“crack the whip’ sculpture – sunset hills, flint, mi
j. seward johnson, sculptor
—
being the youngest in our neighborhood gang
i was often the smallest
finding myself on the end of ‘the whip’ during this game
sometimes it felt like i was flying
and highly likely that i was.
—
“being smart as a whip means knowing when not to crack it’
-vera nazarian
back in time on a summer’s day
when your parents thought
you and your friends of all ages
were just pedaling around the block for hours
but in that time you really
explored abandoned houses and those still under construction
built your own underground fort
jumped in the mud to see if it was quicksand
left your socks behind
met a new kid
balanced on a a board going over the water to get to the other side
found a golf ball
explored the gravel pit
rolled down a hill backwards
shared snacks that fell in the dirt
had the best day ever
every single day.
—
“keep your children wild, don’t make them grow up too fast.”
– brooke hampton
“there is nothing wrong with loving the crap out of everything.
negative people find their walls.
so never apologize for your enthusiasm.
never.ever.ever.
-ryan adams
may you all live like this forever. and ever. and ever.
love, your teacher
(who lives like this too)
i can identify with this little one
when i was a child
i believed
when i had
my sunglasses on
no one could see me
now, i’m left wondering…
—
“vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.”
-jonathan swift
i first crossed paths
with this brave and amazing future author (trish kearney)
years ago on her blog:
“my thoughts on a page”
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/8642668
where she wrote about
her family, her careers, her loves and losses, her daily life in ireland
when i later traveled to ireland
we met in person
(even though her children warned her i might really be a male serial killer)
we spent a great afternoon at an outdoor pub
near the water on a beautiful day
getting to know each other
i had no idea what her whole story was
until she began writing posts about her childhood
floating the idea of writing her memoir
including painful buried trauma she had endured
as a young championship swimmer
over time she gained confidence
decided to tell her story
to find personal peace
to hold her tormentor responsible
to no longer be a victim
to help others who might not be ready to speak.
what followed was
her book, “above water”
a podcast, “where is george gibney?”
and unforeseen consequences
both good and bad.
this is a book of truths
of regaining power over one’s own life
of bravery
of survival
of living to tell the tale
of an unbroken spirit
of healing
of helping others.
i give it my highest personal recommendation
here’s to you, tric, and to all who suffer in silence
you are their brave voice for each and every one of them
and i’m so proud to call you my friend.
—
“you don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”
-Edwin Louis Cole
—
amazon uk – available now
not my baby brother, but a similar-sized baby with one more hair. 
oh, how i would have loved to see this exhibit
i played with each and every one of these games
and lived to tell.
—
“parents shouldn’t assume children are made out of sugar candy and will break and collapse instantly.
kids don’t.
we do.”
-maurice sendak
(a repost)
with
one sister visiting
one sister gone too soon
only brother on his way
grandchildren in tow
we visited the place
where we had grown up.
it looked much the same
yet felt somehow not.
much like us.
—
“there is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged
to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
-nelson mandela
many years ago
way back in first grade
i took thirty one cents
from hillman bailey III’s open desk
it was a matter of greed and opportunity
that spurred me on
i was really wanting candy from the store
sitting right in front of me
there appeared thirty one cents
almost dropping in my lap
i would repay hillman one day
when i got a job
at least this is all what i told myself
when i bought candy at the store
with my windfall
it didn’t taste as good as i expected
feeling lousy inside
i never told hillman
never made any attempt to make the situation right
but over the years i’ve thought about it
from time to time
today when paying cash at the grocery store
thirty one cents
dropped into the change slot
left it for the next person
maybe they had a child who wanted candy
silently said i was sorry
donated it back into the universe
on behalf of hillman bailey III
trying to make good on my word.
—
“guilt: the gift that keeps on giving.”
-erma bombeck
back in the 60’s
so excited to begin my modeling hobby
black fury arrived
took out all three of the pieces
two horse halves and a tail
laid them out
along with my airplane glue
after reading the directions
carefully matching the halves
adding the tail
it’s black plastic body
smeared all over with glue
but it was together
i had made it all by myself
gave it one last little squirt of glue
for good luck
which missed and went into my eye
my joy turned to dramatic squealing
zoomed off to the eye doctor
went home and looked at fury
with my one good eye
not sure what went wrong
learning not to add
one more little dab of something
when a project is finished
and began my foray into my new hobby
stamp collecting.
“when things go right it’s hard to figure out why,
but when things go wrong it’s really easy.”
-steven soderbergh
I didn't have my glasses on.... 