My childhood in New Orleans is full of happy memories playing with neighborhood friends. I loved riding my bike and roller skating up and down the sidewalks of our quiet street. Our neighbors would have huge block parties several times a year. Barriers would block our street so cars could not drive down it. The grown-ups cooked a smorgasbord of various kinds of food. My mom, a piano teacher, would roll our piano out into the street and provide music for everyone. Lawn chairs would be sprawled out to sit in and picnic tables set up to eat on. The children spent days practicing for the talent show we put on for the adults. Our next door neighbor’s mom was a seamstress and would help with costumes. We had so much fun prancing around our parents and making them laugh.
One particular block party was always around the Fourth of July. The heat and mosquitoes never stopped us from having fun, though. We always stayed up way too late so we could set off fireworks.
I was watching the explosion in the sky when all of the sudden I heard screaming. I looked up to find people hovered around an older boy I did not know very well. I ran over to see what all the commotion was about when my mom stopped me.
“Don’t go over there, honey,” she said.
“Why not? What happened?” I asked.
“That teenager had a firework explode in his hand and burn it. We’re going in now.”
I couldn’t believe that had happened. I was always overly concerned when it came to accidents, so I reluctantly followed my family inside, turning around several times to sneak a peek. The boy was taken to the hospital and the next time I saw him, his hand was all bandaged up. Since then, I have stayed away from firecrackers.
ARCHIVES.....FIRST DRAFTS.....
Friday, May 7, 2010
Flattened Heart
by Laurie Kolp
A forewarning said it’s fragile
precautions should be taken,
this forgotten treasure
old memories long forsaken.
Finally found betwixt the mess
of scattered dreams intangible,
how long it was furloughed
formed an icicle, frangible.
When did the fabric of life
become a fictitious façade,
this fathomless front
with fear the firing squad?
Like a furrowed relic,
her once flattened heart
began to flitter gradually;
effervescent love restarts.
Expectations
by Laurie Kolp
“Plan for the worse,
and hope for the best,”
an old friend used to say;
I thought he was cursed
with pessimism
to think that way.
Yet who was I to judge-
fantasized optimism
constantly let me down;
false expectations,
imagined outcomes
shattered my crown.
by Laurie Kolp
A forewarning said it’s fragile
precautions should be taken,
this forgotten treasure
old memories long forsaken.
Finally found betwixt the mess
of scattered dreams intangible,
how long it was furloughed
formed an icicle, frangible.
When did the fabric of life
become a fictitious façade,
this fathomless front
with fear the firing squad?
Like a furrowed relic,
her once flattened heart
began to flitter gradually;
effervescent love restarts.
Expectations
by Laurie Kolp
“Plan for the worse,
and hope for the best,”
an old friend used to say;
I thought he was cursed
with pessimism
to think that way.
Yet who was I to judge-
fantasized optimism
constantly let me down;
false expectations,
imagined outcomes
shattered my crown.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
E is for Equipment
Tonight my wonderful, loving husband, Pete, is going to blog about some equipment I think is fascinating. I know nothing about it so Pete, who works in the shipping industry, is stepping in for me. One of the surveyors in his company took this picture as it was being loaded on a ship to go out to the site of the drilling rig accident. Thank you Pete.
"Equipment" describes the man-made machines that make modern life possible from the cars we drive and the ships that bring our oil to the cranes and bull dozers that allow our society to grow. The picture included is a huge hydraulic shear that is the size of a large SUV and the same weight as three of the same SUV's. It is basically a giant pair of scissors capable of biting through a 3 ft. diameter steel pipe in one bite. It can be and may be dropped to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico on the end of a crane wire to cut apart the steel debris from the recent drilling rig accident. I love "equipment" and all of the benefits we receive as a society from it.
D is for Dear
by Laurie Kolp
It all begins with
Dear,
in devotion
for love
and adoration;
follow it with
God,
in glory
our creator
the almighty;
next comes the
Prayer,
in reverence,
with gratitude
and praise;
when all is said and done
it ends with
Amen
in peace
and serenity
an everlasting promise;
on this Day of Prayer.
by Laurie Kolp
It all begins with
Dear,
in devotion
for love
and adoration;
follow it with
God,
in glory
our creator
the almighty;
next comes the
Prayer,
in reverence,
with gratitude
and praise;
when all is said and done
it ends with
Amen
in peace
and serenity
an everlasting promise;
on this Day of Prayer.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
C is for Chance
by Laurie Kolp
a whim
that was all it was
a chance to be heard
after merciless years
of changing diapers
cleaning spit-up
and crazy choppy nights
a contest
that was all it was
a chance for me to write again
like I did until fear
conquered my creativity
and I did not think
I had a chance
at success
winning first place
was all that it took
the poem my fingers wrote
awakened a craving
a continuous calling
to write, write, write
that was all it was
a chance
by Laurie Kolp
a whim
that was all it was
a chance to be heard
after merciless years
of changing diapers
cleaning spit-up
and crazy choppy nights
a contest
that was all it was
a chance for me to write again
like I did until fear
conquered my creativity
and I did not think
I had a chance
at success
winning first place
was all that it took
the poem my fingers wrote
awakened a craving
a continuous calling
to write, write, write
that was all it was
a chance
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
C is for Celestial
Are you surprised that I chose celestial instead of cardinals? That's because, to me, they go hand in hand. You see, celestial means heavenly or spiritual, and cardinals serve as reminders to me of God's love. So whenever I see a cardinal, I feel connected with God.
How did this come to be? If you have been following my blog since the beginning, then you know the answer to this. For those of you who are new, I will give you a run-down on why cardinals mean so much to me, and why I named this blog Conversations With A Cardinal.
I had a very dear friend, Mary, who committed suicide two years ago. It was unexpected and I was very shaken up by it. At her funeral I met Mary's sister, Jeni who lives in New York but is now a dear friend of mine (click here to read her blog and learn more about Mary). Both of us began spotting cardinals at great times of sorrow and when thinking of Mary. For me, it happened all over the place at the lowest of times...but always when I was sad about Mary's death. A warm and fuzzy feeling would come over me, as if an "energy" was pouring into my body. I knew Mary was okay, and that God would get me through. It was the most amazing, life-changing occurrence I have ever experienced.
Now, two years later, my cardinal still appears to me. When Jeni and I talk on the phone, a cardinal appears; when I gave Jeni the "Sisterhood" blog award, my backyard was filled with dozens of cardinals; a cardinal led me to a 94-year-old friend who was bleeding to death. Cardinals are all over now, and they serve as reminders of spirituality and heaven. I have shared these miracles and many more on this blog, which originated because of my cardinal encounters.
Sometimes I hear the cardinal singing his lovely tune or chirping his distinct chirp, and even though I cannot see the cardinal, I know he is there...just like God. Other times I see the cardinal after being led to him by the songs or chirps (or sometimes without any sound- I just KNOW he's there). I am overcome with joy and hope; joy that comes from knowing without a doubt that God and an afterlife exists, and hope that everything will be okay. I always say a prayer when I hear or see a cardinal and can happily say that today I know that God is near.
How did this come to be? If you have been following my blog since the beginning, then you know the answer to this. For those of you who are new, I will give you a run-down on why cardinals mean so much to me, and why I named this blog Conversations With A Cardinal.
I had a very dear friend, Mary, who committed suicide two years ago. It was unexpected and I was very shaken up by it. At her funeral I met Mary's sister, Jeni who lives in New York but is now a dear friend of mine (click here to read her blog and learn more about Mary). Both of us began spotting cardinals at great times of sorrow and when thinking of Mary. For me, it happened all over the place at the lowest of times...but always when I was sad about Mary's death. A warm and fuzzy feeling would come over me, as if an "energy" was pouring into my body. I knew Mary was okay, and that God would get me through. It was the most amazing, life-changing occurrence I have ever experienced.
Now, two years later, my cardinal still appears to me. When Jeni and I talk on the phone, a cardinal appears; when I gave Jeni the "Sisterhood" blog award, my backyard was filled with dozens of cardinals; a cardinal led me to a 94-year-old friend who was bleeding to death. Cardinals are all over now, and they serve as reminders of spirituality and heaven. I have shared these miracles and many more on this blog, which originated because of my cardinal encounters.
Sometimes I hear the cardinal singing his lovely tune or chirping his distinct chirp, and even though I cannot see the cardinal, I know he is there...just like God. Other times I see the cardinal after being led to him by the songs or chirps (or sometimes without any sound- I just KNOW he's there). I am overcome with joy and hope; joy that comes from knowing without a doubt that God and an afterlife exists, and hope that everything will be okay. I always say a prayer when I hear or see a cardinal and can happily say that today I know that God is near.
The Back-Booty-Bump
by Laurie Kolp
If I never see those dancing booties again,
I will be as happy as a kid in summer.
I cannot stand those “dancing moms,”
who pop up all over the place
and try to lure me back to college-
I’d rather become a plumber.
These “moms” swing their arms up in the air
as they do the back-booty-bump,
appearing all over, out of nowhere,
they make me want to gag.
If Obama wants me back in school
Chippendale dancers he should send
not only would they tantalize me,
in college I’d be by week’s end.
by Laurie Kolp
If I never see those dancing booties again,
I will be as happy as a kid in summer.
I cannot stand those “dancing moms,”
who pop up all over the place
and try to lure me back to college-
I’d rather become a plumber.
These “moms” swing their arms up in the air
as they do the back-booty-bump,
appearing all over, out of nowhere,
they make me want to gag.
If Obama wants me back in school
Chippendale dancers he should send
not only would they tantalize me,
in college I’d be by week’s end.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
A for Attitude
This month I will be blogging according to the letters of the alphabet. Each letter will have a chosen topic for me to write about. I want to begin with A for Attitude.
I have been stuck in attitude many times in my life; negative attitude that tells me I am not good enough or will never make it, and positive attitude that says I can do anything I put my mind to. Of course there is attitude which comes from having kids, but I am not talking about that right now.
We can choose love over selfishness, acceptance over hate, humility instead of boastfulness; so the list goes on. I know for me, I would much rather love, accept and be humble. When I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, an attitude of gratitude helps me find my way back to peace. As I see all the things I am grateful for, I forget about all the things I do not have.
Someone once said, "It is better to want less than you have than to want more than you need." I could not agree more (maybe one day I'll get there). If I act as if I'm happy, chances are I will become happy. In closing, I would like to share this poem with you:
You've got to get up every morning with a smile on you face,
And show the world all the love in your heart,
Then people gonna treat you better,
You're gonna find, yes, you will,
That you're as beautiful as you feel.
~Carole King
I have been stuck in attitude many times in my life; negative attitude that tells me I am not good enough or will never make it, and positive attitude that says I can do anything I put my mind to. Of course there is attitude which comes from having kids, but I am not talking about that right now.
We can choose love over selfishness, acceptance over hate, humility instead of boastfulness; so the list goes on. I know for me, I would much rather love, accept and be humble. When I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, an attitude of gratitude helps me find my way back to peace. As I see all the things I am grateful for, I forget about all the things I do not have.
Someone once said, "It is better to want less than you have than to want more than you need." I could not agree more (maybe one day I'll get there). If I act as if I'm happy, chances are I will become happy. In closing, I would like to share this poem with you:
You've got to get up every morning with a smile on you face,
And show the world all the love in your heart,
Then people gonna treat you better,
You're gonna find, yes, you will,
That you're as beautiful as you feel.
~Carole King
Saturday, May 1, 2010
A movie and bedtime stories
We just got finished watching "Fantastic Mr. Fox," and I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is that this movie, which is a cartoon made for kids, is full of lying, stealing, smoking and drinking. Since when have PG rated movies become bad for young children? I highly do NOT recommend this movie.
The good news is that "Fantastic Mr. Fox" reminded me of bedtime stories my dad used to tell me when I was a child. The tales were always about a fox and a weasel and all of the mischief they would get into trying to catch one another. I always looked forward to hearing my father's imaginary stories. Hmmm...maybe I will start my own fox and weasel books. What do you think?
*I have made it easier for you to comment. I sure would love to hear from you!
The good news is that "Fantastic Mr. Fox" reminded me of bedtime stories my dad used to tell me when I was a child. The tales were always about a fox and a weasel and all of the mischief they would get into trying to catch one another. I always looked forward to hearing my father's imaginary stories. Hmmm...maybe I will start my own fox and weasel books. What do you think?
*I have made it easier for you to comment. I sure would love to hear from you!
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