Observing Clouds and Nature’s Ups and Downs

February 25, 2023 / law2374 / 2 Comments

Editor’s Note: This post was to appear February 16, 2023 but was delayed due to life circumstances.

The weather has been rather topsy-turvy in our area this week, a sure sign of winter giving way to spring and much to look forward to each day with more daylight hours, sprouts and buds from the ground and trees, and warmer temperatures. The winds remained mostly high and steady, though we did get a warm blast of air midweek in those high winds, which also helped to dry the very moist ground conditions. With sunrise at 7:14 AM and sunset at 5:57 PM, we have almost eleven hours of daylight to do our activities without needing to use artificial lights. On clearer days, the light is extended by about half an hour at sunrise and sunset, which has been a welcome change in our household. All the cloud cover has been a bit of a disappointment, but as with most things in life, this too shall pass, and life will continue on its’ never ending path of ups and downs.

“Explanation separates us from astonishment.” –Eugene Ionesco

Theme of the Week: Cloudy Sea

Our theme of the week comes courtesy of nature and the many clouds moving through the area. Many of the clouds were of the very high cirrus type, identified by their thin, wispy tails. These clouds are formed by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. We also saw cirrostratus clouds, which form a thin veil across the sky and can block the view of the sun. These clouds are also often indicators of coming storms. In addition to the cirrus and cirrostratus clouds, we saw cirrocumulus clouds, which look like puffy balls strung together. Cirrocumulus clouds often appear at sunrise or sunset and may be in fanned or widely cast patterns like cotton balls in rows.

On one of my runs, I noticed some clouds that were not as high as the cirrus clouds. The clouds I saw are known as altocumulus and altostratus. Alto is the descriptor for middle level clouds. Though similar in shape and form to higher level cirrus clouds, these clouds are at a lower elevation, which makes them appear closer to the earth.

While biking on another day, some very low clouds appearing to be just above the tree tops caught my attention. These low level clouds were cumulus clouds, identified by their cauliflower or cotton ball like appearance. They were puffy and appeared stagnant, staying over a large area for a long time. The clouds started to gather together forming what are known as stratocumulus clouds. They soon blocked much of the sunlight with their thick veil.

In addition to the clouds in the skies, we had some clouds in life as well with issues and circumstances we did not anticipate. The smaller issues seemed like the high cirrus clouds, moving through in thin waves and then disappearing over a few days. The larger issues were like the middle clouds, thick enough to block our views and perspectives from certain angles, but not in any way life threatening. One major issue hung like a thick, puffy, very dense cumulus cloud that would not budge. When we did finally get a resolution, albeit very temporary, we managed to be thankful for the lessons learned.

Clouds in the skies and life can be attention getters. They draw us in to look at them, and we either end up focusing on them or being distracted by them. If we focus, we may see details that at first glance we missed. If we are distracted, the little details may appear as a blur or be totally missed. It is up to us to decide how we are going to view the clouds in our lives. The time we spent with these clouds may vary depending on resources (either perceived or unknown), where we are in life (either in mindset, age, ability level, etc.), and other influences (faith, science, etc.). The end result can also vary, but what we have learned in our household is it is best to find a positive component of the end result to focus on instead of being consumed by the negative aspects that may come along for the ride.

“Before you throw more time at the problem, throw more focused action at the problem. You don’t need more time, you need fewer distractions. –James Clear

Lesson of the Week: Undulating Weave

Along with the clouds at different heights in the atmosphere, we experienced a number of temperature swings, forms of precipitation ranging from snow to ice to rain, and very high winds that died down to the calmest of calm state.

The temperature and weather variations made for some challenging runs, bike rides, and walks. Like many life experiences, the physical challenge was far less than that of the mental challenge. Running in cold temperatures with high winds can literally suck the breath out of you, not to mention make you question you sanity level. Biking in such conditions can also be difficult, for the winds make the ride feel colder than it really is, and maintaining feeling in your hands and feet can be difficult even when properly dressed.

Admittedly, there were a few times where I debated back and forth on whether or not to brave the elements to run and/or bike. Several lessons I’ve learned over the years came to mind. The first is there is always a reward in the activity, be it physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise. Something always makes it worth the effort, be it a sight, sound, thought, emotion, perception, or encounter along the way.

Another lesson that came to mind was on how to dress for the elements. Many years ago, I learned the hard way about best combinations of socks, shoes, t-shirts, running pants, etc. based on temperature and wind. Just like in life, there is a combination for each situation, and experience builds knowledge, which, and combined experience and knowledge (along with a little faith) leads to wisdom. Of course, there is always the fine line between determination and stupidity that can come into play as well, and through the years I’ve both walked and crossed this line.

“Every single day, our feelings and experiences show up in our bodies, they are shaped by where we come from and how we were raised, they drive how we show up, and each feeling has its own unique backstory. Understanding these emotions and experiences is our life’s work. The more we learn, the deeper we can continue to explore.” –Brene Brown

Science Lesson and Sight of the Week: Name Me

While watching the sun starting to sink in the west between the clouds one evening, we noticed the light appeared smeared across the clouds and changing color as the clouds moved. The sight made me wonder if there was a name or term for this natural occurrence. Some research led to an answer to my question.

Iridescence is the term used to describe a lustrous rainbow-like play of color caused by light ray diffraction that tends to change as the viewing angle changes. Iridescence can be appear in sunlight, soap bubbles, butterfly wings, bird feathers, and fish scales. Since light travels in waves with crests and troughs and is viewed as a reflection of any waves not absorbed by objects in its path, there are times when the waves become combined due to the structures in its path. If the waves combine such that the crests and troughs align, the reflected color appears more vibrant. This is known as constructive interference. If the waves combine such that the crests and troughs cancel each other out, the color appears dim. This is known as destructive interference.

So, as the angle of view shifts the colors of iridescent objects change depending on the various degrees of constructive and destructive interference. The structural features of objects can also interact with the light to create iridescence. Layers on butterfly and bird wings are two examples. In the case of our sunlight example, the layers in the clouds played a role in the iridescent glow we observed.

Much like the interference described above, we humans can either combine our efforts or cancel out each other’s efforts to help spread light in the world. If we have good intentions but the end result is less than positive, that is one thing. However, if our intentions are not of a good nature to begin with, then there is potential for negativity and even darkness. Our layers of understanding, patience, knowledge, faith, and character play a part in the light we share and the level of iridescence that is seen. Like nature’s iridescence, we too may appear more or less vibrant depending on the vantage point of others around us.

“Whatever inspiration is, it’s born from a continuous I don’t know.” –Wislawa Szymborska

May we learn from the clouds in the skies and in our lives. May the knowledge and lessons imparted upon us lead us on the journey, and may we help each other through the ups and downs along the way.

Ups and Downs

Cold in the morning, warm at midday,

Old and boring being swept away

By buds and blooms coming to be

As comes the shoots rising from the sleep

Of winter’s time

To help deliver the light

Through, in, and around

The truth of nature’s ups and downs.

Rainy gray in the skies

Seeming to take away the bright,

Oh, wait, there is the sun

Whose rays shine with reckless abandon,

Lighting the heavens for miles around

Bringing a smile to the lost seeking to be found

As the winds blow hard then recede

To begin yet another step on the journey

Making the way through the summits and crowns

Of nature’s many ups and downs.

Look, over there, see the light,

Oh, wait, where I once stood it was bright,

But now it is dim like ashes,

Hold on awhile, give it some time to react with

The moments and the elements coming to be,

See, now it is shining radiantly,

Bobbing and swaying as it moves around

Through the offerings and makings of nature’s ups and downs.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to our own little Lena, who will be two years old on February 26^th. She definitely kept us hopping with her antics and misadventures during our cloud observations this week. Though dark in color, she is a bright light in our lives, and her coat is somewhat iridescent in certain lights, appearing frosted and sometimes even purple. Of course, when she decided to “help” us paint the kitchen, she ended up the color of the paint. Got to love the little ones for their sense of humor and wonder they bring to our lives.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Beginnings

February 17, 2023 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: This post was to be published February 9,2023 but was delayed due to technical issues.

Signs of the coming spring season are slowly emerging in our area. We have seen a wider variety of birds (though no robins yet), daffodil and hyacinth shoots popping up from the ground, extended daylight hours, and buds on some maple and buckeye trees. The signs, along with the calendar days, mark the beginnings of a new month and new season. Beginnings, or the start of anything in life, can be full of anxiety, fear, hope, joy, sadness, faith, and a multitude of other feelings or perspectives. We thought we’d share some insight we have learned regarding beginnings in this week’s post.

“The world fears a new experience more than it fears anything because a new experience displaces so many old experiences.” –D.H. Lawrence

Theme of the Week: Starting to See

Our theme of the week came as we noticed little shoots popping up from the landscape beds. The lime green rounded nubs were ones we recognized as daffodils. The next day, we found hyacinths sprouting deep green with magenta fringes. Oh, the joy and wonder that ensued as we envisioned warmth, sun, clear skies, green grass, and longer days!

That same night while running and biking, I heard and saw both ducks and geese on the neighboring ponds. The quacks and honks broke the silence of the evening, but were not a nuisance. The sound echoing through the one valley below the pond was most welcome to an inner soul seeking some sense of normal. Though winter weather has not been especially terrible this year in our area, the long stretches of gray skies have made for some very rough mental days.

One positive to all the gray days was a new perspective we adopted last winter. When the days were gray, we thought about what God and Mother Nature might be creating behind all the clouds. At one point, I thought maybe they had something really magical that they were creating and made the cloud cover extra thick so no one could see what they were doing. At another point, I tried to find patterns in the gray clouds, looking for shadows and shading while scanning the horizon. At yet another point, I simply wondered when we would see the sun again.

While some may feel this child-like view of nature is not effective, the truth is it is a way to get the mind off the fact the sky is gray. The simplicity of the concept makes it seem ineffective, but if one starts asking for and seeking answers, there is an inner restlessness that leads the mind (and potentially the following heart and body) on a bit of an adventure. This adventure may include people, places, things, feelings, or other perspectives to help the mind focus on something other than the reality staring it in the face. This is not to say we need to ignore reality, but that sometimes the best way to deal with reality is to stare right through it, envisioning one on the other side of whatever less than stellar circumstances may be before us.

“Ideas are not a problem. But a true inner experience is something else again. It changes us, and human being do not like to change.” –Richard Rohr

Lesson of the Week: Awaiting Journeys

Our lesson of the week stemmed from a homily we heard on Heart of the Nation. Father Jim Kubicki, whom I had never heard or seen before, offered what I thought was a refreshing take on some well-known scripture readings. He spoke of light and salt, how both are elemental and humble, neither drawing attention to itself, but rather enhancing their surroundings.

Without light in the world, we do not see or in some cases, feel inspired. Light itself can be dazzling, yet its aim is to illuminate whatever is in its path, not itself. Similarly, salt is basic and plain. However, when added to other foods or elements, it can enhance flavor and act as a preservative, allowing the other food or element to become more than it was alone.

Like the light, we humans can help guide others we meet by sharing knowledge, kindness, and thoughts. Like the salt, we can enhance the efforts or offerings of others. Perhaps a good example of light and salt is singing. One voice alone may help lift spirits or enhance the ambiance of an event. If we put multiple voices together, there is opportunity for additional movement of the souls listening, as well as a beauty only the combination of voices can offer.

In essence, light and salt are the stimuli that create a response, or start a movement. We need them to begin the process of making the journey, be it in learning, seeing, hearing, understanding, or whatever it is we are doing that is moving us forward (or in some cases backward as cheerleader to help us begin again or correct our missteps). Light and salt also help us to rediscover our surroundings, to recognize things once known but possibly misplaced or forgotten, and to identify differences (hopefully viewed as a positive adventure and not a negative one).

“If it’s true, it’s from the Holy Spirit…and if it’s from the Holy Spirit, it going to keep being discovered again and again.” –St. Thomas Aquinas

Science Lesson of the Week: Teach Me

We mentioned in last week’s post that we have been working on some dog training skills with some help from a book I’ve been reading. The concepts in the book are simple, kind of like the light and salt of the earth. However, when one combines the simplicity of the concepts with repetition, one gets results.

Lena and Leo are like many other dogs and animals (and yes, humans) when it comes to learning. They have the potential to either learn concepts quickly or take the long route to the desired learning. Distractions are the main reason for difficulty in understanding and being able to repeat a concept. This holds true for anyone learning or training. However, if we focus not only in mind, but in body, we can find success. What we all need to realize though when learning something is why we are learning it. If the why does not make sense, then one must ask if this is the right pursuit.

We have had instances during training this past week where Leo and/or Lena have given me a “why do I need to know this?” or an “I don’t get this” look or response. When this first happened, I needed to stop and adjust my approach or technique in order to get them to understand and be able to perform the desired activity. Both of them are responding well to our short but as frequent as life schedule allows sessions. We are all learning to tolerate each other’s good and less than stellar characteristics in the process. While we had to start at the beginning of some training concepts multiple times, we have also seen improvement. However, we have really had to make an effort to stick with the program so to speak in order to learn and grow together.

“It doesn’t make sense to continue wanting something if you’re not willing to do what it takes to get it. If you don’t want to live the lifestyle, then release yourself from the desire. To crave the result but not the process, is to guarantee disappointment.” –James Clear

Sight of the Week: Shoots of Green

Our sight of the week was the green shoots that sent a shot of adrenaline and hope through us. With the daffodils and hyacinths popping up, better weather is soon to come. The little shoots had to work hard to pop up with help from the sun and rain water. Like the little shoots, we too can come to life and grow if we put forth some effort and envision possibilities of what is yet to come.

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations…You can hear other people’s wisdom, but you’ve got to re-evaluate the world for yourself.” –Mae Jemison

May we come to see each day as an opportunity to learn. May our learnings act as the stimuli we need to keep us on the right paths, and may we see both staying the course and starting over as opportunities for beginnings.

Beginnings

Little shoots from the dirt

Emerging fruits of sun and rain’s work,

Making effort to endure,

In the court of the unexplored

With so much to see and do

In the cusp of nature’s youth

Set forth to be the light

In the soon to be spring’s time

With unseen processes ever spinning

Granted by God as new beginnings.

Clouds moving with the sun

In patterns grooving and spun

With the wind and the breeze

Coming around again through the trees

Taking what is seen and unseen

And making what is meant to be

In light’s wake

And time’s faith

Stopping and starting, fading and shimmering

In the lofting art made by beginnings.

Deer in the fields at sunrise sunset

Hear the appeals of the geese and ducks’ laments

As the ice on the ponds melt away

And the heights of the wilted fronds sway

Coming to life from the roots

Running with the light in pursuit

Of wonder’s ways

By God’s love and grace

Creating life’s tapestry with many spinnings

Of the threads weaved by beginnings.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to nature for helping us with its signs and teachings as we navigate the many paths that wind to create our journey.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Finding the Lost

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023 / law2374 / Leave a comment

Editor’s Note: This post was to appear February 2, but was delayed due to scheduling conflicts.

With sunrise at 7:28AM and sunset at 5:22PM, we have some added daylight for exploring and rediscovering our surroundings. Our adventures this past week made us realize that the winter season with its gray skies can lead to a feeling of being a bit lost in the world. This observation is not really new, as people for years have expressed discontent with the dreary skies and cold temperatures associated with winter in certain areas of the world. However, we are going to try to present a different spin on the observation in this week’s post.

“The more an idea is tied to your identity, the more you will ignore evidence it is false. To continue to grow and learn, you must be willing to update, expand, and edit your identity.” –James Clear

Theme of the Week: Find Me

Our theme of the week started on Sunday when weather and work schedule threw us a curve, making us change our normal daily inputs. This left us a bit concerned, for Sunday is typically our “reset button” day where I go to church and take a long run to meet God (or at least acknowledge His presence in my life). Despite learning to be very flexible with this “routine” and using the inner eight-year-old’s greatest creativity, no amount of effort on my part was going to make the “normal” possible, which in hindsight is just how life can be at times, but on that day was a bit unwelcome.

Additional life circumstances and issues met during the coming days did us no favors, and even Leo and Lena appeared to be in agreement with me that we felt lost. Determined to make the most of this somewhat new territory to our little posse, we did a lot of self-reflection, made efforts to try to be thankful for each moment or day no matter its contents, and kept praying (albeit at times more of a listening type of prayer than spoken words).

After several days in a row of steely gray skies, the sun finally broke through the clouds. We were so excited to take a walk in the sun that afternoon after my work shift was done. I later went running, snapping picture after picture of the round ball of light in the clearing skies. Oh, how great it was to finally find the sun! AND, we managed to find a sense of normal to help carry us through the coming days. All it took was some sunshine and time in nature just making room for God amidst a very congested schedule.

“You have to keep being open. You have to keep moving forward. You have to keep finding out who you are and how you are changing, and only that makes life tolerable.” –Jeanette Winterson

Lesson of the Week: Hold On to Me

Our lesson of the week came after reading the above quote about what makes life tolerable. We wrestled with this quite a bit because in our household, we believe life is made tolerable through faith—faith in God, faith in time, faith in the inner spirit that guides us, and faith in someday, some way, some how things will be as they were meant to be. Faith is not easy to hold on to in today’s world where everything around us vies for our attention, our energy, our hearts, our minds, and our souls with the temptation that sounds so appealing to the senses, but wisdom knows is fleeting.

We found a few readings to be helpful in discerning what makes life tolerable. One reading was actually a short series by Franciscan Richard Rohr. In the series, Rohr spoke of what he called two major tasks in human life. The first is to build a strong identity or container. The second is to find the contents the container is meant to hold. Rohr points out in the series that we have become a first half of life culture, often concerned simply about surviving instead of actually living through seeking, exploring, and truly experiencing life’s many facets, including the good, bad, ugly, and everything in between. We get so hung up on surviving that we never seem to get to the second part, which is determining who we are meant to be or what we are to do with the contents of our containers.

The series also included input from other writers. One was Paula D’Arcy, an author and retreat leader. She describes how she learned different facts and information at the family kitchen table. Her experience is similar to mine, for I also learned a lot about life and the world at our kitchen table. D’Arcy points out in her recollection how the table became a symbol of security for her, a place to go to for answers. She recalls having a dream where the table was taken away and wondering how the loss of the table, of her security system so to speak, would affect her. Due to her deep faith, and with some patience, she realized that her real security system was not the table, but rather God.

D’Arcy’s words set me to thinking about what I consider to be my security symbol or system in life. I had to contemplate this for only a few seconds. Though I have a go-to activity—running—when I feel I need to find solace, what I turn to most is not the running in reality, but in being in nature with God, allowing my heart and mind and soul to empty themselves to Him and be open to whatever mechanism He may use—the sky, the trees, the birds, the wind, or even His own voice—to help me through whatever crises or events have me in a tailspin.

While it is a psychological tool to keep us from unraveling, having a physical symbol to help us through anything life may throw at us is not as important as what the symbol represents, and if we are honest with ourselves, many of our symbols or go to’s are due to faith—faith that this symbol or go-to will have the answers or help us find the answers (albeit most likely in God’s time and not ours).

Perhaps one of the largest issues in the world today is not the loss of the physical, but rather the unseen, the guiding forces at work for and with us (despite what we may think) that are there no matter what circumstances we face. There is one possession we have that cannot be taken away from us, and that is faith. Whether our backs are to the wall in a dungeon on the gloomiest, darkest day or we are skipping merrily in a flowery meadow in the sunshine, we have the option to have faith. Faith does need odds or statistics, special ingredients or passwords, or even charge any fees other than asking for a few moments to allow it to work in our lives.

Where can one turn every single day, under any life circumstance, at any point in or of life, and still get consistent, unwavering support faith offers free of charge? No other place. How best can we come to know and find faith? By living in and through all of life’s roads upon the journey.

“No pope, Bible quite, psychological technique, religious formula, book, or guru can do the journey for us. If we try to skip the first journey, we will never receive its real fruits or understand its limitations.” –Richard Rohr

Science Lesson of the Week: Free to Be

Our science lesson of the week came through reading a dog training book. The author explains the science behind training, how natural instincts play key roles in dog mentality and capabilities, and how often what may appear logical to humans is so very illogical to dogs. We tested out some of the author’s tips and tricks in our own experiments this week with Leo and Lena.

Now Leo is older and should know better and be trained by now, but Lena is younger and still exploring what the world is all about. Both have their own breed traits, strengths, issues, weaknesses, and personalities. Leo is more laid back and easy going. Lena is a bit high strung and more stubborn. Yet both yearn to be free and do as they please and to please their care giver (me). In their efforts, they often get a bit over zealous, creative, and unintentionally mischievous. This is where it helps to understand the dog psyche and where resources like the book mentioned come in handy.

We worked on reinforcing commands Leo and Lena already were familiar with this week. I say familiar because I had taught these commands and continue to teach these commands to them on a weekly basis. One of the keys to successful dog training (and human training as well) is repetition. Another key is consistency, which is a bit tougher for us given my work schedule and other life obligations. What we learned this week was putting in a little more time and effort on a more regular basis left us all freer. Fewer messes and corrections equated to less stress and more time to do other things, like play ball or tug of war or snuggle on the couch.

Leo and Lena quickly picked up on the “new” pattern and liked the extra attention and freedom. They are both a bit too smart for their own good at times though, so we did have some missteps and a few attempts by them at taking short cuts to get to their reward. This is where discipline on my part had to come into play, not giving in or letting them slide. While we are still working on the skills and mastering them, we have rediscovered some sense of freedom that had gotten lost in the chaos of prior months. Taking time to step back, start over, and reinforce what we had learned prior (but admittedly not mastered by a long shot) has been worth the effort.

Now, imagine what the world could do if it also took a step back, did an honest assessment and examination of conscience, and set forth on a path of consistent, understanding effort. The results could free many of various abuses, infractions, and mistakes while offering examples for others as encouragement, patience, understanding, and maybe even love. Maybe, just maybe, society would realize that relying on technology is not the way to go, but rather that actually working through issues personally and with one’s own mind, body, and soul makes for less overall effort and stress. The choice is ours to make, and we do have the power to free ourselves from even the heaviest of burdens if only we open ourselves to taking the first step. That first step has the potential to help us find who and what we have lost, and in finding the lost, we encounter the essence and gift of life.

“God is at home. It is we who have gone out for a walk.” –Meister Eckhart

May we come to learn that the trials and tribulations in life are meant to strengthen us. May our efforts lead us to a path of peace, and may we see the wonder in finding the lost.

Finding the Lost

Early sun on the rise

Above the trees in the eastern sky,

First light in a number of days

Has the mind starting to wake

To the colors reflecting off the clouds

Like a stellar setting of a ring or a crown

Shining like fine jewels

Refined by the right tools

Keeping pace with time’s grindings taught

In the days spent finding the lost.

Little shoot beneath the earth

Just starting to take root from the seed’s birth

Hidden in the crevices and veins

Found by the drops of the driven rains

Sent to soak and to feed

The dirt that hosts the seed

Waiting, waiting for the turn of the sun

Making, making each day one by one

Lining life’s lots

While finding the lost.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to God for helping us find some things we thought we had lost.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Observing Life’s Stories

February 5, 2023 / law2374 / Leave a comment

One thing that is never in short supply in our household is life stories. Between childhood memories, living in a rural area, having dogs as family members, watching nature, daily activities, workplace events, and renovation expeditions, we have plenty to share. In reading several books about totally different subjects this past week, we noticed all the authors used stories to illustrate the points or importance of the topics. What is it about a story to draws us in, makes us pay attention, and reserves a tiny (or sometimes a large) space in our brain for recollection? We thought we’d share a few observations about stories in this week’s post.

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our ability to do has increased.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Theme of the Week: Share Me

Our theme of the week started with some readings that made us think back to when we first learned similar messages. This led to some deep reflection and consideration of the who, what, when, where, how, and why surrounding the experience. Collecting these thoughts and answers set us on a bit of a journey through time and elements, bringing additional questions to mind such as:

Who could help us find out more about this particular topic if we needed additional information?
What if we had not had this experience?
When did this particular subject or story become important to us (and why)?
Where does this information fit in our life?
How is it that stories from the Bible and other resources are still relevant today, over two thousand years after first being told or shared?
Why does this matter?

The above questions (and their answers) have the potential to become their own stories. These stories teach us lessons about life, offer us hope or reassurance, take us on journeys to places anticipated and unexpected, and lead us through life in some way (sometimes unseen, other times noticed). Stories lead to relationships. Relationships lead to life experiences. Life experiences lead to more stories. It is an endless cycle that promotes and propels thoughts, beliefs, feelings, history, drama, comedy, tragedy, love, and learning.

“Our greatest joy—and our greatest pain—comes in our relationships with others.” –Stephen R. Covey

Lesson of the Week: Stuck on Repeat

Our lesson of the week came in listening to the radio. We realized a number of songs being played multiple times each day, which we know is not an oddity, especially in our area of the country. A handful of the songs were old story songs, but many were newer songs with a few catchy lines, phrases, or good musical moments. While listening to the songs, I started wondering what the inspirations were behind them, what could be taken from them as lessons in life, and how our responses to them have an impact elsewhere in our lives or the lives of others.

Songs tell and teach us about life. They can be an outlet, an inspiration, a coping mechanism, an awakening, or even a reminder. Though not all songs are created equal in any given amount of education, appeal, art, or science, they are all means of expression. Every song has a story behind it, some sad, others goofy, still others inspired by “doodling” on guitars on front porches or in garages looking for answers to the inner restlessness we all face at some point in our lives. Like stories, songs that touch us in some way elicit emotions or reactions. Sometimes the emotions and reactions are positive, others not so much.

Some songs even have lives of their own, originally recorded but not popular, then re-recorded or re-issued by the same or different artists with better popularity or end results in the form of radio air play or the technology of the day. Some songs are written, tucked away, or lost, to be found later and recorded. Some songs are so appealing and span the test of time, moving generations of listeners to their music and mesmerizing lyrics. There are also our inner songs, our own little tunes that we either consciously or subconsciously tinker with and change as we learn, grow, and experience life. Last but most certainly not least, there are the songs of nature, some heard like those of running water or calling birds, and some unheard like the song of silence in the early morning or late evening hours. Each of these types of songs plays a part in helping us write our own life stories.

Repetition of the stories and songs in our lives help us know and learn them. Be it read or played to us, popular or unknown, with or without a genre, with or without words or lyrics, the number of times it is repeated is what draws us to it. Repetition is a form of learning, and a very effective form it is. Like anything in life, the number of times we encounter some fact, thing, place, feeling, etc. helps shape our thought process, perspective, and reaction. Repetition is a proven form of learning for humans, dogs, cats, other animals, and even technological devices. Repetition either strengthens us or breaks us down. How we react to the repetition is what determines the outcome.

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” –Marcus Aurelius

Song of the Week: Move on Please

Our song of the week is one we heard at least once, if not more times, every day this week and had playing in our heads as well. It’s a catchy tune with some common wisdom that fits our times and our ways of life. It tells several short stories with the chorus tying the characters and the subject matter together. The song was released in 2018 by Kenny Chesney.

Get Along

Met a man wearing a t-shirt, said, “Virginia is for lovers”
Had a Bible in his left hand and a bottle in the other
He said, “All you’re really given is the sunshine and your name”
We both started laughing when the sky started to rain

Get along, on down the road
We’ve got a long, long way to go
Scared to live, scared to die
We ain’t perfect but we try
Get along while we can
Always give love the upper hand
Paint a wall, learn to dance
Call your mom, buy a boat
Drink a beer, sing a song
Make a friend, can’t we all get along

Saw a model on a billboard, 1-800 get to know me
Wondered, was she photoshopped, or were her eyes really that lonely?
Did she leave her hometown thinking she’d end up in L.A.?
Did she break down in the desert and get stuck beside the highway?

We find out when you die, the keys to heaven can’t be bought
We still don’t know what love is but we sure know what it’s not
Sometimes you got

To get along
Down the road
We’ve got a long, long way to go
Scared to live, scared to die
We ain’t perfect but we try
Get along while we can
Always give love the upper hand
Paint a wall, learn to dance
Call your mom, buy a boat
Drink a beer, sing a song
Make a friend, can’t we all get along

As the song suggests, the stories in our lives help us both to get along as in our relationships and move on past what we have or have not yet experienced to the horizons that await.

“Words can inspire, thoughts can provoke, but only action truly brings you closer to your dreams.” –Brad Sugars

Sight of the Week: Rainbow’s Peace

Our sight of the week comes with a story. After work one day, I got a phone call with some news that was rather difficult to process. As with similar past situations, my immediate response was to go for a run. It had been raining on and off most of the afternoon and was chilly. I paced in the house for a while debating about running, but the inner restlessness won the argument and I bolted out the door, down the driveway, and out onto the road with a fine mist upon me. About a quarter of a mile down the road, the rain stopped and the sun emerged through the clouds, which were moving rapidly off to the east.

I was running in a southwest direction, looking off to the west at the emerging glowing sun. It was after four o’clock and I had about an hour of daylight left. Inner angst churned inside me through the minutes and the miles. Many questions and possible scenarios played in my mind regarding the phone call and the news it contained. While I realized my thoughts and feelings were most likely normal given the nature of the news, part of me felt totally lost, wondering where to turn. As I rounded the bend to turn back along my route, I started praying. Not knowing exactly what to ask for, all I said was, “God, can you help me please?” as I tried to quiet my heart and mind to hear His response.

Moments passed as I kept running. I realized I had my head lowered toward the ground and really should look up to better see what was ahead of me. A cloud started sprinkling rain on me despite the sun blazing in the west. Glancing up to the northeast, color in the sky in front of the clouds there caught my eye. A huge smile spread across my face as I said aloud, “Yes! Thank you, Jesus!”

There before me was one of the largest, brightest rainbows I have ever seen. Running faster up the hill toward it, I caught sight of a faint second rainbow above the first one in the sky. Holy cow, it’s not just one rainbow, but a double rainbow!

After about a half mile, I came to a spot where I could clearly see the rainbow in its entirety, a perfect half circle straddling the woods on both sides of the road with a faint halo of a second bow still visible. The clouds and rain that had moved off to the east were acting as a prism for the sun shining brightly in the west, allowing all the colors of the spectrum to be visible.

Not only was the rainbow a good distraction for my mind, but also a good reminder that the news I received in the phone call would eventually sink in, the after effects and circumstances would pass and change, and through it all, God will be there for us, no matter the weather, day, time, month, year, feelings inside, or whatever powers or principalities or dominions (as Saint Paul would say) emerged. Both the phone call and the rainbow are now part of our life story, though what parts they play and how they impact the story remain not fully known just yet.

“If you can’t do anything about it then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change.” –Tony Gaskins

May we learn to live in the present, creating memories as we go. May where we have been make straighter the upcoming roads, and may the strength attained through what we’ve endured add to our life stories.

Stories

Sitting at the kitchen table, light up above

Memorizing what I’m able with my loving mom,

From presidents to two times four,

Historical events, and states and capitals galore,

We did it all with what we had

Thorough the rise and fall of circumstances back

When there were no stores open on Sundays,

That’s when time was saved for God’s grace

And the stories of our family were handed down,

Wish what we did back then we did more often now.

Playing ball out in the yard and riding bikes with Uncle Jim

Until the night called out and we had to go home when we were kids,

Summer breeze with perfume of fresh cut grass,

Running to the east with the wind to our backs

In T-shirts and shorts spotted with berry stains,

Glory Be for the ringer washer that would make them clean again,

And walking through the fields as the stars came out,

Wish what we did back then we could do now.

Country music on the radio

Playing through the speakers of the stereo

Sister and me singing along pretending to be

Our own band on the stage of the Opry,

Spinning around and dancing like fools

Loving out the lines to I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,

Watching Little House on the Prairie and The Dukes on Friday night

That was where we learned the wisdom of our life,

Just being kids in a rural town, trying to live and let live as we went about,

Wish what we did back then we could still do now.

We all have a story of how we grew up,

Through the springs and falls and summer’s loves,

Past the barren fields of winter’s days

Glad to have flannel sheets back on the bunk bed’s frame

Where we’d curl up under the covers and listen to our songs

Not given up under the pressures that came along,

Seeking freedom in our innocence and curiosity

Trying to make meaning out of our dreams,

Though that was then and time has poured its moments out,

Heaven knows what we did back then would become our stories now.

-Lisa A. Wisniewski

A Note of Thanks

Our thanks this week goes out to the people who helped shape our faith years ago, offering their time, kindness, love, and patience as we made our way through life’s many stories. In tales of wisdom, drama, joy, pain, loss, and every emotion one can experience, we’ve managed to find God’s grace.

-Lisa, Leo, and Lena

Natural Deltas

Exploring nature's changes by Lisa A. Wisniewski

Month: February 2023

Observing Clouds and Nature’s Ups and Downs

Observing Beginnings

Observing Finding the Lost

Observing Life’s Stories