The Gift of People Watching

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The Gift of People Watching

Kathy King

"It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without heart."

Ghandi

If you want to read more of my musings...head over to Patheos.com. My column is called Positive Pensees. Just enter it into the search engine and voila! There it is. 

The other day I had the sheer pleasure of watching an NPR Tiny Desk concert. There are no frills, no fancy auto tune. Just artists sharing their talent in a very special way. In the age of the internet, it is hard to believe what is real these concerts are indeed real. Chaka Khan sang all of her classics beautifully. Her musicians had smiles on their faces and it was just a wonderful time. I appreciate the realness.

I am sitting at a car dealership today getting some work done on our vehicle. It is packed and the people watching is prime. It is also nice to see full faces without masks on them. I feel like humanity is trying to find its place again at the moment. It seems as each day passes we become more divided as a country. That saddens my heart. What can you find in common with your fellow humans? As I look around the room I see many talking on the phone or typing on their computer. No real conversation is being struck by strangers. I wonder, do they love life? Are they happy? Have they found their normal since the world wide bug? As the faces move about the large waiting area, I say a prayer for the lady who looks particularly stressed. I say a prayer for our upcoming elections. I say a prayer for truth to reign supreme. 

Today I read the "I don't know" prayer. Often when I watch the news I shake my head because I just don't know. In the I don't know prayer the person tells God: I don't know how to process my emotions. I don't know how to make heads or tails at what is going on in the world. I don't know how to treat the person that is giving me grief at the moment. After you have given God all your I don't knows, you sit at His feet and muster what little faith that you have and tell God. "I don't know, but you know God and I trust You to give me direction." 

I think a lot of us normal people are in that space. Politicians are well, terrible. Talking heads are just that. Talking heads. It is just a tiring election season. It really does seem like we just don't know. Do you know the beauty in not knowing? We have to depend on God more to help us to know. Yes, I am people watching today. Smiling at those who look like they need a little smile. Praying as I see each person make their way through the room and finding faith in humanity. 

My books are on Amazon

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments 

The Case of the Missing Seeds and Tulips

Other books by Katherine:

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Miss Peaches Picks a Papa

Michael the Alpaca. Alpaca by Day. Astrophysicist by Night

Appalachian Allegory a novel

The Gift of a Quandary

Life and its Quandaries... we must keep going. 
Photo credit: My husband

 

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of a Quandary

Life is a quandary.

Life can be a mess. 

There are days when you feel that all you could do is just catch a smidgen of rest. 

The day feels like you are trudging up a hill.

The mud and muck make it so difficult to even make it a few steps up that hill.

You see the mountain of debt that life has accumulated. 

Funds are low, you are not sure that you can make it. 

You just want to quit. 

You just can’t take it. 

When life hits you with those merciless blows. 

Remember dear readers, to stop, pray, and come to know.

That there are times when life hits us with all that it has. 

Keep going, keep trudging. 

Even when peace seems slow, keep looking up.

Success and failure, those words encompass quite a lot. 

One little twist, or an attitude that turns.

Could make all the difference between those two words

When you fall, sometimes you have to get up. 

Dust off those knees and learn to never give up.

That success may be closer than it seems. 

Keep walking on, dare to dream. 

It was once said by the poet, John Whittier:

“Success is failure turned inside out-

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

Ad you never can tell just how close you are, 

It may be near when it seems so far;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

For all the sad words of tongue or pen. 

The saddest are these: “It might have been!”

Listen, keep going dear readers and friends.  

We’ve often been told that things are darkest before the dawn.

If that is true dear readers, we must carry on.

What is a quandary? It is a state of perplexity. It is uncertainty in a given situation. How often do we walk through life in a quandary? I know I do a good bit. When I read the entire poem by John Whittier I had to take a moment and pause. He wrote about how life is strange with its twists and turns. But the words that really caught my attention were: “Life is strange with its twists and turns. As every one of us sometimes learns. And many a failure comes about. When he might  have had he stuck it out; Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- You may succeed with another blow.” That sums up life in so many words. The hard work, the meaningful work, the work that causes change. That work, that journey is what we are aiming for. Life seems so easy when we have a little computer in our hands. We have instant access to all the information that we could ever want. We can order things with a click of a button. We don’t even have to leave the house. While those conveniences are wonderful. Are they meaningful? When I started to read the life of John Whittier I was truly in awe. He was a Quaker, a poet, a politician and an abolitionist. He suffered not one, but two mental breakdowns. Yet he did not give up. He supported women writers when that was not an encouraged vocation. He was committed to being a good human to all. It is worth pondering if we as a society need to return to these ideas. These ideas and actions do not have to be momentous or full of pomp and splendor. But rather they can be small. Mostly, this particular poem shows that this soul despite his physical ailments he did not give up. He did not stop writing. He did not stop trying to be a good human. Life is a quandary for sure. But that quandary is very much a decision to keep going when we can hardly walk. I am reminded of the words of Epictetus: “No great thing is created suddenly.” Keep going through the quandary dear readers.   

Source: Poetry Foundation

John Greenleaf Whittier

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Patreon:

Positive Pensées

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The Gift of Weeds and Wishes

I have shared this picture before. My husband took it when we were taking a walk. He saw a wish.

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

“Some see a weed, some see a wish.”

Unknown

Some see a weed, some see a wish. 

It all depends on how you look at it. 

Life is about glasses, and how we see through them. 

They don’t have to be rose colored, but sometimes they can.

Sometimes those glasses show the test. 

The test that we must go through to achieve our very best. 

Some glasses are like a tea party. 

Warm and it restores normality.

Other times those glasses are stark to bring us to reality.

Sometimes our weeds are indeed someone else’s wish.

Life is so much about perspective. 

Sometimes our glasses cannot help us see that we are blessed. 

Clean those glasses with love and thankfulness.

Spray some cleaner on them and dust off the mess.

Give it a little dose of reality to see what we need to see.

But remember dear readers, those glasses of life are there to help us see.

When the dust builds up and the lenses fill up with life fingerprints.

We feel around and can’t see at our best. 

So remember friends when you can’t see your way.

Take a moment and clean those glasses, dust off those weeds. 

If you still see those weeds, blow them off.

Make a wish.

So you can see those hopes and dreams.

When you were little did you run and grab the dandelions and blow them to make a wish? That was such a fond memory of my childhood. That was carried on through our six children and more recently with our little grand girl. To see her blow the little flower and scream when things flew off was nothing short of delightful. She took such joy in what some folks seem to believe is a weed. That is the grand thought about life. Sometimes things do not have to be grandiose and full of pomp and circumstance. Those blessings can sometimes be small. In each situation you can see a weed or a wish. We all have our quirks as humans. That is for sure but have our lenses become so cloudy and dirty that we can only see weeds and not wishes? Or further, the blessings that are indeed there? Perspective makes a huge difference in life. If you have looked at something one way for a long time and it keeps you thankful that is wonderful. Oftentimes we get dirty and muddled through the trials and tribulations of life. Sometimes you have to dust off those glasses that see nothing but weeds as far as the eye can see and try on a new perspective. A new pair of glasses if you will. Perhaps then you will be able to see just how many blessings of life. I often talk about growing up in the church. I thought that I had heard every hymn imagined. I can play a lot of them without music because they are so ingrained in my head. When I was in my 20’s I heard a hymn called, “Make me a Blessing.” The first stanza says, “Out of the highways and byways of life, many are weary and sad. Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife. Making the sorrowing glad. Make me a blessing,” Ira Wilson’s words caught me at that time. So much of life is carrying the sunshine where those dark glasses are dirty and making the sorrowful glad. Do you see weeds or wishes? Even if it starts out as a weed, blow the little dandelion and make it a wish. It is all through those glasses dear readers. Selah.  

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon!

Appalachian Allegory: A Southern Novel

Buy me a coffee… pretty please… actually it would be a proper cuppa in my case. Thank you for reading! 

Patreon:

Positive Pensées

Paypal:  familyking8@gmail.com

The Gift of Regretting Tenderly

Each day is a new day... to reflect tenderly. Photo credit: My husband

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of Regretting Tenderly

“How to hold regret tenderly: I wish that I would have done that differently, and at the time, I couldn’t”

Syanna Wand

Regrets, we all have them. 

Things we shouldn’t have said. 

Actions we have taken, things we have believed. 

Actions that have caused us dread. 

One of the wonderful things about life is that we can grow. 

We can learn from our past, our regrets, our sorrows, and plant new growth. 

All it takes is a willing spirit and a tender heart. 

A willingness to say, “I was wrong.”

Repent, say your prayers, trust in God’s grace. 

The willingness of spirit will cause you to embrace. 

Embrace the love, embrace the forgiveness, and the source of your regrets.  

Trust in the process, God knows best. 

Change that regret from a feeling of dread and hold it more tenderly. 

As the writer says, find a way to hold on to regret tenderly. 

Tell those who need to hear it, you wish that you had more tools at the time. 

Now you are older and wiser, and your heart is more kind.

Embrace the spirit to learn, to understand, and to have empathy. 

You will see life through a new looking glass. 

A glass that is full of sensibility. 

Do you ever sit in bed at night counting sheep and thinking of your regrets? I am sure that we all do. You wish that you could have said something differently. You could have handled a situation differently. You were in a bad mood that day so you were a bit snappy. I am convinced when our mood is out of place our glasses take on a different shade. The glass that speak, the glasses that think, the glasses that hear. The glasses that act. If we reflect on choices when we were younger we wear those glasses of naivety. It is a vicious cycle, is it not? Reflection and regret are necessary parts of life. They help us to be a better version of ourselves. If you are religious those moments allow you to lean on God’s discernment and grace for future circumstances. The funny thing about us humans? Well, we are a fickle bunch, are we not? Social media adds to that echo chamber of fickle. It is quite easy to find yourself in a space where the overarching theme is bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, malady, etc.. You name it, it is there. I believe that this little chamber just stirs more grit and dust into your cup of regret. When I was a little one, I loved to water paint. I had those little palettes that you could paint your masterpiece with ease. If you wanted to change the color you just dipped the brush in water. The water became a very cloudy and ugly gray and brown mixture. My brother would try to pass it off as chocolate milk (I am not kidding) and on one occasion I drank it. Well, needless to say it was awful and I spit it out and promptly told my mom. If you take those regrets they are much like those finger paints. You think about them over and over, the water becomes more and more dirty. When you have reached the end of your rope of anger.. Well, you take a drink. You think this drink will absolve you of your part in the circumstance. It will salve that regret. When you pick up the cup to drink, guess what. It tastes awful. That is why it is so important to practice self reflection. Forgiveness of both yourself and others. Give yourself and others some grace. Don’t let that water get muddy. Try your best to keep it clean. Those regrets are like the mischievous big brother. Once you keep dipping your brush in he will swoop in to try to get you to take a drink. Pour out the dirty water, clean your brush, clean your cup and move on. It will make all the difference in the world. In the words of David the Psalmist: Selah (Pause and think calmy on the subject.)

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon!

Appalachian Allegory: A Southern Novel

Buy me a coffee… pretty please… actually it would be a proper cuppa in my case. Thank you for reading! 

Patreon:

Positive Pensées

Paypal:  familyking8@gmail.com

The Gift of a Bird's Nest

One of the many feathered friends that came to visit us... Photo Credit: My husband

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of a Bird’s Nest

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul, 

And sings the tune without words,

And never stops at all.

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chilliest land

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity, 

It asked a crumb of me.

Emily Dickinson

Hope has been written about many times.

It springs eternal. 

It lives in the soul and mind. 

Hope sometimes seems a bit far away.

But if you tap into the music of your soul, it will march into the fray.

It will march in some circumstances like that of a small bird. 

Small taps, small flutters, small chirps on the wing of the bird. 

Other times hope marches in like a lion, roaring and making big waves. 

In both circumstances, hope will make a way. 

It is stored inside you, it may take a little time.

But if you keep searching, it will come in its good time. 

Tap into that hope, that prayer, and reverie. 

Make that hope like the stubborn bird that makes its little nest. 

It may look little but it can withstand the test. 

The test of rain, wind, bitter cold, and heat. 

Make that nest of hope inside you, draw from its strong nest. 

When you find it, hold on to it. 

You can withstand this test. 

Things may look bleak, you may not know what to do. 

But dear reader, hope can show you the path and fly you to a better place. 

Build that nest of hope. 

Let it be an anchor to your soul. 

When you need it, that hope will be there. 

To guide your precious soul. 

Today I have pondered hope a great deal. I have written about it quite a lot. I recently saved Emily Dickinson’s poem because I had never pondered the concept of hope being much like a bird. During the time when we spent a lot of time in our home, we decided we wanted to feed the birds. We bought a big bag of bird seed and set it out on the back porch. Each morning as we rose, we heard the bird song that greeted each and every day. Before daylight had touched our eyes the birds were flying to our back porch to partake of our bird seed. They had no idea just how much their daily habits gave us hope. Why? Well, first the colors of the birds and the variety. I counted as many as 15 different varieties and colors of birds that came each morning to feast. They sang, brought their little birds and then took a moment to bathe in our bird bath. There was a pigeon couple that came daily to partake. It was a picture of hope. Of course the squirrels and chipmunks came to feast as well. One day, a giant hawk came and perched himself on the porch to see if he could partake of a meal. The squirrels and chipmunks scampered off but the birds remained close by. They knew the danger was fleeting and they knew they could come back. As we watched these birds they taught us that in the rain, storms, punishing wind, bitter cold, soul sucking heat, and the days in between the birds were always there. They were faithful no matter what the circumstance. That is hope. Hope is discipline. Hope is showing up even when it is hard. Hope is pulling from that well spring, that nest that is within you to keep going. I leave you with this quote: “Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” Rabindranath Tagore

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon!

Appalachian Allegory: A Southern Novel

Buy me a coffee… pretty please… actually it would be a proper cuppa in my case. Thank you for reading! 

Patreon:

Positive Pensées

Paypal:  familyking8@gmail.com

The Gift of a Little Glimmer

Find that little Glimmer. Photo credit: My husband

Positive Pensées

Kathy King

The Gift of a Little Glimmer

“Today I learned about a term called “glimmer.”

Which is the opposite of a trigger. Glimmers are those moments in your day that make you feel joy, happiness, peace, or gratitude. Once you train your brain to be on the lookout for glimmers, these tiny moments will appear more and more.”

Unknown

A Glimmer, a glimpse, a little flash of light. 

That is what a glimmer provides.

When you are in the tunnel that is devoid of light. 

That little patch of glimmer will shine like a beacon in the night. 

A Glimmer can be a small moment in your day that brings you joy, happiness, or a small smile to your face. 

Gratitude, peace, clearness of mind. 

That is what a glimmer provides. 

Train your mind when all seems grey, to find the spots of glimmer in each day.

Life is a process, sometimes a drudgery. 

That is why we must find glimmer, look for it, as if it were a need.

Once you train your mind to see glimmer, the dark tunnel will shine. 

This will lead you to the glorious light, one day at a time.

My husband and I were watching a popular comedian speak the other night about the state of life in the West at the moment. He said that he went to multiple Christmas parties during the holiday and he asked two questions, “Have you seen Woody Harrelson, he’s my ride.” The other was, “In 2024 I would like (fill in the blank.)” He said the overwhelming answer just about every single time was, “Sanity.” There are times that I do believe that social media can take away our sanity. Also, just thirty minutes of the news. That sanity can turn very dark, very quickly if we find ourselves in an echo chamber that is less than savory for any amount of time. What happens when we stay there? The light begins to flicker, the stars dim in their shine and we find ourselves in a tunnel that is darkness as far as the eye and the mind can see. When I was little I was told a great deal of the phrase, “You are what you eat.” The concept was explained that this does not only apply to the mouth but the mind, heart, soul, and spirit. If most folks truly want sanity in 2024 what do we do? We find those little spots of glimmer each and every day. We clean up our diet. We practice moderation. Too much of anything results in tiredness, lack of faith, empathy, the ability to see the blessing that is right in front of you. Glimmer involves seeing that small sliver of light when our glasses are smudged and not clean. That glimmer will clean your glasses and help you to see and find your sanity. Sure, there are days when all you can do is put one foot in front of the other. That is okay. But dear readers, try to find some sanity and glitter each and every day. On a personal note, I have been down. The World Wide Bug made its way back into almost all of my family. Myself included. I cried. I did. Big ugly crocodile tears. I had to dig, grab, reach in the dark until I could find some glimmer. That glimmer was fuzzy slippers, my husband bringing me soup and my son trying his best to cook a proper meal for us. That helped me dig out of the tunnel. Find some sanity. Find that balance of soul, mind, diet, spirit, etc.. and make glimmering a way of life. 

My books are on Amazon!

The Quacktastic Adventures of Ellie and Lord Barks a Lot

The Case of the Missing Moo-Cow Bell

The Case of the Missing Bumbly Wumbly Bee

The Case of the Missing Wellies

The Case of the Missing Honk Honk

The Case of the Missing Ornaments

Clean it Up! Wash it Up!

Coming soon!

Appalachian Allegory: A Southern Novel

Buy me a coffee… pretty please… actually it would be a proper cuppa in my case. Thank you for reading! 

Patreon:

Positive Pensées

Paypal:  familyking8@gmail.com