Category: writing

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Music

letter_m_erteMusic.

It soothes the wild beast, and it soothes me.

I like so many kinds of music…I like jazz, country, salsa, classical, top 40, classic rock, and good churchy stuff.

I don’t like screaming and cussing.

Otherwise, I’ll give it a listen — probably, I’m gonna like it. At least I’ll listen politely.

It lifts my mood or calms me down, depending on what I need. It inspires me, and makes me move, especially if it’s salsa. There nothing better to play while cleaning, that’s for sure!

I grew up with music in our home, and thank my parents for that gift. I even had guitar lessons when I was a kid though I can’t explain why reading music is still such a mystery to me. Let’s just say…me and time signatures don’t get along.

Anyway, music. I love it.

Here are a few songs that I really dig:

and this:

and finally:

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Laughter

letter_l_erteLaughter.

It’s one of my favorite things.

I love to laugh, and I love people who laugh…loudly, robustly, from all the way inside their souls.

Yeah. That’s the right way to laugh.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to laugh, and boy, it was abundant.

We had a work in-service day, and I attended a drumming therapy session. I was pretty skeptical about it. I thought it was going to be one of those sharing circles, you know what I’m talking about — getting close to nature and all that bunk.

Well, let me take it back —  I don’t really think it’s bunk. That kind of deep sharing has a place in our lives. I’m just not sure the workplace environment is the place for it. At least, not for me.

But I went anyway, on the advice of a colleague with a fun spirit and a good sense of humor. At least if we were going to suffer, it was going to be entertaining.

Boy was I wrong. That was the most fun I’d had at work. Ever.

Here’s me, trying out a pretty djembe drum:

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There’s nothing like laughter to generate laughter. I don’t know if it was the physical act of drumming that was therapeutic, or the joy that came from having a good time, but I think today, the day after, I’m still enjoying the benefits of spending an hour beating on a drumhead and laughing.

What makes you laugh from all the way inside your soul?

 

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Kindness

kKindness.

I have this quotation scrawled across the top of my gradebook as a reminder:

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting their own hard battle.”

It’s one of my favorite quotes, sometimes attributed to Plato, sometimes to Seneca, possibly correctly attributed to Ian Maclaren. Let me just say, who cares? I know, my English teacher sensibilities just imploded — it happens.

I like it because it’s a simple message. Be kind.

Be kind because you don’t know how the person you’re interacting with needs a kind word. A smile. A gentle touch.

Because most of us face our battles quietly; it doesn’t matter if we do so out of bravery, or stoic strength, or possibly even shame. The bottom line is that we all face battles.

I’d venture to say that those combative souls we encounter need the most kindness. Just a thought.

Love on purpose. Encourage intentionally.

Be kind.

 

 

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