Sunday, April 13, 2014

"The Hurricane"

The hurricane  
began this shift in my
thinking
to move.
Move to Durham for the culture,
opportunities for growth,
and adventure.

Yes, the hurricane started it all--
A hurricane followed by 
an earthquake.
That shift in the earth
caused a shift in 
my thinking,
to move out of my small,
insular,
isolated community,
and into the vibrance
of Durham.

Begin Again

     Beginning again means to be connecing with things that are important:  culture, art, authors, classes, work, people.  I need new opportunities to meet people with similar interests and longings.  I'll have a chance to spend time at the Rubenstein Library at Duke and connect with friends like the people I met a Duke Gardens.  I'll be able to get new knees.  A new place.  A new job.  I can summon my courage by clearing out the debris of old hurts and sad memories and embrace the vibrant colors and lifestyles of the city.  The Nasher, DPAC, Duke, Quail Ridge.  These things await me.

A New Beginning


My head is spinning,
but I seem to be winning 
this journey
because I'm here!
With Jonathan Farmer, 
Nancy Peacock,
and Peggy Payne,
Kelley Starling Lyon,
the Bull City Press,
and even Santa Claus!
There will be faculty readings,
and a luncheon,
all distractions
from my project of the month,
which is to find a place to live
in Durham, North Carolina.
Yep,
it finally happened.
I had an offer on my house
that's been on the market for a year.
Closing on May 24th.
Can I find a new place
in Durham?
in Raleigh?

What have I done?
Selling my home!
Saying good0bye to the gorgeous 
trees that I planted 15 years ago:
a Dawn Redwood,
an Eastern Red Cedar,
a cedar cypress,
pear and peach trees,
saying good-bye to the
male and female bluebirds 
that are building a nest in my
backyard.
God,
I will miss them!
But I also say good-bye
to high
property taxes,
low performing schools,
high poverty,
low teacher retention
and high student drop-out rates.
So I will say hello
to the Bull City,
the Star City,
and the City of Oaks.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

My Year of Miracles Day 18

Now here is a miracle of sorts.  At almost the last minute, someone is interested in my house.  He is supposed to make an offer today or tomorrow.  Sounds like he could be a good prospect, but the house goes off the market in 2 days!!!

We shall see...

Shall I be skeptical, or hopeful?


The Heart of Stone (from Exekiel 36: 24-28, NIV)

"I will take you out of the nations;
I will gather you from all the countries
and bring you back into your own land,
I will sprinkle clean water on you,
and you will be clean.
I will cleanse you from all your
impurities and from all your idols.

I will give you a new heart 
and put a new spirit in you.

I will remove from you your 
heart of stone and give you
a heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit in you
and move you to follow my decrees and
be careful to keep my laws.
You will live in the land I gave your
forefathers; you will be my people,
and I will be your God."


Who moved the stone
that morning in the tomb.
It was rolled away, rolled away
for good.

Heart of Stone.
A rolling Stone.
That is me,
Seeking.
Thinking.
Listening.
Hoping.

I look inside my heart 
and see judgement
where I need to see acceptance.
And my heart is open to change.

God, create in my heart a 
new song,
a new song for Easter.

Remove the old fears,
for fears should not hold us back
from what is best for us.
It is right to keep pressing forward.

And so I press
forward,
toward the land of my ancestors.
my father and mother.

My great-grandfather who
fought in the Civil War.
My grandmother Birdie
who comforted her mother.
My father, Albert,
barely 19 when he entered
the First World War.

Tomorrow
I leave,
for my homeland,
Virginia.
Virginia.
The sound of it
rolls off my tongue like honey.
I will see the mountains again,
and the beautiful valley.

God, let any sadness from
my past fade like 
the fog of the morning mist.
Let my heart be full
of thanksgiving and 
praise,
and let me be a blessing
during this time
of celebration and reunion.

While I may not live in the land
forever,
I will be in the land
for a time.
A time with family
and old friends.

For I will be in the place of 
my childhood
and there will be rich
stories to bring back
of the people who
were happy to see me, who loved
me then,
and love me now.

And now I am back