Ponderings #24

Dear fellow travelers,

Thank you for your constant support.

We have just returned from our trip to Cape Cod. It was a wonderful time.

Beautiful quaint towns and friendly people. Magnificently landscaped small Cape Cod shingled houses, much wild life, cascades of flowers, and water, water everywhere.

I have been fortunate to have traveled to many places by plane and ship and experienced all that goes with long distance travel. (the down side is the jet lag and luggage checks), But I have also seen many spectacular places and different cultures.

But when I really think about it, there is so much to see in my own backyard.

I always find it interesting that many people don't seem to visit the museums or areas of interest in their own towns, but will go great distances to visit other sites, me included. I guess the saying "the grass is greener on the other side" is true in this situation also.

When I studied the "Artist Way", one of the assignments was to once a week do something I hadn't done before. If this was only going into a different store or eating at a different restaurant.

Expand my horizons. See and do something  different. Get out of the same old routine-- Expand.

I know when I drive a different route to get to a familiar place, I am quite often amazed at what is i hadnt noticed before,  what was  just so close.

I once read a statement "Bloom where you are planted." I know this can be read on my different levels, but for now, I'm just choosing to focus on enjoying where I am living.

Lets investigate all the nooks and corners in our own backyards.

Andrew Wyeth painted for about 70 years in a small area around his home, and his pictures are viewed and admired by millions.

What is in your backyard, or within a few blocks that you haven't taken the time to really SEE? This goes for me also.

Lets make this a new exciting day! Life is for living, not existing.

Lets Do, see and learn something new today! and then tomorrow also.

Enjoy Today !!, lets be aware of where we live today! and take time to look! at the splendor in our own backyards.

Now, I didn't say I would never go  long distance again but for now, this

moment. I am content to enjoy my surroundings.

There is much beauty and wonder at my finger tips.
The birds, the flowers, the streams, the sun and rain, the deer and rabbits, and yes those bugs! all here to create the beauty that surrounds me.

Just Pondering on my surroundings.

Linda Patton, RScP, ENTC

http://Ponderings-everyday-spirituality.blogspot.com

Ponderings #23

Dear fellow travelers,

Thank you, thank you, for being here on this wonderful journey with me-- called life.

Everyone of us, everyone-- has a history, a past, a story, and everyone is here to learn from their experiences, from their past-- Conscious changing lessons.

One of these stories began a little over 21 years ago. A beautiful baby boy was born. This first baby of the family, was of course the adoration of his parents and grandparents. He was a precious little one, he quickly sat up and then immediately began crawling, showing great curiosity with everything he saw.

Then one evening this little one was bouncing on his mothers knees and she held up a metal coffee can filled with pop corn kernels and behind his head, shook it with all her energy and when he just kept bouncing and didn't turn around, she asked the grandmother if she thought there was a problem.

In that instant the grandmothers stomach turned over and over. Frozen, while pushing away the Yes, thoughts. But saying " Not in my family, to this child, to this family".

After going from denial, a trip to the audiologist happened. And the tests results were "Profound" in one ear and " Severe" in the other,  a jet plane going overhead could not be heard.

No one in this family had any experience with "deafness". What does this mean?

"Deaf" all the old stereotypes of deaf people played over and over in the

grandmothers head. and the daughter blamed herself for his "problem"; she had been sick for a brief time while she was pregnant.

Then the work began. The daughter, being a tenacious, proactive person, started studying everything she could find out about deafness, the deaf community, the disabilities act, what resources were available. She also taught herself American Sign Language (ASL). The grandmother also researched and came to terms with her own sense of shame about her previous held opinions.

The school for the deaf was visited, along with Gallaudet, where only sign is approved. Total Communication was the decision that was agreed on. Which means communication by every means possible.

The first hearing aid at the age of two was put in the profound ear, with the order "Don't put it in on the way home, any sound will probably scare him."

Language lessons began, association of a loud sound, like a door closing with the sound of a door closing. and on and on.

This beautiful boy during his early years, lived in silence, There was no closed captioned TV, or Texting, but if you couldn't read, it didn't matter anyway.

The daughter signed every word that was said.

She home schooled for years and then the high school days approached. Would he be accepted at a highly racked charter school?, The days went by. And Yes, he was accepted and an interpreter needed to be hired by the school district. That happened a few days before school began, It had been a long summer.

When he was 16, and time for his drivers license, again the grandmother went to fear! What if he couldn't hear another car or a horn blowing? Would he be safe?? She had to learn to let that fear go! and turn it over.

He graduated from high school and the college days approached. The state university was the accepted one, since they would provide the funding for an interpreter.

A few days before the first semester began, a court stenographer was hired. He went to every class and typed and somewhere in the world, it was translated into readable English and appeared on the boys laptop. YES!

The college years went by.

In 20 years, much had advanced with technology, not all perfect but better.

The grandmothers own consciousness had changed.

She marvels at her daughter and her drive and of course this now beautiful man. Who even learned Latin and is a precocious reader.

On Saturday the 26th of May 2012, he graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Of course if you were reading between what was written, you know I am the grandmother, and the mother is my wonderful daughter and the boy is my marvelous grandson.

YES, Everything is possible!!! Don't ever believe the old tapes, BELIEVE, and have Faith, it isn't always easy. BUT everything is always possible.

Everyone and everything is a gift for learning, a chance to expand, a chance to have Faith,

Life happens, and we are here to learn and to share.

Is there an experience we need to embrace?

Is there a hidden race thought we need to reveal and erase?

Just pondering on a story from my life,

Linda Patton, RScP, ENTC

http://Ponderings-everyday-spirituality.blogspot.com