sweet kinder
creates a beautiful and comfortable bed
for the rhino with the broken foot
so that he has a place to lie down
and recover in peace.
—
“as great scientists have said and as all children know,
it is above all by the imagination
that we achieve perception, and compassion, and hope.”
-ursula k. le guin
happy lunar new year – the year of the dog.
—
“you can tell by the kindness of a dog how a human should be.”
-captain beefheart
—
image credit: google images – vintage
how lucky am i
that there is a veterinary hospital
right in my very own classroom
and a doctor from that hospital
ready to ‘doctor me’ and to offer a diagnosis:
“you do not have a heartbeat and you have a very small cavity.”
i am thankful for this
and now that i understand
what is causing my foot to hurt
i know exactly how to make it all better.
“if you get a diagnosis, get on a therapy,
keep a good attitude and keep your sense of humor.”
-teri garr
one of the sweetest cards ever –
created by one of my kinders
who “read” it aloud to me:
“I really, really, really hope that your foot feels better very, very soon.”
(complete with a picture of me with one foot in the giant boot. )
—
“if you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment.”
-carlos santana
“one kind word can warm three winter months.”
~japanese proverb
—
painting by: alisa black – ‘a winter’s day’
this is jack. he got into a fight and ended up with a wound on his side. the vet suggested a shirt as a less stressful approach to keep him from chewing it, rather than a plastic cone.
fun fact: most cats fit into baby shirts sized 0-3 months.
—
‘i work best when there’s a safety trampoline of kindness.’
-ruth negga
credits: red tart art/imgur.com
envelope left behind by a kinder in my class
who created it for someone special.
—
‘i have found that if you love life, life will love you back.’
-arthur rubinstein
‘the rock’ at george washington park
on central campus at the university of michigan
painted by volunteers with the michigan refugee assistance program
—
“seeking asylum is a human right.”
amnesty international
george washington park, ann arbor, mi, usa
A Little Wild Spot. The ramshackle old house pictured above, unoccupied for two years at the time this photo was taken in 1966, was Anne Mueller’s “rough box.” After her death at the age of 85, her wildflower garden on the corner was deeded to the city for a park. The house now gone, Postman’s Rest Park, was named as a tribute to Norm Kern and Bob Schlupe, the mail carriers who stopped each day to see that “Annie” was all right when she was widowed and left without family in her later years. (ann arbor news, 1972)
1972 postman’s rest park
2017 postman’s rest park
during my visit to this tiny park
situated on a quiet and peaceful corner
in a tree-lined neighborhood
filled with old bungalows, gardens, and lawns
i sat in the swing for a while
taking it all in
looking around
at the greenery and wildflowers
there was a very special
warm and welcoming feeling
i wanted to know more about this lovely space
and was so pleasantly surprised
to discover its touching story
a pioneering newspaperwoman, ann mueller
left this beautiful space
where her wildflower garden had once bloomed
as a tribute to those who cared.
—
“take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”
-ovid
—
credits: news photo and caption – 1966 ann arbor news, jack stubbs – 1972 ann arbor news
I didn't have my glasses on.... 