Perspectives | Uniquely Yours Craft Journal

Remembering 911- 15 years later

11 Sep 2016 Comments Off on Remembering 911- 15 years later

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: 9/11

Dear Fellow Journalers,

Here is a re-post from 2014 from G.

Sallie

United_911

I knew I had to write this piece, but I’ve been dreading it at the same time. This piece has to be good. In my opinion, a lot rides on it. This is one I really want to get right. I thought about writing about where I was and what I was doing. Scratch that. Everyone remembers where and what they were doing that day. I won’t bore you with my story. I thought about writing about what it meant to me. Scratch that. Everyone had deep feelings about the meaning of 9/11. I thought about writing about continuing effects of 9/11. Scratch that. . Anyone who’s been through an airport in the last 10 years knows that. So what does a dumb ass, half ass writer like me write about on this sacred anniversary? I have not yet been to the new 9/11 museum. I hear it’s fabulous and do plan on going. But I have been to the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. I imagine the feeling is exactly the same. You see Americans hate the very idea of a sneak attack. We Americans declare ourselves. Piss us off and we tell you we’re coming to get you. Franklin Roosevelt before congress saying “a day which will live in infamy”. George W. Bush on a pile of rumble saying “Those who did this will hear from us soon”. Americans knock BEFORE they kick down the door. Then we come with a vengeance. I guess an argument could be made for the sneak attack. But America was founded on a principle called HONOR. We even sent letters of grievance to Mother England way back when. When they ignored us, we struck back. We only respond with aggression when aggression comes against us. A lot of folks would say the hell with honor. Thank God more wise heads prevail. Honor is what keeps America America.

So today we look back on 10 years. The loss of almost 4,000 lives in three separate places. Ceremonies will be held in New York at the WTC site, in Washington at the Pentagon, and in a field at a crash site in Pennsylvania. Tears will flow. More than a few will be from me. You see I’m one of those stupid few who still believe that when diplomacy fails, the place of final resolution is on the battlefield, not on the streets of a civilian community. But forgive an old man his whimsy. I’m a dinosaur. I still believe in honor. I can’t help it. It’s the way I was raised. It’s what I believe. And you know what? Must be a few of us left. On 9/11/11 a lot of people will come together all over America to remember. I’m sorry, but I believe that a great part of those ceremonies will be those decrying the loss of honor. Those who believe that hostilities should begin with some form of a declaration of war. A matter of HONOR. Those who think that if you disagree with one’s politics, religion, beliefs, or anything else, you DECLARE yourself, THEN come in aggression. That to do less is a matter of DISHONOR.

Oh well, I wanted this to be great piece. A masterpiece! Instead what I’ve written is a thought-provoking piece. One that makes one THINK about the REAL lessons to be learned from 9/11. To start asking questions about what America’s future will look like. I’d like to believe that the honored dead of 9/11 would want it that way. So as 9/11 10 passes, please think about something called HONOR. If 9/11 was about nothing else, it was about that. And all the memorials and ceremonies will truly be about that. One more thing while I’m on a roll here. Radio and TV are full of lessons learned that tragic day. The subjects are indeed interesting. Better construction, better fire proofing, better safety methods, and of course, better anti-terrorism methods. Since I’m no expert on any of the above, I’d like to take a shot at it from another point of view. So, with your kind indulgence:

NEVER leave your loved ones for the day without telling them you love them. You may never a get chance to do it again. Believe me, I know.

NEVER leave your home no matter how late you are with unmade beds or unwashed dishes. It’s a fickle irony that after discovering your loved one is dead, and upon coming home, this is your first chore.
NEVER underestimate the power of terrorism, fate, circumstances, sudden illness etc. If you do, they’ll get you every time!
ALWAYS know that a belief in your inner strength and a faith in the Almighty will get you through. Sometimes this can mean and include a trip to eternity.ALWAYS remember that in times of crisis, people will show their true character. Let your character show its bright side. We’re all in this together.
EVERY DAY IS A TRAINING DAY. LIFE IS THE LESSON WE LEARN!

Well, no exciting revelations there! No new scientific, political, historical, or other type news. But please consider this: The REAL LESSONS of 9 / 11 were not about any of those things. The REAL LESSONS of 9 / 11 were about HUMANITY. It was about the good and evil that encompasses humanity. About the kindness and inhumanity we are capable of showing each other. One 24 hour period that presented the human melodrama in ALL its’ glory and ALL its’ horror. And we were alive to experience it all. May God bless you all, and may He also cause you to remember the PERSONAL lessons learned that day, and every day since.

Memorial Day

30 May 2016 Comments Off on Memorial Day

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: Memorial Day, students, Veteran

Dear Fellow Journalers,

I found this true story recently and thought I would share.

~Sallie

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Valley Heights High School in Port Rowan, did something not to be forgotten.
On the first day of school, with the permission of the school Superintendent, the Principal and the Building Supervisor, she removed all the desks in her classroom.

When the First Period kids entered the room, they discovered that there were no desks.

“Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?”

She replied:  “You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.”
They thought:  “Well, maybe it’s our Grades.”  “No.” she said.
“Maybe it’s our behavior.”   She told them:   “No, it’s not even your behavior.”
And so, they came and went ~~~ the First Period, Second Period, Third Period.
Still no desks in the classroom.   Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon, television crews had started gathering at the
school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her
room.
The final Period of the day came and the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom.
Martha Cothren said:   “Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.”
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom,
each one carrying a school desk.
The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in
place, those kids started to understand —
perhaps for the first time in their lives — just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said:   “You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world,
giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. Now, it’s up to you to sit in them. It is your
responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens.
They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education.   Don’t ever forget it.”

By the way, this is a true story, and this teacher was awarded Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher
of the Year in 2006. She is the daughter of a WWII POW.

Let us always remember the Men and Women
of our Military and the rights they have won for us.

Quotes and inspirational journals. Help needed!!

30 Mar 2016 3 Comments

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: help, quotes

Dear Fellow Journalers,

When I began this year’s posts on content journaling I was nervous. How would you, my followers react? It was with some trepidation, that the posts began to evolve and take on lives of their own. To my delight, I discovered that ‘you all” shared and commented!

It is in this spirit, that I come to you to ask a favor. The June posts will feature Quotes and Inspirational journaling. A lot of my quote journal contains excerpts from literature, but there are so many more topics out there! If each of you contributed 3 quotes or excerpts of texts with the source and your e-mail address, I will share them on this blog. So, please put your thinking caps on and share with all of us! I need your submissions before June 1st. You can email me at uniquelyyourscraftjournal@outlook.com

Thanks,

~Sallie

The Yellow Brick Road

23 Dec 2015 Comments Off on The Yellow Brick Road

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: Happiness, quest, road, Wizard of Oz

Dear Fellow Journalers,

The following is G’s final perspective for 2015. Enjoy!

~Sallie

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!” “Look! A yellow brick road! Let’s follow it.” Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz.

Let’s face it, we all have our own personal yellow brick road. It’s the path we follow to find our own happiness, our own “Emerald City.” It’s a constantly changing and winding road indeed, and it’s uniquely ours.

Remember when you were a kid? The road then led to something as simple as an ice cream cone. As we got older, things got more complex and complicated.

I had a dream the other night about my life. They say an old man’s dreams are about the past, a young man’s dreams about the future. It’s true. When I awoke and lay there in the darkness, I tried to take a measure of my journey down the road to happiness.

While I certainly have had my share of hardships and tragedies, (just as we all have) all and all my journey down the road has led me to my share of happiness. As I wear an old man’s face, there is no pack of wolves hunting me down. Indeed, there is no single wolf at my door either. I have settled into a comfortable life, and happiness is pretty much my daily companion with a few notable exceptions.

Now the yellow brick road is an ever-changing one. As I travel down it, I can’t help but notice how many “dead bodies” there on it. You know, those persons who gave up traveling the road and just gave up the quest. The modern version of The Wizard, called The Wiz, has a song entitled “Ease on down the Road”. What a bunch of B.S. that is! The road, while a pretty yellow is fraught in hardship. You must always travel with vigilance and care. Failure to do so will make you one of its casualties.

One other thing I’ve learned. When Dorothy traveled down the road, she picked up a few friends along the way. That was good, for all needed some kind of support on their journey. But in the end, each had their personal and unique end. Each had their own quest. Each finished the quest in their own personal manner, each with their own goal. Happiness is NOT dependent on the other guy. It rests within ourselves. Those who rely on others will fall victim to unhappiness, and never find their own personal Emerald City.

And finally, there’s the Wizard himself. Everyone needs a Wizard. Some call him God. Others will call him Destiny. Others Fate. Others the Grand Scheme of Things. No matter what you call it, you MUST have a Wizard!

But if you remember the story, the Wizard had a final surprise! He did NOT grant the wish himself! Instead, he had each seeker look inside himself for their true happiness. He could only give support in the end. Each one had to find their own “Emerald City.”

May I make a suggestion? Latch onto a copy of the Wizard of Oz, either the book or the movie. (Get the original, with Judy Garland and Company). Then gather your family(especially your children and grandchildren) and maybe a few, trusted friends together, and read this piece to them and then study the story. Then…..

The Voice of our Soul

09 Dec 2015 Comments Off on The Voice of our Soul

by uniquelyyourscraftjournal in Perspectives Tags: emotions, mind, soul

Dear Fellow Journalers,

If our eyes are the windows of our soul then our emotions are the Voice of our Soul. Our emotions connect us to the deepest parts of our inner selves, the ones we reach as we journal. Have you ever noticed that if you’re really passionate about something and you write about it, the more you write and the deeper you delve into the situation, the more you See and feel yourself?

Many of us have never listened to ourselves. Oh, yes, we talk to ourselves, but that’s different. Even when we talk with others, some of us never really listen to the other person – we’re always thinking about what we are going to say next in the conversation.

Some of us are afraid of our emotions. We really shouldn’t be. Emotions, our feelings are our inner GPS; they give us a voice. The voice then gives us energy to tackle life. Some of the energy is fueled by negative and destructive emotions. Too many events in the past year demonstrate those situations. The good news is that we can channel our emotions to doing good things. Social media, newspapers and TV stations will feature “Good NEWS” this month. Those stories, for the most part, will touch our hearts and souls. These are stories about un-sung heroes, the pay-it-forward stories, the generosity at the soup kitchen etc.

What prompts these good emotions? Our mind is the tool that interprets the information that our emotions are giving us. It tells our emotions that this situation needs our full attention. A lot of the time, most of us act on instinct – raw emotion if you will.

We need, I think, in this coming year, to learn to listen to ourselves and to think about the relationship of our mind and emotions. According to everything I’ve read, it’s going to be a long and arduous journey and we need all the good energy (emotions) to make it to our personal mountain top.

‘Til next time,

Sallie