I was hunting for an old songs diary in one of my bookshelves early this morning. [Aside: I wake up before dawn so early morning is like mid-day to me. I’m totally into hunting for diaries by then. And yes, song diary? The diary one wrote song lyrics in, pre-internet. Alright, I’m THAT old! Doll- […]
Children
Unlimited
Shane Koyczan was bullied when he was a child. Children are cruel at times… without meaning to be. To carry that pain, to ‘obey’ the perceptions of those whose world view is immature and miniscule, to shape your life with words used by those who had no idea of their power, to live out someone […]
Nuisance Value
I read something today that stunned me as if I had been hit between the eyes with a wet towel. There is something about yourself that you don’t know. Something that you will deny even exists until it’s too late to do anything about it. It’s the only reason you get up in the morning, […]
A WOW Experience
One summer evening a long while ago, I saw a woman with her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was skipping along ecstatically. She was holding on to a string that was attached to a huge, red helium balloon. All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind pulled the balloon from the little girl’s hand. […]
Dear Parent
I read something today that made me want to write to you. I’d like you to imagine a crowded public square, filled with people. They are busy, happy, engrossed in their own concerns. You stand among them, unnoticed. You’ve just realized that you have poured your future, every minute of everyday of the rest of […]
Imperfectly Perfect
Many years ago I read a heart-opening account written by a father, of how they learned to embrace and celebrate the the Imperfectly Perfect completeness of their teenage daughter. The girl was overly emotional apparently. The slightest things would hurt her and she would either dissolve in floods of tears or blow every one away […]
Ordinary Courage
Many years ago I read a story about a boy called David. David was a spastic suffering from cerebral palsy. When he was two years old his parents noticed something wrong. They were told he would never walk, talk or count to ten. They were told that the case is hopeless and David will live […]
Why Did You Fail?
Minister for Exams ~ Brian Patten When I was a child I sat an exam. This test was so simple There was no way i could fail. Q1. Describe the taste of the Moon. It tastes like Creation I wrote, it has the flavour of starlight. Q2. What colour is Love? Love […]
Life Watch
The little girl sat on the window sill, watching life amble past. It was late afternoon. Her parents were out, working. She, all of four years, was alone at home. It never bothered her, on the contrary. She preferred to be alone. Her house was on the road. One opened the front door, went down […]
Backup Plans
My eldest one came, pulled up a chair and flopped down on it. She had just returned from her painting class. I knew something was bothering her, or she would have proceeded to her room to change and freshen up before talking to me. I was in the middle of writing a tricky kind of […]