~ toss & ripple ~

Pretending

2012-01-25T13:14:00.015-05:00

aww ~ 01/25/12 non-subject: pretending ************* "Aye, aye Captain!" My nine-year old voice exclaims as I stand upon the side-bar on the swing set frame. With my head just slightly higher than the top of the frame, I look out across the pasture behind me, the pasture that is the ocean. I am a princess hero on the pirate ship. I'm not a prissy princess, but strong and brave. The pirate

Who people say I am....

2012-01-19T10:43:00.004-05:00

AWW ~ 1/18/12 non-subject: who people say I am __________________ I have little idea of who people say I am. I doubt I'm often a subject in others' thoughts. People mostly think about themselves, their problems and relationships and families. I am part of people's problems and relationships and families, so perhaps folks do say I am thus and thus. What are some descriptions I've read and

"You Can Close Your Eyes" ~ JT

2012-01-06T09:38:00.004-05:00

Magical day and night along the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday. As the sun dipped behind the mountains And the moon awaited its turn A lullaby whispered from my lungs and lips. And the frigid wind hummed along. 'Twas a beautiful hike upon Rocky Knob Ridge. "The sun is surely sinking down...." "But the moon is slowly risin'..." "So this ole' world must still be spinnin' round..." "You can

Appropriate Trust

2012-01-03T10:26:00.005-05:00

In Part III of my spiritual journey narrative I state: "I am confused at times in regard to my godly experiences in The Way compared with the abuses and abuse allegations. These present a dichotomy which, at times, is difficult for me to reconcile." I have previously thought the dichotomy can (at least partly) be explained by life itself; life is filled with yin and yang, black and white, all

Progeny of Dreams

2012-01-01T14:58:00.005-05:00

Over the holiday during our family gathering, the subject of the Appalachian Trail briefly came up. I mentioned to my daughter the incident she and I experienced over a year ago when we met Ron and Diane, creators of Journey of Dreams. This morning, for the first time in at least 10 months, I visited Journey of Dreams website. To my delight, I found my daughter in one of the videos. (*big proud

2012 comes a bellowing....

2011-12-31T11:39:00.005-05:00

My wish for all in 2012....and beyond.... May grace & dynamic peace find our hearts & may rain continue to teach us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RAIN AND GRACE: Dr. Anthony T. Padovano on Thomas Merton "[...]The rain is unrelenting, God-like in its pervasiveness and its gentleness, in the relief it brings and the challenges it poses, in its capacity to make us eager for it and reticent at

From the pages ~ Sophie Faith

2011-12-29T16:33:00.011-05:00

12/29/11, Thursday Starbucks on Stratford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Where do I begin with my many thoughts? So many thoughts in a day. As I drove my '99 Ford Explorer along Business-40 headed east into downtown, my thoughts perused the God subject. My thoughts perused the people subject, the humanity subject, mankind's purpose subject, the subject of progress, possibilities, the subject of faith. Is "

Muse and Mist

2011-12-28T15:02:00.001-05:00

Well, some say if you don't know what to say, say nothing. Sound advice. When it comes to writing though, I say, "Write something." I've not been writing lately, and if I don't write, the muse seems to drift farther and farther away...like fog on a lake or clouds across mountains. The drift. One of my favorite spots among the high hills of North Carolina is Roan Mountain. 'Tis a magical

Blogging Ideas?

2011-12-27T15:19:00.006-05:00

If any readers want to add ideas, just leave a comment. Thinkerings Dichotomy enlightenment: Jekyll & Hyde "God," "Lord," "Creator," .... Life & worship Law of perception/perspective in lieu of LoA in light of purpose, chance, providence LSF meditation program Prehensile tails Providence, purpose, chance Psychopathy & wanting to believe in humanity - the balance Questions, no answers ~~~~~~~~~~

Days are shorter now

2011-12-13T10:24:00.002-05:00

I do not want to write these days. My creativity feels so very stifled, dead. I'm not sure why exactly. Perhaps I haven't the leisure time to create. But, I could if I chose. Such as when I walk dogs. I think I'll ask my heart today, commune more with it as I walk my canine friends, at least the ones that don't require so much supervision when we walk together. Bruno and Buster are two toy

I Still Pray

2011-11-29T22:12:00.002-05:00

I still pray. Not in the way I used to pray, nor with an obligation. My prayers now are more like thoughts, a communing with my heart, asking it how it feels and what it needs. Then asking the universe from time to time for something special, just so I know I'm present. I don't necessarily ask for anything specific; but rather, an unexpected connection of some sort. The "answer" then comes in

Soul Holes

2011-11-26T14:27:00.004-05:00

************************ For years before I left The Way, I was a self-help book junkie. I enjoyed most every book I read. One of the qualities (to me) of a good self-help book is the author's own story. Whether or not their story directly applies to my situation is often irrelevant to me. I enjoy the inspiration, the tenacity of the human soul, to overcome and to endure...even to endure the

Worse than The Way

2011-11-24T08:56:00.007-05:00

I awake each morning. Another day. I usually awake depressed these days. Been that way most days the past year plus...depressed or anxious. Lately, just depressed. Not a deep depression, but rather low level. I'm still able to get up and get going. I've experienced debilitating depression in the past. I'm thankful that seldom arises anymore. Since the public lies stated by my ex-therapist back

Fenced Spaces

2011-11-23T08:23:00.006-05:00

________________ Space. White space. Dark space. Positive space. Negative space. Outer space. Inner space. So often, as I shut the door saying goodbye to the four-legged critter who looks at me with loving eyes, I wonder, "What do you think about; how do you feel; what do you do all day long, alone, awaiting your human companion to arrive home?" I then think about the size of a dog or cat or

Trail Journal ~ 5/26/10 - 5/27/10

2011-11-18T10:52:00.002-05:00

********************** 5/26/2010, Wednesday 8 miles. Half-mile past Turkey Pen Gap to about 1.5 miles from Wilbur Lake Road. I camp as a lone human again. I'm smackdab beside the trail; my left front tent pole is right on the edge of the trail. It was either camp here or walk another 3 miles to Watauga Lake Shelter and get there around 9:30 PM or there abouts. Plus Watauga Shelter is near a

Re-post: ~How deep can you feel?~ Norm Strauss

2011-11-11T14:12:00.002-05:00

Another favorite song. Reminds me of discovery, of memoir. To the journey... "How Deep Can You Feel" lyrics & music by Norm Strauss It's all in how you look at it, she said, as if there were a hundred ways to walk a high wire. You wanna try to let it go, close your eyes now and let your heart rule your head sometime. Some folks dig for gold and only scratch the surface But you saw somethin'

Trail Journal ~ 5/25/2010

2011-11-11T11:12:00.001-05:00

******************* 5/25/2010, Tuesday Double Springs Shelter to 1/2 mile past Turkey Pen Gap. 9.5 miles. I camp alone tonight, 1/2 mile past Turkey Pen. 1-1/2 miles from a shelter and 1-1/2 miles from water. Today I really enjoyed the pasture before Route 91. It was refreshing to be in the open light and out of the green tunnel. 1/2ish mile past 91, I found the orange box. Ice cold sodas and

Mr. and Ms. Fitz

2011-11-10T16:20:00.001-05:00

I like assembling puzzles. I sit for hours. Examining pieces - shapes, colors, pictures. I examine empty spaces. I lay a piece, it locks or not. I look at the box cover as a guide. Often it helps, sometimes not. The box cover. It's a representation of what the puzzle will look like after assembled. The puzzle too is a copy, a representation. Covers. Copies. Representations. Pieces that

Trail Journal ~ 5/23/2010 - 5/24/2010

2011-11-10T09:33:00.002-05:00

********************* 5/23/10 - Sunday Camping spot last night to Abington Gap (AG) Shelter. 5 miles. 3 hours, 9AM - Noon. I've decided to stay here for the night. Let my stuff dry in the sun this afternoon. Water is probably 1/4 mile down a hill. No privy; I've gotten pretty adept at pooping in the woods. I ate a hot lunch - Ramen (chicken flavor) with carrots and jerky. Supper was an apple,

Trail Journal ~ 5/21/10 - 5/22/2010

2011-11-09T13:34:00.002-05:00

********** 5/21/2010, Friday Zero miles today. At Hiker's Inn. ~Met McGiver (her trail name), a young lady from Atlanta. ~Met Sweet Tea (her trail name), 50ish years old, southern belle from Atlanta, I think. Her real name is Georgia. Her chihuahua's name is Taco and his trail name is Yellow Blazer. Taco wears a leopard skin coat and rides in Georgia's front hip pack, which is actually her

"Yertle the Turtle" by Dr. Suess

2011-11-09T11:54:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my friend, April, for turning me on to Yertle the Turtle by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Suess. On the far-away island of Sala-ma-Sond, Yertle the Turtle was king of the pond. A nice little pond. It was clean. It was neat. The water was warm. There was plenty to eat. The turtles had everything turtles might need. And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed. They were… until

Trail Journal ~ 5/20/10

2011-11-09T11:00:00.002-05:00

************ 5/20/2010, Thursday Saunders Shelter to Damascus, VA. About 8 miles. 8.25 hours. Arrived in Damascus at 5:30PM. Wednesday night and Thursday morning: At Saunders Shelter there was a man named Peter B., a lawyer for a group called ARC or Arc. It was once an acronym for Association for Retarded Citizens - an advocacy group. The group no longer calls itself that, but rather Arc.

Trail Journal ~ 5/17/10 - 5/19/10

2011-11-09T10:19:00.002-05:00

************* 5/17/2010 Grayson Highlands, VA, Massy Gap overnight parking to near Thomas Knob Shelter. 2.9 rugged miles. 45# pack. 4 hours. Rain, off and on. Sixty degrees or so. Wild ponies. About six thru-hikers. Loved it. I fell down once...haha. I lie on my side in my tent. So why try to write straight across the page. There, or rather here. This diagonal writing is much better. A

Victim is not a dirty word

2011-11-06T02:31:00.006-05:00

I read about spiritual abuse...when a person's belief in God, about God, of God is used against them. The person's very core self becomes shattered; their foundation crumbles. In spiritual abuse, like any abuse, trust is deeply violated...especially trust in one's core self which became lost or buried or replaced somewhere along the way. Imagine, after experiencing the core self being shattered

I pen in Gregg

2011-11-05T22:19:00.002-04:00

When journaling and in notes to myself, I draw words in Gregg shorthand mixed with longhand. I wonder how many folks pen in Gregg? Below is the text of and a photo from part of a recent journal entry...from between the Moleskine cover. ____________________ Friday, 11/04/11 Starbucks - Reynolda Road 3:00 PM 'Tis a cloudy fall day. Sleepy day. Not sure what I have to write today, what I have to