KINDNESS

kindness is
the little things you do
the gentle words
you speak
the way you reach
to touch others
the flowers you give
the thoughts you share
the joy you bring
kindness is the
smile you wear
the love in your heart

I was made to realize that I am responsible for letting the world know about my work. It is up to them to interact with I; if I do not share it, if I don't put it out there, then no one even has a choice of whether or not they want to read it.

LETTING GO

I had what I considered the happiest marital union on the face of the earth and then suddenly, I lost my husband of thirty-seven years. I entered a state of indescribable grief. My first reaction was shock and numbness where I remained for several days. This period was followed by denial. There are times when you think there is no way to move beyond grief. For me, the pain was deep and I moved through a wide range of overwhelming emotions.

It was a beautiful Southern California day! It was a wonderful time in my life. It was the year I turned twenty-one, the year I got married and the year I graduated from college. And now, I was on my way to an interview for my first teaching assignment in Pasadena, California, a well known and famous suburb of Los Angeles. I was so excited.