V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #69: kindle

October 21, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

My gears are seizing up; creativity sabotaged by self-doubts. The inner critic declares my efforts worthless. My paints sit dormant. I fear stagnation. “I need something to kindle my inspiration,” I tell my artist friend. Together we visit a local artisan’s workshop. A listing of art classes informs us of an upcoming sketching class. We […]

Never Too Old To Play

October 20, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

“Do you know where your wife is?” the man across from me spoke into his cell phone. I could hear my husband’s laughter from across the table. I wore a long black robe that rustled about me as I strutted through the room, fluff from my feather boa leaving a trail. A sparkling tiara perched […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #68: play

October 14, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

‘Play’ has many meanings and uses, so have fun with it! To participate, create a post and link back here. Look forward to your responses.

Sky Aware

October 13, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Feet on floor,earth connected,breathe deep,sky awarefind a centercalm and strong –equanimity restored. Our focus this week has been ‘sky’. Thank you to all for your inspiring thoughts and feeding my sky obsession. ProsceniumReena SaxenaBrewNSpewStuff and what if…UnforsenitiesREVERIE IN REVERSEone letter UPDOES WRITING EXCUSE WATCHING?SgeoilparallaxPictures without filmAWISEWOMANSJOURNEYDEMYSTIFYING DESTINY I’ll be back tomorrow with a new challenge!

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #67: sky

October 7, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

I am currently fixated on the sky, as if the gathering clouds have a secret to reveal, or as if the slivers of sun are trying to reach me with a personal message of hope. Is anyone else obsessed with the sky? Let’s look to the sky this week to find what inspiration we can. […]

Savouring the Season

October 6, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

October has arrived like an unexpected guest, catching me unprepared. Shorter days and cooler temperatures challenge summer’s laid back attitude. Winter nips at Autumn’s heels, and I want to stop the clock and savour whatever good days we have left. The featured image is of Kettle Point, on Lake Huron. Ric and I drove there […]

V.J.’s Challenge #66: savour

September 30, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Our youngest granddaughter loves food so much that when she takes a bite, she’ll close her eyes, hold the food in her mouth, savouring the flavour, and moan with appreciation. She is three. This is surely a God-given gift. Her sister and cousin eat so fast, I’m sure a famine must be chasing them. I […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #65: smile

September 23, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Anyone want to share their experiences this week?” I’m stood in front of my third year, Life Strategies class. It’s Friday, the day we have set aside to journal and/or discuss the weekly challenge. This week’s challenge has been to smile at someone new. I never know with this crowd whether or not the challenges […]

Forgive the Dance

September 22, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Please forgive the dance, but it is what I do –one step forward, then slide back,shuffle and lose the rhythmand start again. Always reaching forward –heart securely tucked in place –but there is something embedded,cellular – that invites the struggle and so, I dance – yesterday a warriortoday the fooltomorrow only knows multi-faceted,roughly cut,a gemof […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #64: resilience

September 16, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

There is a catch to this week’s challenge: I don’t want you to use the word itself, but to illustrate what resilience means to you. This challenge is open to any form of creativity. Just create a post and link it back here. Look forward to your responses.

Wings

(Written during my bedbound years with ME/CFS)

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

May is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis awareness month. Also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, this disease is characterized by exhaustion after exertion. The exertion can be physical -taking a shower; emotional – worrying or obsessing; or mental- filling out forms. The best source of information about ME/cfs, as we call it, is the Bateman Horne Center. They […]

Sorry

Sorry –so much inadequacybundled into one wordas if five letterscan conveydepths of regret,shock, dismay seems I am the sparkto your lighter fluid –unintentional, I swear still reelingfrom the aftermathof the explosion attempting todeconstruct theformula –precautionary I am sorry –that you are enraged,that you are so obviously disappointedthat you are consumed with resentment –except, it is […]