Gee, Thanks!

For those of us who have walked this earth for some time, we understand that crises arise and we will need someone to hold our hand.  The Beatles sang, “I want to hold your hand,” and Michael Jackson sang, “Don’t let go of my hand.” Either way, we will need a friend or even better, friends.  Sometimes, circumstances can simply be too much to go it alone.

I think of those that offered encouragement, a listening ear or even physical shelter as the storms of life raged and my soul was tossed to and fro.  As I sought nurturing care, I have found that people give what they are capable of giving. Some offer heartily, and some more skimpily. It depends on the largeness of their hearts and quite like the Grinch, the heart sizes vary.

But when we are on the receiving end, we humbly and thankfully accept what has been given and pack it onto our wounds.  Overtime, we can go on and though we may still be the walking wounded, we can act like a song from the 70’s which sang, “Float on.”

We are then able to walk from underneath others’ umbrellas whether they were huge and expansive or rather quite small. We emerge stronger as we walk out into the light and face what we need to face. From their willingness to share, we  feel more resilient, more sure and mostly grateful for the helping hand.
Lynn M.
February 22, 2023

Rhianna: My Take

The halftime show of the Super Bowl has everyone abuzz. Me? I enjoyed watching Rihanna’s high-flying act. From the sounds of those who were actually in the audience, they were wowed and gratified by her performance. And now, a few days later, the complaints and criticisms are rolling in like steam engines. I always say that if artists did not create, critics would have no work to criticize. 

Admittedly, I am quite a bit older than Rhianna and I do not know her songs nor have I seen her former stage acts; but honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed it. First, thankfully, she was not scantily clad, and we did not have to look at her body parts. She was well-covered and though now the baby bump has taken over social media, I perceive her as a brave, sassy, accomplished singer who sang, “We are going to own this town tonight.” And she did. 

Her Michael Jackson thump caused an uproar amongst some, but it is what it is. He did it all the time, but now suddenly, there is this outrage. She certainly, “gave them something to talk about,” as Bonnie Raitt so prolifically sang in one of her songs. I re-watched it on YouTube, and I enjoyed it, again. 

I watched one of her interviews that she gave prior to the performance. She was wondering how she could use the right songs from her extensive catalog and put them into a 13-minute act. She told the interviewer that she had 39 versions of the performance and was constantly tweaking it as she went along the way. 

Also, she was suspended 60 feet in the air and one of the producers said that she was afraid of heights. They had been practicing daily since November, so that she could get used to being that high up in the air. Amazingly, the ground crew had eight minutes to construct the stage and secure her on the moving platforms. Thank goodness, all went off without a hitch. 

Again, I did not know her music, but the lyrics to some of her songs such as, B… Better Have My Money, Only Girl in the World, Umbrella, Work and Diamonds are still playing in my head. Let us face it, art is art. To the haters, I would ask, “Where is your work?” And lastly, they are saying that she did not get paid. Well, I will close by saying that billionaire Rhianna did us a huge favor by simply being there. She is currently flooding the social media feeds and all other forms of media! 

Lynn M. 
February 16, 2023 

February 2023

The love month- February, 
Like clearing mist from the sea. 

One can see for miles ahead, 
Empowered, with no more lead, 

Weighing down the buoyant hope, 
Nor moving like a slowpoke. 

Imbued with those fresh, new ways, 
Rippling laughter on most days. 

Filled with love, hugs, text and talks, 
Advancing in higher walks! 

Lynn M.
February 4, 2023