VJ’s Weekly Challenge #95: What a Child Knows

May 4, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

I am five. Chronologically, I am five. Inside, I feel as old as I’ll ever be. I am free of the burdens and distractions that surround me, and often, alone. I have a sense of something I can’t quite articulate – purpose, mingled with wisdom; trust, and a connection larger than me. I do not […]

Oh, For a Good Story

May 3, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Fishermen are notoriously good storytellers. Who can resist the suspense of the catch, and the disappointment of the one who got away? As a teacher, my favourite class was the one where we put the desks in a circle and told stories. After all, oral traditions are where stories begin. My grandchildren naturally prod for […]

At Home

May 1, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A perch to greet the world a corner to keep my books(could use some sorting) A pot of home made soup on the stove(Chicken tortilla – our favourite) This is home. (For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: at home)

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #94: wild card

April 27, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I welcome your response to the Dalai Lama’s words. No specific word for this challenge, so you are open to be creative. Create a post on your own blog and link back here. Poetry, prose, photography, music – any form of creativity welcome. Looking forward to your responses!

Laughter Lingers in Memory

April 26, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

The days fold one into another, and the daily phone calls with Mom tend towards reminiscence – not much happening in the present. We talk about my aunt, her sister-in-law, a colourful figure who lived her life alone – lesbian in a time when homosexuality was considered criminal, and later, a mental illness. Dee, as […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #93: remember

April 20, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Contributions to the weekly newsletter I create for our community often contain nostalgic memes. Remembering past times, especially joys, is a good way to ease tension. This week, I invite you to remember and share. Create a post on your own blog, and link back here or leave a url in the comments. Photos, prose, […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #92: behind

April 13, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

“Behind every criticism is a wish.”– Esther Perel The quotation comes from Esther Perel’s podcast “Where Should We Begin?” which currently features couples in lockdown. Something about the words resonates with me, although I’m not immediately able to explain why. I have witnessed how anger masks disappointment, frustration, or even grief, but criticism. I hadn’t […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #91: transported

April 6, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“I’ve heard enough of the news!” Ric hands me the remote. “Find what you’d rather watch.” I scroll through the guide but nothing suits me. I am antsy and my stomach hurts. Normally, I like to sit in quiet but today I need noise to shut out my thoughts. News about COVID_19 is overwhelming. I […]

Contributions of Humanity

April 5, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

Driving the neighbourhood, streets are deserted, but the spirit of the residents shines through – art posted in windows, chalk drawings on sidewalks, and front porch art. The lengths people go to encourages me. The best of humankind is shining through. My challenge this week was contribution, and as always your contributions have warmed me. […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #90: contribution

March 30, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“I received the nicest package today!” my mother tells me excitedly over the phone. “It couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time!” Kleenex, Voltaren, scotch mints, body lotion and a hand drawn picture from a great granddaughter, all bundled and dropped at the entrance to the nursing home, where we are no longer allowed. […]

Sun Certainty

Clouds bundleshift and foldcotton strata Trees huddleconfidence incommunity Emotions stackone on anotherco-mingling hues Beneath layersan eternal glowsun certainty. (First published April 2021. Image my own)

Peachy Keen

Not Everything Is Defined by Age

As a child, I knew no limits, setting out on adventures with never a fear for how I’d find my way back home. Now, nestled in my home, I limit myself to certainties, fearful of risks. Some days, I wonder about that child, and how it would feel to wander freely, and it makes me […]