Author: Miss Poison
Anything That You Learn…
“Anything that you learn becomes your wealth, a wealth that cannot be taken away from you; whether you learn it in a building called school or in the school of life. To learn something new is a timeless pleasure and a valuable treasure. And not all things that you learn are taught to you, but many things that you learn you realize you have taught yourself.” -C. Joybell C.
Frazzled Saturday Mornings
After an extraordinary amount of sleep last night into this morning, I somehow managed to convince myself that today was:
A) Monday (Which is just plain EVIL, even though Monday is a holiday for me.)
B) Sunday (How the hell did I sleep so long?! I only took ONE Benadryl for my allergies!)
C) Another week entirely. (Yes, I know.)
It just goes to show you that stress really does manifest itself within the body and definitely within the mind. I did not want to get out of bed this morning, but I did it. The downside of that is that cat and kitten think they need to be fed PRONTO. I’m willing to negotiate with them, but there’s no way they’re being fed hours early simply because they run into the kitchen in the hopes of tripping me.
Before I forget, today is my friend Lucy’s birthday. Please visit her @ Blondewritemore and wish her a wonderful day. If nothing else, this is one weekend where I probably won’t have to chase her for calling me “Ma’am”. Try it and I will make you PAY.
Other things occurring this weekend? Minor Rosh Hashanah prep (Ask your local Rabbi or consult Google.). In my vast idiocy Thursday evening, I forgot a few things at the store, so I will either get them later today or sometime tomorrow. No one will die if there is a lack of zucchini, mushrooms, or candles, but I will personally lose my mind for forgetting something sweet. The Jewish New Year is basically an invitation to have a sweet (a piece of honey cake, an apple dipped in honey, etc.) to invite sweetness into the new year. Lord knows I could use some of that (sweetness in the new year), though I prefer chocolate because I’ve noticed that every last bit of honey in the store is processed (ie: fake). Some are more processed than others, and that’s unacceptable to me. It’s like handing me maple syrup that isn’t real, but trying to convince me it’s real when it’s flavored corn syrup. If I’d noticed the honey issue in advance, I would have ordered some from an Etsy store (which is straight from the beehive) so that I’d know it was real and healthier, but it’s too late, so I can only do my best. This explains why honey from the store is addictive.
I will be doing quite a bit of cooking today and tomorrow. In between, I am going to try resting my body because Thursday kicked the hell out of me in every possible way. There is not a muscle in my body that doesn’t feel bruised and battered. I will also be working on an important piece, one I’ve been working on all week, in fact. Here’s hoping I can complete it before tomorrow night.
Wishing you all a wonderful, relaxing Saturday.
copyright © 2015 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Freedom Is In…
Freedom is in sunlight, mountain hikes, riversides, and in the night’s sky full of stars. Freedom is in laughter and in tears, and in moments we hold someone we love. Freedom is in breaking bread together. Freedom is in the quietness and in your breath; it is deeply felt in ordinary moments. Freedom is simply knowing what’s real. Freedom is doing what’s right. Real freedom may seem pretty boring by today’s standards; it is not perceived as spectacular, bedazzling, enthralling, or entertaining — but it means absolutely everything. Freedom is a forgotten land waiting for you to remember. Begin to remember.
—Bryant McGill
Reflecting
This morning is one of immense reflection. Those of us who lived through 9/11 and the aftermath have all lived through a monumental aspect of human history. A friend suggested it was merely American history and I said “It affected everyone, no matter where one may live. You don’t have to be American to empathize.” Try clearing customs at an International airport anywhere in the world and tell me it’s not different now than it was before 9/11, because it is.
I was one of the lucky ones. At the end of the day, I was able to count my family members and friends safe. But I will never forget crossing back into the city, watching truck after truck on the other side of the highway bringing in debris and body parts to be sifted through at a landfill. It was disgusting, creepy, and appalling to see.
The smell in the air was sickening. You could still see smoke, you could still smell smoke, but there was more than that. I cried, I could feel spirits in the air. That might seem crazy to people who aren’t sensitive, but it was like being smacked over and over with torturous cries. The emotional pain was palpable. Getting closer, seeing the destruction of the skyline in person… There are no words.
One Word Trade Center, which was fully completed roughly a year ago, offends my mind. I understand my city wanting to come back and come back strong, but there are better ways to do it. Another skyscraper wasn’t the way to go. It’s like putting a target on the city itself.
But New York was not the only city affected. Washington D.C. took an immense hit, and people often forget about that. There is a memorial garden in the area I currently live in for the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. They held a candlelight ceremony last night, there was a memorial this morning beginning at 8:30 (which is going on as I type this), and Sunday there will be a 5K. I used to listen to the named each year, but I’ve since stopped doing that. Not because I could ever possibly forget, but because I can no longer listen on an emotional level.
I was asked to take a meeting today. Despite the fact that it will delay my life for about a week, I said no. I tried rescheduling and could not get through to anyone; I couldn’t even leave a message. In my mind, today is not the day for meetings, it is a day to show respect, to be introspective, and to remember. It’s a day to be grateful for life, and a day not to take anything, or anyone, for granted.
copyright © 2015 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Writers Must Be Fair…
In many respects, this is true. While I don’t look at Stephen King as the end all-be all for writing or how to write, I do think he has many valid points.
It Is During…
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” -Aristotle Onassis
National Suicide Prevention Week
I am quite extreme in my openness and honesty in regard to suicide. The more it bothers someone, the louder my voice will become. This is not a subject to be shy, passive, or hush-hush about. It requires a powerful voice. No one has ever accused me of subtly.
In 1993, I lost someone very dear to me to suicide. To this day, it affects me deeply. His battle altered the course of my life, steering me in directions so that the same mistakes would not be repeated. I couldn’t have done anything to save him, but is there a way to save someone else by being me; by listening with both ears, as well as with my mind, and heart? YES.
Four years ago one of my best friends lost her brother to suicide. I knew something was very wrong as soon as i saw her e-mail. There was something about the lone message sitting in my inbox, a quality to it that shimmered with agony. Having not opened it immediately, I was sick to my stomach the instant I saw it. Reading it and having the realization hit me was mind-blowing. I was, and will forever be, devastated for her and her family. I still see her brother in my mind’s eye as being full of life.
I, myself, struggle with the idea of living every single day. It is not, nor will it ever be, an easy battle. I have very little support to help keep me going or to help bring me back when I am ready to end it all. In fact, I have been told “Just do it already, I’m sick of hearing about it.” I have also been told “No one gives a shit if you live or die.”
There is an exceptionally long list of things you do NOT say to someone who is suicidal, or who you suspect is hurting so deeply that the wrong words might send them in a direction you are not personally ready to be responsible for emotionally. We all have a responsibility to look after one another.
You can claim to care about a person until the cow’s come home, but when you’re truly there for someone, you don’t let them go over the ledge. That’s REAL. That’s CONCERN. That is HUMANITY. The rest? That’s just someone trying to make themselves feel better or make themselves seem like a good person when they aren’t.
Each day, we make a choice as to what type of person we are. Me? I’ll save you from a ledge, EVERY SINGLE TIME. Even if you’re a stranger. And no, I don’t need anyone to think well of me for it. I’m just being me.
copyright © 2015 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
