Morning Prayer

I close my eyes and then I pray
How can I, in my meager way,
Set the world to rights today?
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Fiorella is all abour relationships. Her art involves relationships between spaces and colors. Her music composition involves relationships between pitches and time. Her languages craze involves relationships between words and cultures, and her books involve relationships between people and people.

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The rule of three
Is calling me
But I have naught else to say
Today

Like Attracts Like

Romance Writers of America is a world-wide support group founded by seven Texas writers thirty-some years ago, and it works. When Fio was at the bank yesterday, she not only gave her own business card to the lovely young woman who helped her, but, when she learned the woman was from Louisiana, also gave her the name of a Louisina author (Farrah Rochon) whom she might want to check out.

Romance writers are pack animals. We clump together for improvement, encouragement, and inspiration, and it's not a new concept, but a universal of mankind--think of the Byron-Shelley-Keats crew,  of clubs you've joined, of your work relationships, of your family ties. Where would we be without each other?

New Year's Resolution

Fio's mother tried to be cool, but she frequently blew her stack, and Fiorella soon learned that the smartest, safest thing to do was to totally back off, to go passive.  So if there was a problem between her mother and herself, she took the fall.  Funny thing--the pattern repeated itself with Fio's own kids, but inside out.  If there was a problem between Fiorella and her kids, she went passive and took the fall again.  And she still does it.

This situation is not good for Fiorella or her children, and she has resolved to change it.  The next time around, she will tell whoever blows up at her that she is open to an amiable discussion, but will not accept being excoriated.

It's never too late to improve relationships.

Dear FaceBook

Dear High School Friends whom Fio has Reconnected with on FaceBook:

The pictures of your pets and grandchildren are cute, but I'm really more interested in YOU.  How are YOU?  What have YOU been doing with your life?  What are YOU doing now? What are YOUR plans for the future?  What do YOU and I have in common other than outliving a quarter of our graduation class?

I want to do more than write "cute" as a comment on your post--I want to relate to YOU. Any takers?

Mother/Daughter

Mothers. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Daughters are caught in between, wanting to please Mother and, at the same time, wanting to rebel, to break free of maternal expectations.

And, believe me, it doesn't get any better after Mother is dead.

Daughters

Across the restaurant table, daughter and I,
Like chessboard queens, red and black, we sit,
Each guarding her own square, eye to eye,
Alike, the same, completely opposite.
So sat I with my mother, seas apart,
Skimming waves, but never diving deep,
Each navigating by a measured chart,
With each shore military, harbors steep.
I love you, dearest heart, daughter mine,
Love you as my mother, yes, loved me--
As you will love your daughter child in time
And sit across a table, just as we,
And never breach the chessboard or the sea
Or know the other’s singularity.

Fair Enough

Husband is not much for throwing things away. I'm not sure he understands the purpose of waste baskets. On the other hand, he's also kept Fio around for forever.

I guess I can handle garbage duty.

Forever More

Fio not only hoards words, but she hoards people.

Yes, Fio wants relationships to last forever. If you get caught in the glue of Fio's friendship, you are stuck for life. She feels the same way about family--husband, children, cousins, nephews.

Watch out! Even as we speak, her arms are reaching out for you.

Fair Enough

Husband is not much for throwing things away. I'm not sure he understands the purpose of waste baskets or trash cans. On the other hand, he hasn't dumped me either.

I guess I can handle garbage duty.