Living in Unison

Living in Unison

Wind vibrates my ears.

The cardinal’s squawk beckons my attention.

Pine leaf’s shuffle back and forth,

Calling out to my eager ears.

Living in unison.

The red ant crawls up my arm with insurmountable odds.

My thoughts dangle in the restless sounds of nature.

Clouds scamper across the sky.

Moving together

Like a flock of unhindered birds

Meeting to say hello.

Living in unison.

The grass holds me up,

Ticking my arms and legs for my attention.

Each strand working just as hard as the other.

Living in unison

One body, working together,

Each beckoning an eager ear, an eager eye,

Building a community,

Living in unison.

Lake Bonny Park

“I went to Lake Bonny Park and stayed there for 40 min.” I actually stayed a little over an hour. I went with a pretty awesome friend. So it made the trip that much better. However, she did not have to do the assignment. I recently went to Lake Bonny Park, Thursday in fact, for a small picnic. We sat quietly amongst the frolicking children. As we watched we took pictures, and caught up on each others lives. It was a great time. So this time I kind of knew my way around the park. We first walked out to the dock that overlooks Lake Bonny only to discover a group laying on the wooden boards. So we walked back to our original location, the lush open space of a nicely manicured soccer field. The sun was out, but it was not particularly hot. There were just enough clouds in the sky to look at. One of the coolest things I saw was looking directly at the sun through the clouds. They were just thick enough to look at the sun, but not too thick to blot out the perfectly circular ball of fire. We sat in silence for about 20-25 minutes. As she read, I watched, listened, felt, smelt, all the things going on around me. I took note of every detail, even the smallest ant that was crawling up my arm. After the time was up, we just sat there and talked. We talked about the future, and the past, and our weeks. It was a great time. I will definitely go back soon. I also feel like the park is a great place to observe nature. I was amazed at how everything seemed to work in such perfect harmony. I liked this field trip a lot more than the cemetery one. Although like I learned, everything has its place and this just happens to placed a little higher on my liking scale than the cemetery.

Learn to be Astonished

“I know a lot of fancy words. I tear them from my heart and tongue. Then I pray.” This is the first recognition of the Lord from Mary Oliver’s book Thirst. I am guilty of trying to pray these elaborate prayers to try and somehow impress God with my extensive use of synonyms. This quote really arrested my heart for how many insincere some of my prayers seemed. It really is about a genuine surrendered heart that desires to do the Lords will. That needs to be my prayer. Interactive learning has really helped me fully understand the literature we are reading. When we read the poem outside, though some of the ducks and trees were distracting, I could see everything working in harmony. I liked Mary’s other poem Messenger as well. There was a line that said “Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” I interpreted this quote as nothing I really accomplish is because of me. All good things come from God. So my work is to stand there and be a willing vessel and let God do what he does best, Amaze people. I think it can also mean that sometimes our lives get caught up in the hurried lifestyle, and there needs to be a time to just reflect and be still. I did something of that sort when we had class on the dock. I notice small details that I never would have noticed. For example, ducks fly extremely close to the water when they are taking off. Wind waves are created from the up and down motion of the ducks wings. I am really looking forward to writing my own nature poem, especially when I noticed how creative I can be with my character based short story.

This Blessed House

Each person is made up of three main parts; the core, the inner-self, and the outer-self. Each of which bears a different percentage of who that person is. For example, the outer self bears the least weight, only about one percent. Basically, what a person does is not who a person is. A large percentage of a person’s being is made up of the inner-self. The inner-self is what a person stands for, his or her beliefs or values if you will. The last part is the core, in other words, you in God. Whether you would admit it or not, God is the sustaining force in every person’s life. Each breath, He fills up my lungs. The illustration given in class was that of an iceberg, or the earth. The Blessed House has two very different characters, Twinkle and Sanjeev, both of which are Muslims. The two had just moved into a house with Christian relicts in very obscure places. As Twinkle discovers new paraphernalia, parts of their inner and outer-self are being revealed. Twinkle is very open and curious to how they got into the vinegar pantry, or in the pipes underneath the sink. On the other hand, Sanjeev views them all as rubbish that needs not be on display. Sanjeev could just be firm in his Muslim beliefs, which reveals his some of his inner-self. While, Twinkle views the artifacts as unique art pieces that should be on display, or sold. I think this reveals some of her outer-self, because she wants people to notice them, and perhaps make a judgment on her outer-self. As the two develop further, I learned about myself and how much emphasis I put on my outer-self. As I age, my outer self will fade, while my inter-self will continue to develop. That is why relationships built on heartfelt conversations last way longer than the surface level relationships.

Pie Eating Contest

Walking in I saw two bags of food that I could not make out quite what was in the bags. Later, it was determined to be a peach pie, and a blueberry pie. I should have know the professor was up to something. I just could not put my finger on it. Then, Professor Corrigan asked for any volunteers to compete in a “pie eating contest”. Everybody seemed either hesitant or full. I was the latter. I had just finished lunch. However, Brian was an eager contestant, and claimed the peach pie for the taking. The only rule was that there was to be no talking, and one timer. The two contestants sat back to back and began. Brian began at a steady pace, continually shoveling peach pie into his oral cavity. On the other hand, Professor Corrigan took out a plate, a cup for coffee (I think), and cut out a sliver of pie. I was pondering why he was going so slowly. I thought to myself “he’s never going to win at that pace.” After about 6-8 min, Brian showed signs of struggles, and just threw the left over crust in the garbage. All the while Professor Corrigan still had more than ¾ of his pie to eat. After everyone returned to their seat, he asked “who won?” There was mixed responses for both Brian and Professor. “Brian won because he was finished first!” someone proclaimed. “No Professor Corrigan won, because he enjoyed it and savored each bite.” Another said. Professor put it in the way that Brian was a plot based story, where the purpose is for entertainment. And Professor Corrigan was a character based story, where the purpose is to really relish as the character develops. So there is no real winner, just a different way to look at it. That seems to be the theme for literature. Yet again, Professor Corrigan had crafty something planned up his sleeve.

Character Based Short Story

A Day in the Life of Geoffrey Yerffoeg
By Andy Osborn

“Good morning Geoffrey” was quietly whispered into the ear of barely conscious Geoffrey by his mother just after sunrise. As he awoke, he stretched out his limbs and struggled to gain his balance. After a restful nights sleep, his hair had settled into a mohawk atop the dome of his head. Geoffrey had legs that seem to go on for days, and freckles that covered him head to toe. Geoffrey looked just like his mother, and his father. The only thing that really set Geoffrey apart was his smile. The Yerffoeg’s were vegetarians, but that seemed to be the norm where he grew up. “Breakfast is outside whenever you get hungry” Mrs. Yerffoeg said. “I’m not hungry ma” replied Geoffrey with a sense of nervous anticipation of what lay ahead in the day. Today was not just any day, but a very very special day. Today Geoffrey had a photo shoot, but not just any photo shoot; he was to be featured on the cover of a magazine. This company loved his smile, like most that he met, and wanted to make him the marketable face of the company. Geoffrey finally made it outside as the sun was just rising over the tops of the trees causing him to squint and wrinkles to blanket his face. His eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight, as they did he saw his mother staring back with unconditional love written all over her face. “Don’t be nervous, you’ll do great.” Those were comforting words from Geoffrey’s mother that calmed the palpitating heart of Geoffrey. The great thing about mothers is they always find the right words to say. A white van approaches to take Geoffrey and his mother to the shoot. “I’M NOT GOING!” Geoffrey demanded. After several attempts to bribe Geoffrey, she pauses then proclaims “Do it for Gino”. She could not help it. It just seemed to roll out of her mouth; she tried to catch the words with her exceptionally long tongue, but failed. It was the last straw. Geoffrey’s eyes widened and mouth dropped. Growing up, Geoffrey was very timid, soft spoken, and always seemed to be underappreciated because his brother’s success. His brother was a performer, and a dazzling one at that. He would put on a show every time he took the stage. Crowds would flock from all across the country to see Gino perform. Women would leave in tears, and adolescents teens would wait for hours just to get in a picture the Gino. Until the day, the day that changed the Yerffoeg’s lives forever. Gino was performing at his usually time 12:00pm, but this week he was trying a new, more challenging routine. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, when all of a sudden during his Goragon Full to Slap Slap Shhh Daddy, the hardest move in his routine; “CRACK!” Gino’s leg snaps, a horrific moan exits Gino’s mouth, and a simultaneous gasp from nervous spectators. The sound of silence filled the stadium, and people began praying as the medical team rushed to try and subdue the injured performer. This would be Gino’s last performance, and his last day alive. A broken leg might as well be a death sentence. His family mourned for weeks, and vowed never to mention his name again. Gino was Geoffrey’s roll model and mentor. Flash forward 5 years. “What did you say?” Geoffrey stated. “You heard me” his mother replied, “now lets get in the van.” The pair began yelling, and aimlessly trying hold back tears, but that didn’t last long. The two embraced and spent several minutes weeping into each others necks. The two walked side by side to the van, reminiscing of the good o’le days. They finally arrive at the destination, an abandoned warehouse filled with lights, umbrellas with lights in them, shiny round sun blockers, a photographer, make-up artists, and costume designers, a whole community waiting for Geoffrey. Geoffrey put on his T-shirt, and white gloves. Standing before him was twelve kids all of which filled with joy or are exceptionally good at faking a smile. Geoffrey stared into the camera, flashed his heart-melting smile and gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. KATICH, the flash burst and lens snapped. Onlookers began tearing up, because they were looking at a bright future. Hours later, the cover is complete and a star is born. The van takes Geoffrey and his mom back to their residence. On the way back, Geoffrey is struggling to stay awake. His eye lids feel like anchors pulling down on his eyes. His mom walks him out of the trailer, struggling to keep his balance; he zonks out in the middle of the field under his favorite tree. “Goodnight Geoffrey, I love you” was whispered softly to the perked ears of Geoffrey by his mom. Later Geoffrey becomes the face of Toys-R-Us. His unmistakable smile and white glove capture the hearts and wallets of millions of children and parents across the United States. The magazine shoot he did not want to go to changed his life forever. Though small and insignificant at the time, He turns into the greatest star of the late 19th and into the 20th century. No matter how distraught Geoffrey was, he had a gift, and he used his gift to reach millions of people. Can’t we all reflect Geoffrey from time to time?

Spring Break

Spring Break is one of my favorite breaks. If not my favorite, definitely top five. The well-needed break comes just before I am burned out of school. The break has the best weather in my opinion, not too hot and not too cold. This break was no exception, except for the monsoon we drove back in on Friday. My week was full of rest and relaxation. My friends and I took a trip to Collier-Seminole State Park near Naples for a week of camping. I grew up camping in the mountains and parks of Colorado, so this was somewhat of a new experience, however just as enjoyable. We did so many enjoyable activities like a nature walk, canoeing, campfire stories, smores, Mandy’s camp concoction (which was delicious) , Catch Phrase, Hoopla, Jet Ski around Marco Island, and barely knowing the time. If all of these things are not good enough, doing it with five other amazing people made it that much sweeter. The things I did not enjoy were the vampire-mosquitoes that could not resist my B+ blood, and the incomplete Sudoku puzzles that tempted me for days. The old people at the campsite were so nice too. It seemed to be the ideal place to read Joel to the trees again, however that did not happen. But if I were to read Joel aloud again, that place would be ideal. It was quiet, and peaceful. Overall, this break was not the typical Spring Break for most college students around the country, but that is ok, because I had an amazing time, and did not need drugs, or alcohol to do it. I think it would have been cool to go to places like Daytona or Panama City, and minister to other college students who have not heard the truth. I think that is my goal for next year.

Sonny’s Blues is a fictional essay of sorts by James Baldwin based around the life of the narrator and his younger brother Sonny. The two grew up in Harlem, New York, but Sonny left and now returned. Sonny is a jazz musician who struggles with heroin on occasion. The story shows a lot about the fragility of humans. For example, Sonny, and the narrator’s father is forever changed after the death of his brother. One night, his brother is hit by a speeding car full of white men. From then on he see’s every white man as the one who killed his brother. There are several other references to death in this essay. For example, the narrator’s little two-year old daughter Gracie dies from Polio. Also Sonny’s dad dies when he is just fifteen. But among all this turmoil in sonny’s life he remains hopeful in his music. As we were discussing Lectio Divina in class, a phase reminded me to be hopeful amongst the turmoil. “Sonny’s fingers filled the air with life, his life. But that life contained in so many others…that he could help us be free if we would listen, that he would never be free until we did.” That combination quote from page 409 really struck me, because of the tone and imagery that I took from it. As well as the power of music specifically jazz music had on this era. It still has a great deal of affect now, however music then was monumental because of the social injustice going on at the time. So Sonny’s fingers really did fill the air with life. Also during the Lectio Divina time, we were asked to write out a prayer. I wrote a prayer down basically thanking God for this life that He’s given to me. And that I would be able to impact people’s life’s though my gifts such as soccer in order that they may have life.