You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Notes:
Even though this was scheduled—because I knew I will be tired (and probably still a little emotional) on this particular Tuesday!–I opened up this again to comment a few things.
What a wonderful family time! I am just in awe of how much fun it is to get together and see family members and friends in person. I am so grateful to have so many relatives and friends that want to share in our joy.
This particular Mom Weekly is based on the very brief (under 2.5 minutes) remarks that I gave at the rehearsal dinner. I was pretty sure that I might not get through it without crying, but other than a few brief pauses, I got through every word!
Remember how much I love all of you,
Mom
The Blessing
When I was beginning to look at songs to consider for the mother-son dance at the wedding, I queued up a couple of songs on Spotify. As I drove to and from a haircut, I promptly started crying. Happy tears of course, but there are a lot of emotions that go along with transitions like this . . .
A memory came back to me of driving to Matthiessen State Park for hiking with my youngest during his spring break—this was the first spring of the pandemic.
It happened to be just the two of us, and he was driving. As a result, I was able to play various songs on Spotify. I recall that I played the worship song The Blessing by Kari Jobe, a relatively new song at the time, probably about 50 times. That is an exaggeration, but not by much! I was slightly obsessed with that song.
Once I played it in recent weeks, I realized that it wouldn’t work as a dance song for a lot of reasons. It ranges from 7-9 minutes long, depending on the version, making it even more unsuitable as a mother-son dance song. And yet, it’s a wonderful song!
So I would like to encourage all of you to listen. Even 50 times!
We all want to bless Clara and Joseph this weekend with our presence, and with God’s presence, and we want to bless all of our extended families and friends who are here with us, and those who cannot be here with us.
It’s based on Numbers 6:24-26. It is known at the “Priestly Blessing.” I’m going to embed the song in this post, but also the words. I’ve shortened it down a little, because the song repeats the stanzas multiple times, and I will just put them once.
The Lord bless you and keep you
Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, he is with you
In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, he is for you
He is, He is
Amen, amen, amen
Here is a version of the song (8 minutes!) live in Bath, England last year, sung in different languages.
The theory behind getting those items out of our mind and into a list, or lists, or some kind of system, is this: If we clutter up our brain with all of our to-dos, there isn’t space for thinking, deep work, and things we really want to accomplish.
I haven’t done a proper “mind sweep” in some time, so I plan to add this an an action item! But I do have a weekly habit of writing out what’s going on for the next week and a half or so. I do this one page per day, on light blue colored paper, that I keep on a fancy clipboard. I can add things to each day. Like many, I enjoy crossing off the items, and I even add things to the list so that I can cross them off. It truly helps me not to miss events and appointments, even ones that are on my calendar!
I had some reservations about some points of this article, but overall these young men are doing good work.
Action Item: Do a “Mind Sweep” Ahead of September
Set a time for 10-15 minutes (or more! Some people recommend a half hour or longer to help you capture a lot of items) and write down all the things you need to do—pay certain bills, check on your grocery list, make plans with friends, plan where you’ll be for Christmas or Thanksgiving, make your annual doctor or dentist appointments. You’ll be really glad that you did.
I have also done this walking through our house, writing down all the little things that I’d like to accomplish—cleaning off a surface, touching up paint on a wall or doorway, or organizing a closet. It’s great to have such a list, so when you are thinking of something to do, you can check the list and do one of the items. And, best of all, you get to cross off that item!
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Notes:
The next few weeks will be busy with wedding prep and final details, so I am going to schedule ahead a few of these weeklies.
Remember how much I love you,
Mom
Brief and Brilliant
I attended daily Mass the other day, and the saint of the day was St. Peter Chrysologus.
The priest at Mass said that St. Peter was known for his great sermons, which is why he is known as “Chrysologus.” It wasn’t his actual last name, but a designation that he was a great preacher. “And why were his sermons great?” he asked. “Because he knew how to master the basics.”
The priest went on to say that St. Peter “mastered the basics” by making his sermons accessible to the learned and non-learned alike, and especially that he stayed away from over-intellectualization of the faith. He gave clear, simple, brief explanations of the faith, and the faithful loved him for it. He kept his sermons short! It was a great short homily about the skill and thoughtfulness of being brief in speaking.
A few minutes later, the priest began the prayers of the faithful, and he said, “May all priests trying to pass on the faith, like St. Peter Chrysologus, “be brief and brilliant.” I, for one, as well as a lot of other people around me, chuckled at this, and really enjoyed his self-deprecating ways of promoting brevity among speakers. Several of us talked about it after Mass.
“Be brief and brilliant.”
This advice can be used in so many settings!
“Be brief and brilliant” is a terrific shorthand for trying to make the most when we speak to others. That can take some effort and skill, as I’m sure those preparing speeches for the upcoming wedding are learning. It’s difficult to say the least to make things short! But it is worth doing, as a kindness to others! That’s why there’s the saying attributed to Mark Twain, or Pascal, or any number people, saying “I wrote you a long letter because I didn’t have time to write you a short one.”
Let’s all try to be “brief and brilliant” in our discussions, speeches, and interactions.
This seems apropos! I think the main way that I work out jet lag is to “power through” the first day (and make sure to get sunlight), and go to sleep early. That, and staying hydrated, helps a lot.
The takeaway? Exercise, and specifically resistance exercise (i.e. weightlifting )
Here’s a great quote from the Q&A section of the article:
Q. Is it ever too late to start doing this kind of training?
A. Absolutely not. It’s never too late. This idea that you can’t build muscle or strength as you age is silly. No matter what your age, and I’m not young anymore, you’re fully capable of getting stronger and athletically fit.
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Notes:
This week, with 30 “American Children’s Literature” selections, brings us to 75 of the 100 First Lines for 100 Volumes. I keep finding more and more books to add to this, and I confess I’m having a lot of fun!
Remember how much I love you (and children’s literature!),
Mom
First Lines, American Children’s Literature Edition
When this story begins, Elizabeth Ann, who is the heroine of it, was a little girl of nine, who lived with her Great-Aunt Harriet in a medium-size State in the middle of this country; and that’s all you need to know about the place, for it’s not the important thing in the story; and anyhow you know all about it because it was probably very much like the place you live in yourself.”
—Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Understood Betsy
“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
— Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
“Where’s Papa going with that ax?” Said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
— E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web
When Mrs. Frederick C. Little’s second son arrived, everybody noticed that he was not much bigger than a mouse.
— EB White, Stuart Little
“Well, thank goodness there aren’t going to be any more children here anyway!” said Randy crossly. She spoke crossly because she was sad and she preferred sounding cross to. Sounding sorrowful, even though there was no one in the room except herself.
—Elizabeth Enright, The Four-Story Mistake
About two miles outside of Centerburg where route 56 meets route 56A there lives a boy named Homer.
— Robert McCloskey, Homer Price
In every town there is a best place to do everything.
—Robert McCloskey, Centerburg Tales
Mr. Maxwell looked at the long checklist, and then looked at the calendar, and then he shook his head.
—Andrew Clements, A Week in the Woods
When Portia Blake and her brother Foster set out for Creston that summer, it was different from all the other summers.
—Elizabeth Enright, Gone-Away Lake
Walking back to camp through the swamp, Sam wondered whether to tell his father what he had seen.
—E.B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
It began one day in summer about thirty years ago, and it happened to four children.
—Edward Eager, Half Magic
Susan had a beautiful new notebook open before her. On the cover she had printed in red ink:
PRIVATE DIARY—Susan Ridgeway
Everyone else keep out!!!
— Carol Ryrie Brink, Family Sabbatical
It was an afternoon in late September. In the pleasant little city of Stillwater, Mr. Popper, the house painter, was going home from work.
— Richard and Florence Atwater, Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Would Gracie-the-cat be jealous if the Pyes got another pet—a dog?
—Eleanor Estes, Ginger Pye
Alvin Fernald had a warm, tingly feeling smack in the middle of his stomach.
—Clifford B. Hicks, Alvin’s Secret Code
On the night of September twentieth the S.S. Orminta , two weeks outward bound from San Francisco to Australia, was struck by a storm and badly disabled.
— Carol Ryrie Brink, Baby Island
“That slowpoke Sarah! Henny cried. “She’s making us late!”
Mama’s girls were going to the library, and Henny was impatient.
—Sydney Taylor, All-of-a-Kind Family
It was difficult, later, to think of a time when Betsy and Tacy had not been friends.
—Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy-Tacy
Betsy, Tacy, and Tib were nine years old, and they were very anxious to be ten. “You have two numbers in your age when you are ten. It’s the beginning of growing up,” Betsy would say.
—Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill
“It’s the last day of high school … ever,” Annette said.
—Maud Hart Lovelace, Emily of Deep Valley
Nancy Drew, an attractive girl of eighteen, was driving home along a country road in her new, dark-blue convertible. She had just delivered some legal papers for her father.
— Carolyn Keene, The Secret of the Old Clock
One warm night four children stood in front of a bakery. No one knew them. No one knew where they had come from.
—Gertrude Chandler Warner, The Boxcar Children
If you asked the kids and the teachers at Lincoln Elementary School to make three lists—all the really bad kids, all the really smart kids, and all the really good kids—Nick Allen would not be on any of them. Nick deserved a list all his own, and everyone knew it.
—Andrew Clements, Frindle
Miss Polly Harrington entered her kitchen a little hurriedly this June morning.
— Eleanor Porter, Pollyanna
For a long time after that summer, the four Penderwick sisters still talked of Arundel.
—Jeanne Birdsall, The Penderwicks
There was once a boy named Milo who didn’t know what to do with himself—not just sometimes, but always.
—Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, former Baron of Gorlan in the Kingdom of Araluen, looked out over his bleak, rainswept domain and, for perhaps the thousandth time, cursed.
—John Flanagan, The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1)
Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat.
—Eleanor Estes, The Hundred Dresses
“It would have to rain today,” said Rush, lying flat on his back in front of the fire. “On a Saturday. Certainly, Of course. Naturally.”
—Elizabeth Enright, The Saturdays
I am on my mountain in a tree home that people have passed without ever knowing that I am here.
This short Netflix documentary—it’s just 33 minutes long — follows a group of men in a maximum security prison, who volunteer to make quilts for foster children.
I was concerned the content could be kind of heavy, but it was really well done, and poignant. No super-strong content here.
It is very much worth a watch!
r strong content here.
It is very much worth a watch!
An Action Item: Go to a Farmers Market
This action item, like many others, is a reminder for me as much as anyone else.
I haven’t been to any of the local farmers markets here this summer, and I need to remedy that, ASAP! Last year we got the yummiest light green squash that is apparently Lebanese, and this is about the time for it.
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Notes:
Here is another installment of 100 First Lines for Volume 100. I’ll try to finish all 100 in the next few weeks. This week is the “Picture Book Edition.” And there are 30 selections. I could have done many more! This brings us to 40 first lines out of 100!
I hope this inspires some good memories of us reading these books together. Maybe you’ll even take some of them out of the library, or read them the next time you are home.
Remember how much I love you,
Mom
(Funny aside: As I was formatting this, my editing software (ProWritingAid) tried to autocorrect /replace “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” with “The Starving Caterpillar” Obviously, I had to override it. LOL)
First Lines, Picture Book Edition
When I was young in the mountains, Grandfather came home in the evening covered with the black dust of a coal mine.
—Cynthia Rylant, When I Was Young in the Mountains
In the beginning, I was. I was for a long time. Then things began to happen.
—Regina Doman, Angel in the Waters
The night Max wore his wolf suit and made magic of one kind
and another
his mother called him “WILD THING!” And Max said, “I’LL EAT YOU UP!” and he was sent to bed without eating anything.
—Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are
Once there was a peddler who sold caps.
—Esphyr Slobodkina, Caps for Sale
Once there was a triangle that was—as most triangles are—always busy.
The triangle spent its time holding up roofs, supporting bridges,
making music in a symphony orchestra,
catching the wind for sailboats,
being slices of pie and halves of sandwiches,
and much, much, more.
—Marilyn Burns, The Greedy Triangle
On Monday, Farmer Greenstalk dropped his watch down the well.
—John Himmelman, Chickens to the Rescue
In the great green room
There was a telephone
And a red balloon
And a picture of—
The cow jumping over the moon
—Margaret Wise Brown, Goodnight Moon
Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.
—Margaret Wise Brown, The Runaway Bunny
Once upon a time, there was a yellow cat with black spots in his fur. His name was Pickles.
—Esther Averill, Fire Cat
In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.
—Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
A little boy planted a carrot seed.
—Ruth Krauss, The Carrot Seed
Pinkerton was pink, plump, and pushy.
—Helen Lester, Me First
One winter morning Peter woke up and looked out the window. Snow had fallen during the night.
—Ezra Jack Keats, The Snowy Day
Early in the morning the farmer feeds and milks his cows.
—Jan Pfloog, The Farm Book
Go to sleep, Max, said Max’s sister Ruby.
—Rosemary Wells, Max’s Bedtime
How are you Feeling?
—Saxton Freymannn and Jooste Elffers, How Are You Peeling? Food with Moods
Chug, chug, chug. Puff, puff, puff. Ding-dong, ding-dong. The little train rumbled over the tracks.
—Watty Piper, The Little Engine that Could
It was a pleasant summer morning, so Frances took her bat and her ball and some chocolate sandwich cookies and went outside.
— Russell and Lillian Hoban, Best Friends for Frances
It was a quiet evening. Father was reading his newspaper. Mother was feeding Gloria, the new baby. Frances was sitting under the kitchen sink.
—Russell and Lillian Hoban, A Baby Sister for Frances
The day Helen gave Martha dog her alphabet soup, something unusual happened.
—Susan Meddaugh, Martha Speaks
Once there was a miller’s daughter who got into a heap of trouble.
—Diane Stanley, Rumplestiltskin’s Daughter
Every year at springtime, Rebecca Estelle planted just enough seeds in her garden to grown vegetables for the long winter.
—Linda White, Too Many Pumpkins
The important thing about a spoon is that you eat with it.
—Margaret Wise Brown, The Important Book
Anna dreamed she was bird. But when she woke up, she wasn’t.
—Kady MacDonald Denton, Would They Love a Lion?
A mother bird sat on her egg.
—P.D. Eastman, Are You My Mother?
In an old house in Paris
that was covered with vines
Lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.
—Ludwig Bemelmans, Madeline
On the fifteenth of May, in the Jungle of Nool, In the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool, He was splashing … enjoying the jungles great joys … When Horton the elephant heard a small noise.
—Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who
Mike Mulligan had a steam shovel, a beautiful red steam shovel. Her name was Mary Ann.
—Virginia Lee Burton, Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
Now the Star-Belly Sneetches
Had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches
Had none upon thars.
Dr. Seuss, The Sneetches
Did I ever tell you that Mrs. McCave
Had twenty-three sons and she named them all Dave?
Please read, or at least skim this article, to the end. It had me in tears, happy tears. Even though I subscribe to The Free Press, I hadn’t come across this article until Dr. Naomi Whitaker—a national treasure — shared it on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/napro_fertility_surgeon/).
You may remember that I shared the PBS documentary “Below the Belt” nearly two years ago. As I wrote then:
“(This) documentary is about endometriosis and how misunderstood it is, how little it is treated, and how that should change. One of my biggest takeaways was that people–especially women– need to be advocates for their own health, and to persist even when not getting answers.”
I am so grateful for the work done by these careful and skilled surgeons to help women in this way, when others dismiss their symptoms and propose band-aid solutions that can often make these conditions like endometriosis worse.
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Never Take the First Room
Someone online, years ago, said that her mother has this rule when visiting hotels—usually luxury hotels, in her case. She would go up to the first room, and then realize she wanted to be closer to the elevator, or further away, or have a better view. So she would go back down and ask nicely for a different room.
I have done this occasionally, especially if there is something really wrong with the location. When I haven’t done it, but I wanted to, because I think, “Oh, this is fine” more often than you would think, it is a mistake.
But recently, I was able to change rooms and it made me consider making this my own rule.
This is not the hotel room in question—it’s from the StayCity Aparthotel in Frankfurt, Germany, last December.
Earlier this month, when I was checking us into a room at the beach, I went to the first room assigned to us. First of all, it was really from the elevator. Then, when I opened the door, there was a noticeable smell. Not awful, but just … a smell. I remember the experience Dad & F had in London at the airport hotel, and I thought, heck no! So I went back down and asked nicely to change rooms.
The clerk said, “Could I go smell the room?” That is making me laugh now, but at the time I was shocked. And I said, “You can, and I’m not even sure how bad it is, but since my family members just had a bad experience, I don’t want to get all unpacked and then have to change rooms. And also, can I have one closer to the elevator?”
She looked around on her computer, and said, “well, we are sold out of the two queens, but I can give you a room with a King bed and a pullout sofa. But it’s on the same floor and still far away from the elevator.” I assured her this would be better, unless somehow the room also smelled, so I said, okay. But: could I have a different room on a different floor maybe? She looked around and gave me a room on a different floor, very close (but not too close!) to the elevator.
I was nervous to go to the room, but as soon as I did, the room smelled fine and even good! I was so relieved. Then, I made sure I could find the sheets for the pullout couch and make that bed (they were sparkling clean, and in a dresser drawer). Then I went down to thank the clerk profusely (! I was really effusive) and ask for extra towels. Problem solved!
As I said before, this may become a semi-rule when traveling: never take the first room. Or at least, check in as early as possible, and then make sure the room and location is to your liking before you commit to it.
What are some other rules that you have about travel?
Remember how much I love you (and traveling! but I’m really glad to be home now),
Again, a writer I know nothing about, but she writes for/about young women. This is a guest post on Jonathan Haidt’s website. If he sounds familiar, he wrote The Anxious Generation. I appreciate so much when younger writers and people make the case about the harms of sexually explicit content, especially online.
