February 2006 Archives

For years I was told I was spoiled. Being the last of five children with a twenty year spread might give one reason to think that I might have been babied. In a loving family, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that the baby gets a lot of attention.

I was telling someone over a staff breakfast this morning that my daughers and I were spending our weekend with my sister and mother in Illinios. Naturally, the conversation gravitated to the fun we had planned. One mused that I must have a lot of fun with my sister. Yes, indeed.

Yesterday, I left Orlando, Florida and its 84 degrees and returned to north central Indiana where it was 8 degrees . . . and this morning - 3 degrees! I'm really struggling with this!!!

I spent three and a half days at an Alternative Education conference. The first day, I hate to admit, I was so into all the presentations that I never got outside until nearly 4:30. What was I thinking??

It was so nice Thursday, but Friday all four of us decided that it was necessary to play hooky at one of the afternoon sessions. I grabbed a sandwich at the deli and headed to the lanai area surrounding the pool and thought I was in heaven!

It was such pleasant weather. There was calypso music wafting from the cabana that sold the drinks with the little umbrellas. Little sparrows theived pieces of chips and bread that fell to the ground, then chirped from the bushes for more. The leaves of palm trees slipped against each other in the gentle breeze creating a song of their own. Scents of gardenia and coconut floated with the breeze, intoxicating and pleasing. I drifted into a sleepy semi-awareness.

I'm thinking that maybe I need to work harder at finding a way to get to the Gulf Coast for Spring Break!

What is the difference between giving up and surrender? Americans are not good at surrender. Not at giving up either. In fact, most of the unfortunate things that have happened to me in my life are a result of not giving up.

Yet, I think that it is the negative image giving up or surrender holds that makes us disinclined to take a different course, to let go of something/someone toxic, or to allow for the peace associated with the simple act of not fighting to replace the tenacious grip we have on some things.