Family Connection is sacred. Recently we received a cash offer on our house. Was such a huge relief and blessing that reduces my son’s stress.
Tonight we spoke about getting another house in north of RI w/in-law apartment. Everything is still up in the air but it was a positive conversation. He has a new girlfriend and I was not sure what direction would come next. I pray that all will unfold so that I can continue supporting my daughter and son in entirely different ways that also will helps me too.
Asian cultures deeply value family ties. As a Vietnamese man, I can resignate with your answer. We need experts when all said and done. Having company of family in between makes a huge difference. Fortunately, for me, my parents are in the recovery stages of their cancer with my dad for his multiple mialoma and my mom for her Step 2A Her2 breast cancer. Everyone in the extended family on both sides contributed one way or another to varying degrees. Now, we just enjoy everything while it lasts.
I am so sorry to hear about your parent’s cancer. I also have had both parents suffer with cancer.
My Mother died of Non-,Hodgkins lymphoma. My Dad is still with us but he had bladder cancer and skin cancer that he had to deal with. The skin cancer has been on his face and he has been treated 3 different times.
A flower growing in the cracks of cement
is sacred . . .
so is a weed growing in the garden.
A bird singing in the trees
is sacred . . .
so is the clattering of a train upon the tracks.
. . . the roaring of the ocean waves,
the thunder of a tornado approaching,
the tender touch of a hand upon a baby’s face,
the rasp of an old man breathing his last breath,
the moo of a cow in the field,
the call of a wolf in the night.
What is sacred to me in this moment
is the memory of a tiny toad,
found in a corner of the kitchen,
held in my hand,
after I cleaned off the mound of dust that had concealed him,
me
loving his beautiful little life,
and he
unaware of his own fragility.
It’s funny, in this sense, it seems there are no “small things”, but a couple of physically small things. A spider in its web that it created while I was sleeping. Everything about hummingbirds.
And then there are the “small things” that are shared between two people. A look of recognition. The sharing of stories. A kindness offered. A door held open. A good morning in passing. All of these thing are the essential part of being alive and awake in this sacred world.
There’s numerous milkweed pods opening and preparing to open on the stalks of various heights in my backyard. Delicate little seeds awaiting a kiss from Sister Wind to send them soaring out and up into neighbors yards.
Signs of hope for next years plants…for the Monarchs,
A smile,
a loving wish,
kittens at play,
a cooing baby,
a relaxing yawn,
maple trees in the Fall,
my own voice singing to me through me,
snow flakes falling gently,
a hug,
laughter,
the miracle of a seed,
a gentle rain,
a hot cup of tea,
a ripe tomato,
music from a single violin,
silence,
all offer a sacred pause.
One of the definitions of “scared” is unique and extraordinary.
I marvel at the little birds that land on the rim of the bird bath. I am in awe of the tiny seeds that are now producing a harvest of variety. It takes my breath away!
My trip to Badlands National Park reminds me of Bryce Canyon National Park. I’m glad that my limited vision still allows me to see the incredible beauty and shapes of the rocks. How God created such awesome castles and humans within the rocks.
My Ngoc, I remember Bryce Canyon. It was beautiful and reminds me of the beginning of our marriage. I just came out of an eye doctor appointment. My vision and pressures are stable. Those trips have a way of reminding us the value of sight. Your long hair reminds me of that too.
The pond near my house is home to several broods of Muscovy ducks, and I always look for the baby ducklings when I’m out walking. I was both happy and relieved to see that they all weathered the storm unharmed. Nature is resilient.
Autumn colors in great variety out back as the seasons continue to change. I have a little wooden “deck” outside my double glass doors, and the squirrels and chipmunks seem to enjoy performing their antics out there … flips, chasing each other, racing among the trees or up and down the trees. It is also a time of appreciating the seasonal changes day by day.
For a time, I lived and worked among the Lakota people on Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Loc Tran, your post reminded me of that today. My time with these beautiful people deepened in me the sacredness of all things. Today, I join with them in celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.
Mitakuye Oyasin( Lakota for We Are All Related.)
A new baby leaf on my orchid.
The hummingbird who buzzed around one of our living room windows recently. My husband had never seen one and was mesmerized. I’m so glad we saw that little bird together.
The way the sun hits the trees in the morning.
Also, rainbows and butterflies!
I just saw a hummingbird on Sun right outside my bedroom window – it was in my red hibiscus. I was shocked, as it was unexpected, and I had not seen one there before. Definitely brought a ton of joy. I was lucky enough to snap chat it and show my kids.
After walking a greenway in a town nearby, I have to add (and I’ve mentioned it before) – that sweet nectar in the mountain air. It’s not everywhere, and I still don’t know exactly what it is, but when I smell it, it stops me in my tracks. It’s like honeysuckle, but better. And takes me back to my childhood visiting my great-mamaw’s house in Eastern Tennessee, just a couple hours north of where we are now ⛰️💚
I just came home from a weekend trip to South Dakota with my family. I had a great time with them. We shared a bunch of memories through taking a bunch of photos together and in couples. The photos I uploaded featuring my wife and me from the badlands and Mt. Rushmore received great recognition. Having 12 people in a big van was an interesting experience. The last time I had something like that was my trip to Vietnam for around 4 weeks during Christmas of 2012 going into 2013.
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Family Connection is sacred. Recently we received a cash offer on our house. Was such a huge relief and blessing that reduces my son’s stress.
Tonight we spoke about getting another house in north of RI w/in-law apartment. Everything is still up in the air but it was a positive conversation. He has a new girlfriend and I was not sure what direction would come next. I pray that all will unfold so that I can continue supporting my daughter and son in entirely different ways that also will helps me too.
Asian cultures deeply value family ties. As a Vietnamese man, I can resignate with your answer. We need experts when all said and done. Having company of family in between makes a huge difference. Fortunately, for me, my parents are in the recovery stages of their cancer with my dad for his multiple mialoma and my mom for her Step 2A Her2 breast cancer. Everyone in the extended family on both sides contributed one way or another to varying degrees. Now, we just enjoy everything while it lasts.
I am so sorry to hear about your parent’s cancer. I also have had both parents suffer with cancer.
My Mother died of Non-,Hodgkins lymphoma. My Dad is still with us but he had bladder cancer and skin cancer that he had to deal with. The skin cancer has been on his face and he has been treated 3 different times.
Everything,
big and small
is sacred.
A flower growing in the cracks of cement
is sacred . . .
so is a weed growing in the garden.
A bird singing in the trees
is sacred . . .
so is the clattering of a train upon the tracks.
. . . the roaring of the ocean waves,
the thunder of a tornado approaching,
the tender touch of a hand upon a baby’s face,
the rasp of an old man breathing his last breath,
the moo of a cow in the field,
the call of a wolf in the night.
What is sacred to me in this moment
is the memory of a tiny toad,
found in a corner of the kitchen,
held in my hand,
after I cleaned off the mound of dust that had concealed him,
me
loving his beautiful little life,
and he
unaware of his own fragility.
Amen.
Beautiful simple poem, your words will help me see everything as sacred today, thank you.
It’s funny, in this sense, it seems there are no “small things”, but a couple of physically small things. A spider in its web that it created while I was sleeping. Everything about hummingbirds.
And then there are the “small things” that are shared between two people. A look of recognition. The sharing of stories. A kindness offered. A door held open. A good morning in passing. All of these thing are the essential part of being alive and awake in this sacred world.
. . . and all are sacred.
Thank you,
dear Charlie. ♥
There’s numerous milkweed pods opening and preparing to open on the stalks of various heights in my backyard. Delicate little seeds awaiting a kiss from Sister Wind to send them soaring out and up into neighbors yards.
Signs of hope for next years plants…for the Monarchs,
Yes Carla, food for the Monarchs.
A smile,
a loving wish,
kittens at play,
a cooing baby,
a relaxing yawn,
maple trees in the Fall,
my own voice singing to me through me,
snow flakes falling gently,
a hug,
laughter,
the miracle of a seed,
a gentle rain,
a hot cup of tea,
a ripe tomato,
music from a single violin,
silence,
all offer a sacred pause.
One of the definitions of “scared” is unique and extraordinary.
I marvel at the little birds that land on the rim of the bird bath. I am in awe of the tiny seeds that are now producing a harvest of variety. It takes my breath away!
My trip to Badlands National Park reminds me of Bryce Canyon National Park. I’m glad that my limited vision still allows me to see the incredible beauty and shapes of the rocks. How God created such awesome castles and humans within the rocks.
My Ngoc, I remember Bryce Canyon. It was beautiful and reminds me of the beginning of our marriage. I just came out of an eye doctor appointment. My vision and pressures are stable. Those trips have a way of reminding us the value of sight. Your long hair reminds me of that too.
Beautiful clouds, leaves turning colors, watching birds enjoy our bird bath, smell of fresh air, healthy trees.
The pond near my house is home to several broods of Muscovy ducks, and I always look for the baby ducklings when I’m out walking. I was both happy and relieved to see that they all weathered the storm unharmed. Nature is resilient.
Autumn colors in great variety out back as the seasons continue to change. I have a little wooden “deck” outside my double glass doors, and the squirrels and chipmunks seem to enjoy performing their antics out there … flips, chasing each other, racing among the trees or up and down the trees. It is also a time of appreciating the seasonal changes day by day.
Watching all of the different butterflies 🦋 flying around in my field landing on my white wildflowers. I absolutely love just watching them!
For a time, I lived and worked among the Lakota people on Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Loc Tran, your post reminded me of that today. My time with these beautiful people deepened in me the sacredness of all things. Today, I join with them in celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day.
Mitakuye Oyasin( Lakota for We Are All Related.)
A new baby leaf on my orchid.
The hummingbird who buzzed around one of our living room windows recently. My husband had never seen one and was mesmerized. I’m so glad we saw that little bird together.
The way the sun hits the trees in the morning.
Also, rainbows and butterflies!
I just saw a hummingbird on Sun right outside my bedroom window – it was in my red hibiscus. I was shocked, as it was unexpected, and I had not seen one there before. Definitely brought a ton of joy. I was lucky enough to snap chat it and show my kids.
After walking a greenway in a town nearby, I have to add (and I’ve mentioned it before) – that sweet nectar in the mountain air. It’s not everywhere, and I still don’t know exactly what it is, but when I smell it, it stops me in my tracks. It’s like honeysuckle, but better. And takes me back to my childhood visiting my great-mamaw’s house in Eastern Tennessee, just a couple hours north of where we are now ⛰️💚
I just came home from a weekend trip to South Dakota with my family. I had a great time with them. We shared a bunch of memories through taking a bunch of photos together and in couples. The photos I uploaded featuring my wife and me from the badlands and Mt. Rushmore received great recognition. Having 12 people in a big van was an interesting experience. The last time I had something like that was my trip to Vietnam for around 4 weeks during Christmas of 2012 going into 2013.
The sunrise, the crispness of fall air, the life of the butterfly, the feeling of my own breath
Deann, seeing the sunrise this weekend from the badlands sure was beautiful.
I am sure it was amazing