Tell Your Technicolor story. We’ll listen

Millions of people. Millions of stories

When you think of it, stories were our main entertainment when we were little. I didn’t have the kind of parents who read me bedtime stories. Now that I think about it, I don’t remember ever seeing my mother or father sit down and read a book. I guess if it weren’t for public education, I’d be drawing stick-figures on this blog instead of typing.

But the adults in my life loved stories and spoke them into any pause in a conversation.

We’d go over to someone’s house (folks used to visit face to face a lot more often when I was little). While the kids were supposed to be playing, the adults sat around and told their stories. Stories about the war;  tales about neighbors who made moonshine or stole watermelons; Jokes about stupid horses and even stupider owners.

Kids used to be ignored a lot back then; so we were invisible even when we were in earshot to hear about  Aunt Gertie  goin’ downtown with “some man,” or the red-eyed cobbler  who couldn’t hit a tack straight after a weekend with a bottle.

Of course,  we didn’t understand a lot of the things we overheard, but you don’t survive to be 6 years old without recognizing disapproval when you sense it underlining  the spoken word.  We interpreted this as Aunt Gertie was in for a spanking and we made a mental rule to never go downtown with a man-or have our shoes fixed on Mondays.

I think we still love our stories.

Sometimes they come in different forms. The You-Tube video of Susan Boyle has received over 85 million hits. It is a short (7 minute) story with a heroine who fights seemingly impossible odds and wins.

Blogs are stories. Our weavings, jokes, and tales. With over 113 million blogs (and that doesn’t include the estimated 73 million blogs in China), you may wonder if anyone ever sees your story.

True, your thoughts may ride the internet waves for years, but even if it’s just one person who stumbles upon your words; you’re still telling your story. No longer do you have to have disgraceful aunts and quirky neighbors to spin a good anecdote. The blogs in my sidebar full of stories about knitting, job hunting, writing, and life-examining thoughts.

Some are seeking a way to go on. Some have found it. All of our yarns show our mistakes, successes, and how human we are. We go on-telling stories. And that gives me hope.

Life in the Basement or Life On the Roof?

Photo by Mumbley Joe

The Good ol’ Basement

I hate to admit that I sometimes find myself in the basement—but I do. Things don’t meet my expectations and I pace  the mental darkness of my emotional cellar. When I’m there, I notice that my favorite activity is to bring others to the basement also. You see, it’s easier to fling words of judgment, criticism, and evaluation than to actually do something.

Then there’s the roof….

Aaaaah….on those days I’m giving a shout out to passers-by, inviting them to stop and talk a while, urging them to come on up, and let their troubles roll off the edges.

I saw some Roof People today. They had their lights shining, signaling others to come on up.

• the gentleman at the gym who looks for the quietest person there and makes sure to say hello.
• the lady who let me go in front of her at the check-out line.
• a hilarious Valentine card from Superman that  says “I’m thinkin’ of ya”

Where there’s Light, There’s Hope

Maybe you have basement days, too. So here’s what I’ve learned:

• Get some rest (weariness is basement bait)
• Eat healthy, be good to yourself  (because you deserve it!)
• Look up. There’s always a  light guiding you to the rooftop—where you’ll be safe.

Let Your Light So Shine Among Men.

Where’s the Light in the Dark Days Ahead?

Aaaaah February. If there’s a month that I feel like hibernating…it’s February. The big holidays are over. Orion’s riding silently through the night sky. Spring is still asleep underground.

So tonight I’ll explore where I see light in the days ahead:

1. At the mall. Believe it or not, stores were crammed this weekend.  People carried sacks, so someone must be buying something…just not as much.  (Do we really need so much stuff?)
2. Within businesses. I just interviewed a business owner for an article and he told me that he had made quite a few internal changes in the way he priced their product and did business. Formerly, he charged top-retail, and turned people away if they didn’t like his prices.  Now he’s negotiating with both his customers and his suppliers. (So, now he’s running his business more efficiently.)
3. Within communities. While large urban newpapers are suffering from the diminishing national advertising, small community papers are doing pretty well. Many of them lost their national advertising several years ago and developed other local sources.  (It’s a good feeling to be true to your community)
4. Within a Sea of Strangers. Our local newspaper relates the story of a woman who tried to attend the inauguration in D.C. Several catastrophes occured including loosing her purse and her plane ticket. She went on to tell of the numerous stangers who gave her money, gave her rides and helped her get home. (And her purse was found and sent to her–with it’s contents!!! Someone saw it sitting at the bus stop where she’d left it and turned it in)

It reminds me that the world is really full of good people, there’s just a few  that make it seem dark and frightening.  Then I wonder about my February moodiness and why don’t I “help out more ?”

Probably because I’m wrapped up with my own life, my own worries, my own dark nights.

Focusing on my own problems keeps me from seeing what others need.

There is no hope inside of worry. Maybe I should make February the Month of “Stepping OUT” of my hibernation. It only takes a little  giving to put more hope in the world…doesn’t it?

Wanna join me?  Let your light shine!

Hope is Chuck Norris

Okay,

It’s time for a smile or two. I recently conducted a survey among my Scout Troop, asking the boys the following question:

In a fight between Jack Bauer and Walker, Texas Ranger who would win?

99% went with Chuck.

Impressive that the younger generation thinks a good roundhouse kick will beat all of Jack’s  techno widgety-whatchits.

Since this blog is about HOPE, My hope is that Chuck will return to Oklahoma, his birthplace, and forget all that Texas flapdoodle.

Until then, here’s a few things to make you smile during the dark hours of the night.

• Chuck Norris does not sleep; he waits.
• When the Boogey man goes to sleep everynight, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris
• China once bordered the U.S. until Chuck Norris rounhouse kicked it through the earth
• When Chuck Norris had surgery, the anesthesia was applied to the doctors
• Chuck Norris got a perfect score on his SAT by writing “Chuck Norris” for every answer.
• Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light, not because he’s afraid of the dark; because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris
• If Chuck Norris had carried the RING to Mordor, then instead of saying “friend” to open the door to the Mines or Moria, Gandalf could have just said, “Chuck Norris.”

Why You Should Look for Lights

One adventursome day, my son and I packed our backpacks and decided that we’d hike the 40 miles around Mt. Hood. We pitched our tents the first night at a beautiful place, Paradise Park, on the shin of the mountain,

The Starseed Lure

When night fell it was even more astounding.  Absolute blackness except for the stars.

We hiked up an adjoining hill and from the peak, we could see the lights of small towns in the distance.  The problem came when we tried to hike back down. We’d bushwhacked our way to the top; there weren’t any trails, and as we worked our way down, the camp wasn’t where we thought it should be.

Fortunately we’d left one small alpine candle lit and hanging at camp. That tiny pinprick of light (which seemed like a beacon to us) guided us back to our tents.

Since then, I always look for lights, and I always try to leave a light burning.

What’s Your Favorite Quote of Hope?

Words of Light: It’s hard for the gang members of worry to linger in the well lit places of my mind. Whether you use the Bible, inspirational quotes, or Dave Barry, fill your thoughts with hope.

My favorite is: Who can add a single hour to his life by worrying? (Matt 6:27).

But I think Charlie Brown nailed it when he said, “I’ve developed a new philosophy…I only dread one day at a time.” (Charles Shultz).