by MarianBeaman | Feb 12, 2014 | Gratitude, Literature, Quotations, Reflection, Uncategorized
Think of February as God’s special gift of time sandwiched between all the hubbub of past holidays and the upcoming arrival of a busy spring. To me, February is the ideal month to regroup . . . to review where I’ve been and to rethink where I’m going. I have found it...
by MarianBeaman | Feb 8, 2014 | meditation, Neighborhood / Environment, Reflection, Uncategorized
Ordinarily, I am proud of my patio garden. But January 2014 was tough in Florida: two nights in the 20s and several days around the freeze point. And so the plants in my garden took a beating. The impatiens, in spite of being covered, froze to death. The pentas...
by MarianBeaman | Feb 5, 2014 | Coming of Age, Literature, meditation, Uncategorized
Now you are probably thinking . . . age 72 is a long way off, or it’s just around the corner. Either way, it’s a question worth pondering. In 1700 the average life expectancy was 37. In fact, 40 would be pushing it. Yet, in that very year Mary Granville...
by MarianBeaman | Feb 1, 2014 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Mennonite History, Mennonite Lore, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
If I swallow a water-melon seed, my stomach might swell up. If I touch freckle-faced Ricky with the dirty fingernails, I might grow a baby. Oh no! Those were my childhood fears. With a limited sex education, I tried never to swallow watermelon seeds or touch grimy...
by MarianBeaman | Jan 29, 2014 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Education, Family / Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Last Sunday afternoon, we took our red-haired grand-kids, the Daltons, to the Jacksonville Symphony Family Series, featuring The Sneetches. There was a pre-concert Orchestra Zoo with dozens of kids standing in lines to bang on, blow into, or saw the strings of...
by MarianBeaman | Jan 25, 2014 | Coming of Age, Conflict, Family / Nostalgia, Memory, Nostalgia, Uncategorized
Delight in Disorder A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness. A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction; An erring lace, which here and there Enthralls the crimson stomacher; A cuff neglectful, and...
