Beyond the Rainbow

Once upon a time, once when you were mine,

I remember skies reflected in your eyes.

I wonder where you are, I wonder if you think about me

Once upon a time… in your wildest dreams.

“Your Wildest Dreams” – The Moody Blues

I heard the song the other day as I was driving on the highway. As I’ve mentioned, I spend a lot of time in my car these days going on what I have unfortunately dubbed the foreclosure tour of my state. I travel to do trials and I log a lot of time behind the wheel.

That means I listen to a lot of music.

Now, that's usually a good thing, because I love music and I often find it to be energizing and inspiring when I need it to be, but also relaxing and calming when I need it to be.

Yet still, there are those days were the specter of grief pops into my mind out of nowhere and I think about my best friend and how much I miss him. It's amazing how powerful those emotions are. He's been gone for almost three years now, which I can hardly believe, and still in a random moment when I least expect it, I feel his presence – or, rather, the lack of his presence – and it overwhelms me. 

Tattoos: They're Not Just for Sailors and Convicts Anymore

Tattoo.  Just the word may conjure up all sorts of images in people's minds. In the past, many people for some reason associated tattoos with sailors or prison inmates or gang members.

Popeye! From free-extras.com

However, the art of tattoo is becoming more and more mainstream with time. Now, it could be that your doctors, your kids' teachers, and heck, even your lawyers (cough cough) have tattoos.

Why am I writing about this, you may ask? Well, for one thing, tattooing should be recognized as the art form it is, and the importance of self-expression to so many of us should be respected. But I also think (as with so many things) that dispelling myths is important. After all, not every tattooed person has visible ink. And, because more and more people are getting tattooed today, it's important to withhold judgment. You just never know who might have a tattoo.

Maybe this guy just saved your life. (Photo from thetattooedengineer.com)

My Achilles Heel

Most of my parenting commentary revolves around the happy side effects of parenting - the unparalleled joy it brings, the funny moments, the thrilling life changes.

But there is one thing about parenthood that isn't always happy. In fact, that one thing is more difficult than just about anything in the world.

And that is knowing that your heart is gone, that it is walking freely in this world in the form of a beautiful little person, that you have no control over it anymore.  This can be the source of your greatest joy and also of your greatest sorrow.

My little girl is my Achilles heel.

Sleeping beauty, Nov. 2011

"Listening" to Your Limits

I usually don’t know what will strike me enough to write about it until the post starts coming out on paper. Apparently, the listening theme I started this week is still speaking to me – and I’m listening! (ha ha, I know, that was bad) – so I’ve decided to continue with it today.

The idea of “listening” to our limits is not a new one. In fact, this is something that busy parents (and others too) grapple with on a regular basis.

So, what does it mean to listen to our limits?

Anna goes & goes until her limits catch up with her!