Christmas Spirit

Every year our friend and neighbor goes above and beyond to create a joyful reminder of the spirit of Christmas. She hauls thirty tubs of decorations, carefully sorted and labelled, down from the attic often without help. Robbie lights up the neighborhood and we're grateful she does. One year Santa hopped over the fence. What a memorable occasion that was! Two weeks later, Christmas has passed and it's always a little sad to see the pagentry come down. Back up in the attic go the boxes, packed neatly and methodically for "easy" access next Christmas. Thank you Robbie 💖

Published in KONK Life July 19, 2022

 

In case you haven't read PLEASE WRITE: A NOVEL yet, here are some details that may inspire you to get it from Amazon for your next read.

 

😊

Vince Carter, a True Hero

 I first became aware of the NBA star, Vince Carter, when my son invited me to watch the Olympic Games basketball final in 2000. A basketball player himself, my son had found his hero. I became a fan after watching Vince, at the end of the winning game against France, go to the stands and embrace his mother.

In 2003 we planned a trip to Florida where Vince, now playing for the Toronto Raptors, was to play at the American Airlines Arena. Here was an opportunity for Leif to attend an NBA game and see his hero in action. 

Sometimes you've just got to take a chance even when the odds seem highly against you. I sent an email to Jim Labumbard, director of the Raptors' media relations, telling him about our upcoming attendance at the game in Miami, and included an article printed in the local paper about my son's basketball achievements.  

Emails continued. Jim knew our seat numbers. Unfortunately, Vince was injured and sat on the bench. Nevertheless, it was an exciting game between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat. We received a message to go to the other side of the arena at the end of the game. We joined a handful of others and enjoyed seeing players come out to greet us. Then, my son got the word to go to the dressing room. Vince, on crutches, limped out and stood beside him. We were star struck. Finally I broke the ice with "The thing that really impresses me about you was seeing you give your mother a hug at the end of the Olympics victory in Sydney." Vince smiled. Other players came out to say Hi to Leif. It was a night to remember. 

What a wonderful human being. Like everyone, Vince has been dealt his fair share of challenges. The thing that stands out for me now is reading about how he always supported and lifted up team members and aspiring players like my son. And that smile.

Best wishes in retirement Vince!

Negotiating a Career from a Different Angle

I always knew my daughters’ and son’s generation would reinvent themselves. They would not be likely to work in the same job until retirement. Indeed, they would find new ways to carve out a career path that would take many twists and turns. It looks like Mumma was right again.

 

My guest today is the beautiful and talented Jessica Hagel, a life I’ve loved from birth and before so you’ll understand my slight bias.

 

Jessica is busy raising a gorgeous daughter and son of her own, and is now birthing an idea that she's been nourishing for some time. It's interesting that our experiences are never wasted or just go away. All our twists and turns come together if we allow time to take its course. Jes is a qualified Personal Fitness Trainer. She's now able to share her passion for fitness and nutrition in video workouts, plant based recipes and lifestyle choices on social media. And her following is growing. I wish I had as many buyers—make that reviews—for my book as she has followers on instagram. It's a different world. Negotiating social media isn't the struggle for this generation that it is for mine. Each generation carves out their own trail and moves mankind forward. Feeling excited for the upcoming generations equipped with new skills, knowledge and innovative creations.

For the Love of Music

My husband's nephew and wife visited last weekend to help with a bathroom renovation. Task accomplished, I'd decided to go to bed early and read. Clark asked, "Will you play something on the piano?" He'd asked many times. I hadn't practiced for a while and declined but I knew how much music meant to him and this time I played. Clark said he'd sung in a school choir and loved it, so my husband pulled out a couple of CD recordings of my choirs. I don't know what it was, but we were all in tears listening to those beautiful children giving all they had to their performances. Then my husband discovered a couple of video recordings of my choirs' performances—had the technology to actually play them—and there we were immersed again in the beauty of the music. It was incredibly nostalgic for me. I miss being a choral director and music teacher and passing the love of music on to the children I was privileged  to grow with in music. But those days are gone and it's too late to go back. Time is a rapid tyrant but what a gift to be able to relive, not just through memory, but through recordings, articles and preserved writings.

 

Forty Five Years

https://www.facebook.com/JCStone154

The Vietnam War ended forty five years ago. Where are the tributes in honor of the sacrifices made? Those of us for whom Vietnam was "Our Generation's War" will always remember the turmoil, the confusion, the loss, the tragedy, the unfairness, the betrayal. 

My friend, Patricia Patten Tiffany, wrote a poem '67' published in her soulfully written collection of poetry—AWOKEN—that speaks to all of the above better than any history book of second hand interpretation and statistics could.

67

 

When the year came

I was young

too young to see

the coffin in their eyes

 

too young to know

the sharp shadow

 

beyond TV

beyond Dan Rather

 

where you were

under the radar

 

in a muddy field

with a clean heart

 

coming home so soon

boxed and draped

well-scrubbed

 

except for the gnat

around your mouth

which I watched

 

holding in tears

until now

 

that I am

67

Patty remembers Craig as a wild but gentle boy who "would have been a fine man." Too many fine men were sacrificed. We must never sweep those days under the carpet, and we must never forget.

https://www.amazon.com/Awoken-Poems-Key-West-Life/dp/1790303826/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Awoken+Patricia+Patten+Tiffany&qid=1599081950&sr=8-4

                                                            My grandson's favorite book :)