Category Archives: Uncategorized

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Restraint

I have several draft posts that are sitting, patiently waiting their turn to get posted and make their debut on allthatchatter. They are waiting on me. Yes, I am the hold up.

Timing, is it really everything? Or, is restraint the master of timing?

One of the posts I started was supposed to debut instead of The Dresser. It’s about the sirens in the Odyssey. The concept was the same but the approach was different. I was focusing on the sirens and how they were not the most gorgeous of creatures but there was power in their song. They had the power to persuade the travelers to steer towards them and ultimately crash their boats into the rocks. Death was the fate of those travelers. How is that like The Dresser? Everything you think is valuable or worthy of your time is not.

I realized on Saturday, the story of the Odyssey as I am to share it is not about the sirens but about Odysseus. As he was traveling, he knew he would pass the sirens. He was prepared. He had all of his men put wax in their ears and tie him to the mast of the boat. Restraint. He had heard of the sirens and their power. Odysseus was a proven warrior on the battlefield but he knew he could not win against the sirens. Better yet, he knew which battle to walk away from.

Restraint, as I see it, for this season in my life is learning to walk away, be quiet or avoid the situation all together. Restraint takes discipline. Restraint takes humility. Combine restraint with discernment. Restraint takes courage. Restraint takes preparation. Restraint may be inconvenient but it’s worth it in the end.

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Changing of the Light Bulbs

I don’t know about you but I don’t usually get excited about changing light bulbs. However, this year is different for me; not only am I excited, I am a little bit giddy. Yes, I said giddy. One by one the bulbs in my house are beginning to go out. One by one I am happily changing them. You see, this is not about light bulbs, this is about celebrating a new beginning in a new house with a new outlook and new hope for the future. Things are looking brighter with each bulb I change. (I couldn’t resist)

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Destiny

This is an excerpt from one of my original poems. I do not give permission to reprint or reuse.

You are the master of your destiny
The owner of the key that unlocks your future
You have the power to choose
Or the option to stand by
It is here by demanded that you become an active participant
In this thing
Called
Life
Step up to the plate
Take a swing
Even if you don’t get a home run
You are already on the team

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The Dresser

One upon a time, long, long ago in a far away and oh so distant land there lived  a handsome young couple. They were so much in love that they decided to get married. After getting married, they combined their two households. They kept his sofa, her bed, her dining room table and shortly after they were married, they inherited a dresser from his grandmother.

Now this dresser was nothing special. In fact, it was an eye sore. Mrs. Handsome disliked this piece of furniture so much she put it in a closet. Mr. and Mrs. Handsome had many discussion about this dresser that was nothing special but more of an eyesore. You see, Mr. Handsome cherished and loved the dresser because his grandfather handmade this dresser long, long, long, long ago in an even more far away and distant land. Mr. Handsome refused to even discuss disposing of the dresser. You see, he adored this lopsided dresser that was nothing special but a real eye sore. The drawers would not close all the way. The legs were not even and if you rubbed your hand across it, you were sure to get a splinter. Mrs. Handsome was determined to get rid of the dresser and Mr. Handsome was determined to keep this dresser that was nothing special and a bit of an eye sore.

One day, Mr. Handsome’s mother and father decided to visited their son’s humble abode. Mr. Handsome was embarrassed to have the dresser in the closet. Mr. Handsome insisted on displaying it in one of the bedrooms. When his parents arrived, Mr. Handsome proudly showed them the dresser, that was nothing special but more of an eye sore. Mr. Handsome asked his mother if she remembered the year her father made the dresser. She said, my mother found that on somebody’s curb when they were first married. My father’s handiwork was much better than that.

The very next day, the dresser that was nothing special and still an eye sore found itself no longer living in the bedroom or closet but next to the dumpster.

And they lived happily ever after.

My question to you is what or who are you holding on to that is nothing special but more of an eye sore? It’s okay to walk away or put it next to the dumpster.