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Posts Tagged ‘Love’

This Photo Wants to Be a Poem: Who Will Buy this Wonderful Morning?

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 2, 2024| 8 Comments »

Bayou morning with rope swing, photo by Margaret Simon

I’ve been working through the new book 90 Ways of Community by Sarah Donovan, Mo Daley, and Maureen Young Ingram of Ethical ELA. Daily I’ve been reading a prompt to my students and writing alongside them. Today’s prompt comes from Linda Mitchell. Her original prompt suggests to find a list of words in our notebooks to write along to. Her sample poem is “Wishing Well Price List” which led me to think of the song from the musical Oliver, Who Will Buy?.

I took this photo at sunrise on Sunday morning. Hanging from our grandmother oak is a rope swing. I began to imagine how many people over the years have swung on that rope. My grandchildren don’t have the strength yet in their toddler bodies to hold on, but they love swinging the rope and running to keep it from hitting them, a game they made up.

This photo may take you on a journey to another place in your memory. Let it go and write a small poem in the comments. Respond to others with encouraging words.

Who will buy
this sunglow on water?

Who will buy
the fallsteam rising?

Who will buy
a twist of rope to swing on?

Who will buy
this changing of seasons?
I find a reason to keep my spirits high
wondering who will buy.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Spiritual Journey: Love Is

Posted in Spiritual Growth, Teaching, tagged , , , on February 1, 2024| 5 Comments »

Patricia Franz is hosting this month’s Spiritual Thursday with the topic of “Love is”. I decided to create a collaborative poem with my students. I teach gifted kids at 2 schools in grades 2-6. I wrote their statements in my notebook in the order they gave them to me. It worked like a miracle without changing any words. (The reference to washi tape is due to the fact we are using it in our daily notebook practice.)

Love is
washi, washi, washi tape,
family, friends, teacher,
arts and crafts,
having fun. (A)
The heart of all. (JR)

The heart of a human being
when you have kindness in your heart. (J)

Spending time with friends and family. (C)

Love is
beautiful. (S)

Love is a priceless
treasure, like nothing
else in this world. (M)

Something we need, want, and have. (M)

Love is
a melody.
It could be chaotic
or the greatest
song you have heard. (A)

Love is
companionship between
one another. The thought
that someone
would always be there
for you.
This is what love is. (K)

Collaborative poem by Avalyn, John-Robert, James, Carson, Sadie, Max, Marifaye, Adelyn, Kailyn

The great wisdom of children amazes me every day.

Whenever I think of Love is, I turn to the well-known verse from Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians: “Love is patient. Love is kind.” I think we can measure our love by this verse. How are we doing with our patience, kindness, envy, anger? I also wonder how I am doing with loving myself. If I believe that there is a God-light in me, then I must nurture it. I must turn inward each day to check in. Am I loving myself?

I’ve adopted a daily practice of writing small poems. The Stafford Challenge inspired me to use a quote each day to jump-start my writing. Here is a quote followed by an elfchen poem:

When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself. (Paulo Coelho)

Yes
makes sounds
like the ocean
drawing me to love
Myself

Margaret Simon, daily elfchen

How are you giving love to others while also making time to love yourself?

Photo by Ave Calvar Martinez on Pexels.com

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Spiritual Journey: Nudges

Posted in Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged , on September 5, 2019| 6 Comments »

Ramona is gathering Spiritual Journey posts today at Pleasures from the Page.

As long as I am here, I will continue to grow and change and learn. I once thought that the first Corinthians verse was about love between a husband and wife. It’s often read aloud at weddings and speaks clearly about how you successfully love your spouse, with patience and kindness, without self-seeking and anger.

This year I’ve been engaged in a study of The Course in Miracles. My instructor reads the lessons daily to me (and others) using Voxer. She offers a meditation practice as well. The process of growth has been slow and gradual, hardly even noticeable if you know me. The language is what is changing. My instructor has changed the word God to the word Love. This seems small and insignificant, like a little nudge to my thinking.

I have attended church all my life. I’ve heard the words of the Bible over and over. Yet changing God from a person-like thing to an emotion has had profound effects on my thoughts. When God is with us, Love is with us.

We are called to be Love to one another. To be patient and kind in all that we do. Not to envy or boast or look out for ourselves. This is a call to service. God is Love. Love is God. How simple! How true!

I find peace in the knowledge that God has already given me everything I need to be successful. Love. It really is all we need. Love is everything. Love is enough.

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