Imagination

Cornstalk Solitude

Jeanna GLeave a comment

We’d been in a drought, and then we were inundated with storms. Ain’t that the way?!

The grass wasn’t growing and then, all of a sudden, it was up to mid-shin. 

So I finally got “a round tuit,” and mowed. 

And when I was done, I stood with my hands on my hips, sweating, and admiring my work, when I noticed one single, footlong blade of grass, proud as the day is long, standing straight up in the middle of my yard. It survived. 

My childhood church had a corn field next to it. I went to youth group one night in high school, and our youth pastor said we would finish our night with devotions outside. Unphased, we followed him to the middle of the field where we found one single cornstalk still standing after the harvest. We sat in a circle around the stalk and stared at it for a bit before chatting about it. 

What could this single remaining cornstalk tell us about life? 

Someone said it was the corn’s attempt at controlling its own destiny; it didn’t want to be like all the other corn by leaving home and becoming something else. 

Then someone countered, “It’s sad that it got left behind, never to see the world and reach its full potential. It actually wanted to live in community and contribute to society.”

The questions abounded: Did it see itself as a survivor? Did it beat the farmer only to find the success didn’t really matter? Or was it a symbol of resilience? Or of faith that all would be okay? Would it see itself as a wise old soul, there to oversee the next generation?

And then I raised my hand and offered, “Maybe it’s just happy to finally have some peace and quiet, and to be alone… as a uni-corn.” 

Superstitions

Jeanna GLeave a comment

As I was waiting in the intersection to turn left, the light turned amber and the driver of the car coming from the opposite direction kissed his hand and then tapped his car’s ceiling as he sped past. I don’t know what the name for that practice is, but I know I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. But why? Do I think it will prevent me from getting T-boned? Or that it will stop a cop from giving me a ticket? 

I’ve also avoided stepping on cracks for most of my life, I drink out of my Penn State mug for all of football season, and I used to tape a Tootsie Pop wrapper to the strap of my shinguards before each soccer game. Some of my behaviors could probably be better labeled as obsessive-compulsive, rather than superstitious. Even so, what keeps me doing them? I’m sure at some point I felt as though they eased my worries or would bring me good luck. Some, I’ve heard, keep away evil spirits, like tapping my glass on the bar before I take a shot, or tossing a pinch of spilled salt over my left shoulder.  

As Halloween approaches, so do the images of spooky spirits, and I can’t help but get caught up in the superstition of the season. If a black cat crosses my path, will a witch be close behind? Maybe, maybe not, but I’ll be sure to light my Jack-o’-lantern just in case. 

Give Yourself a Timeout

Jeanna GLeave a comment

When we were kids and did something wrong, we’d get a timeout. “Go sit over there and think about what you did wrong. You can come back when you know how to act right.” Oftentimes I am so busy taking care of other things and people that I forget to take care of myself. Sure I eat and shower and whatnot, but am I also nurturing my social, spiritual, and emotional wellness? Am I taking the time to remember who I am and to honor myself by doing what I truly enjoy?

As a kid, I loved being outside. There was so much to take in, so much to feel and wonder about. My daughter and I went on vacation to a lake house with our friends this past weekend. Together we floated in the lake, warmed by the sun and cooled by the water, talking and laughing, rolling over the wake sent our way by the passing boats. The sky stirred our imaginations as we watched the clouds morph into different shapes, wondered about the low-flying helicopters, pretended to be birdwatchers who knew the difference between an egret and a heron, oohed over the distant fireworks, and were mesmerized by the full moon rising and the way its reflection reached across the water to touch us. We breathed the fresh air and felt a close affinity for the world around us. I played, it made me happy, and now I feel recharged and ready for whatever’s next.

Do you forget who you are sometimes, too? It’s time to be your own wellness coach, so blow the whistle and give yourself a timeout! What do you miss doing? Think about it and then go act right!