One Thing

I heard an advertisement this morning that asked, "what's your one thing?". I cannot remember the context of the one thing (I should have had my notebook out except for I was certain that I would remember it!) but the simplicity of the one thing stuck with me. So I googled it, and found Jerry Keller's The1thing.com

The idea is amazing. While I don't think it is ground breaking or new, I do think it is so very important. He asks his readers to find the one thing that deserves their focus and in devoting your energy there, could fine-tune or make irrelevant other obligations. 

So, what is my one thing? I can honestly say, I have not a clue. Or maybe that I have a clue (surely I must know) hidden away in my subconscious because, if I found it, I would be totally unstoppable. 

And the world just isn't ready. 
One thing, I am going to hunt you down and slay you. 

I almost never listen to the Steve Harvey morning show but this morning I did and he said something I found valuable today. His point was think about what you do everyday to unwind. Be it a nap, playing mindless games, surfing the net, etc. and how it helps you accomplish your goals. If it doesn't, start investing that time into making your dream a reality. That is very accessible to me. I can do that one thing. 

Here's a list of things I normally do after work that I know does nothing for me. In fact, most all of it sets me back.
1. nap (I have horrible insomnia whether I nap or not)
2. pour a glass of wine
3. watch recorded shows
4. too much of nothing

So, in an effort to do something that gets me closer to happy me, I will pick at least one replacement for the above: 
1. take a walk
2. cook
3. clean a drawer (organized spaces make me happy)
4. write

I have really loved this March writing challenge. I have fallen off of the wagon a couple of times but for the next 10 days I want to finish strong.

The Slice of Life writing challenge is a chance to join a community of writers as a writer and a supporter. Not only will you experience the joy of writing together with others all over the world, you will receive comments and love from other writers. Join us all of March with your contribution. Find out more here. 

Living My Truth

The Slice of Life writing challenge is a chance to join a community of writers as a writer and a supporter. Not only will you experience the joy of writing together with others all over the world, you will receive comments and love from other writers. Join us all of March with your contribution. Find out more here. 

Reading the About section of islandsofmysoul.com, I read this quote: 

Every day I am learning and unlearning more about who I am meant to be and how to live my truth and I’m so thankful you are here to join me on this journey so we can learn together. 

Shari :-)

"Every day I am learning and unlearning more about who I am meant to be and how to live my truth..." Living my own truth, is so important to me. For me, this means that I accept all of the mistakes of my past as well as forgive myself for them. In moving forward, the policy Bashing of Laura Lee not permitted" must be adhered to at all times. If the bashing begins, I stop it in its tracks, and the cycle of forgiveness and doing better begins again. Period. 

In one of Shari's slices she wrote, "I am being a tender wife to myself..." LOVE! I think that living my own truth requires the skill of taking good care of myself. Thinking deeply about what is best for me and my family and doing it; all with the love and kindness of a wife. In Proverbs 31:10 the Bible says, "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain."

Living my truth means valuing my rubies and trusting in my spirit. I may never get this right, no one is perfect, but it means the world to me that I make it a continuous pursuit. Always. 

To My Well Being

All is well within you.

Your smile brightens the darkness

Hope encircles you

Tight as a vault (like grandpa's hugs)

Hope has your hand 

Leading you through trials 

Conquering tribulations

At all times

Through pain

Through joy

Hope will provide.

Compassion 

Reassurance

You, my dear are

Forgiven.

It is all yours. 

Take a hold of hope 

And continue in knowing

All is well within you. 

With Tom Romano in Mind

This is a multi-genre slice in honor of the great Tom Romano. He has influenced my teaching of writing and I treasure his thinking and the "lifting up" of his students' work. Through him, I learned to give students agency in the classroom as well as to appreciate my own craft.



2 Musings:

Saw a reflection of myself. Surprised me. Walking around in my stretch skinny jeans, I saw a glimpse of the curves my legs used to be... muscles rising to the surface posing: just for me. A personal tribute to the few weeks of (semi-) dedication to lifting and panting.

I'd taken a two day sabbatical from the funky gym in rebellion of Monday's struggle. Monday, my legs were blocks of concrete. Today wasn't as hard. Today was so much better. Today I ran a bit faster and breathed a bit easier. Gratitude: check.


2 quotes via text this week at 4:00 a.m. from my sweet boyfriend who is learning how to encourage me (in ways that do not awake my inner beast). 

This was my fav:
#1
Him: 
"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." Zig Ziglar 

Your workout quote for the day. Good morning Laura lee! Up and at it!

Me: 
Hey baby! I am up and at it!

#2 
Him:
"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." 

Your workout quote for the day. 

Good Morning Laura Lee! Up and at it!
I'm proud of you. Summer bodies are made in the winter. 

Me: Awwww, thank you baby. 

Two things I am thankful for:
1. My kids
2. My parents

Two lyrics from two of my favorite tunes--

Number One 
by Robert Glasper and Ledisi:

just bring me the sunshine with your smile
I will be okay
no matter if the rain falls when you call
I will be okay
just bring me the sunshine with your smile
I will be okay
no matter if the rain falls when you call
I will be okay


Number Two 
by Jill Scott:

I'm holding on to my freedom,
Can't take it from me,
I was born into it,
It comes naturally,
I'm strumming my own freedom,
Playing the god in me,
Representing his glory,
Hope he's proud of me,

I'm living my life like its golden, golden, golden, golden, golden, golden,...

Two Things

Life is so much simpler 

without 

multi-tasking. 

When numbering 

1.
and then

2.

it all seems manageable.

Task #1. check

Task # 2. check

Even though the ocean

of life looms behind me, 

the sound soothes 

One and then two.

Palatable

Bit by bit

One at a time,

Check

Check

Breathe in.

Breath out.

Just a Dream. Thank God!

The Slice of Life Challenge is hosted by Two Writing Teachers. Each March, educators around the globe are invited to live their lives as writers: writing everyday and commenting on others' writing. Relationships are made and writers are born. 

I had a nightmare. A full fledged nightmare. Heart racing. Panic. It was my worst nightmare, aside from the former recurring Doberman Pincher mauling nightmare, because that was horrible at the time as well. I hate nightmares.

I have a one-day guided reading pd next week. It is a repeat for me but I read the online comments, not the reflections they provide before they leave, the form they fill out to receive their certificate. Those. One person said that they really hoped to leave being able to implement the practice in their classroom. That hit me hard because I want them to feel confident to start as well. But in one day, and I told them this over and over, they wouldn't know everything there is to know about GR and they would have to become comfortable by doing it. Trusting themselves. Knowing that perfection doesn't exist. Even Fountas and Pinnell say that they are still learners of the craft. I want participants to walk away feeling good about the time they spent exploring the ideas and go back to campus to start the learning through implementation. So I am reworking the day long worksop.

So back to the nightmare. I dreamt that it was the morning of the workshop and I woke up. Nothing was finished. I didn't know what I was going to do: nothing was ready even though I had been up almost all night before working on it. I woke up after dozing off; computer, papers and confusion all around me, so confused and unprepared. And late.

It took me a couple of minutes to realize it was just a dream. A horrible nightmare. But the thing I love about nightmares is that they are not true. Not true. Whewww!

Wish me luck guys. Pray that my participants leave my workshop understanding the power of meeting with small groups.

A Seat at the Table

The Slice of Life writing challenge is a chance to join a community of writers as a writer and a supporter. Not only will you experience the joy of writing together with others all over the world, you will receive comments and love from other writers. Join us all of March with your contribution. Find out more here. 

I think it is Nancie Atwell that uses the metaphor of the dining room table for workshop. During the National Writing Project's Summer Institutes, we take a seat at the table to engage with one another around literacy. Every summer I have participated in the institute I am always amazed at how reading, talking writing (And food. Cannot forget food.) creates such strong bonds so quickly. Any TC I have ever met says so. As well, you will hear of the unexpected personal stories that unfold, the amount of tears shed and a few that find the "counseling atmosphere" a bit annoying. I never did. For me, when I write it is usually about pain. The dark underbelly of my life that I work to hide form most people. I have always known this about myself. Even as a child I wrote in journals pushed under my bed, out of my sibling's sight. Pain surfaces when I write. I would rather not share too much pain with others but it seeps out of my mind onto the paper most of the time.

This challenge is amazing for many reasons. For me personally, it is a chance to commit myself to a meaningful pursuit. Although I hope not to let pain pour from my fingertips in this public place, I will not sensor the truth because what I love most is writing that is real. I will be true in this space and dig for the happy at the same time.

Grandma Used to Say

This morning I thought of Bill Wither's Grandma's Hands.

Grandma's hands
Soothed a local unwed mother
Grandma's hands
Used to ache sometimes and swell
Grandma's hands
Used to lift her face and tell her,
She'd say "Baby, Grandma understands
That you really love that man
Put yourself in Jesus hands"
Grandma's hands
_____________________

Which led me to think about my grandmother: Claire Elaine Flowers
My grandmother's hands are long gone from my eyes, yet remain in my senses attached to memories in whiffs of her powdered skin.
Dainty, smooth and petite; they'd handled a lifetime.
Whenever my soul was storming
her voice r
reassured me
the rhythm
of this world.
Storm, sun.
Tragedy, relief.
Loss, love.
Pain, joy.
Loved, broken.

It was Claire that told me to ride it out because this too, shall pass.
She was a woman of few words, but she positioned a soft, understanding space for me to rest my worries.

Because Nikki Said So

The Slice of Life writing challenge is a chance to join a community of writers as a writer and a supporter. Not only will you experience the joy of writing together with others all over the world, you will receive comments and love from other writers. Join us all of March with your contribution. Find out more here. 

Last night, I was watching one of my favorite shows: My 600-lb Life. This is a graphic show and mostly depressing. What I love about it though are the stories. Stories of succeeding over a tremendous struggle. I mean, I am fighting to loose 20 lbs and it is hard work. It requires being consistent, one of my greatest challenges. Nikki, 33 yrs old and 650 ish lbs, was featured last night as a fan favorite. In her past she had kept a container by her bed of high calorie delicacies. After loosing 60 of the 500 pds, she said this, "I have emptied my container because its contents were disrespectful to my new life style."

That made so much sense to me. When I am trying on new habits, I need to respect all of my hard work. I need to respect my soul's desire to be fit. Slipping backwards is washing away the progress I have worked so hard accomplish.

The value of Nikki's words are gold to me. I respect our struggle to change, morph, transform into the life we deserve for ourselves. Here's to you, Nikki!