That Original Feeling...

Recently a friend remarked on how his grandparents had been married for sixty-eight years and counting. This hit a chord inside of me. A very deep resounding chord. It struck me so much so that I felt compelled to bow in awe.

Many years ago now, I gave up wondering why certain people chose to marry each other and how some couples seemed to stay together while others did not. Back then, I had come to the realization that I couldn’t begin to comprehend the complexities of love, devotion, commitment, needs, beliefs… But sixty-eight years married is an amazing accomplishment indeed and I began to think about the challenges that they might have faced together or individually within that marriage.

On April 10th, my husband and I will have been married for seventeen years and I remember the day that I fell in love with him. Actually, I remember the moment. I was sitting in a hospital bed and this amazing man that I had known for only six weeks, dashed around the corner of my semi-private room divider with hope resting on his entire face, that I was okay. I was seated in bed and… I was more than okay. I grinned and just took this man in, watching his every move, listening to his every word. His care and concern for me wasn’t new. I had been fortunate to have been well loved my entire life and had had other men in my life who held me in high esteem. But somehow, this felt different. Brent and I were in our thirties with well-established careers, knew our strengths and what we wanted in life, when our paths intersected and we both knew that it felt right being together.

Now fast-forward eighteen years from the first time I met him and with two beautiful children that we have been gifted, the greatest challenge I face is to take the time to allow that awestruck feeling to continue to permeate my being, to not take him for granted and become complacent, to hold on to that respect that I have always held for him and to do so with gratefulness and joy. And so as I sit here contemplating my life in this marriage our girly asks if she can turn some music on. “Of course” is my response and the song that rings out is Natasha Bedingfield’s, which causes me to smile at this remarkable Universe of ours and I long for his arms to surround me because that original feeling never went away…

...Ellyn

Equipping the Child for the Path...

As a Kindergarten teacher, when a child entered my classroom never having held a pair of scissors or not knowing how to tie her shoes, I felt it was my responsibility to teach those skills with support and guidance. It was not for me to judge that that child hadn’t been taught those skills at home before coming to school, but to assist in equipping the child with the skills that would be needed as she moved forth in life.
I feel the same way about preparing a child for entering the Internet and encourage you to ponder David Truss’ words that follow. David can be found at http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com where he provides anyone in need with this available poster.

We Filter Websites At School!
• Students will not know what to do when they are at home and they come across malicious or inappropriate websites.
• Searches may confuse and overwhelm students at home as they will be in unfamiliar territory.
• While at school students will not be able to use many interesting and exciting websites that they can use at home.
• At school we will not be able to help students who have issues with social software sites like Facebook.
• Because we filter websites at school we cannot prepare your child to be net savvy. That responsibility now rests firmly on your shoulders. Good Luck!
~David Truss

And so... I continue to guide my own children with regard to discerning information, using security features, and knowing that it is a joyous and interesting privilege to have Internet use. Will they be duped by possible negative forces that exist? Possibly, but they also will know procedures that they can act on and that they can always ask me for assistance with the handling of a particular online situation.

...Ellyn