December 21 Ethical ELA Holidays and Love are Messy

This morning's Ethical ELA asked us to write haikus (5-7-5 syllable poems). I came downstairs and put the lights on my newly decorated tree and noticed the needles still waiting the vacuum. If you look carefully, you will also see half the lights on my tree do not work. Fortunately, there are too many decorations and all that led to my poem about holidays, which in my opinion, are not about perfection.

Nude gingerbread rest
Beside a tiny, stuffed tree 
Memories, treasures.

Flour mimics snow

While shepherds appreciate

Battery bright trees.

While flour, sugar, 
Mix in a rusty relic,

Can we decorate?

Hot tea, warm cookies

I sit amongst the needles,

The love, mess, linger.

I am full of peace,

Reminded that holidays 

And love, are messy. 

DECEMBER20 Ethical ELA: Seize the Moment

This morning, Ethical ELA asks us to write a poem based on a historic photograph, an ekphrastic poem. I started with some wonderful old photos, but while I was lap swimming, I started thinking about an old, if not historic photo of a snow-bunny!

Sometimes, somewhere

Frosty comes on cold

December mornings

When mittens are new and

Hot chocolate is waiting

Near brightly lit trees

Like in the books, movies.

Other times, most years,

The snow will come in April

Mismatched mittens in hiding,

Spring on calendars

Easter Bunnies, tulips

On our minds.

Remember to seize the moments

All of them, even if incongruent 

With your plans, Pinterest,

Take the time 

Make the Snow Bunny

Your story.

December 17 All Families

In the days since the tragic loss of the Reiner family, epic clips from All in the Family have flooded social media. The show confronted social norms of bigotry, prejudice, hatred, and poverty through humor and allowing viewers a glimpse into a family struggling with changing social mores.  Reiner's character challenged them all head on - in ways most of us wished we had the courage to do. Yet, it seems one area that 1970's show did not broach was addiction. Fifty years later, every family in America has been touched directly or indirectly by the many faces of addiction and its aftermath. 

Genetic predisposition, some say,

Try it, they say, fit in, be social,

Invincible mentality, 

It was prescribed for you

Available, escape,

It happens in rich,

All families

SOL5 December 16 Harmony

As a family tragedy in LA unfolded, many, many families in America were also dealing with addictions, mental health as well as socio-political divisions that have shattered their harmony. 

As news of the tragedy in Bondi Beach emerged, families around the world went on full alert as they tried to bring light and to find harmony. 

As the harmony of working together to get through exams was shattered in Providence, Joyce Keshner, 98 years-young, came out of retirement on a bitter cold night, to conduct the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah in suburban New Jersey. Admiration for the incredible music as well as her tenacity seemed to waft over the audience like a mist of peace. There was, at that moment, harmony.

Like many of you, I have only one holiday wish, again, this year. I hope and pray for peace, health and harmony for my family.

It did not make headlines; yet, I can assure you, on Saturday afternoon, for about 10 minutes, all reasons for anger and division dissipated for a few hundred people. There was no stress, no strife. There was no anger, only admiration and respect as a tiny, but powerful force achieved perfect harmony.  I was one of the lucky ones.  I was there.

December 14 Light in the Darkness

We promise to not forget.

Stand with candles in the darkness. 

Students know the drills.

Sit in darkness, wait for the light.

Concert goers know the exits.

Even in the light of the day, they come.

We decry hatred, gun violence.

Light candles, pray for healing.

Again and again.

Turn on the lights, love,

Again and again and again.

December 12 I Have Been Changed For Good

As I drove home from a "last" winter concert, the road was quiet but my thoughts loud. It started at the Maxx.

I have been a Maxx aficionado for years: gift wrap, holiday cards, specific gifts. Their holiday aisle has been a source of inspiration and bargains. I arrived with promise feeling quickly like I entered the Twilight Zone. No one checking out? Aisles picked over and bruised? I wondered if I had just hit an under stocked, store  until I went next door to Michaels, the remaining craft store in the NE.

Instead of the a store teeming with sale signs and customers, this too was a barren wasteland with 3 pathetic artificial trees and a handful of decorations. Ribbon?  Green? Pink? I left feeling changes in shopping patterns yet grateful for all those wonderful trips to those discount Meccas. David Bowie was singing in my head, "Ch, ch, ch changes, turn and face the strange.  

Fortunately, the concert was an uplifting experience where skilled teachers guided eager musicians to share amazing classical and contemporary pieces. I've known this orchestra, and its first violinist for a long time and they have come a long way.  THIS change fills me with HOPE and FAITH in the future of our society and our country even if the senior has one foot out the door and and Billie Joel was singing, "And so it goes...."

I was still wistful at the early morning concert of some former Zoom kindergartners who now sport violins, flutes and clarinets. I did not plan to get emotional, again.....They left me singing with Glinda:

They say people (and things) come into our lives for a reason,

Because I know you, I have been changed for good,"

December 11 Slice of Literacy

I missed "slicing" earlier this week as I battled a bug of sorts and pushed aside worries about the state of the world. Today, I am even more concerned. Let me explain.

I used to be a DD regular sipping on that caffeine-filled fuel during long commutes. These days I rarely stop for coffee as it is pricey and I make it at home. I had been out running errands when the desire for a second cup of jo percolated (pun intended) into my thinking. There was a much longer than expected line when I got inside and I almost decided it was not worth waiting. The line moved slowly as people ordered party boxes and gift cards and specialty drinks and I found my self in earshot of a gentleman who appeared to be of typical retirement age, dressed in a very worn and wrinkled suit, filling out an application with help from someone who did the writing. I couldn't help but overhear "9th grade in the Bronx," as well as his address, phone number, and his comment of, "any hours." 

The helper asked him to initial and sign the paper and grew indignant when he wrote something in the wrong place. "You really should learn how to read, and write if you want to work," she scowled in the tone children use with their parents when they are clearly frustrated! 

"It's too late for that, " he said softly., "I just want to keep my work and keep SNAP."

"It's not too late," she scoffed, "there is help at the library. Mom learned. You could if you were not so stubborn. You are not going to get a job if you can't read and you guys are going to be ......good luck." She left without a goodbye leaving him at the table looking far worse than I have been after battling the bug and pushing worries about the state of the world aside.  

I know there is a whole lot more to this story than my 5 minutes of eavesdropping revealed, yet I can't seem to get him off my mind. That DD application is probably a waste of time, but what kind of work can he, of a certain age get with limited literacy? 

 

December 8 Days of Gratitude

In a meeting about writing spurred by the TWT group yesterday, we talked about writing lists when writing tasks are just too big to start. Like so many others, I often find it hard to focus on happiness and gratitude during the holiday season, but writing this list was a reminder of the power of writing to clarify and deepen my own thinking........Here are 8 days of December Gratitude....

In the assurance of too many future gingerbread men, I am really grateful for a challenging aquacise class on this morning.

In lieu of the isolation of just five years ago, I am grateful for holiday concerts, gatherings, and even gift collection envelopes.

In light of the increasing darkness, I am really glad so many have turned on their holiday lights as it sure makes the evenings brighter!

In the wake of escalating prices and availability issues (Target was out of mittens already?), I am grateful there seem to be fewer mega-blow-ups lining streets!

In order to mitigate the mitten shortage (above), I am glad I have an old stash of fabric that includes ridiculously fluffy and messy fabric.

In an effort to control the mess created by the project above, I am grateful my aging vacuum is still able to clear messes in moments. 

In honor of those whose grief is palpable this holiday season, I am grateful for phone calls, text messages, and technology that makes them accessible. 

In an era of an enormous focus on skills spurred by the SoR people, even those of us who know every multisensory approach to phonics are grateful that writing empowered voices are still talking about the power of the written word to heal, connect and share meaning that took me decades to learn.

December 2025 Just Enough

The forecast called for snow, ice, possible messy roads. Instead, it was gray skies and a gentle white dusting of snow.  

It was just enough to put a smile on your face when you looked out the window.

It was just enough that no shoveling would be required.

It was just enough to allow those traveling to swim meets to get there safely.

It was just enough to make the trees look lovely but keep the aquacise class on schedule.

It was just enough to be the backdrop to a Santa Breakfast for some lucky families.

It was just enough to distract thinking from presents to Advent magic. 

It was just enough to be a reminder that miracles are possible. 

December 5 A Secret Santa

Most kids are like me, I guess, and realize either that there is no chimney or the bike/gift clearly came from a store.  I'm guessing some more curious than me unearth evidence of parental involvement. Yet, most kids just cruise along with the story because frankly who in their right mind would risk the pile of loot?  

As a parent and a teacher of younger kids, I have been questioned many, many times about the bearded gift deliverer. I have skirted the reality with a truth that echoes my heart and belief in the goodness of man and the possibilitiy of holiday miracles.  I never say, "Of course he is real," but I never bluntly say he is not real.  Children seem happy that we share a "secret" and I am not going to rock the boat!

Today, I brought a stack of books to one of those book boxes to share what my own grands no longer are reading. I guess I lingered a moment as I put the Grinch in the box and thought of how the story is part of my fiber.  "Christmas, perhaps, doesn't come from a store.  Christmas, it seems, is a little bit more." My eyes got teary. 

A little guy, not more than 5, asked if he could have the book. Then, he leaned in as if HE was the bearer of critical news.  "You know the Grinch is not real" he said softly "but I am almost positive and pretty sure that there is a real Santa who my dad helps."  I smiled.  We shared his secret. No words were needed.  

December 2 Giving From the Heart

On Giving Tuesday, I saw the Giving Tree filled with wishes, I grabbed a random middle-of-the-tree wish for a disabled veteran. It was a request for a CVS gift card. Glancing at the other wishes, it appeared they were all requests for gift cards: Walmart, Shop Rite, Walgreens, Kohls...

I stood there a moment and my mind raced back to years when I schlepped from store to store to shop for a family while my own gift-shopping waited in the wings. I smiled remembering that Christmas when I shopped for diapers and onesies things for the local shelter without a clue I would be a grandparent before the next Christmas!  So much work and if I am honest, so much fun gifting things we hoped others would like. 

As I drove home, my mind wandered to thoughts about impersonal gift cards and to highly impersonal "green" gifts to my family. Then, my plans exploded into something bigger than the monetary giving of this day that will take up every spare minute of the next few weeks and still leave me feeling frustrated because I will not likely get it all done! 

I decided to include "something from my heart" with the CVS card and every other gift! I pulled into the driveway, thought for a bit, and got to work creating with vigor that has languished for a long time. 

SOL25 December 2 Perspective Matters

 

"How did it get so late so soon? 

It's night before it's afternoon. 

December is here before it's June. 

My goodness how the time has flewn. 

How did it get so late so soon?” Seuss

I always think of Seuss on these really dark days when the Christmas lights are still few and far between and the Hanukkah candles are still waiting for their chance to shine. The darkness steals minutes of precious sunlight each day and to be honest, it can be pretty depressing. 

Yet, the the prolonged hours of darkness also yield magical moments of nature-provided beauty in the morning as well as in the evening, if keep your mind and your eyes open to the show. 

"Look at that sky," she screeched, "it's so happy the day is over, it is putting on a light show!" I'm reminded, on so many levels, perspective matters.