Author Archives: bethpow06
FMM 9 15 17 Stripped Bare
“Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind the stronger the trees.” ~ Thomas S. Monson. I traveled to Jamaica with my family in 1963, sailing on the SS Ascania. Our journey was extended by several days, as we had to observe protocol, and allow a killer to exit the Caribbean before […]
FMM 9 8 17 Silencing Critics
“We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”~ Carl Jung. To those of us who grew up trying to please others, the opinion of others matters far too much. Children whose parents have a particular standing in the community (here I am thinking of parsons and teachers) grow up […]
FMM 9 1 17 The Less I Know
“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”~ e. e. cummings. Do you remember the first time you had to question a long-held belief? When I was young, I was totally flummoxed when my brother tried to tell me that Sunday was the […]
FMM 8 25 17 To a Fault
“The person who is brutally honest enjoys the brutality quite as much as the honesty. Possibly more.” ~ Richard J. Needham. Before we moved to Jamaica, we were advised of a few requirements. Ladies should wear hats and gloves to church (this was in 1963). Parsons should wear a dog collar and robe (in the […]
FMM 8 18 17 Isms and Schisms
“All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.”~Helen Keller. I grew up in a tradition of caring for others. But more than that, we were taught to respect our common humanity, and recognize that all human beings deserve respect. My parents were practicing Christians, and they lived their beliefs. At one […]
FMM 8 11 17 Timely Reminders
“Everyone needs reminders that the fact of their being on this earth is important and that each life changes everything.”~ Marge Kennedy. A song has been playing in my mind this week, ever since I helped my grandson with his homework. Did you know that in Finland (so I’ve been told), children have shorter school […]
FMM 8 4 17 The Resilient Spirit
“Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you’ve got all the answers, then don’t call what you do ‘faith.’”~ Brene Brown. I could never handle being teased as a child. Maybe it was because I was the youngest, first of five, then later of six. And of course, those who love to tease do […]
FMM 7 28 17 The Repurposed Life
“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It is to enjoy each step along the way.” Wayne Dyer. One activity sure to generate creative ideas is to change your routine. Travel, for the writer, fills the mind with an abundance of images that provide fodder for […]
FMM Just as I am
“All of me loves all of you…all your perfect imperfections.” ~John Legend. My daughter was a handful as a child. Which is why she hates it when she sees me looking on with glee as her own daughter gives her all kind of attitude. It is the special curse a mother wishes on her kids, […]
FMM 7 14 17 Tell me a Story
“Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it.”~ Hannah Arendt. When your father is a minister you grow up seeing him as a man of authority, commanding space, making pronouncements. More than the average father, his word carries weight. People defer to him. Teachers used to hold that kind of space too, traditionally in […]
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