Letter to my Children: Changing a Spoken - INTERRUPTING - Habit

/
Letter to my Children: Changing a Spoken - INTERRUPTING - Habit

Dearest Beloveds,

Recently I had this conversation with E. “I am trying to stop myself from interrupting. I think it is a terrible habit.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s terrible. My mother interrupts to change the subject. You interrupt because you anticipate the next thing I am going to tell you in the story - and share.”

“Oh E, you are too kind. Another way of saying that is that I am too impatient with you to finish your own story. I predict what you are going to say to show off that I know where you are going. Blerg.”

“Well, I guess that is one way to look at it.”

Read More

Letter to My Children: Reharmonizing and Fishing

/
Letter to My Children: Reharmonizing and Fishing

Bean sang out from her chair. “Today is Monday. Today is Monday. Monday string beans. All you hungry children..”

Dragon joined in for the chorus, “come and eat it up.”

Burbling out in unison, the tune resonated off the walls and windows.

“Wednesday, zzzooop. Tuesday, spaghetti. Monday, string beans.”

Oh my beloveds, you are literally reharmonizing yourselves back into being home. Hooray!!*

I joined in for the final verse. “All you hungry children, come and eat it UP!”

Our summer time apart (camp) this year has gifted many unforeseen ripples as we reintegrate ourselves as a foursome.

Read More

Letter to my Children: Cultivate Kairos Time

/
Letter to my Children: Cultivate Kairos Time

Dearest beloveds,

The Ancient Greeks had two words for time: chronos and kairos. “Chronos is the ticking of the clock, the zombie steps of just getting on with life… Kairos means “the right moment.” - the opportune time. It stops the clocks.” (Thank you Jonny Thomson of Mini Philosophy for that succinct summary.)

Our modern culture thrives on chronological time. Constantly checking off commitments in a schedule of doings causes our awareness to skim along the surface of life. I highly recommend cultivating regular moments where you can slow to appreciate the magic of life.* It is only once once you pause, lower your shoulders, unclench your butt, take three breaths that the opportune time becomes apparent. Kairos resides outside of the rush.

Read More

Letter to Bean: What is Porno?

/
Letter to Bean: What is Porno?

Dearest Bean,

I was closing up the kitchen before heading down to brush my teeth and corral you and your brother into bed. Bending over the couch to turn off a light, I hear your voice from the kitchen.

“Mom, what is porno?”

What the FUCK?!

“Where did you learn that word?”

“It is right here - in the table of contents of your book.”

Read More

Letter to the Dragon: Cultural Mirror Training

/
Letter to the Dragon: Cultural Mirror Training

“Why don’t you wear your sister’s pink rain jacket until we get you a new one.”

“Mom! Nooo! I will bring my other too small one to school.”

Sigh. Is this because it is pink? Or because your sister has cooties?

“Okay.”

No reason to delve. He has to figure out this himself. Just be grateful for all of those years you were dressing him in whatever gave you pleasure.

Read More

Letter to my Children: School Night Pleasure Reading Mea Culpa

/
Letter to my Children: School Night Pleasure Reading Mea Culpa

Dearest Beloveds,

This is a mea culpa for our current nighttime routine - where I tell you to stop reading pleasure books and Turn off the light! Tomorrow morning is an early day! I am serious! No, you cannot have 5 more minutes! etc etc

The reason your mother is apologizing is because I get it. I totally understand the draw/need/desire/ache to turn the page/to see what happens/to visit longer in the fog of an alternative world. I get it, children.

I get it - which is why I apologize. Mea culpa AND I am going to keep talking about whether it is good choice to stay up late reading pleasure books on a school night (nope, not a good choice). Classic Both/And.

Read More

Letter to my Children: How to Introduce Yourself

/
Letter to my Children: How to Introduce Yourself

My beloved children,

As you know, I grew up in Washington DC. Our nation’s capital, an epicenter of Global North power, and the accompanied jostling endemic to such power. There was a ubiquitous question in the cocktail party circuit. A refrain peeling out from many perfunctory conversations over square cheese bites.

“So, what do you do?”

You are really asking where I can be categorized in the ladder of capitalism. I see you.

Read More

Letter to My Children: Come To The TABLE!

/
Letter to My Children: Come To The TABLE!

Dearest Beloveds,

Spring springs, oncology visits abate, and your mother dives a new community. I have become a member of Coming To The TABLE (CTTT).* I have barely begun to scratch the surface of this amazing organization and am already fluttering with excitement and potentialities, not least of which is volunteering all of us to assist with the Freedom Walk 2026.

250 years after 1776, activists will walk the 750 mile trek of the Underground Railroad, “following 19th century routes to freedom.” They are starting in 19 days. Beginning in Maryland, they are tracing the routes traveled by Harriet Tubman and so many other frightened, courageous, inspiring souls - through New Jersey, New York, and into Canada.

Read More

Letter to my Children: Get Ready Man and What the Heck?!

/
Letter to my Children: Get Ready Man and What the Heck?!

During the last snowday, teetering on the roof of the wood shelter, Bean was stricken with indecision. “Should I jump?”

From the ground Dragon called up to Bean, , “Get ready! Get read-y!!”

“Dragon, stop!”

“The worllld is coming to an end!”

We all started laughing.

Thank you Thurber.

Read More

Letter to my Children: Single Use Plastic ... Bespoke Clothing

/
Letter to my Children: Single Use Plastic ... Bespoke Clothing

Recently, you two played very quiet indoor soccer. On the other end of the building your mother had this internal conversation.

Corinna, raise your hand. You will be mad at yourself if you ignore this nudge to speak.

I am going to ask this question in front of all of these fellow soccer parents - out myself as a crunchy hippy environmentalist - even though I know the answer is capitalism and no, there is no wiggle room.

Yup. Be the Lorax.

Read More

Letter to My Children: Whitey On the Moon

/
Letter to My Children: Whitey On the Moon

Dearest Beloveds,

I almost guarantee this poem is not one you might encounter in your academic career. If not, I salute your teacher. If so, well, you chose to come down and join this family with me as your Momma, so you’re welcome - you get to read it twice. (I can feel the future adolescent eye rolls.)

Courtesy of The Emerald’s June 23 2020 podcast entitled Space Hex: The Curse of Restlessness in Worldviews of Perpetual Escape, I have been exposed to Gil Scott-Heron's "Whitey on the Moon" released in 1970. Here is the full text (and you can hear Scott-Heron performing it below*:

A rat done bit my sister Nell.
With whitey on the moon
Her face and arms began to swell
And whitey's on the moon
I can't pay no doctor bills
But whitey's on the moon
Ten years from now I'll be paying still
While whitey's on the moon

Read More