Take Care and B-R-E-A-T-H-E

I do not like to take care of other living things. Just a fact. Too much responsibility, and to be honest, too much work. That could explain my three cats. Independent creatures who require nothing more than food, water, a clean litterbox, and scratches behind the ears & stroking while I am reading. In return, they kill mice and other critters that may creep in through the foundation cracks of my old home. They make me laugh with their antics. Perfect symbiotic relationship.

VanGogh

Mattisse

Twamper

There is another symbiotic relationship occurring in my home. Another relationship that requires care, but as with my cats, a beneficial one for me. Plants.

For years there were no plants in my dwelling. Primarily, because they required care. Subsequently, when I did receive a plant as a gift, each one died an early death, which unknowingly at the time, was the result of over-watering. Thirdly, plants take up precious space. And lastly, plants can be messy with the dirt and water, and once again, if over-watered, the soil breeds little flying gnats. Lots of little flying gnats.

Surprisingly, these days, my home is quite littered with plants. Why? First of all, today’s world is full of toxins, an evil of the "advances" (I use that word loosely) in technology and manufacturing. Secondly, I have learned not to over-water them, so they live. Plants are my solution to air pollution. Open windows and plants, effective combination. But why is my house ‘littered’ with plants versus ‘accentuated’ with plants? Truth be known - I have developed a soft spot for dying houseplants on the clearance racks at big box stores. So I rescue them, and miraculously I have become pretty adept in my horticulture skills and they all seem to be thriving now. Hence the "littering."



A sampling of my plant collection
 

Mutually beneficial relationships: I take care of myself, a very daunting task, I take care of my cats and take care of my plants. The result of all this uncharacteristic nurturing, reminder - I am not a nurturer by nature, is the ability to sit back and breathe. Breathe sighs of relief for the critters not taking up residence at my address (thank you Mattisse, Van Gogh, and Absinthe aka Twamper); and for the clean air my plants manufacture for me. Symbiosis.

Note: Mother Nature once again tops technology in her manufacturing processes, for hers are beneficial.

Another Note: My cats have nibbled and eaten and sampled leaves off of every toxic plant in my home. Don’t believe all the hype about plants and cats … they are both (plants and cats) unharmed and thriving.

Gross Me Out ! The World of GMOs

Last week, after writing letters and postcards thanking Congressmen who voted NO for the H.R. 1599 bill - aka The Dark Act - a bill that would not require full disclosure on food labeling, I did a little research. I mentioned to a few co-workers, family, and acquaintances that I had been vocal to my elected officials about GMOs. The responses ranged from "What’s that?" to nervous laughs of confusion to cynical laughs indicating "I don’t care, you crazy bitch."  No one … not a single individual could speak facts on the subject of GMOs - except to say "I don’t know anything about them." Scary...  Most Americans have little, to no knowledge about the production of the foods that are intended to nourish our bodies and those of our children, the next generation.

I have a reputation for being an eccentric eater. Most notably, I am a vegan, in addition to being a staunch proponent of organic foods versus conventional. Wrap these two factors into my preference of a whole food diet, everything made from scratch, not from a box, and I’ve pretty much confused (and appalled) most folks. Whole food recipes do not always look as "pretty" as boxed chemical concoctions.

I have always respected Mother Nature’s ability to nourish, and find it abhorant to consume foods that have had their DNA, the basic framework in living cells, altered in a laboratory through bio-engineering. GMOs … genetically modified organisms. Appetizing, huh?  Essentially, ingesting invisible organisms that will continue to live in your body.

I could write endlessly about my political views, fears for the present, fears for the future, fears for Mother Earth, fears for children ~~ fears about GMOs, yep, I am fearful.  Instead, I choose to buy a stack of penny postcards, as Dad used to call them, and send my thanks to the politicians who have stood up to the chemical and food industry magnates.  That would be Monsanto and those listed below; with their deep pockets … hiding the truth about what is happening in the food/farm industries.

So for now, to assuage my fears, I will continue to plant seeds ... Seeds of knowledge, Seeds of curiosity, Seeds of gratitude ... seeds to save our food supply and farmlands.

　

　

The Art of Giving .... A Story of Propagation

Several years ago, I was quietly handed an article from a colleague, who said "You'll understand this."  I took the photocopy of the periodical page and read 'the happiest people are those who give without thought ... give beyond what they need to give ... and give without wanting anything in return.'  I took his gesture as a compliment, as it was intended, as said theory is a belief of mine.

I volunteer each August at the office, to create a display for the school supply collection which staff is encouraged to participate in.  As is the norm, some staff give generously and others make no qualms about their annoyance that they are being encouraged to give once again to a charitable cause.  We are fortunate and generously compensated employees, and therefore have the resources to gift the less fortunate.

So yesterday, after many hours of planning and work, I finished the school supply collection display.  But as you've surmised, there is more to this story of giving.  A story of how giving, in and of itself, encourages more acts of giving until many are touched by what starts as one gesture.

After weeks of thinking and browsing ... the theme for the display slowly and painfully evolved until it came full circle back to my cubicle at work. Many themes were developed then discarded, until I was ultimately drawn back to the messages of Dr. Seuss and the poster in my cubicle with the quote from The Lorax.  "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."  I believe so passionately in these words ... I keep them displayed, as a reminder to me and hopefully an inspiration to others to experience the joy in giving.  (I hope I have converted a few .. no one can be sure)

Back to the display.  It all started like this ....

Vacation had officially commenced at 2PM yesterday and I wanted this task completed.  The work was slow because every detail was manually crafted as is my preference.  The tissue paper puffs folded and secured and fluffed. The pots anchored with bricks into which dowels were inserted onto which foam noodles added and topped with the airy colorful tissue paper creations.  (aka Truffala trees from The Lorax movie)  The banner flags designed in Publisher, printed, cut out, then arranged and taped and strung and hung. 

During this process, the office building's night cleaning manager, Lisa, walked past periodically and said Hello. At 7PM, her dinner break, she stopped and said ... "You have a fourth pot, why don't you cut one of the flower stems in half, make a new tissue topper and have four pots - 2 short and two tall."  GREAT IDEA !! I replied.  To which she gladly continued,  "And, put a Dr. Seuss character atop each of the tissue poofs.  And get the Lorax quote from your cubicle and add it to the display. And put a skirt at the bottom of the screen to hide the legs to give it more polish."  "You want staff to know the donated items are intended to go into the pots  .. so use "Things" (Dr. Seuss characters) to give this direction."  Thankfully, I suddenly felt reinvigorated with Lisa's ideas.

I create my displays, detail by detail and build as I go.  Quite opposite, Lisa creates a vision in one fell swoop of the eye.  I raced to my cubicle and ran to a couple of stores to pick-up the items Lisa had mentioned.  At my computer,  arrows and "Things" we're created to display on the pots..  As I worked on poofing tissue paper for the newly thought of fourth "Truffala" - I exclaimed to Lisa ... "Your ideas ... now you create YOUR vision."  Lisa went to work and transformed my display into a little bit of magical wonder.  There were Dr. Seuss character faces peeping out of unexpected places ... the pots were transformed with arrows and "Things" ... and the three Truffala trees magically reproduced into four.  The simple movie screen background was given an updated polish with the addition of a skirt to hide the legs ... as Lisa worked, details materialized, enhancing what I had started.

But (there is always a BUT) during this collaborative process, the melding of talents, something bothered me.  Lisa would periodically comment, "I am not just a cleaning lady, but that is all the people in this building know of me."  I could sense it was a hurt she carried that her worth was limited to "cleaning up after those with better jobs."  I feebly replied that I have known, through our conversations over the years, that she is a woman of many interests and loves and talents.  However, now, as she was helping me, the building was empty of staff.  No one would see Lisa's hands busy at work materializing a vision that she alone had spawned, a creative venture that building staff and guests would view for the coming month.

I GAVE my time and money to create a display to encourage staff to GIVE school supplies to children in need.  Lisa came to me and freely GAVE her ideas to enhance the display ... and now I needed to GIVE to Lisa that which she was lacking ... the respect of being a smart, hardworking, multi-talented woman.

I have started by writing this blog tribute to Lisa, which may or may not be read by anyone.  It is my quiet, personal acknowledgement to Lisa that I KNOW she is more than just a cleaning lady.  Next I'll go into the office on Monday and write a brief email to our staff volunteer committee, NEON, and ask folks to take a moment as they leave in the evening, to thank Lisa for her whimsical ideas and handiwork that are now gracing our large and grand lobby.  If only a handful of staff take the time to speak to and thank Lisa ... she will know I "gave" her credit where credit was due.  And in doing so, I will be the recipient of many warm feelings knowing that the pathway of kindness is once again branching out in new directions and souls who need touching are being touched.   For this is "The Art of Giving."

And this post cannot close without a special thanks to Dr. Seuss for his inspiring words and "gentle nudges" !

The Power of the Pen

One of my favorite past-times is writing letters and cards.  I have a stash of stamps and stickers and pens and sealing wax and notecards and stationary and ‘just plain’ writing paper and a variety of envelopes.  All these items are stored in a compact satchel that accompanies me on my travels – to work – for a jaunt in the car – to the library – while out running errands ... and of course, at home.  One never knows when a free moment or a fleeting thought will unexpectedly occasion a moment to put pen to paper. 

 My goal is to write a letter or note every day (which usually results in 3-4 letters in one day and none the rest of the week).  I search my mind for friends from years past and places far away.  Having been a military spouse, there are many crevices of the memory to delve into.  Next, I search the internet in hopes of finding an address; fingers-crossed that disappointment does not await me.  Lastly, the paper and stamp are carefully chosen for that ‘first impression’ the packet will make when spotted in the mailbox.  A few pieces of correspondence have been returned over the years as "undeliverable" ~ but that is to be expected when writing someone you have not had contact with for 30 or 40 years.

Recently, I posted a letter to an elderly, but very spry gentleman who has come in and out of my life during my 59 years.  The contents of the letter spoke primarily about our mutual love of art and creative expression.  There were other smatterings of miscellaneous chatter, but it is always my intent to keep my conversation light; inserting little quips to elicit smiles.  Much to my pleasure, I promptly received a letter, of sorts, in response. This nonagenarian (person in their 90's) had actually typed an email, printed it, and then mailed it to me via USPS.  He had answered all my questions, added some of his own thoughts and then referred me to the printed email and asked me "in the future, please use the above address."

Old, but spry !  86 years & 93 years, respectively ♡♡

I was quite dismayed.  Of all the people to whom I have written, I would never have expected this person to prefer email over snail mail.  And to answer your question, I will continue to correspond via USPS, not GMAIL.

Assuming someone will find these words, and read them, the point of this detailed novella about my penchant for letter writing was prompted by the 'printed email' I received.  This dear gentleman with whom I share a love of art, also noted that we share a love of writing.  He mentioned the "flare" my words carry and suggested I start to write my memoirs, as he had done about a decade ago.  He surmised that my "memoirs" would greatly surprise my mother.  But I have a secret ...

I have decided to become more faithful to writing posts in this blog, for I can say with some certainty that my mother has found it, and is reading my 225 (and counting) posts that span some recent years of my life.  And, as this gentleman predicted, I am sure Mom is surprised by some or possibly much of what she reads ... but she still loves me just the same for all my quirks and uniqueness.

I love you Mom .... Happy Reading.