There is a Strange Beauty in a Rainstorm

I was asked today if I had a muse. Honestly, at first I was like, "I dunno", even though the title of this blog says otherwise. But then I read the following line on one of my students' papers: "There is a strange beauty in a rainstorm." I got to thinking:
1. sunrise
2. the women in my family
3. the cycle of life
4. that song "All Things Come to an End" by Nelly Furtado
5. my lover's ears
6. knowing that my strength is greater than even I can imagine
7. my butterfly bush when it is full bloom.
8. the blue birds that I see in my back yard
9. sleeping in spoon position in my lover's arms
10. a good book (which happens to be Half the Yellow Sun right now)
11. 2 pm rain showers in San San (Portland) Jamaica
12. the view of the clouds (from a window seat) at 36,000

So yes, I do have my muses. What are yours?

They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky

Is a must read! Talk about the resiliency of the human spirit. This book is about 3 Dinka boys from Sudan, who at the age of 7 lost their home (and their way of life) to the ravages of war. These 3 boys tell their heartbreaking story of traveling over a 1000 miles, and doing so throughout the most unbearable hunger, thirst, and disease.

What amazes me the most about these boys is that no matter what they faced, no matter how insurmountable the obstacle seemed...they were always grateful. They always remained kind. They kept their humanity.

It is amazing that Benson, Benjamin, and Alephon lived through their experiences in Sudan. I am just grateful that they did. It is because of them that I now know the stories of all the others that they mentioned in the book. The lost boys that never made it.

Elvis has Left the Building

Pope Benedict XVI has left Washington, DC. Traffic has returned to normal (if there is such a thing in DC) and Metro isn't crowded in the middle of the day.

I'm not Catholic and I've never been one to be impressed with celebrity or famous people, but I have been following the media coverage of the Christian faith's equivalent of the Dali Lama. I just want to know why this mortal's visit to America is such a big deal. I've tried to get my Catholic (and non-Catholic) counterparts to explain it to me, but sigh...no such luck...I haven't gotten an answer that rests comfortably in my logic.

And then it hit me. Their explanations aren't supposed to sit well with me logically. The explanations should rest well with me emotionally. I am just supposed to be excited that they are excited. I am supposed to be happy that they have someone that they look up to. I am supposed to be happy that he came to be near them and to make them feel a little closer to God. I guess I can't be that annoyed by someone who is able to spread joy just by being. I wonder what this world would be like if we could all do that?

When You're Best Isn't Good Enough

For the last 3 days I have given my shoulder to a good friend of mine, so that she could cry on it. Like me she is driven. Like me she is hard working. Like me she dedicated. Like me she is principled. She comes in early and she stays late. She works on the weekends. She is a team player. 3 days ago she was told that she wasn't good enough. As could be expected, she was devastated. She was (and still is bewildered) hurt.

The explanation that she was given was the usual, "it's nothing personal, it's just business."

My question is this: is business an acceptable explanation for stomping on someones insides? Is business supposed to crush their world? My friend's situation got me to examine my own reactions when it comes to being told that I am not good enough. It made me see that my reactions run the gamut. I go from anger to disappointment. I experience sadness and self doubt. I feel rage and sometimes...relief. I have to hang on to The Good Book's saying that everything has a purpose and a season.

So Jessica (if you're reading this), just remember that the person who told you that "it was only business" has their season coming. Just hold on a little while.

15-20 Pages (Part II)

Well I got the skinny, business sized envelope in the mail today. You know the one that says, "Hey we liked you a lot, but we didn't love you. You will make a lovely (fill in the blank) for someone someday." UB said thanks, but no thanks. Sigh.

All things happen for a reason, right? I will need to tell myself that for the next few days.

And So It Begins

the work of getting ready for this marathon. I sent out dozens of emails (only got 3 responses...sigh) and made phone calls. I set up my web page. Today...I went on my first run. OMG! It will be a few days before I will be able to feel my legs again.

There is one thing that I did notice after I was done running (6 miles) today. I noticed that I was beside myself with a sense of accomplishment. I mean I ran (very slowly) the entire time. I didn't stop to walk either. That feeling is something that I indeed could get use to.

The Beneficiary

Now that the magnitude of my choice to run the Marine Corps Marathon has set in, I guess I need to tell you the name of the charity that benefits from my madness. The name is of the charity is Fisher House.

Whatever your personal beliefs are about the War in Iraq, the people that make the decision to fight in the name of America are real people with stories to tell. They make awesome personal sacrifices to honor that commitment. I often think about what happens when a service person gets wounded. I think about their recovery process. Medical science says that a person has a better chance of surviving a catastrophic illness, if they have the love and support from family and loved ones. The cruel irony is that for many of our service people, recovery is (I found out) many miles away from their loved ones. Organizations like Fisher House does its part to buffer that.

So here is the link, please check them out. Donate to a good cause. Oh....and thank you for your support.

http://www.active.com/donate/FisherHouse2008MCM

April Fool

But this isn't a joke. Today, a group of my co-workers sent out a group email and wanted to know if anyone may be interested in doing some charity work, while getting in shape. I answered and made the decision to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008. Yikes! I purchased the book Run Less, Run Faster. I have an appointment with a running specialist to get the appropriate running shoes. Now you may ask (all 2 of you that read this blog), why in the hell are you running a marathon? Are you usually this impulsive? Can you even run? My answers are:

1. Why not? Life is so short.
2. No, I am not usually spur of the moment. But, it's never to late to mix it up sometimes...right?
3. I cant run around the block, but that is OK (isn't it?).
4. I'll be raising money for charity.
5. I'll finally really do something about getting my butt (and a rather large one at that) in shape.

Training begins Monday, April 14th.