Lynn M. Dixon's Blog, page 49

Herb Kent: A Tribute

Herb Kent came like a soft lantern,

Whose brilliance was turned up

To emit a more glorious light.

Its rays brightened each starry night.

We listened to his melodious voice,

On the Chicago airwaves,

That charmed us, wowed us and gave us glee.

The King of Dusties! Spinning records at those Steppers Sets.

He could transport us back to times gone by,

And fill us with the musical history along the way.

During those turbulent 60’s,

He calmed us, stilled us and

Reminded us that this too shall pass.

Then, his light dimmed with a gentle hush,

As softly as a candle is blown out.

Poof! Gone.

Yet, he breezed through his life and ours.

We are so glad that he ‘stopped on by.’

He gave us so much!

And we are the richer because of his anointed journey!

Lynn M.                                                          November 6, 2016

A November Thanks!

November’s beautiful colors of rust,

Clear away summer’s gritty sand and dust.

Horns-a-plenty filled with the new harvest,

Varieties of goodies at their best!

Gobbling turkeys and quacking ducks to dress,

Family members come and give that caress.

A great start to the holiday season,

Love shared, hearts filled are the basic reason!

Lynn M.                                                                                                      November 5, 2016

World Series Tidbits!

As I watch the Cubs play the World Series, so many things come to mind.  First, I honor those Cub fans in the family who have to be smiling down from heaven.  That would be my father and his sister, my Aunt Louise. They were both devoted fans.

When I visited her, she would often have on the Cubs game when in season.  They were on the television, which she had muted while she listened to the plays on a radio.  This was her way, but the Cubs she loved.  We knew not to bother or interrupt either of them when the game was on.

This is the Chicago Cubs first trip to the World Series since 1945, the birth year of my oldest sister.  Here we are seventy-one years later with high hopes once again. Chicago is rocking and reeling right now and so many personal stories have been spawned out of this event.

One granddaughter brought the media’s attention to her grandfather who is 97 years old.  He was returning from WWII in 1945 and attended the last Cubs World Series game.  She wanted him to have this opportunity again, so she set up a Go-Fund Me page.  Someone kindly gave him front row seats and his family decided to donate the monies raised to a veteran charity!

Another poignant story surrounds the opposing team’s pitcher, Josh Tomlin.  His father was finally able to attend the World Series.  He is paralyzed and at one point they did not think that he would be able to go to the game.  However, he was interviewed from the sidelines last night and spoke of how proud he was to see his son pitch an amazing game.

Cubs’ fans have come from all over the globe.  Two men admitted to the media that they had paid $5000 for each ticket. Wow!  Thank goodness, it is being aired on television and we can see it for free!

This is an exciting time in Chicago!  It has the adrenaline flowing and regardless of the outcome, history has still been made for the Cubs!!  Go Cubs!

Lynn M.                                                                                                                       October 30, 2016

Little Reprieves!

I sit here writing in my car as I watch families enjoying their simple liberties on this sunny, brisk October Saturday.  It is sweater and scarf weather and the sunglasses could also come in handy today. There are so many families in the park.  What a beauty!

One coach  is teaching some young boys about 7 to 10 years old how to play soccer.  I know that he is the coach because his jersey has it labeled on the back. In my rear view mirror,  I see family members lined up in their outdoor chairs as they prepare to watch a real soccer match.  I see colorful balls stretched out along the sidelines.

When I look up again from my writing, I see that the match has begun. The teams of boys have on blue uniforms versus the orange ones and they are off to the races to see who will win the game.

This is a nice reprieve from the daily activities.  It is a welcome break from the storms and concerns that life dallies up regularly.  One of my aunts used to say that things go along smoothly for a while and then another storm comes rolling along.  We have to hunker down until it passes and hopefully come through it with as much intact as possible.

Little reprieves like this wondrous Saturday can offer us a chance to breathe and have our faith stabilized.  Whether we believe it or not when we have been shaken, Mother Nature knows what she is doing.  When we are tested, we have to hold on tight and bear down.  Between those battering trials, we must exhale and look for those sunrises and sunsets to remember that life goes on.

Oliver Cromwell wrote that, “Nature can do more than physicians.”  So like the strong swimmer, we come up for air and then we can carry on.  We can pause as we stand on the rock of hope and affirm that, this too shall pass. 

Fresh air helps us  breathe as we adjust our attitudes and regain our equilibrium.  There is an equation and a natural order though it may seem illusive.  When I look up again, I see a parent strolling along with his two young girls dressed in soccer gear.  This is proof  that there is a balance!  Those little reprieves hold us steadily as we continue on our journeys.

Lynn M.                                                                                                  October 23, 2016

 

Golden Pebbles

“Do not follow where the path may lead,

Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think back to those loved ones who silently left golden pebbles on a trail for me to follow. I was always aware of geography and the many places in the world. My father took us on several road trips and he used to take us to the airport to watch the planes take off and land. He gave us vision and we have all been blessed with extensive travel.

I began to collect the golden pebbles that were dropped by others. Some family members lived in places that I had not seen but I would listen to their stories and add that locale to my “places to see list.”

Atlanta, Paris, and Boston were some of the places where some of them took up temporary residence. I  marked these locations on a wall map and became intrigued as they talked about the scenery, the food, the culture, the people or the weather.

As we travel through life, we never know which sets of young eyes are watching our choices in life. We make our decisions and we may unknowingly be creating a wish list for those coming behind us. We could be blazing a trail as they make their little tick marks on a wall calendar or in a diary entry.

I remember the scene from The Color Purple when the older sister, Celie was on the train heading for Memphis after leaving Mister. She sees a little girl who is playing along the tracks who reminds her of her younger sister, Nettie.

She takes the golden chips, which may have been candy, from the waiter’s tray as she stands on the back of the train’s caboose. She throws these golden pebbles to the girl who actually turns into Nettie in her mind.

She is envisioning that she is leaving a trail for Nettie to follow. Ultimately, her long-suffering association with  Mister plays a role in freeing Nettie. He breaks down and pays for Nettie and her family’s re-entrance into the country after returning from Africa.

That’s what our mentors do. They leave us a trail to follow which guides and leads us at least for a while. Those golden pebbles give us hope and help us to create new vistas in our minds and hearts. Then, at some juncture, we may come to a fork in the road and set out onto a new untraveled route and become trailblazers ourselves.

We never know who we might be impacting so we must mindfully drop those golden pebbles through journals, photos or conversations. It makes it easier for those who are coming behind us.

Lynn M.                                                   October 16, 2016

How Well Do I Know Thee?

The other night, I watched A River Runs Through It, in its entirety.  I had the time.  At the end of the movie, the father commissioned the oldest son, Norm, to write about the family one day.  He was after all, a Professor of English and had a special way with words.

So, he did.  After looking at the movie, I looked the book up on Amazon to see what others had to say about it.  There were 386 reviews and the majority of the readers were highly impressed and forever changed by this novella of 102 pages.  Some equated it to one of the masterpieces of American literature.

I asked myself, “Could I write a novel about my family? I slowly admitted to myself that, I could not.  At least not authentically.  I suppose I could give a superficial rendition of the events that took place and the years of major occasions.  But it would be circumstantial.

Could I delve deep into the psyche and souls of my family members and see what shaped them?  Maybe I could piece together the things that my parents shared about their lives and come to a few conclusions. But my siblings?  No. I think not.

It made me realize how little we really know about each other.  Perhaps, it is because we share the things that we are proud of but not the hidden things which we do not tell others. I guess that means that we should either listen more or share more. Then, we would not be so quick to judge.  We can only speculate about others’ decisions.

Norman Maclean has obviously written a very powerful piece.  Robert Redford took on the task of bringing this story to the big screen.  The author tries to understand all of the things that made his brother live his life so close to the edge which resulted in his early and tragic death.  Norm lived away from the family for years and tried to piece parts of the mystery together.

He said, “For it is true we can seldom help those closest to us.  Either we don’t know what part of ourselves to give, or more often than not, the part we have to give is not wanted.  And so, it is those we live with and should know who elude us.  But we can still love them- we can love completely without complete understanding.”

I anxiously await the arrival of A River Runs through It in the mail.  I know that I will gain new insights into familial love!

Lynn M.                                                                               October 9, 2016

Small Comforts!

“Be extra kind to yourself when waiting, making it as pleasurable as possible.”  Simple Abundance

It is imperative that we be kind to ourselves especially when we feel that others have not been duly kind.  We can only wait for the tides to change and for things to get better and more tolerable.

There are so many small things that we can do for ourselves during such times.  For starters, we can keep some of our favorite snacks close by to give us immediate relief. It could be something like having a delicious Snickers candy bar before turning out the lights for the night.

Or, it could be enjoying a bowl of popcorn to chew away the memories of a challenging day at work.  It helps to crunch down and drown out those tests of the day.

Comfort can come by putting on a dab of low-key fragrance to add that blessed assurance before heading out of the door for a busy day.  Or, we can make a journal entry that helps us refocus on our intentions, goals and our subsequent mission.

Sarah Ban Breathnach constantly reminds us of the simple pleasures that ease some of the impatience and friction in our daily lives.  We must be gentle with ourselves and find ways to make the in-between times as easy as possible.

The television sitcom, The Golden Girls, always ended with them sitting down to some cheesecake. They would unwind, chat and put the events of the day behind them.

Here are a few things that can help bring levels of comfort:

Wrap up in a favorite throw or comforter.
Listen to soft music of the ocean waves lapping against the shore.
Or, listen to some flute or piano music to relax.
Read to some classical music to enhance peace.
Browse through those backed-up magazines
Relax in a bubble bath
Put on that new pair of pajamas.
Enjoy a tray of mixed nuts.
Slowing cherish a bottle of Perrier mineral water.
Be strengthened by some good gospel and inspirational music.
Wear that new special hat for that  extra pizzazz.

We must find ways to comfort ourselves when the rest of the world is simply busy doing its own thing!

Lynn M.                                                                                        October 2, 2016

Oh October!

Golden leaves fall to the ground,

 Again autumn has come around!

  Jackets and sweaters appear,

  Fall days, early dark are here.

Collect those huge harvest piles,

 Reap the rewards of those miles,

  That you worked during the year,                

  Cash it in!  October is here!

Lynn M.                                                                                                           October 1, 2016

 

 

Reinventing Ourselves

How often have we been asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Some of us pondered and wavered while others knew right off the cuff and answered immediately.  Some of us found our way into our fields of choice but those who have lived for a few seasons know that they may not last for a working lifetime.

Today, few of us will stay in one profession long enough to get a gold watch.  We may do a job for multiple years and become burned out and need a change. Or, the type of work becomes obsolete and no longer exists.

Then, we must upgrade our skills by taking some college courses or by getting more training so we can move on to a new dimension.  We fall into another profession, so to speak.

Sometimes, the old and the new jobs mesh together and one serves as a totem pole to reach a new height.  Other times, the jobs are totally dissimilar; but if we are wise, we continually reinvent ourselves.  We do what is required to keep it moving.

Over time, we may move back and forth like a river.  We take on a new persona until we come to the end of a road.  Then, we may find that a skill previously used, has become lucrative again.

We change hats! We may pull out the old hat, take it to the millinery shop and have it dusted and reblocked.  It is now ready for use.  We resituate our newly refurbished chapeaux on our heads and carry on.

In order to keep the dollars flowing and the skills shared, we switch it up like we shuffle a deck of cards.  The bottom line is to hear that wondrous sound, “Cha-ching, as the green money fills our coffers. Times changes and so must we.

The other day I asked a group of first graders the proverbial question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Several of them had the foresight to roll off a list of about four or five professions.  Either their parents have been teaching them to not put all of their eggs in one basket or they are simply wiser than we were as children.  The Scripture reminds us that, “a small child shall lead them.”

We need to latch onto their wisdom and realize that we must be able to interchange and exchange professional choices.  We should gain as many skills as we can muster along our journeys and put them in our knapsacks. Then, we can pull out that skill that is signaling a beaconing light and hit the “Apply” button so we can cheerfully laugh all of the way to the bank!

Lynn M.                                                                  September 25, 2016

Shared Stories

Have you ever thought, “Woe me or why me when faced with some disconcerting situation?”  You stand alone or you think you are standing alone as you wallow and sink into deeper despair.  You feel as if you have descended into the pits of your own perceived dungeon.

And then, a  light bulb goes off.  You run into friends, colleagues or acquaintances and you connect with each other.  They begin to share their stories and tales of woe.  And just for a minute, you put your own monsters to rest as you listen to them.  Light shines just a little as you realize that you are not alone.  Others are experiencing their own private hell zones as well.

So you tune in and come up a few floors as you two converse. They spill their own shocks, disbeliefs and things that are currently consuming them.  You feel for them as they give the sordid details and automatically, you offer them words of encouragement. The healing balm begins for both of you because oftentimes, getting it out into the open is half of the battle.

The stories flow and flow and flow like water rippling over a giant rock.  The exchange is a great form of release. Yes, you hear the other person, but you also hear yourself.  Mysteries begin to unfold and the puzzle pieces start to fall into place.  You understand those things which once baffled you.

You walk away from those discourses feeling more empowered.  You know that you are not alone in your suffering.  Everybody is going through something. Soon, a definite course of action reveals itself and you say, “Okay. I know just what to do.”

It’s wonderful when you have the opportunity to talk with others who can identify with the challenges of the moment.  And yes, it is for the moment, because these shared stories offer new points of view.  Like rearranging the furniture, you move the pieces around to emit more light.  You create a little feng shui in your world and  there is a returning sense of calm and order.

More positive energy  floats around as you exhale and get rid of the stale outlooks.  You inhale the new possibilities as you  fall back into alignment with Spirit. The imbalance disappears and you feel like going on.  You silently or audibly thank those who listened to you and helped you get back onto the yellow brick road.

The Buddha said, “No one can save us but ourselves.  No one can and no one may.  We ourselves must walk the path.”  However, sharing stories truly helps us to locate that path and step onto it as we ‘Ease on down the road!’

         

Lynn M.                                                                           September 18, 2016