Author Archives: beth

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About beth

Ann Arbor-ite writes about enjoying life with all of its ironies and surprises.
Jan27

lights shining.

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Ann Arbor vigil last night
second one
in a very short time
 people came together 
in the bitter cold
gathering in community
sharing poetry, music, art
sad, angry, defiant, strong
still with lights shining
in remembrance of Alex Pretti, 
VA nurse killed in Minnesota.
—
‘we do not exist for ourselves.’ 
-thomas merton

*Thomas Merton (1915–68) was a renowned American Trappist monk, poet and author,  best known for his 1948 autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain. Based at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, he was a leading 20th-century spiritual writer who focused on contemplation, social justice, peace, and interfaith dialogue, particularly with Zen Buddhism. 

Jan26

clarity.

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my friend recently met up with me

after having eye surgery

surprised

at all the things she could now see clearly

having adapted over time

never realizing how much she had been missing

even the coat she was wearing

she had returned a couple of weeks ago

insisting that ‘it is gray and not what I ordered!’

the company sent her a new one

she was a bit upset

when they sent her a gray one once again

but decided to not hassle with it

wore it to her surgery

put it on for the ride home

her eye quickly healed

 wore her ‘gray’ coat to our meeting

discovering that it was actually ‘blue’

the color she had ordered twice

but could not see

imagine the things she’ll see

when her other eye is done.

—

‘every person takes the limits of their own field of vision

for the limits of the world.’

-arthur schopenhauer

Jan25

for the children.

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—

poetry credit: moms who write

Jan24

the magic.

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walking in the icy freezy slushy mess and finding this

 

—

‘the magic is in the mess.’

-brene brown

 

Jan23

frost.

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 winter beauty

living this week and next

with single-digit and below zero weather

frost, ice, sleet, and snow

some of you may remember the beauty of this lovely place

 I visited last summer on my the first time

in the upper peninsula of michigan

Kitchitikipi

—

“there is no end to the lovely things that frost

and the running of water can create between them.”

-nan shepherd

—

Jan22

a fraction of a dot.

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Jan21

dinner?

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if I could invite

 any mix of people to dinner

for an interesting chat, a meal, and a laugh?

mr. rogers would be one of my guests


of course, dolly, who I wrote about yesterday, would be another

and rod serling,  one of my favorite writers, twilight zone man

—

all good humans

 smart, kind, creative, generous, funny, and i imagine, good company

all people I admire

we could fit right into a booth.

—

who are the 3 people

that you would invite

to sit in a booth with you

to talk and laugh and have dinner with?

—

‘i’ve never been to a dinner party where everyone

at the dinner table didn’t say something funny.’

-lorrie moore

*Lorrie Moore is a celebrated American author, known for her witty, poignant short stories and novels that often explore the complexities of modern relationships, career struggles, and heartbreak. A professor of English and Creative Writing, she’s recognized for her sharp dialogue, mordant humor, and ability to blend tragedy with comedy, earning numerous awards.

Jan20

hello, dolly!

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happy 80th to dolly

one of the kindest, most generous humans around

—

“Light of a Clear Blue Morning” featuring Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah and Reba McEntire is out now.  I wrote this song during a season when I was searching for hope, and fifty years later that message still feels just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with these truly incredible women.” – Dolly

Listen now! https://dolly.lnk.to/LightOfAClearBlueMorning

All net proceeds from this recording and music video will benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN.

—

and yet another incredible project created by dolly:

DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY

https://imaginationlibrary.com

TOTAL KIDS REGISTERED

3,197,250

TOTAL BOOKS GIFTED

304,538,420

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world.

“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer.

The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

—

‘life is a song to me.’

-Dolly Parton

 

Jan19

our hope.

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on Martin Luther King Day and every day

Jan18

serial plant killer redemption.

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did it!

 kept a house plant alive

long enough

(three whole weeks almost)

for it to bloom and thrive!

(okay, so it didn’t need dirt or water, but who cares about the details?)

way up high

away from the felines

away from the over/under water-er

away from the over/under feeder

away from over/under attention-giver

and there it is

my curse is broken

swear my thumb is looking a bit green.

 

—

‘did i ‘kill a plant’ or did a plant not thrive in this fast-paced environment?’

-alittleexrra

 

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