I even made use of the down time to brainstorm for later.

Sometimes Plan B is meant to happen in spite of our best intentions.  The next time you have to drop back and punt, maybe the real lesson is that you need to learn to be flexible and respond to challenges in the moment.

The Cloak

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Today would have been the 59th birthday of the man I loved (and still do) with all of my heart.  He was killed a year ago a few days shy of his 58th birthday.  I have been in mourning since that day.  Other family members have felt the pain, too, but I can only tell my story.

I made a comment to my cousin tonight (thanks, Cheryl) about grieving.  I liken grief to a mantle or a cloak I was forced to put on.  For the first few days, it was stifling, oppressive and shocking.  The heaviness nearly suffocated me.  As months passed, it became more a part of my normal wardrobe.  That’s not to say wearing that cloak was ever something I wanted.

For a time, I was existing day to day, struggling to bear the heaviness.  I got through those days, weeks and months, but just surviving his loss was the hardest thing I ever had to do.  Ever.

Grief is a life-long process.  The sharpness of loss fades to become bearable, but that cloak is still settled firmly on my shoulders.  It doesn’t feel quite so heavy, but I still feel the weight.  It’s not something I can take off and don again. It’s there to stay, but maybe I’m strong enough to stand tall in spite of the cloak.