adulthood

Epiphany-Estelle-by-Heidi-9940116853_76481a2af4_o.jpg

Of Ambivalence, Epiphanies, and Sonnets of Compassion …

Despite all that I endured with my mother under her care, or lack of it, I was never ambivalent about my ability to love.

Even in the worst of times during my childhood, and while undergoing the nightmare of relationship with my mother, it has always seemed the easiest thing to love, the hardest to mistreat and push away, speak harshly to.

I cannot imagine being to my children as my

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The Star of Spring in Japan by David A. LaSpina 8619211980_2ba7cc0504_b.jpg

Of Text Messages, Letters and Maslow’s Highest Level of Needs …

Around eleven-thirty last evening I received a text from our youngest daughter stating that she and her schoolmates had arrived safely in Japan.

“We’re here and everything is good,” she had written. “I love you,” along with her code for letting me know she sent the text.

I wrote back,

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Question Mark in the pine needles-yesterday by Vicki --8514861149_d75cd670c6_o.jpg

Of Oppressors, Attackers and Questions …

Some people become more like their aggressors and oppressors. We call this identification with the oppressor. It is easy to view oppressors and attackers as stronger and possessing more power than we, their victims.

Abused children are the victims of their parents’ anger and aggression.

And yet

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Generosity by Altaher Altabet 4933479162_ab1634f736_o

Of Altruism, Old Age, and The Circle of Life …

Generosity of spirit requires trust–faith that what you give will be received and appreciated and /or conveys assistance or good, and belief that in giving you will not go lacking.

Certainly we must give within our means, not more than we can afford. Altruism does not ask that we put ourselves at risk. To do that places us in a position to lack the ability to give in the future. And no one wants that.

And yet we cannot always wait until comfort

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Yellow Rose with Drop Closer Crop

Of Mothers, Daughters and The Quality of Mirroring…

Moments after a child exits the women, the obstetrician, or midwife cuts the umbilical cord linking mother to child.

Male children enter a journey of maturation into adulthood that ideally includes a father, or male guiding and supporting them.

As with all children she ushers into life, the mother of a female infant lays the baby upon her chest, nestles and feeds her, but unlike with sons, the mother serves as her daughter’s guide from birth into womanhood.

Who better than a man to teach and nurture a boy into manhood?

Likewise, none but women can best assist a girl in navigating the wilds of growing into a wise, compassionate, and prudent woman.

And yet, theory and reality, as with many life dimensions, often diverge.

That for which we hope often gives way to the probabilities based upon the facts of our present reality.

Many women and mothers have raised sons into excellent and wonderful men.

Likewise many men have nurtured daughters into women any parent or person would be proud to call daughter.

And yet one fact remains.

The umbilical cord attaching mother to daughter,

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Of Bishops, Kindreds Spirits and the Dawning of Awareness…

The Bishop in chess moves diagonally along the squares of the chessboard until it encounters another playing piece.

The various directions in which the Bishop can move create a cross upon the chess board. Less powerful than the Queen or Rook, one Bishop equals the strength of a Knight or 3 Pawns. Like the Rook, Queen, Knight and Pawns of the same color or player, the Bishop seeks to protect the King from capture.

Each player has two Bishops.

While one Bishop stands between the Knight and the Queen the second Bishop stands on the other side of the Queen and beside the King.

In this way the Bishop is the piece or character after the Queen to hold close proximity to the King.

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