Stories that Need to be Told

The Help

My neighbor lent me a book called The Help and I just finished reading it. We also saw the movie, and it was one of the best films I've ever seen. It had every element of a good story in it. And it is such an eye-opening story.

It's a story set in the deep south during the early 60's, when there was so much unrest in our country.

It's a story about ignorance and denial.

It's a story about courage. Courage to tell a story that needed to be told.

There were a lot of angry people because of the telling of the story, but it needed to be told. There were also a lot of freed people because of the telling of the story. The truth needed to come out. A story exposing realities can be mighty uncomfortable. But there was freedom in the truth being told.

There are so many stories that need to be told. I have one. I hope I have the courage to tell it.


Note: I don't want to minimize that time in our history by calling it just "a story." It's so much more than a story -- it's our history, bad and good. I'm sure this book has served to validate some things that have been long denied and, for others, to see things from a different perspective, as sometimes only a story can accomplish. My hope is that we, including myself, take these lessons into account in our daily lives.


This post is not an advertisement or paid endorsement. Just my own opinion.

unconditional love

"Sometimes it's nice to go where everybody knows your name. And they're always glad you came..." Remember that from Cheers?

I used to visit the piano man regularly.

Sometimes I was the waitress, shuffling drinks to other lonely people. But mostly I was a customer, "sharing the drink we call loneliness to forget about life for awhile."

It is nice to be where they're always glad you came. Sometimes those places are hard to come by -- and I've been done with bars for a very long time now.

But we always have FAMILY and FRIENDS, who represent unconditional love. Those who keep loving you even when you mess up, when you go through weird stages, and when you lose your way. Here's a few. (I'm leaving lots out, as I don't have pics of everyone).

Aunt Lindy, Nani, and cousin Caleb

Uncle Butch

Pauline and Grandma

Grandpa and the boys


John and Mary Alice



Cousins Carter, Brennan and Rowan



Mama Darlene, Pauline, and Papa Richard



Marc & Nicole
Cousins Caleb and Esmae



Crosswhite Family



Cousins Keith & Mark, Aunt Sharyn & Uncle Steve


Freddy & Joanna















Mimi and Aunt Kim

I don't want to forget Aunt Tamara (pictured top right at top of blog), as well as Brandon and Brian, Laura and their family. :)


CHEERS!

Linking to imperfect prose on thursdays.

journey to the other side

When pain is deep and strong, I know God will get me to the other side. Never fails. But I can't escape it or deny it to learn the lessons. We've got to go through it.

Rafting in Ladakh, India

Source: Wikipedia

Although at times the anguish we are feeling makes the distance seem so very far to cross, as I remember reading somewhere.

Today the distance does seem far to cross, but the sun is starting to appear. "Land Ho!" I see the horizon, and I've got a glimpse of the other side. Blue skies. But I've got to go through it to get there.

I spent time at Girl Scout camp every summer as a child -- two to four weeks non-stop, day and night, in the woods. We used to sing the following song and do the actions. It's amazing how children's songs and fairy tales tell so many truths about our lives. This children's song reveals the truth that it takes courage to face pain, truths, and obstacles.

I don't think bear hunts are much fun, but it's nice when you're safe back home.

Click to experience a Bear Hunt.

Visit Communal Global

and

Life with Kaishon.

old favorite rediscovered: Tracy Chapman

I had forgotten for a long time that I liked listening to Tracy Chapman. She has always sparked a chord within me. The following lyrics are incredibly familiar to my soul. I cry every time I hear this, as I can relate.

Click to hear Tracy Chapman singing Fast Car.

Tracy Chapman in Bruges 2009
Source: Wikipedia

embracing our God-given emotions

Vincent Van Gogh 1890

"At Eternity's Gate"
Source: Wikipedia

"Emotion is action. By embracing emotion, the character does something, goes through a change, finds a resolution. It doesn’t matter if the emotion is upbeat or downbeat, positive or negative — the effect is the same.

So don’t be afraid of emotion."

~ Pat Bertram

May we embrace our God-given emotions and not let them scare us into silence and suppression. We need not fear God's powerful handiwork. He made us this way.

which bird are you?

The bird that banged into my window yesterday experienced a lot of pain, yet was free. This one experiences no pain and is safe, yet imprisoned.

Pauline's bird


"And the day came

when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud

was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

~ Anais Nin


This post is linked to Imperfect Prose at Emily's.

story of an unfortunate bird - an allegory

Early this morning I was sitting by the window.




Everything was quiet and peaceful. The sun was coming over the horizon. All appeared to be right with the world for the happy little bird -- she was chirping and singing at the top of her lungs.

The way seemed clear and she flew and flew, happy as a lark (but she wasn't a lark), then BAM! She banged head-on right into my window. A big bang.

Disoriented all of a sudden, not realizing what was happening to her world, she tried to fly away from the window. "What happened to my world? Where am I?" But after a while, becoming oriented again, realizing she was a bird and it was "in her" to fly, she eventually flew again.

But not in the same way as before. She couldn't fly straight at first and was dizzy from the blow.

The way wasn't as clear as she had thought. Tomorrow the sun will come up. It'll be a new day, and she'll have a chance to fly happily again.

My window needs cleaning.