Monthly Archives: December 2012

Lost

Posted on December 9, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

David Wagoner wrote this poem. It reminds me, as I enter Sabbath, there is a need to be still, to be quiet, and listen attentively. It is in the quiet I hear answers and sometimes those are new questions without the certainty of a ready answer I sought. Those answers sought are often formed before the question is posed.

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you,
If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

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Posted in Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments, Sabbath and tagged creativity, David Wagoner, Mindful Practice, nature, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 8, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Something I work at very hard is being compassionate with my self. It has been hard work. I am my harshest critic and rarely ever a cheerleader. These past few months I am finding a balance.

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More Awards

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I received awards over the past week or so. I am quite forgetful sometimes and I apologize for the delay. I apologize in advance because I know I missed someone who is worthy of an award.

I extend gratitude to Mary Clever, Otrazhenie, And Life Smiles, 4 Writers and Readers, and Chef Doru for the Very Inspiring Blog Award.

Chef Doru also awarded the blog The Sunshine Blog Award.

The Rules are:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link to them.
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

I coached ice hockey for almost 35 years and some former players made it to the NHL.
My first language, although I don’t use it much anymore, was French.
I am a teacher. My major is Physical Education which surprises few. My minor is French.
I taught kindergarten for two days and believe every kindergarten teacher is a saint.
Kathy and I met in a pub.
I am very lucky to have met Kathy.
My favourite TV show now is the Big Bang Theory. I laugh heartily.

I chose blogs that I have not sent out awards. 15 blogs I follow that I am going to pass this on to are:

A Grateful Man Russ brings some kindness and truth into my life each day.

tuttacronaca I don’t read Italian so am not sure what the text is about, but the pictures are great.

Source of Inspiration There is incredible poetry and images on this site.

Nae’s Nest is from a survivor who shares her story in poetry and images of various forms.

Elena Caravela is an incredible artist with assorted interests and skills.

Ese’s Voice shares thoughts, memories, and adventures.

Jaz shares music and Buddhism

Luggage Lady shares poetry as she reflects on various aspects of life.

On the Plum Tree is an author who is trying a new approach to publishing.

The Essayist is sharing essays about various topics that matter.

Candid Impressions mixes words with pictures and words that bring the two together.

Toe Mail is what it is. You have to visit to fully appreciate the work being done.

Sharmishtha Basu is a great set of sites of various forms of writing and art.

Meiro shares her thoughts of life and music.

The Secret Keeper shares many different writing elements it is impossible categorize the writing, but it is about finding truth.

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Posted in Awards, Blogging, Community, Writing and tagged awards, big bang theory, blogging, community, teacher as transformer, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

This is a poetic and spiritually uplifting way of understanding. Rules should be big enough to guide us and small enough to shelter us. There is room in these rules to create the spaciousness.

Lvsrao's Blog

Life is a struggle.

Remembering 7 principles gives strength.

1. In generosity and helping others be like a river.

2. In compassion and grace be like the sun.

3. In concealing others’ faults be like the night.

4. In anger and fury be like the dead.

5. In modesty and humility be like earth.

6. In tolerance be like the sea.

7. Either appear as you are or be as you look.

Value has a value only if its value is valued.

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Stranded

Posted on December 6, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I was not sure I had a poem today. It is a bit hectic with parent-teacher interviews, but this morning I had an email waiting and saw a path. I am not sure about the title, but here goes.

The last few days I have watched a friend struggle with being involved in something she is very passionate about. As I watch, I see her struggling. Her contributions are simply expected and thus unappreciated. Often, I think, we feel this way and believe we are alone in our struggles. Me experience points to another truth. We need to look up and across, open our minds and hearts and discover there are others who we can lean on.

Stranded–

Alone on an iceberg

Look around;

Look up;

Open your eyes–

Recognize others with you

Share stories–

Pearls of wisdom

In those oyster shells–

Found in deepest waters.

Experiences fully lived–

Reflect on them

Open heroic hearts;

Extend welcoming arms;

Proffer capable hands;

Share construction–

Bridge open water,

Calm perilous seas–

You are not alone

Others await your company.

26 Comments

Posted in Community, Leadership, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged community, conversational journey, creativity, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 6, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

This is a beautiful poem with a a powerful message. When do we have time for the important things in life?

Live & Learn

We have time for everything
Sleep, run back and forth,
regret we made an error and err again
judge others and absolve ourselves,
we have time to read and write,
edit what we wrote, regret what we wrote,
we have time to make projects and never follow through
we have time to dwell in illusions and stir through
their ashes much later.

We have time for ambitions and diseases,
to blame destiny and details,
we have time to look at the clouds, at the ads, or some random accident, we have time
to chase away our questions, postpone our answers, we have time
to crush a dream and reinvent it, we have time to make friends,
to lose them, we have time to take lessons and forget them
soon after, we have time to receive gifts and not understand them. We have time for everything.

No time, though, for a…

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The Peace of Wild Things

Posted on December 5, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I have parent-teacher interviews for the next two evenings. It limits the time available for posting my own words. I began thumbing through one of my many poetry anthologies and came across this wonderful Wendell Berry poem that echoed yesterday’s post, Children in ways. Two of his poems at the link are about mad farmers. Wendell Berry is a compassionate, opinionated person. When I grow up, I want to be similar.

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

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Posted in Education, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged creativity, education, Mindful Practice, nature, poetry, spirituality, teacher as transformer, Wendell Berry. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 5, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

We talk about a kinder, gentler world, but is it happening? It is not just about letting others win. It is also about being gracious and humble in our lives. Leaders need to find new ways to allow others to rise up and be part of the solutions in a complex and messy world.

Passion For Truths

Some people just want to win,
At all costs-
In competitions,
In business, and even
In arguments.

And so …
What value is the reward,
When opponents are humiliated,
Livelihood of rivals ended,
And friendship lost?

Sometimes …
Allowing others to win,
Delivers the greatest prize,
By unlocking the nobility within.

When others have a chance to win,
Rivalry is defused,
And animosity is laid to rest.

In the end,
Harmony prevails.
And what better world to create,
Than a planet filled with peace?

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Children

Posted on December 5, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

I have thought about the role children play in the lives of adults. Our role as stewards reminds me of the Native American proverb: We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. With responsible adult and community stewardship, this is possible. It takes a special effort, but it is its own reward.

Children–
Nature’s gift;
Craft and hone–
Appreciate their future;
Nurture and cherish–
Mature under our watchful gaze,
Cradled in loving community.
Elders shepherd;
Care and tend–
A most precious flock
Share wise words
Open hearts
Act prudently
Generous, ceaseless, joyful work.

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Posted in Community, Education, Mindful Life, Poetry, Reflective Moments and tagged children, community, creativity, education, leadership, Mindful Practice, poetry, stewardship, teacher as transformer. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted on December 4, 2012 by ivonprefontaine

Here was another of the blogs that posted around a theme in November. The theme was writing psalms which I can only imagine as challenging and rewarding experience.