I'm a reasonably intelligent person. I've led a fairly moderate life and have enjoyed my share of accomplishments and suffered my share of setbacks. I've learned a lot in my fifty-something years on planet Earth, and am aware that there's a LOT more I have yet to learn. My vices are few, the worst of which is being a little opinionated, and I'm working on that one; really. I've observed some things in recent months which have really challenged my better judgment and discretion, though, to the point that I wonder if keeping my opinions to myself is necessarily healthy. Isn't America supposed to be "the land of the free and home of the brave"? How free am I if I merely tread the waters of current events, only to be carried along by their flow; how brave am I if I censor my words--spoken and written--for fear of the reactions they may arouse in others?

     My beloved avoids discussing politics, religion, money and sex--outside the embrace of our personal environment. I've always deemed them to be meaningful and utterly fascinating aspects of the human experience and legitimate fodder for enlightening dialog, but experience has taught me that to dangle my toes in those swirling waters is to risk drowning in them. He's probably right in declining to participate in such dialogs; there's no way to predict how people will respond, and a perfectly benign conversation can turn volatile in an instant. I've seen it happen and it's more than sad than scary.

     In the past twenty years or so, in the interests of open-minded consideration, I've observed some things which were brought to my attention and which, at that time, were pretty "fringe". My personal respect and regard for the person who brought them to my attention prevented me from calling the information outright nuts. Deep inside, I have to confess, I was skeptical. Then, with the passage of time, I watched as, one by one, those "fringe" events and trends played out; it has been at once a fascinating and disturbing experience.

     I suppose I am, in a way, observing my beloved's discretion in not being more specific here about what I've seen happening around me, and I wish it were out of wisdom and not apprehension; I never dreamed that, in my lifetime, I would see Americans putting up and shutting up to the extent that many are now doing. We face times more troubled than this country has ever faced before and overcoming them will require significant discomfort. The media, which we count upon to bring accurate information concerning the people and events of the day, can't be relied upon for verity and I sometimes wonder if we were told exactly what's going on around us, would we be able to handle it? Personally, my preference is that, if I'm going to be hit by a train and there's nothing I can do about it, I would rather see it coming.

     I will state for the record that I have utter contempt for the current state of the contest for the presidency of this country. The media is dishing up personalities du jour and the public is getting caught up in the feeding frenzy. Solid information backed up by indisputable facts is essential as we face one of our most important adult decisions: the one we will make in November. I won't presume to tell anyone which candidate is most qualified, most attractive, or most clever with words, nor will I express my gravest concerns about issues of veracity and integrity--there are too many of them on both sides of the fence.

     This fall I hope to be able to cast my precious vote for the person I will entrust--literally--with my life and the lives of my loved ones. I hope to be able to vote for a person I believe is best qualified for the job, not the one I mistrust less than the other.

     It's gonna be a long time 'til November.            

A Prayer for Animals

Hear our humble prayer,
O God,
for our friends, the animals,
especially for those who are suffering;
for any that are lost or deserted
or frightened or hungry.

We entreat for them all
Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them,
we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words.

Make us, ourselves,
to be true friends to animals
and so to share
the blessings
of the merciful.

~Albert Schweitzer ~

I dedicate this little prayer to Nancy's "Gracie"

 and Sarah One Beam's "Janie" (the entry which follows tells of One Beam's wise decision concerning Janie's well-being).

both of whom could use a little help...

and to all critters, finned, furred, or feathered

which need a little help from the Source Of All Healing.

With love,

Marge

labor day 2008

we all came from somewhere

some from across the big water

ocean tossed, undaunted

others by land, dreaming the great dream

all prepared to work for a better life

there is dignity in human labor

nobility in commitment to a job well done

satisfaction knowing "i've done my best"

and this country was built with the blood and sweat

of hard-working men and women

no matter how you believe or what you believe

believe in something, you who labor long hours

let no one take from you the dream of the better day

let no thing deter you from holding your dreams dear

amid the struggle, never surrender your hopes

for even as storm clouds gather, ominous and threatening

and the thunder of disillusionment and conflict rumbles

human aspirations toward a better day persist

defying all odds

keeping alive the great dream

hold fast to your dreams and pass them to your children

teach them integrity, honesty, generosity, compassion

and when times are the toughest

teach them persistence, and stubborn determination

lest their dreams die

there is only dignity in the labor of honest hands

building   working the soil   healing   entertaining

educating   thinking   problem-solving

and all of us are a part of the great work

of keeping alive the great dream of our country

be true  

be imaginative

be persistent  

be brave

never give up

I wish you a peaceful Labor Day, Gentlespacers...

Respectfully,

Marge 

it's said that they are among us

watching and guiding quietly

unnoticed in the background

and that each of us has had one

from the very beginning of beginning

their work is never-ending

as bearers of inspiration

when human aspiration fails

as guides to purpose

when human motivation is lacking

i wonder at the stories

told in whispers by fortunate souls

who were touched by the extraordinary

barely believing themselves

that little miracles have taken place

i want to believe

have always wanted to believe

in tender ghostly friends

sent to watch over us

in their gentle work

but are we all not angels ourselves

seeing the troubled lives of others

the pain they suffer   the loneliness

but choosing to remain detached

our work left undone

is it easier to hope for angels

to keep doors open to them

hoping for intervention

when trouble comes to call

leaving us utterly alone

i wonder if we are the angels

and have been all along

unaware of our own powers

our potential to transform others

as we hope for transformation ourselves

how many times have i longed for it

that gentle rush of soft wings

bringing rescue and comfort to me

when my life went wrong

and wondered why i was forgotten

what if angels exist

in the goodness of the human heart

awaiting a moment of need

an opportunity to intervene

and bring light into the darkness

there are so many of us

all struggling  all searching  all so alone

waiting for angels to come

not realizing that the work of the angels

is really our own

breathe in

breathe out

feel the beating

of your heart

~*~ 

feel your feet

touching ground

when you walk

feel earth beneath

 ~*~

lift your arms

feel their weight

feel the air

all around

~*~ 

look at them

your face

your eyes

do you see

~*~ 

in your eyes

it's there

your soul

all you are

 ~*~

in that soul

was once a child

innocent

filled with wonder

 ~*~

it remains

bruised by time

still there

surviving

 ~*~

there is more

so much more

than survival

so much more

~*~ 

there is love

there is friendship

sharing little things

sharing time

 ~*~

there's not a lot

time, i mean

it flies

on silent wings

 ~*~

time is so short

fill it with goodness

fill it with joy

fill it with peace

  ~*~

I dedicate this to all who visit this Space.

Love to all,

  Marge

     With autumn blues in early bloom,

your faithful writer feels compelled to offer

the following "feel-good" movies;

those wonderful treasures

which have left me smiling bigly and,

sometimes,

tapping my toes, as well...

     The film which stands out most in my mind is  "Mamma Mia!", a wonderful bit of whimsy spun from music by ABBA. It's good-hearted, has lots of high-energy from beginning to end, and there's absolutely no meanness in it anywhere. Meryl Streep clearly was having an absolute blast and her performance showed it. The whole cast was perfect, the music fun, and when the dvd is released, I'll be adding it to our library.

     "Enchanted April" takes four English women from the workaday, humdrum world of early twentieth century London to a lovely villa on the Mediterranean, where they learn that assumptions about people are seldom accurate and that friendship can spring forth in the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times.

     "Chocolat" has all the elements of a modern fairy tale: a bad guy, a handsome hero, a lady with a mysterious past, a little girl with an imaginary friend, all linked magically by the lure of chocolate.

     "Sabrina" (the original with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart) is a sophisticated Cinderella/Ugly Duckling story. A class act all the way; Hepburn and Bogart made a perfect pair.

     "High Society" was ahead of its time in its use of sexual innuendo. A socialite (Grace Kelly) is about to remarry and her ex (Bing Crosby) is determined to win her back. One of my favorite musical moments of all time is the tipsy "Well, Did You Ever?", featuring (Mr. Crosby and Frank Sinatra), and Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong steals every scene as the film's storyteller.

     "It's A Wonderful Life" has become a Christmas classic; should be viewed at least once during the summer, just because.

     "The Princess Bride" is one of my favorites with its message that true love can triumph over extraordinary adversity,  Rodents Of Unusual Size and the occasional screaming eel.

Just remembering these wonderful films...

I'm smiling again...

See you at the movies!

Love,

Marge 

      A couple nights ago, Obiwan and I weren't finding much of interest on tv, so I rummaged through our dvd library for something we could watch together. It didn't take long to select something worthwhile: "Finding Neverland" starring Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp. As we watched the fact-based story, we were mesmerized by the film's attention to detail of early 20th century life and culture in London, England; the costumes and hairstyles were remarkable. Ironically, when we went to see it at a local cinema a few years earlier, I dozed on and off throughout the film and missed a great deal of the story. I've learned since then that liberties were taken with the facts surrounding the platonic, misinterpreted relationship between the married author of Peter Pan and the family he befriended, inspiring the beloved children's story. Those liberties and critics' not-always-kind estimations of the film didn't matter; it was fascinating and I surrendered easily to its magic. It was a beautifully told, bittersweet tale, and a lovely sadness lingered when the movie concluded.

     Which brings me to my reason for this entry: I love a sad movie.

     Why is it that many of us find ourselves so caught up in make-believe worlds created for us on the big screen? We're aware that once in awhile a film will be so moving that we'll succumb to the protagonists' heartaches and find ourselves dabbing away tears of our own, but it's a thing we do willingly. Apart from that peculiar behavior, I consider myself a reasonably well-adjusted human being, albeit a tender-hearted one. Why do I like to experience the gentle sorrow of love gone wrong, or the loss of a beloved character, or to see a tragic scenario playing out, of which the protagonists are apparently unaware?

     There are common threads which connect my favorite sad movies: there is no meanness in them; the characters are for the most part genuinely good and trying to survive in a hostile world, and misfortune looms before them even as life moves them, unawares, toward it. We see it coming and anticipate the characters' loss and sorrow. I wonder if it's easy for us to do so because we know we will leave the movie theater and return to our lives, a certain amount of happiness awaiting us in the real world. Perhaps we feel a sense of relief that the misfortune happened to someone else and that we were separated from it, knowing that it was "only a movie".

     Some of my favorite sad movies include "Old Yeller", "Bambi", "Shane", "Phenomenon", "Casablanca", and "K-Pax"; these films span many years and different themes, but each had the power to move me to tears. They reminded me of the precious nature of life, of the possibility of goodness in the face of adversity, and of the desirability of a good, strong tissue.

i remember

not that long ago

squirrels leapt tree to tree

birds sang summer songs

children played

days were long

sunny and lazy

i promised myself

more barefoot time

which never happened

chatted with neighbors

during yard work

small talk of weather

gardens and gossip

and the corn

some of us were lucky

the days were mild

the living slow and easy

children safe

dreams unfolding

but weather

unkind and extreme

blighted the hot days

flooding and disrupting

june and july

recovery began

and continues slowly

as the days grow shorter

the air cooler

the spirit restless

today i noticed

leaves in the street

on the sidewalk

mist in the air

a coolness there

when did it happen

when did i lose track

take for granted

the long days

sunny and warm

too soon

the cold will return

short days

snow and ice

and i sigh

you think you know me

don't be so sure

i am changeable as the weather

can be unique

or as cliche' as small talk

i have a tender heart

but  can be cruel

if a loved one is jeopardized

i am loyal

betray me and it will happen but once

i am at once frivolous and profound

i crave frills

but abide in austerity

my spirit is extravagant but

my manner is circumspect

my nature is passionate

the physical world attracts me

but the spiritual world compels me

my beloved endures me

but i make it worth his while

i am a peaceable soul

but my temperament is hot

i bristle at injustice

rail against cruelty

wish death for those who kill

perhaps one day i shall become wise

no time soon i suspect

my life is foolish

but foolishness brings its own lessons

and i am learning

i shall be your friend

will forgive and endure anything once

maybe twice

perhaps three times

but no more

there is no future

no past

i know this

but my imagination

imprisons me there

one day i hope to be

remarkable

extraordinary

wise

beautiful

others tell me i am

the words are nice

but empty

until i believe them myself

they are meaningless

so if you would know me

just listen and watch me

actions speak louder than words

if you are disappointed

just don't tell me

there's more to it than just words

letters and punctuation

an image here and there

there are worlds here

ideas, thoughts, questions

metaphors and riddles

i never really knew how much more

until i left for a time

my heart and soul were jarred

my spirit very much alone

isolated and out-of-touch in realtime

i had to write again

  there's more to it than words

fingers tapping on keys

sending messages to a waiting world

its about making contact

letting the world know

i am here  and i care

this is for all Spacers who find their spaces under attack

hang in there,

be patient;

be strong.

Love is all that matters;

the rest is meaningless.

I wish you peace.

Marge

I can't stay away from writing, Gentlespacers...it's the only thing keeping me sane. I can't afford another day of feeling sorry for myself; gotta get back in the saddle again.  If I "fall off the horse" again, I'm afraid I won't get back on...

I recently became friends with a remarkable man, a true gentleman in the best sense of the word. Doc has a heart as big as his beloved Texas and a very generous soul. He enjoys writing cowboy poetry, but his greater joy comes from sharing it with the people who love listening to it just as much as he loves writing it. He's made quite an impression on this city gal and I've begun exploring this uniquely American poetic genre. This is a little tip of my hat to a good man who's been bringing delight to his listeners--and readers--for a long time.

Here's another one for you Doc; may all your trails be happy ones!

Out Ta Pasture  © Margaret Griswold Scheiding

Used ta was, I was a man, an' did my manly stuff,

I broke sum broncs an' roped sum steers an' all my talk was tough.

An' ladies? They was ladies, an' each lady was a queen,

An' I enjoyed their company; I never had enuff.

Th' prairie wuz my kingdom an' I rode it strong an' free,

But seems I never knew my life would soon catch up wit' me.

One day while I wuz ridin' fence an' mendin' here an' there,

Ol' Jake got spooked an' bucked me off inter the mornin' air

I landed hard an' heard a crack! an' couldn' feel my legs;

Turned out, my back got busted like a bunch of doggone eggs.

Ol' Jake stayed there beside me an' I cried just like a kid,

An' he stayed there right by my side, th' only one who did.

Th' fam'ly didn't want to be tied down wit' crippled me.

At first they didn't say th' words, they knew th't I could see.

An' what they said wuz nice enuff, this place they found's okay,

But then they stuck me here, alone, an' now it's where I stay.

They treat me good enuff; I s'pose that I'm a lucky one,

An' I sit in this pretty place until each day iz done.

A few folks get a visitor, an' now an' then they smile

But most th' times we sit alone, a-growin' more senile.

An' now it seems nobody wants ta tell me 'bout Ol' Jake;

I wonder where he ended up an' feel my ol' heart break.

Ya see, although he warn't a man, he'z still a fren ta me,

An' I'd give ev'ry part th't works ta hav his company.

At night I dream an' I am whole, not gimped up this-a-way.

An' Jake an' me iz ridin' fence th' way we did that day.

Th' sky above iz blue an' bright, th' prairie grass iz green,

An' Jake an' me iz young an' free as any frenz could be.

An' in my dream I'm drinkin' beer, an' ladies smile so sweet,

A hand er two uv poker, dusty boots they's on my feet,

An' all th' fellas joke around th' way they usta do

Th' time iz good, th' whisky's strong, an' nuthin' bothers you.

But when I wake it takes a bit, rememb'rin' whar I be,

Th' whiskey an' th' beer, they's gone; thar's nuthin' left fer me.

An sumtimes when I think uv Jake, I hope they put 'im down

An' th't he'z runnin' free in hevvin, lopin' all aroun'.

A cowboy don't belong in here, all holed-up an' alone

All trussed-up like a roastin' pig, an' all 'e duz is moan.

So though I'm not a prayin' man, at night I ask an' ask

Th't Jake an' me ag'in wuz free to do a cowboy's task.

They shoulda put me out ta pasture like sum worn-out steer

Not stuck me in this pretty place 'til death iz drawin' near.

But soon enuff Ol' Jake wull take me back whar we belong

We'll ride the range agin an' we'll be happy, free, an' strong.

it's just a thing which happens

predictable as autumn

inevitable as sunset...

clouds appear from nowhere

the sun recedes

and the tears come

why is it:

we've put men on the moon

explored outer space

but the vast lonely inner space

of the human mind

goes unexplored

how is it:

we treat illness

orchestrate economies

mend societies

yet when blue days come

some of us crumble

as the seasons change

the daylight wanes

the need grows:

give me just a few minutes more

a little more daylight

to illuminate the darkness

the world will turn again

sunrise sunset sunrise

shadows in my mind

will recede--i know this

but right now it is nighttime

and it feels endless

I'll be taking abreak from blogging for a bit, Gentlespacers; this is far from a goodbye. About this time of year the "blues" set in and all I can do is ride it out.